The Tomato in the Blue Dress

Written for Flash Fiction - 300 words. Asking a girl out and hanging with the Beebops.

The Beebops were gathered outside the Red and White Drive-In, trying hard to look older than they were. L

The whole front of the building was windows, bright with neon and reflections. On the far side, a line of girls waited near the restroom, laughing among themselves.

Rob, the self-appointed leader of the boys, pointed toward one girl in a blue dress.

“I’m going to ask that tomato out,” he said. “So you Beebops stay out of my way.”

Tommy snorted. “You better be careful. She’s as thin as a pencil. You might break her.”

He laughed at his own joke, but no one else did.

Eddie leaned closer to Rob. “Have you looked in a mirror lately? She may run off screaming.”

Rob pulled a pencil from his shirt pocket and aimed it at them like a sword. “You all think I can’t get her to go out with me. Well, watch this.”

Just then, the girl in the blue dress came strolling by.

Rob hurried after her and held out the pencil. “Miss, I think you dropped this.”

She turned, surprised. “I don’t think it’s mine.”

“Well,” Rob said, suddenly less brave, “you can have it if you want it. I don’t need it.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

Rob swallowed hard. “Would you like to go to the movies with me sometime?”

She glanced at his friends, then back at him. “Just the two of us?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Just you and me.”

“All right.”

They exchanged phone numbers, and Rob grinned so wide the windows caught it.

“Saturday at seven?” he asked.

She nodded.

Rob leaned down, kissed her cheek, and said, “I’ll see you then, Miranda.”

Behind him, the Beebops stood silent. For once, Rob had left them speechless.

Word count: 294