“Look, Liz, I’ve been busy. Okay? I went on vacation for a few weeks and…”

“A few weeks.” I said.

“Yeah, but…”

“And on the other days? What were you doing then, huh? And what about my birthday? Were you to busy to call me or send me a card?” I yelled, “Is it to difficult to call your girlfriend at least once a week Steven? Or were you too busy?”

“Liz, I’m sorry, ok? Give me another chance.” He gave me a pleading look.

“No Steven! I’m through giving you chances! I gave you a chance everyday all summer to call me, write me, remember I was your girlfriend. But you didn’t. You didn’t take ANY of those chances. So now, I’m not giving you anymore. We’re over.”

“But Liz!”

I walked away. And no surprise to me, he didn’t try to follow.

4 MONTHS LATER

“Hey Emma!” I called, “Wait up!” I ran up to her, “Got a date for the dance yet?”

“No, do you?”

“No. Sadly. I asked my friend Chris but he had plans that day. But I have someone else in mind. Jeez, I hate the Sadie Hawkins dance. Where the girls ask the guys… its so… I dunno. I feel bad for the guys though, cause they usually have to ask. And I get so nervous.”

“Ya, who are you gonna ask?”

We walked across the field to where our friend Alicia was sitting on the cold metal bench.”

“Hey Alicia. How you doing?” I asked

“Don’t try to change the subject,” Emma said “Come on, tell us who.”

“Who what?” Alicia said “For the dance?”

“Yeah.” I replied

“Oh my God, yeah, tell us who!” Alicia said.

“Fine. Steven.” I looked up at them expectantly, wondering what they would say.

“Steven?” Alicia asked “Why? He was such an idiot to you last year.”

“I know, but…”

“He’s cool.” Emma said

“Can you find out if he has a girlfriend? You were good friends with him in eigth grade, Emma,” I begged “Please!!!!”

It sometimes sucked to be in an all girls school. Steven went to Middleview, a coed school, and the all guys school by us was Riverdale High.

“Alright.” Emma said

“THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!!” I shouted

“I doubt he has a girlfriend.” Alicia muttered “He’s a geek.”

“Thanks for your support Alicia.” I said.

“Hey, it’s the truth.”

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever Alicia.”

“Hey Liz! Guess what!?” Emma ran up to me in the hallway.

“Hm?”

“He doesn’t have a girlfriend. He said he would like to hear from you.”

I smiled. “That’s cool.”

“You should call him tonight. Ask him to the dance.”

“Alright.” I nodded.

“Cool, I’ll see you later.”

Later, I sat on my bed with the phone in my lap. I dialed his number. 485- 9920, I still had it memorized. Three rings. Then he picked up.

“Hello?” Oh my God it was so good to hear his voice again.

“Hi. Steven? It’s Liz.”

“Liz… hey.”

“Hi. Um, so how’s school been?”

“Uh, good. Your’s?”

“Good. Umm.. there’s this dance at school, umm… I was wondering if you would go with me.”

Silence for a minute, then “Yeah, sure. As friends, right?”

“Uh, yeah, of course.” NO NO NO!!!!!!

“I’ll see you then.”

“Yeah, bye.” I hung up and sat on my bed, in shock.

HE SAID YES! HE SAID YES! HE SAID YES! Little sirens were going off in my brain. As friends, I reminded myself, we’re going as friends.

WHO CARES??? HE’S GOING WITH ME! YAY!!!

I called Emma. “He said he’d go with me. As friends.” I said.

“Hey cool. I have to go. There’s someone on the other line. OK?”

“Ya. That’s fine.”

“Hey, wait.”

“What?”

“There’s a basketball game on Thursday. Wanna go? My mom’ll take you.”

“Ya, sure, who’s playing?”

“Middleview against Riverdale.”

“Will Steven be there?”

“I really gotta go”