A Love-Hate Relationship

35~ Winter Formal Dance

Johnny

Thursday, February 3rd

"I will remind you all that next Monday, the Winter Formal dance will be taking place. If you haven't asked someone out, do it before they're taken, and have your outfits ready. I hope you all bought your tickets."

Excited murmurs arose among the classroom. I bit my lip and wrung my hands together.

This was it. This was my chance to tell her how I felt. And I had a perfect plan in my head.

I bought my ticket to the dance a couple weeks ago, and according to my sources, Marissa bought her ticket, too. That meant she expected to go with someone, and hopefully that would be me.

There were a lot of guys wanting to ask her out, but either they chickened out, decided on someone else, or my friends scared them off. I was lucky to have Kobe, Kevin, and Bruce as my best friends.

I wasn't surprised that so many guys in school liked Marissa. She was beautiful, smart, sweet... she was a treasure.

This time, I couldn't chicken out. I had to quit being a coward and just ask her.

It was weird. I'd asked other girls out before, and I never felt this nervous. With Marissa, everything was different.

All I had to do was ask her to the dance. Why was this so hard?

Hey, Marissa, want to go to the dance with me? Nah. Too abrupt.

Marissa, I've been thinking, how about we go to the dance together? Too casual.

Marissa, I don't know if anyone's asked you yet, but would you like to come to the dance with me? No, that's no good.

Hi, Marissa, I understand if you say no, but I was hoping you could come to the dance with me? Oh, heck, no. That's pathetic.

I took a deep breath and paid attention to my teacher. Future me would come up with the words to ask her.

Once AP Physics class ended, I ran to our locker hall. I really hoped she would be there. If not, I could ask her after Art or Calculus, but I wanted to ask her as soon as I could.

I was in luck when I reached our lockers; she was grabbing her books. She seemed to be in a hurry, so I had to be quick.

"Marissa! Hey!" I stopped in front of her, out of breath.

She looked at me curiously. "Hey, Johnny. Um... is there something wrong?"

"W-well... no, but... I was... well..."

Just say it!

"I was wondering if... if..."

I hope I'm not too late.

"I was hoping that..."

Spit it out!

She raised her brows. "Yeah?"

"I was..."

SAY IT!

"Would you like to come to Winter Formal with me?"

The words blurted out in a jumbled mess, followed by a wave of shock that turned into anxiety.

She looked at me with wide eyes, frozen. For a second, I thought I screwed it up. I shut my eyes tightly.

"Of course!"

I opened them. "Really?"

"Yeah!" Her face was filled with excitement until she cleared her throat and looked at her shoes. "I mean... why not, right?"