Henry Myer's Spirit Week

Tuesday

I got a schedule from Principal Torres yesterday so I finally know what we're doing for the week. It looks like we are doing something called "Twos-day on Tuesday". The paper said to double or pair up on anything. I wanted to be warm today because it was gonna be in the 50s today. So I put on a double outfit: a double pair of socks, blue jeans, and two shirts. The paper also said we were going to do an ultimate Truth or Dare in the auditorium. With two people asking 3 questions each. Lots of people are going to do it.
Enough talk, I could be late for the bus.
I catch up for the bus, didn't miss it, (Lucky me,) hop on and sit next to Dan like usual.
"Dan, you look goofy in those two caps. You look like the one guy from Diary of a Wimpy Kid who tried to be a 'cowboy' for Halloween."
He was wearing two baseball caps, one bill in the front, and another in the back.
"Yes, I do look weird in this, but I couldn't think of anything else." He said. "The ultimate Truth or Dare thing is gonna be a little crazy, though. Imagine if you got assigned to your crush, Madison Sherman."
"That would be insane." I said.
I haven't told you yet. Madison Sherman is my crush. It's with her long blonde hair, big blue eyes, and no acne. She has a very kind heart. But about 70 percent of the time, I always blush towards her. She never noticed yet, thank goodness.
"Well, we are here, I'll see you in the auditorium, Henry. "
"Yep, I'll see ya. It starts immediately after the pledge."
After we hop off the bus, I head in the school and go over to my locker. I have an easygoing locker, I don't even have to open it by combination. I just have to pound it once like a door.
I noticed a slip of folded up paper in my locker. What is this? I thought to myself. I opened the note and it said lots of cusses I shouldn't say out loud. The thing that caught my eye was that something would happen to me on Friday. Yes, the note was from painful pincher Allen Lures. I really ticked him off royally on Monday, did I? I said in my mind. I shove the note in my pocket.
Anyways, I put my stuff away and jog to first class. I hope I'm not late.
Yippee, I'm not, I sit at my desk. And wait for the announcements. Meanwhile, Madison walks over to me.
Oh shoot, how's my hair? Do I have a blemish?
"Hey Henry," she says.
"Hi."
"Have you seen my social studies paper somewhere, I lost it somewhere and I could use some help."
Why not someone else? I'm blushing like mad!
I manage to say, "I haven't seen it anywhere, but I'll call you up when I see it, bruv!"
She gives me a weirded out look and says, "Ok,". She walks back to her desk.
I realized what I said, snapped out of it, and got super self-conscious.
Why did I do that!? Did I need to say 'call you up' and 'bruv'? No I didn't! I'm an idiot!
The announcements come on. "Good morning students, Principal Torres here! Please rise for the pledge of allegiance."
Thank goodness.
After the pledge, he says that all students need to go to the auditorium for the ultimate Truth or Dare game. My classmates get in a line all excited once again. Then my teacher, Mr. Tills, says we can go.
I see Dan and he gives me a thumbs up and a grin. I do the same. I wonder what will be his partner for the game.
So we head in the auditorium, and holy crap, is it crowded. The teachers split us all up by grades. I heard a 10th grade teacher yelling, "7th graders at the way top, 12 graders at the way bottom! Lucas, stop tousling his hair! C'mon, everyone! We don't got all day!
I took a seat. We hear you, I thought to myself.
After what it felt like twenty minutes, we heard Principal Torres. "Today is Twos-day on Tuesday! What we are doing today is the ultimate Truth or Dare. The way it's gonna go is that we are going to draw two students that are in the same grade, they are going to take a seat at this table and they are going to decide if they want to say a question with a truthful answer. A police officer also gave us his lie detector so no one lies, and there is no switching from truth or dare or dare to truth."
Hold on, I thought, completely tuning Principal Torres out. A lie detector? Oh no, if I get assigned to someone and if they ask me a question that I prefer not to answer, I'll have to! What if they told me that if I like Pepsi?!
"Henry, are you listening, or daydreaming again?" Dan whispered over to me.
I snap out of it and say no. Why do I have an overactive and weird imagination?
"So the first pair is," The principal announced.
"Dan McLaughlin and Sammy Ricks!"
Oh boy, I thought to myself. My best friend is with the over-friendly kid.
For those of you who don't know, Sammy Ricks is a 7th grade tween who will do anything to get at least one friend. He came to this school last year from Iowa and was very clingy when he came to this school. When he met my classmates, he was talking to people nonstop. "Hiya, pal!" "May you please come to my place after school?" "If you don't play tag with me for ten minutes, I'll tell on you for not being inclusive." If you combine clingy and over-friendly, you will get Sammy Ricks. Yeah, he is friendly, but a little bit too much.
I could see them walking to the stage. Sammy is all excited to be with Dan and i'm seeing Dan's face that says, "Why the heck me?"
Dan and Sammy take a seat. Dan is the first one to speak.
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Do you have a crush, Sammy?"
Silence. He's hesitant to answer. That's an obvious yes. And the lie detector is right there, ready to beep if he lies.
"Yes."
"Who is it?"
Oh man, what will he say?
"Madison."
I swear I felt my heart stop.
"Madison Dole."
That was way too close.
So the rest is just five more questions that are not so important. Everyone gives them a big round of applause.
"The next pair is..." Principal Torres said.
"Henry Myer,"
Oh me? I stand up.
"And Madison Sherman."
Wait, what? Did I hear that right?
When me and her walked down the stairs and towards the stage, I could feel my face and ears burning in embarrassment. Dan could be giggling right now.
Me and her take a seat.
I'll start off simple. Just ask normal questions that normal people ask.
I go first. "Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"What is your favorite food?"
"Popcorn."
I heard the beep.
She lied?
"Ok, it's pizza. I just think it's overrated."
No beep.
I ask two more questions. Then it is her turn.
"Truth or dare," she says.
"Dare."
Ok, I said dare because she could say anything that I don't want to answer.
Principal Torres pulls out a slip of paper from a bucket.
"Henry's dare is that he has to do 10 pushups."
I do 10 pushups. What the heck, they're just pushups.
I sit back down.
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Do you like me?"
My heart officially stopped.
"Can you repeat that?" I said.
"Do you have a crush on me?"
That was an easily hesitated answer. I just couldn't say yes. The lie detector was right there. This could take all day, I panicked to myself. The entire school will know about this. Including Allen. Also including my teachers. All the school teachers are in the room! What do I do!?
I just wanted it to be over.
"Yes I do."
Of course, there is no beep.
Literally all of the people in the auditorium laugh. Including Dan. He always knew it. I've told him I've had a crush on her since the 4th grade. But unfortunately, the whole school knows about me having a crush on her now. This is so embarrassing. I sat there blank-faced while she had both hands over her mouth when she had her eyes raised. The laughing still continued. Me and her get up and walk back to our seats. Principal Torres, who was also laughing (I couldn't believe him!), didn't stop us.
I immediately slump in my seat. Dan gives me a pat on the shoulder. "Good going, soldier." He says. He doesn't know what to do. He just feels sorry for me.
Spirit week is already going very downhill. The rest of the day was bad because lots of people hounded me about the game.
I go over to Dan's house after school. He invites me in and we both get snacks from his pantry. Then we went to his room.
His german shepherd was already in the room. When I sat down, I guess she could have felt myself too stressed by today, so she makes me feel better by her nuzzling into me.
"She really likes you," Dan said, turning on a movie on his TV. "She even knows your emotions."
"I suppose so," I say, petting his dog.
We didn't talk much, we just watched movies until it was 8 o'clock. The time I'm supposed to go home.
And tomorrow is Wednesday.