Regret

44-50

44

Fire on Ice is our school version of Sadie Hawkins. The girl asks the guy. This year, it was on Valentine's Day. I was going because I was in student council and we set up the dance, so I might as well, right?

I was going to ask Chase, two weeks before the dance. He was in the cafeteria in the morning, finally alone, almost the whole week.

But, of course, I chickened out.

This guy in my math class kept staring at me all week. Creepy!

***

45

A week before the dance Luna and I picked helped each other pick out our spirit week outfits.

***

46

There was an assembly on Friday, and Chase, along with Nate, sat behind us, right behind us, for the two previous assemblies.

I found out Nate is the kid who was staring at me in math.

***

47

On Monday, I was still determined to ask Chase to the dance. He wasn't there in the morning.

***

48

The strangest thing happened during seventh hour.

His best friend Nate actually talked to me!

We were all sprawled apart on the second floor, our teacher made his rounds while we wrote. Nate came up to Mr. K while he was by me. Mr. K was talking to a girl across from me, so Nate just waited.

I announced to no one in particular that I was going to put in my headphone and listen to Queen.

That's when he spoke. "There's a Led Zeppelin poster down the hall where I am."

Let me tell you, that was the first time I heard him talk and I got confused and scared of why he was talking to me.

I even thought he liked to like me, and that's why Chase didn't make a move.

But, that thought disappeared at the dance.

"Really? That's so awesome!" I said interested.

What? I love rock.

He smiled and talked to Mr. K, while I put in my earbuds and wrote.

***

49

The rest of the week leading up to the dance Nate stared at me.

I swear, boys have serious staring issues.

***

50

They sat the row next to us at the assembly this time. A set of stairs between us. A senior took off his shirt for part of the lip sync competition. It's was weird and our class lost.