Popstar High

Eleven

<<ROWAN>>

Here comes Sabrina. I'm going to try and talk to her. She sits down on the couch farthest away from me. I casually get up and pick up a magazine from the table near her and sit down next to her. She glances at me sideways, but ignores me.

"So. Sabrina," I say all of a sudden. She turns to me.

"Yeah, Rowan?"

"I've been thinking, and--"

"Rowan?"

I turn to my left. Cameron? What does he want. Sabrina tenses up beside me. Cameron grins sideways at her, and she looks away. I look into Cameron's beautiful eyes.

"Yeah?" I say, trying to sound cool, but it comes out all choppy. He doesn't seem to notice, much to my relief.

"I have a question."

Sabrina looks up at him, her eyes as wide as saucers. Mine aren't any different. Maybe they're bigger. I can't tell.

"Will you go out with me?"

I freeze completely. Did... did he actually just ask me that? No, he didn't. It's a dream. It's my imagination. No chance.

But no. It's real. He's still standing next to me, awaiting my answer.

Sabrina's face is pale, yet her cheeks are bright red. Her blue eyes dart from Cameron to me, Cameron to me, Cameron to me.

"Um... um... I can't, Cameron," I whisper. He nods.

"Yeah. I know," he says. "Well, I'll see ya, I guess?"

I nod. "Um, yeah. I'll.... see you."

He walks away casually, joining a very red and sad-looking Jake at a table. I turn to Sabrina, who looks like she's about to cry.

"Sabrina--"

She stands up and rushes away, towards our dorm. I follow her.

Oh, no.

<<JAKE>>

WHY DID CAMERON JUST DO THAT??!

HONESTLY!!!

<<CAMERON>>

Good, my plan worked perfectly. Rowan said no and Sabrina's super upset that I just asked Rowan out. Perfect. Jake's like, a mess when I get back to the table. He asking a million questions, his face is beet red, and he just looks depressed. Finally I pick up his little issue.

"Oh, I get it, Jake," I say. He looks me in the eyes.

"What?"

"You like Rowan," I say in a sing-songy voice, sounding like a girl. Jake turns even redder.

"Um, yeah. Yeah, I kinda do."

"SCORE, bruh, she's hot. But... really not my type. And before you say anything, I only asked her out because I know Sabrina. It doesn't make sense now but it might eventually. Maybe. I don't know. But do you need some pointers?"

"Yeah. That'd help."

"So, first question: do you want to ask her out?"

"Yes. But how? Does she even like me?"

"Course she does, she just doesn't know it yet. Listen, Jake, Rowan's a simple girl. You wink at her and she's convinced you're about to propose. Ever met a girl like that? I've dated at least one. She was annoying. But girls like that aren't my type. You, on the other hand, don't have a type yet. So. Let's talk back in the dorm. These little tips are secrets. You follow?"

"...I follow."