The Promposal Problem

Chapter One

Chapter One
The Dilemma
Monday
- 3 Weeks & 5 Days -
_____

Samantha Phillips, every boy at Preston High's dream. She's funny, gorgeous, and nice to everyone — the full package. Not to mention her body is to die for.

I've fantasized about "us" since eighth grade, even though "us" could never exist. She's too cool, too... well, popular.

Popular girls don't date geeks like me.

Popular girls especially don't go to prom with geeks like me.

Sadly, prom is coming up in a little more than three weeks and I'm still dateless. The only person I want to go with is Samantha, but she gets promposals every damn day; she's bound to accept one of them pretty soon.

I sigh, placing my head on my hand. My best friend Todd and I are seated in the cafeteria, it's lunch time, and I couldn't have less of an appetite.

"Aiden, cheer up. You're acting like a little girl," Todd slaps my back, making me glare. "I bet you could get any other girl besides Samantha."

I groan exasperatedly, "Dumbass, that's just the thing. The only girl I want is Samantha."

"But so does everyone else," he points out. I place my head back on my hand, my tray of food pushed to the side.

"You could be a little more empathetic. I mean, what if your girl was super popular and everyone wanted her and the only one who couldn't have her was you?"

"I'd kick some ass and take her back," Todd tells me.

I crack a grin, "You have to be realistic. You're skinnier than me and a little taller. You're lanky as hell and you'd definitely get beaten."

Todd pretends to be hurt, "Well, damn. If that's how you feel then I don't know if we can be friends anymore." He stands up and walks away from our table, me laughing the whole time.

"Todd, come back!" I call after him. He turns and laughs at me before walking away again. I'm still laughing after he leaves the cafeteria. Once the laughter subsides, however, I'm alone in silence with only my thoughts as company. They trail back to Samantha.

Her long dirty blonde hair and blue eyes pull me in every time I see her; she makes eye contact with me, smiles, and continues on her way. I continuously let her slip through my fingers. She's untouchable, and it's unbearable.

I look to her table, her large group of friends surrounding her. She's the center of attention, but she doesn't feed off it, in fact, she seems to shy away from it. My eyes won't move, no matter how much I tell them to.

She looks up, and we hold eye contact for about six seconds before I break it, my cheeks heating up. She probably thinks I'm some creep who's obsessed with her now. Six seconds of eye contact is five seconds too long.

But then I start thinking about it... I was the one to break eye contact, not her. That must mean something, right?

I smile to myself, formulating an idea in my head. I bet Todd could help me with it, he's the creative type...

I'm going to ask Samantha to go to prom with me, it's about time I end my misery. If she accepts, then I know that it isn't just mere coincidence that we constantly meet eye contact; if she declines, I'll know that I'm just another boy on her list of rejections.

Samantha Phillips, here I come.