i wanna dance with somebody booms throughout my highschools gym as i pour myself a glass of punch. it's the homecoming dance and i'm not having too much fun. my date, danny hasborough, completely ditched me for some senior girl and now i'm all alone.
i make my way back to the table me and my friends are sitting at and search around for my friend, matthew. i really wanted him to ask me to the dance, but he never did. i guess he didn't feel the same way as me. when i first realized he asked karen lipton but not me, i cried myself to sleep. but now, instead of whining about it, i've decided to make the best out of the situation i'm in. maybe being his friend is what's best for me right now. and him and karen lipton can have fun on their own.
"hey, y/n," a voice says softly. i look across from me and see matthew sitting down.
"hi, how's it going. are you and karen having fun?" i ask him. trying to see if he looks happy or not.
"uh, yeah," he scratches the back of his head. " i guess, she's kinda dancing with some of the senior guys for some reason. that's why i came to sit down, i think she's having more fun with them than with me."
"oh, really?" i say sympathetically. "that sucks," i think i'm doing good so far. acting like i don't care is working. he doesn't seem to notice that i hate karen lipton because she stole him away from me.
"yeah," matthew nods, then shifts in his chair. "they haven't been playing many good songs."
"yeah, i like this song." i agree. "they played dancing queen. i hate that song."
"i personally think gimme gimme is abbas best song." matthew states confidently. i can't do this. i can't pretend to be okay. maybe i need to stay away from him.
"yeah, i need a breath of fresh air." i tell him, standing up.
"i'll go with you," he nods, rising from his chair. oh, well, i can't say no. he wants to be with me alone. i say nothing and walk to the back doors of the gym and push them open slowly.
why didn't matthew ask me to the dance. i thought he liked me. at least he acted like he did. he offered to give me rides home from school almost everyday, he took me to mcdonald's during lunch, helped correct my homework with me. maybe that's just what a friend does, but he didn't do that with any other girl. and karen lipton came out of nowhere. he just all of a sudden decided to ask her. i've seen them talk once before this dance, that's all. and that's the reason why i said yes to danny when he asked me.
"y/n, listen." matthew starts. "i didn't want to take karen to the dance because i liked her, i just felt like asking you would ruin our friendship. i was too scared you would say no and we'd stop talking. i didn't want to take the chance, even if it meant swallowing my feelings." what?! he likes me? he really likes me ?! i can't believe this.
"you like me?" is all i can get out. after all this time, he really did like me.
"yeah, i really do," he turns to me nervously. "do you like me?"
"yeah, i do," i nod. "i thought you liked karen, so i've been trying to move on."
"i'm really sorry y/n i shouldn't have done that. it was really lame of me. i was too chicken." matthew apologizes genuinely. i sit there for a second, stunned. matthew perry likes me back. he does, and maybe we can date.
"it's okay, i forgive you. i just really like you. can we go out on a date sometime?" i plead bravely. i can't believe i just said that. why did i say that.
"yes! of course! i'd love to!" he exclaims, both happy and relieved.
"okay, great, maybe the arcade. or mini golf." i suggest.
"as long as it's a date, i don't care where we go." he smiles at me.
