It's Not You. It's Me. And No! He is Not My Boyfriend!

BUY YOUR TICKETS FOR THE WINTER BALL!

I stared at the poster, screaming at me to buy tickets, with a cocked head and narrowed eyes. Melissa stood to my right, Carmen to my left. It was that time of year again. The time in which ten times the relationship drama is caused due to the need for a date for the fancy winter dance. As if hormones weren’t raging already during high school, the Winter Ball sent them into overdrive as kids scrambled to find the perfect date. Unfortunately, unless you were in a serious relationship, your perfect date was someone else’s, and I think further explanation is unnecessary.

“OH MY GAWD!” Melissa was the first to screech as she began to bob up and down like a buoy. “I’M SO EXCITED!”


“Whoo,” I twirled my index finger in sarcasm

“I hope I get asked by the person I want to be asked by!”

“Hey, who doesn’t?” I smirked, turning away from the poster and heading towards the locker. I was interested in the Winter Ball for a singular reason, and that was the dress buying part. If I could just get ready for the Winter Ball and never go I would be happy.

“Well,” Melissa followed behind me timidly, an unusual word to describe her demeanor. “Can I talk to you about something?”

I narrowed my eyes, giving her a silent cue to spill her guts. Something had to be really big for her to be tip toeing around whatever she wanted to say. Her usual method was the blurt and cover. She’d tell her secret quite indiscreetly and then cover her mouth in a faux shock at what had just escaped her mouth. She had it down. She could probably teach classes on it.

“The person I want to ask me is…” she hesitated, playing with her fingers and refusing to make eye contact with me. “Carter,” she finally looked up, giving me her best puppy dog eyes.

“And?” I hid the laugh that was threatening to escape my throat. You’d think that someone as observant as her would get the clue that Carter wanted no part of her.

“Well, I wanted to make sure you were okay with it. You know? That you were totally over him. Are you?”

“Yeah, definitely, completely and totally,” I lied, shrugging to bring the point home.

“Perfect!” she clapped while jumping slightly. “I’ve had the biggest crush on Carter since Junior year of high school.”

“Really?”

“Yeah! He’s a total hunk?”

“Hunk?” I chuckled lightly. I never thought the word ‘hunk’ would describe Carter.

“Oh yeah! He was just always so crazy about you, so I never acted on it, but now…” Melissa trailed off, attempting to give me her best sympathy face. It was hard to believe, considering our break up made Carter fair game.

“Huh,” I nodded slightly, soaking in all the new information that Carmen had just put forth. Occasionally she was able to tell me something interesting. “Well, good luck with that! I hope he asks you.”

“So I have your blessing?”

“Uh, you two aren’t getting married, but sure.”

“OH ELLIS!” Melissa wrapped me into a hug that cut off anything that made it possible for it to breath. “THANK YOU! Now I have to go perfect myself in case Carter is back in school today!” she bounced off to the bathroom, leaving me to stare after her one eye narrowed in confusion.

“What was that all about?” Carmen approached my locker now that it was Melissa free.

“It’s way too early for this shit,” I shook my head before sliding down to sit on the floor in front of my locker.

“And this shit would be?” Carmen twirled her wrist to coerce me into more information as she took a seat beside me.

“Melissa has a crush on Carter.”

“HA!” she threw her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry, but Carter hates her!”

“Don’t I know it.”

“How do you feel about it?”

“Confused, but I don’t really care. I don’t think it will ever happen.”

“True. Hell would have to freeze over for that to happen.”

“Most definitely.”

“On a lighter note, are you going to go with Mac?” Carmen leaned in closer so we could discuss the matter she brought up in hushed whispers.

“Well, considering I just saw the poster today, I don’t know.”

Carmen rolled her eyes before saying, “I meant do you WANT to go with Mac?”


“Sure,” I shrugged. “I would go with the swamp monster as long as it means I get to buy the dress. It’s just a plus that Mac isn’t covered and slime and smell like a stagnant body of water.”

“I really try to make sure I don’t,” Mac entered right on cue, taking a seat on the other side of me. “So what’s this Winter Ball?”

“It’s kind of like prom, but in the Winter,” Carmen leaned forward to inform him.

“Ah! So just another reason for girls to wear fancy dresses?”
 “Precisely!” I nodded and pointed a knowing fingering in his direction.

“Now, now. Some girls go to create precious memories with their friends.”

“Or get laid.”

“You’re the worst!” Carmen giggled, shoving me softly. “OH!” she jumped up as her boyfriend entered the locker room. “There’s Brian. I have to go convince him to purchase my ticket for me!”

“So,” Mac began as we both watched Carmen leave to coax Brian. “Would you be interested in going to this Winter Ball?”

“Are you asking me to go with you?”

“I believe so,” Mac leaned in to nuzzle my neck. “I just hope your from the camp of girls who are going to it to get laid.”

I giggled, allowing Mac to plant kisses along my neck until he softly kissed my lips.

“I’m of the dress camp, but I may be able to be persuaded,” I moved to look Mac in the eyes and give him a seductive smile.

“Perfect!” he planted a kiss on my forehead. “That gives me hope! I’ll buy our tickets tomorrow?”

“You don’t have to buy my ticket!”

“Oh please!” he jumped up, and held out his hand to help me up as the homeroom bell rang. “It would be my pleasure my lady! It will be the first step to making it the perfect night!”

***
“Hey.”

“Hello?” I turned from my locker to face Caroline Henderson. I didn’t hide the confusion as the last time I spoke to the girl was, well, never.

“So, um, what’s the deal with you and Carter?” she leaned in to keep our conversation as private as possible.

“We’re broken up,” I sighed, not particularly delighted to be having a similar conversation twice in one day.

“Oh. So you wouldn’t mind if I asked him to Winter Ball?”

“You? Ask? Him?”

“Yeah?” Caroline stared at me through narrowed eyes.

“Sorry, it’s just I’m surprised to think you would have to ask anyone.”

“Oh...yeah…”

“Well, uh,” I tried to get the words out with as little emotion as possible. “Sure. I don’t care. We’re just friends.”

“Great! I just wanted to make sure.”

I snorted slightly at that thought, considering she disregarded my feelings when she was making out with him.

“What?” she questioned.

“Um,” I flitted my eyes around, trying to come up for a reason for my audible snort. “It’s just funny. You’re the second person that’s asked me this. I didn’t know Carter was so popular.”

“Have you looked at the kid?”

“Quite a bit actually.”

Caroline sighed, rolling her eyes, clearly unamused by my joke.

“Well, tenth grade was really good to him. He’s only gotten better looking since!” with that out in the open, she strode away.

I watched her leave, trying to convince myself that the strange feeling in the pit of my stomach wasn’t jealousy.