The Dates.

Jake and I walked out of registration. Well, I use the term 'walked' lightly. I basically cowered behind Jake as he strutted around like some sort of God. I could see girls holding the posters Jake had made and I couldn't help but cringe when they giggled and whispered as we walked by. This whole day was going to be traumatic for me.

"Hey man." Jake said, nudging at my arm as he held his phone in front of his face. "I just got a text and a message from Facebook. Like, three of the girls have dropped out of the interviews. One is off sick with some stomach bug or something, so I guess you had a lucky escape there, and the other two have suddenly decided that it's degrading to women to go through with something like this. Can you believe it?"

I just shrugged, trying not to throw up with the knowledge that there were still seven girls who were going to take part in the interviews. I felt like everything I had was on show now, like they were going to scrutinise me when it was supposed to be the other way around.

"Whatever. We don't need them. Look, I have to go to class now but I'll see you at break so we can go over a few things, yeah?" he told me, holding out a fist for me to bump.

I merely cast him a pleading look, hoping he could tell from my expression that I'd rather just hide in the toilets. My mouth was still clamped shut in a desperate attempt to stop me spewing everywhere.

"Bye, Andrew. Remember, I'll see you at break." he said, winking at me as he strode off down the corridor.

He was leaving me to fend for myself. I could barely contain my own puke; how did he expect me to control my emotions and come off as confidant as he was? God, I should have never agreed to this. Why did I even let myself be dragged into all of Jake's stupid ideas?

A group of girls shuffled past and they shot me these looks. I couldn't tell what the hell it was meant to appear to me as, whether it was supposed to be flirty or what, but I felt my face draining of colour and my knees buckling under my weight.

Jesus, I was going to suffer. Jesus.

9:15 a.m. Science:

Breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth. Maybe it won't be so bad? Maybe when I arrive, courage will just descend on me and I'll act all debonair and crap, like James Bond. Maybe I should try and emulate him, talk with a Sean Connery accent or something? Hold on, they might think I'm a prat if I go around putting on fake accent.

Damn.

9:30 a.m. Science:

I really didn't feel too good. I think I could get sent home by the school nurse if I showed up at the office. I sure as hell felt like crap so I guess I probably looked like it, too. Jake would be gutted though and I couldn't really ignore the fact that if I left, I'd be letting him down. Look at me, I'm a freaking emotional wreck. I'm starting to care about hurting Jake's feelings.

9:45 a.m. Science:

I'm almost grateful that it felt like science never ends. How the hell did I get through these double periods in the morning? Today, they felt especially long. I had to pull myself together, I'm acting like a loser. God, if Jake could see me now, he'd probably be doubled over with laughter. What a prat, he doesn't even know what I'm going through right now. My self esteem is at rock bottom. His would be, too, if the last two of his girlfriends cheated on him like mine had.

10:00 a.m. Science:

I might be able to get through this. Thinking about what Gemma did is somehow making me realise that this isn't such a bad thing. I actually have a chance to find out what these girls are really like, I could avoid choosing the wrong girl for once. Jake isn't a total idiot after all. In fact, he could be a genius; the new Albert Einstein. He should start some sort of programme, like a dating website except not as lame and tacky. He might actually be on to something here.

10:15 a.m. Science:

I am calm. I am calmer than the eye of a hurricane. I'm freaking cool as anything. What's cooler than being cool? I am, obviously. I am so ready for this, I think I might just bound out of my seat right now and round up the girls myself. Jake would be so damn impressed. He'd probably think that I'm not the same Andrew he spoke to this morning. He'd be right, of course. I'm not the same; I'm better.

10:30 a.m. Break time:

Crap. I can't do this, I can't do this. Jake's probably parolling the school right now, looking for me. He's going to drag me to the bench outside in the quad and make me go over everything with him. The girls names, their age, what questions I should ask them. Then I'd have to repeat the whole agonising two period experience all over again until the interviews start at lunch. Except this time, I'd have Jake by my side, breathing down my ear about what to look for in a girl.

Crap, crap, crap.

Everyone around me was rising out of their seats, getting ready to stampede out of the class and into a fifteen minute freedom. I sank further into my own seat, reluctant to leave the safety of the class room.

"Hey, Andy?"

I yelped and jumped out of my seat, searching the room for him. I knew it was him. I knew that he would find me.

Sure enough, Jake was lounging in the doorway, a bewildered grin on his face. He motioned for me to get up but I couldn't move. My butt was stuck firmly to my seat and my legs had turned to concrete.

He sighed and walked behind me, his hands falling hard onto my shoulders. I didn't help as he hefted me up and out of the chair, grabbing my bag for me as he guided me out of the room. I was pretty sure I had a look of pure horror on my face.

"God, Andy. Get yourself together or something. I'm embarrassed to be walking with you." he whispered at me with a quiet chuckle, his hand still tightly gripping my forearm. I think he knew that I was going to bolt if he let go or weakened his hold for even a second.

"If this is what you're like now, what the hell are you gonna be like at lunch?" he asked, bemused.

I couldn't even tell him that. I didn't know myself.