Wrecking Ball

“I wish they’d just say the announcements already. I’m dying from the suspense,” Macy Jenkins exclaimed with her eyes glued to the clock.

“I’m praying I’m the one that gets to go out with John. Seriously, can you even imagine?” Libby Davies sighed.

Charlotte rolled her eyes at the two girls sitting next to her in Economics. It was near the end of the day on Friday which meant Charlotte was just minutes away from the weekend. To every other female at Mountain Pointe though it meant they were just minutes away from finding out who had won the raffle for the baseball player dates.

“Well I did go on one date with John last year and it was pretty much perfect,” Macy sighed.

“If it was so perfect why didn’t you go on a second date?” Libby retorted.

“He was in the middle of baseball season and said a relationship would be too much of a distraction. But, I know we’d just be perfect together and he’ll realize that once I win a date with him,” Macy said.

Charlotte couldn’t imagine being that excited about going on a date with a boy. She didn’t understand why girls like Macy and Libby depended on boys to feel good about themselves.

“Like oh my gosh Charlie, my life would be complete if I could just get a date with a baseball player,” Kaitlyn Gleeson whispered jokingly to Charlotte.

“I know, right?” Charlotte joked back.

Kaitlyn was another one of Charlotte’s friends. She was fairly new to Tempe having just moved there from California with her parents the year before, in the beginning of her junior year. She wasn’t into superficial things though unlike the majority of their class so Madelyn and Charlotte gladly accepted her into their friendship. Charlotte was glad Kaitlyn was in econ with her. Econ was Charlotte’s least favorite subject and the one class she didn’t have with Madelyn so it was a relief to have it with Kaitlyn.

“I’d like to see some of these girls have real goals,” Kaitlyn said.

“You mean dating a jock and having your glory days end as soon as graduation is over isn’t a legitimate goal?” Charlotte said with mock seriousness.

“Hey now, not everyone with a jock boyfriend is like that.” Kaitlyn said.

Kaitlyn had stayed with her boyfriend from back home. He was a year older and was currently attending Stanford to play soccer. The long distance relationship was difficult but Kaitlyn and her boyfriend were making it work.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about you and Paul,” Charlotte said.

Kaitlyn gave Charlotte a look, “Having a boyfriend isn’t a bad thing, Charlie. I have Paul but I’m still independent and do my own things.”

“I never said it was a bad thing. Having a boyfriend from Tempe though is a bad thing.”

“Touché.”

The afternoon announcements came on and the squeals of excitement from the rest of the girls in the class interrupted Charlie and Kaitlyn’s conversation.

“Seniors, remember that the Grey’s Scholarship is due Monday,” the voice of Mr. Sanders, the school’s principle droned on.

“This is taking forever,” Macy dramatically sighed as Libby nodded her head in agreement.

“Now here for a special announcement is Coach Byers,” Mr. Sanders said and nearly all the girls in the class perked up at the sound of the baseball coach’s voice.

Coach Byers cleared his throat before he began talking. “Here are the lucky winners for the baseball raffle… Going on a date with Luke Webber is Gabriella Hansen, Peter New is with Ashley Clark…”

“This is pathetic,” Kaitlyn whispered to Charlotte who smirked right back.

“And finally going on a date with John O’Callaghan is Charlotte Roberts,” Coach Byers said and 15 pairs of eyes immediately shot towards Charlotte in shock. No one was more shocked than Charlotte though.

“Charlie, you didn’t have to hide the fact that you bought a raffle ticket from O’Callaghan,” Kaitlyn smirked.

“I didn’t buy one from him,” Charlotte hissed.

“Oh my gosh Charlotte, you’re so lucky,” Libby whined.

“Yeah, she is lucky. Winning the raffle is the only way she could get a guy like O’Callaghan to go out with her,” Macy smirked at Charlotte.

Charlotte was about to respond back to Macy but the bell rang. Charlotte grabbed her books and jumped out of her seat before quickly running out of the room. She was on a mission to find John O’Callaghan.

Charlotte walked down the senior hallway and saw John standing by his locker with some of his friends. She marched over to him with a determined look on his face.

One of John’s friends said something to him and he turned around. As soon as he saw Charlotte he got a huge grin on his face. “Well there’s the lucky girl right now. So where do you want to go for our date, Charlie?”

“Nowhere,” Charlotte snapped.

“Oh, so you just want to hang out at my house?” John asked as he wiggled his eyebrows before turning to his friends, “Maybe you guys should leave. This sounds like a private conversation.” John’s friends laughed and a couple high-fived him before walking down the hallway.

“I want to know how I won that stupid raffle. I didn’t even buy a ticket,” Charlotte snapped.

“Well I didn’t want you to regret not getting a ticket so I bought one and put your name on it,” John smiled.

“Forging someone’s name is illegal, you know.”

John shrugged.

“Hi John,” Libby said as she ran up to the pair. “I was just telling Charlotte in Econ how lucky she is to go on a date with you.”

“Actually, I’m the lucky one,” John smiled and Charlotte could’ve sworn that Libby swooned before walking off.

“You are absolutely ridiculous,” Charlotte muttered.

“So I’ve been told,” John smirked. “Now, I was thinking we could go out next Friday…”

“No,” Charlotte quickly interrupted.

“Friday doesn’t work? Okay how about Saturday?”

“How about never?”

“What?”

“Wipe that confused look off your face, O’Callaghan. I know you find this hard to believe but I don’t want to go out with you,” Charlotte said.

“But you won the date.”

“Yeah, because you forged my name. I’m just too busy. Sorry,” Charlotte said even though the last thing she felt was remorse.

“That’s a lame excuse. Come on, just go on a date with me. What’s the worst that could happen? You might actually like me?” John challenged her.

“Believe me, that would never happen. I’m too busy and I don’t want to waste what little time I do have on a date with you.”

“What do you do on the weekends that makes you so busy?”

Charlotte shrugged. “On Fridays I take tennis lessons at ASU after school and then on Saturdays I volunteer.”

“Planning your hot date?” Halvo asked as he wiggled his eyebrows and walked up to his friends.

“Nope, I was telling your friend that there’s no way I’ll go on a date with him.”

“Our coach said we have to go on a date with the winners though,” John argued.

“How about you tell your coach that we went on a date and I won’t tell him you forged my signature?” Charlotte smirked. “Now if you’ll excuse me I have to get going. See you later Eric.”

The boys watched Charlotte walk down the hallway before Eric turned to glare at John. “You made a fake ticket for Charlie?”

“Yeah, I had to. She wouldn’t buy one. Did you really think she had bought one from me when you heard she won?”

Halvo shrugged. “Well I thought it was weird but thought maybe you finally got through to her. Just take her on a normal date.”

“She won’t let me!” John exclaimed. “Can’t you help me out, Halvo?”

“No,” Halvo shook his head. “I already told you that I don’t think this is a good idea and I’m not going to help you pretend to date one of my other friends.”

“Halvo, please…”

“No!”

“Fine,” John grumbled but he wasn’t going to give up that easily. It would be easier with Halvo’s help but John knew he’d still find a way to take Charlotte on a date even without it.