Pride and Popularity

“No.”

I found one syllable answers could annoy me. “Why not?”

“I don’t want to lead her on, you know?”

“Look, Taylor, what do you want from me? I’m trying to help you, okay?”

“I just don’t want to go with Emma, all right?”

“So you already have a girl in mind, right? And you don’t want to have just any girl ask you? You’re only going to settle for this particular one?”

“Yes.” He looked relieved.

“Great. Then who is it? I’m one hundred percent positive she’ll say yes.”

“I’m positive she won’t want to go with me.” He looked like a child whose Christmas gift had been stolen.

“Are we back to that again?” I exclaimed. “Sheez! Of course, she will want to go with you. Don’t worry, I’ll ask her. Believe me. She’ll be all ecstatic and tell all of her friends. And—what? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Taylor’s eyes really were the prettiest blue I had ever seen.

“Who are you taking to Morp?” he asked.

“Ah—I don’t know yet. Someone who can dance,” I hesitantly replied.

“Dance?”

“I don’t mean like perfect or anything, but definitely not afraid to move.”

“Why?”

“I love to dance. And if I’m spending money to take a guy to this thing, I want to know I’m going to have fun.”

“Oh.” Looking pensive, Taylor turned away. He glanced over at Madison and Alyssa and commented on their art work.

For a moment I just stared off into space as I debated his problem. “Hey, how about this!” I beamed. “It’s perfect. I will ask you to morp. Then you can say you were asked.”

“I—I can?” he stammered as his face lit up.

“Sure, with no strings attached. It’s great! Then we can both go with who we really want.”

His face fell. “I can’t do that.”

“Why?” You are seriously beginning to bug me.

“B–because it would be a lie,” he answered. “I want to be asked for real. I don’t want to lie.”

“Well, sheez. If you don’t tell me who this girl is and you won’t let me just kind of pretend to ask you, then what in the world are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. I need help.”

More than you realize. “Taylor, I would love to help you, but I can’t if all we’re going to do is go round and round with this.”

His gaze caught mine, and he took a breath that seemed almost nervous. “Chloe, I just want the girl to ask me for real.”

I froze for a moment as I tried to decipher that gaze. And then it was like a light bulb exploded in my head. Oh my gosh. He wants me to ask him. Me? How could I have been so dense? He can’t be serious, can he? I can’t. I’m not going to do it. No way. I can’t even stand the guy. There is no way I can put up with him for a whole evening. I’d rather go out with Collin. He’ll have to find someone else. Silently, I turned away from Taylor and started to work on my art project.

“You have to ask Taylor,” Alyssa said. Her steps were hard put to keep up with mine as I rushed out of the art room after the bell rang. I was so intent on leaving as quickly as possible, I was surprised that Madison and Alyssa had caught up with me.

I was shocked. “I—I do?”

“Yes,” Madison said. “Any fool could see he wanted you to ask him to morp.”

“Are you sure? I mean, we all realize the significance of this dance. Maybe he hasn’t thought it through properly.” There is no way he likes me.

“Are you kidding me? Taylor has had five and a half weeks to think it through.”

“Come on, you have to help him,” Alyssa pleaded.

“He did help you with Mr. Young,” Madison pointed out.

“Okay, yeah. But, that was forever ago.” I shook my head.

“What about when he came to our party and was really funny and nice to everyone?” Madison tried again.

“And he paid for your dinner with Collin,” Alyssa said.

“And he broke up with what’s-her-name for you!”

“Anne,” I mumbled.

“Yeah, well, he did,” Madison said.

I had begun to cave. “But I can’t stand Taylor. He’s rude.”

“When?” Alyssa challenged.

“Well, to Blake,” I said.

Obviously, Madison wasn’t impressed. “Where’s Blake now?”

“Uh—” Okay, so I can’t fight that one.

“Just ask him,” Alyssa practically begged. “The guy is desperate. I don’t know how many guys would’ve gone to the lengths he’s has to try and convince you to like him.”

“Put him out of his misery, please. It’s just a dance.” Now Madison sounded like she was begging as well. “You really don’t want to make him go to morp with Sydney, do you? No guy should ever have to do that.”

Yeah, but this is Taylor we’re talking about. He probably deserves it. “Are you really, really sure he’s not trying to get back at me somehow?”

“No!” both girls almost hollered at me as we stopped in front of Mr. Young’s class.

Nothing like being put on the spot. With a groan, I gave in. “Fine. Who sees him next?” I asked.

Madison said, “He’s in Ms. Solomon’s with me.”

Alyssa ripped a sheet of notebook paper out of her binder, then handed me the sheet along with a glitter pen.

Sheez. Glitter?

“Write,” she commanded.

After a second of hesitation I wrote:

T~

Will you go with me to morp? It’s for real this time

Chloe

I was worried about putting the heart down. I didn’t want Taylor to get any more ideas. But we had run out of time. And since I always drew a heart instead of writing “Hart,” I figured it didn’t matter.

“I’ll make sure Taylor gets this.” Alyssa smiled. “Okay.” I watched as she sealed my fate and put the note in her pocket. The bell rang. By the time I had walked into my English class Madison, and Alyssa were gone. 

I knew Taylor had gotten the note when he hollered from across the crowded hall after school, “Thank you, Copper Top!”

I could’ve died of embarrassment when everyone turned to look at me. Since it was Friday, it was a real good thing I wouldn’t have to face anyone at school for three more days.

Later that night, Alyssa and Madison tormented me relentlessly. But all in all, they were really happy for me. By Sunday, I still hadn’t told my parents. The only one of my family members who knew was Cassidy. I had hoped to talk to Taylor on Monday to go over details before I told anyone we were going together.

If I was completely honest with myself, I was surprised at how much I looked forward to morp—more than I