It was a normal September day in Arkansas and fourteen year old TJ
Detwieler was about to begin his freshman year of high school at Washington
High. He was excited about starting a new year at school, not only because
he had grown to like going to school, but because he was looking forward to
finally seeing his best friend Ashley Spinelli for the first time since
school let out the previous June. Spinelli, as she preferred to be called,
had spent the summer in New York visiting her family, and TJ had missed her
terribly, not only because she was his best friend, but because he had
liked her since kindergarten. However, he had never admitted it, so his
feelings had gone unnoticed. This year would be different though, this
year, he was finally going to ask her out.
As TJ got ready to leave, he noticed Spinelli leaving her house as well. As he watched her walk over to her mother's car, he noticed that she had changed a lot since the last time he saw her. Spinelli was dressed in a pair of light blue low rise jeans, black platform boots, and a red tank top that seemed to hug her body perfectly.
"Wow," TJ thought as he watched her mom drive her to school, "She is so beautiful, how am I even going to talk to her now?" he wondered as his stomach did a series of flip flops.
Not knowing what to do, TJ finished washing up and preparing to get ready for school. He was just leaving the house when he decided to make a pit stop before he headed to class. Making a left turn, he started walking towards his friend Vince LaSalle's house.
Five minutes later, he was sitting in Vince's kitchen drinking orange juice and discussing how much Spinelli had changed.
"So, yeah man, she is so beautiful now, I mean she always was, but now--- just wow!" TJ gushed as he told Vince about seeing Spinelli that morning
"Dude, just ask her out. You know you want to, and have wanted to since that experiment in the fourth grade. This is the perfect time to do it. New school year, new start, what's stopping you from finally asking out your longtime crush?" Vince asked as he poured them more juice.
"Long time crush? What are you talking about Vince?" TJ asked innocently, as hi face began turning red.
"Don't you dare deny it dude, we all know you have liked Spinelli since kindergarten. After all, you practically call President Bush and his secret service men every time she is in a jam. Plus you never date anyone, and you- --oh, why am I explaining it, you know you like her!"
TJ sighed. "Yeah, so I do, but now, I can't do this, she is so beautiful, I want to tell her, but my stomach does flip-flops every time I see her. How will I ever get the courage to ask her out? Besides, she's my best friend, would I really want to ruin that?"
"Dude, you have got to tell her how you feel. I mean it's obvious she likes you too, so just go for it already, before someone else snatches her up. And I know you don't want that to happen!" Vince looked at his friend as he put their glasses in the sink and began to wash them.
"OK, Vince" TJ said crossing his arms and glaring at his friend. "Like you should be one to talk, 'Mr. I'm too macho to ask out who I like.'"
"What are you talking about, Teej?" Vince asked innocently, staring at the ceiling.
"Well, did you or did you not ever do anything about that long time crush you had on my cousin, Miss Gretchen Grundler?" TJ demanded, glaring at him.
Vince suddenly became very interested in his watch. "Um, Teej, we gotta start to head to school. We can discuss your Spinelli situation on the way to school," he quickly said, wanting to avoid any and all talk about his crush and how he was too chicken to do anything about it.
"Someone needs to practice what they preach," TJ muttered as he followed vince out the door.
As TJ got ready to leave, he noticed Spinelli leaving her house as well. As he watched her walk over to her mother's car, he noticed that she had changed a lot since the last time he saw her. Spinelli was dressed in a pair of light blue low rise jeans, black platform boots, and a red tank top that seemed to hug her body perfectly.
"Wow," TJ thought as he watched her mom drive her to school, "She is so beautiful, how am I even going to talk to her now?" he wondered as his stomach did a series of flip flops.
Not knowing what to do, TJ finished washing up and preparing to get ready for school. He was just leaving the house when he decided to make a pit stop before he headed to class. Making a left turn, he started walking towards his friend Vince LaSalle's house.
Five minutes later, he was sitting in Vince's kitchen drinking orange juice and discussing how much Spinelli had changed.
"So, yeah man, she is so beautiful now, I mean she always was, but now--- just wow!" TJ gushed as he told Vince about seeing Spinelli that morning
"Dude, just ask her out. You know you want to, and have wanted to since that experiment in the fourth grade. This is the perfect time to do it. New school year, new start, what's stopping you from finally asking out your longtime crush?" Vince asked as he poured them more juice.
"Long time crush? What are you talking about Vince?" TJ asked innocently, as hi face began turning red.
"Don't you dare deny it dude, we all know you have liked Spinelli since kindergarten. After all, you practically call President Bush and his secret service men every time she is in a jam. Plus you never date anyone, and you- --oh, why am I explaining it, you know you like her!"
TJ sighed. "Yeah, so I do, but now, I can't do this, she is so beautiful, I want to tell her, but my stomach does flip-flops every time I see her. How will I ever get the courage to ask her out? Besides, she's my best friend, would I really want to ruin that?"
"Dude, you have got to tell her how you feel. I mean it's obvious she likes you too, so just go for it already, before someone else snatches her up. And I know you don't want that to happen!" Vince looked at his friend as he put their glasses in the sink and began to wash them.
"OK, Vince" TJ said crossing his arms and glaring at his friend. "Like you should be one to talk, 'Mr. I'm too macho to ask out who I like.'"
"What are you talking about, Teej?" Vince asked innocently, staring at the ceiling.
"Well, did you or did you not ever do anything about that long time crush you had on my cousin, Miss Gretchen Grundler?" TJ demanded, glaring at him.
Vince suddenly became very interested in his watch. "Um, Teej, we gotta start to head to school. We can discuss your Spinelli situation on the way to school," he quickly said, wanting to avoid any and all talk about his crush and how he was too chicken to do anything about it.
"Someone needs to practice what they preach," TJ muttered as he followed vince out the door.