Tuesday morning Craig appeared in the Library during Chloe and
Ashley's study hall. He sat down with a thud and placed his head in his
hands. Moaning pitifully, he succeeded in capturing the girls' attention.
Ashley placed a consolatory hand on his shoulder.
"That bad, huh?" She asked, and Craig nodded.
"I swear, if I never hear another word about her stuffed animal collection it'll be too soon." He muttered, pushing back his hair and pressing his forehead against the cool desk. Ashley and Chloe both laughed loudly, and the librarian shot them a dirty look. Chloe gave him a pat on the back before standing up.
"Sorry, Craig. I guess it just wasn't meant to be." She spoke, moving off toward the shelves. "Have either of you seen that Sartre book?"
She wandered away to find the playwright section of the Library, and Ashley turned to Craig.
"So, are you going to the Fall Formal?" She asked, and Craig shrugged.
"I hadn't heard about it. When is it?"
"The Friday before Halloween. It's the first formal, and it's usually the most important, next to Spring Formal, that is. Who would you take?" She asked, and Craig looked away. Ashley's mouth dropped open. "You already have someone in mind?!"
"Well, sort of." He replied, praying that lightning would strike and Ashley would forget about the subject entirely. He would have no such luck, as she was hooked on the topic.
"Who is it then? Is it a grade eight, like Emma or something? Or maybe someone in our grade, like Terri or Hazel? Maybe you're shooting for the stars, and want Paige. Am I right?" Craig was silent and Ashley's jaw dropped further. "Oh my god! It's Chloe, isn't it?!"
"Shh!" Craig cried, clamping a hand over her mouth. Ashley was ecstatic.
"I'm right, aren't I? You want to dance the night away with Chloe! That's so cute!"
"So, do you think I have a chance?" He asked, leaning in and seeking advice. Ashley looked thoughtful.
"Well, it all depends. I heard Spinner was thinking of asking her, but I'm not sure." She explained absently, gazing out the window in thought. Craig turned his head as she spoke, and was shocked to see Chloe standing across the library, Sartre book in hand. She was talking to Spinner, smiling and nodding. Craig leaped from his seat, tipping it over backwards and uprooting a stack of magazines piled on a nearby shelf. Ignoring the librarian's reprimand he sprinted across the room and grabbed Chloe's wrist.
"Hey Chlo, can we talk?" he asked, tugging her away from Spinner. Chloe looked confused but nodded. When they finally reached the corner Craig took a deep breath and began to speak rapidly. "I was wondering if maybe you didn't have a date for the Fall Formal if maybe you'd think of going with me since I don't have a date either."
Chloe looked bewildered as he finally stopped talking and gazed into her eyes intently. A remorseful look appeared on her face, and Craig's heart dropped. She shook her head.
"I'm really sorry, Craig, but I can't. Spinner just asked me, and I said yes." She explained, placing a hand on his forearm. Craig could feel the heat on his face as he turned quickly to leave.
"That's okay, I'll find someone else." He spoke, starting out the door.
"Craig!" She called after him, but he didn't turn.
"It's fine, Chlo. I'll just ask someone else." He called back, pushing open the door and escaping into the cool hallway. He had nearly reached the boys washroom when Manny again popped up in front of him, beaming.
"Hey Craig! I had so much fun last night. We should really hang out again some time . . . " she spoke, and Craig nodded.
"Yeah, Manny. Some other time . . ." he replied, looking to move past her. She wouldn't let him pass, though, and stepped to the side to block him.
"Do you have a date for the Fall Formal?" She asked, and Craig bit his lip in thought.
"No, no I don't. Manny, would you like to come with me?" he asked, wondering where the question was coming from. Pure joy appeared on her face as she jumped in the air.
"Oh my god, you've got to be kidding! I would love to go with you! Oh, you'll have to get a tux; I'm going this weekend to get a dress. I think it will be black, so the corsage should match somehow . . . "
"Corsage?" Craig asked, beginning to regret his hasty decision.
"Yes corsage. I'll tell my father I'm staying at Emma's, and were you thinking of getting a limo?" She pressed on, dragging him down the hall and chattering happily.
"That bad, huh?" She asked, and Craig nodded.
"I swear, if I never hear another word about her stuffed animal collection it'll be too soon." He muttered, pushing back his hair and pressing his forehead against the cool desk. Ashley and Chloe both laughed loudly, and the librarian shot them a dirty look. Chloe gave him a pat on the back before standing up.
"Sorry, Craig. I guess it just wasn't meant to be." She spoke, moving off toward the shelves. "Have either of you seen that Sartre book?"
She wandered away to find the playwright section of the Library, and Ashley turned to Craig.
"So, are you going to the Fall Formal?" She asked, and Craig shrugged.
"I hadn't heard about it. When is it?"
"The Friday before Halloween. It's the first formal, and it's usually the most important, next to Spring Formal, that is. Who would you take?" She asked, and Craig looked away. Ashley's mouth dropped open. "You already have someone in mind?!"
"Well, sort of." He replied, praying that lightning would strike and Ashley would forget about the subject entirely. He would have no such luck, as she was hooked on the topic.
"Who is it then? Is it a grade eight, like Emma or something? Or maybe someone in our grade, like Terri or Hazel? Maybe you're shooting for the stars, and want Paige. Am I right?" Craig was silent and Ashley's jaw dropped further. "Oh my god! It's Chloe, isn't it?!"
"Shh!" Craig cried, clamping a hand over her mouth. Ashley was ecstatic.
"I'm right, aren't I? You want to dance the night away with Chloe! That's so cute!"
"So, do you think I have a chance?" He asked, leaning in and seeking advice. Ashley looked thoughtful.
"Well, it all depends. I heard Spinner was thinking of asking her, but I'm not sure." She explained absently, gazing out the window in thought. Craig turned his head as she spoke, and was shocked to see Chloe standing across the library, Sartre book in hand. She was talking to Spinner, smiling and nodding. Craig leaped from his seat, tipping it over backwards and uprooting a stack of magazines piled on a nearby shelf. Ignoring the librarian's reprimand he sprinted across the room and grabbed Chloe's wrist.
"Hey Chlo, can we talk?" he asked, tugging her away from Spinner. Chloe looked confused but nodded. When they finally reached the corner Craig took a deep breath and began to speak rapidly. "I was wondering if maybe you didn't have a date for the Fall Formal if maybe you'd think of going with me since I don't have a date either."
Chloe looked bewildered as he finally stopped talking and gazed into her eyes intently. A remorseful look appeared on her face, and Craig's heart dropped. She shook her head.
"I'm really sorry, Craig, but I can't. Spinner just asked me, and I said yes." She explained, placing a hand on his forearm. Craig could feel the heat on his face as he turned quickly to leave.
"That's okay, I'll find someone else." He spoke, starting out the door.
"Craig!" She called after him, but he didn't turn.
"It's fine, Chlo. I'll just ask someone else." He called back, pushing open the door and escaping into the cool hallway. He had nearly reached the boys washroom when Manny again popped up in front of him, beaming.
"Hey Craig! I had so much fun last night. We should really hang out again some time . . . " she spoke, and Craig nodded.
"Yeah, Manny. Some other time . . ." he replied, looking to move past her. She wouldn't let him pass, though, and stepped to the side to block him.
"Do you have a date for the Fall Formal?" She asked, and Craig bit his lip in thought.
"No, no I don't. Manny, would you like to come with me?" he asked, wondering where the question was coming from. Pure joy appeared on her face as she jumped in the air.
"Oh my god, you've got to be kidding! I would love to go with you! Oh, you'll have to get a tux; I'm going this weekend to get a dress. I think it will be black, so the corsage should match somehow . . . "
"Corsage?" Craig asked, beginning to regret his hasty decision.
"Yes corsage. I'll tell my father I'm staying at Emma's, and were you thinking of getting a limo?" She pressed on, dragging him down the hall and chattering happily.
