"You look nice, Jade," Jade's mother told her Friday night.
"Thanks, Evan is coming over in a few minutes."
"Well, good, I'm leaving then," Mrs. Wu said with a smile. "Oh,
you got some mail today." She reached into her purse and handed Jade an
envelope.
Jade tore into it and excitedly read through the letter. "I'm in!" she
shrieked.
"What?" Mrs. Wu asked excitedly.
"Remember how I applied to that art and design school in Los Angeles?
The really expensive one?"
"The one you applied to hoping you could just get in?"
"Yes, well I was accepted into the Fashion school and I won a
scholarship!"
"Oh, sweetie! That's wonderful. Now you can go to school where you
really wanted to go."
"Right," Jade said smiling. Suddenly she remembered that Evan was going
to Berkeley. Berkeley was no where near Los Angeles. She tried to push
the thought out of her head. Why did her future depend on what Evan was
doing? But Jade's excitement lessened. A month ago she would have done
anything to go to this school. But things had changed.
"And it will be so nice to have you so close by," her mother continued.
Jade froze up. If she went to school by Evan she would be about five
hours away, but if she went to Los Angeles she would be close to her
mother. Jade suddenly pictured her mother all alone in Sweet Valley, coming
home to an empty house every day and never seeing her daughter except
at Christmas and Thanksgiving. Jade suddenly didn't want to think about
this anymore.
"I have to think about it mom, and anyway you should get going."
Jade's mother glanced at the clock, "You're right! Usually Evan getting
here is my cue to leave."
Jade smiled, "So he's not ten minutes early for the first time in his
life. Maybe he'll actually be on time for once."
Mrs. Wu laughed, "Have a nice evening, sweetie. I'm taking the bus so
you can have the car if anything comes up."
"Thanks mom," Jade said hugging her mother good-bye. She walked into
the living room and flipped on the television. Evan should be there in
about ten minutes. Jade became restless and went back to the kitchen and
started making gigantic ice cream sundaes for her and Evan to eat
during the movie. She became so engrossed in adding all the toppings that
when she finished it was quarter-after seven. Jade became worried. Evan
was fifteen minutes late. Evan was never late for everything. Maybe he
got stuck in traffic, she thought but remembered that when he came to
her house, all he did was cut through side streets. Maybe he's in the
hospital or lying in a ditch somewhere! But the practical side of Jade
knew this wasn't true. By seven-thirty Jade realized that Evan had stood
her up. That Bastard, Jade thought angrily to herself. She had never
been so embarrassed or humiliated in all of her life. She had never been
stood up and she never wanted to be stood up again. She hoped Evan
didn't expect her to sit at home and cry all night, because he had
another thing coming. She went to her bedroom and changed into a black dress.
Her party and dancing dress. Then she quickly left the apartment and
locked the door behind her.

Jade weaved though the dancing throng of people at the Riot when she
crashed into, Matt Wells. Just who she was looking for. "Hey, Jade," he
said grinning. "So you decided to show up!"
"Yeah, something...something came up." She smiled brightly, "But I'm
here now."
Matt grinned even wider and Jade started to dance wildly to the beat of
the music. And he danced trying to keep up to her. Jade felt all the
tension leave her body and she danced, never wanting to stop.

"Hey, the guest of honor has arrived!" Andy shouted as Evan walked over
to their table.
"Let the party begin," Evan replied smiling. He sat down and looked
over his friends. Jessica and Jeremy were having a heated discussion with
Ken and Maria. Elizabeth and Conner were flirting like mad while still
trying to carry on a conversation with Jeff. Alanna sat slumped next to
Conner not looking very happy. Evan thought it was ironic how Liz and
Conner acted like this now instead of when they were actually dating.
Jeff seemed to know that there was nothing between the ex-couple but
Alanna didn't feel the same.
"Hey Party Boy," Tia said as she came up behind him with Trent. They
sat down and Andy grabbed for his drink. He raised it and said over the
music, "Congratulations to Maria and Evan for being the only two who
knows the the hell they are doing with their lives!"
Evan laughed and everyone raised their cups, "To Maria and Evan," they
all shouted just as the song ended.
"Hey, Jade!" Jessica shouted.
Evan turned around and saw Jade standing there, looking furious.
"Evan?"
And Even suddenly remembered their date. Evan cleared this throat and
opened his mouth to speak but Jade had already fled.