Ah, Ashley A.'s POV. This is also the last chapter that I have completely finished… I'm working on Spinelli's next one. Lol… It's a riot. Or, well, it's gonna be. I'll prolly give spoilers at the end of the chapter.

Oh, and to answer your question, frigginpixiedust, I have attempted a story of my own… Many of them, actually. Key word being attempted. I dunno… I'm not so good at making up characters… I always wind up blending in elements of other shows even when I'm not trying to… I'm really a lot better with plots.

I only post like a fourth of what I've written… Firstly because I haven't finished any of it, and secondly because the rest is mostly crappy one-parters… Anyways, I've tried writing a book… I wrote scripts for like three different T.V. shows… One of which has an entire first season (Which is really impressive for me…) Hmm… What else have I done? Oh, yeah, I thought up names for soap opera characters… lol… Let's see… Their names were: Tristan Taylor, Royce Taylor, Lila Smith-Davis-Taylor, Hateya Davis, Clair Davis, Hunter Green, Varden Green, Haley Strong-Green, Bridge Strong, Lee Strong, Evanescence Strong, Lucian DuMaurier, Iris DuMaurier, Sara DuMaurier, Winter Springsteen, Marie Springsteen, Katya Ivanovna, Farewell Heller, Luna Valdez, Gary Kingsley, Antonio Rodriguez, and George Browning… But that's highly off-topic and I doubt anyone cares…

I guess I had to do something to lighten the vapidness of Ashley A. …lol…

Ah, the big date approaches…

Okay, so T.J.'s like coming over soon. His mom's like driving him here, and I totally made sure that Mom, Dad, Brittany, Tyler, and Cindy are like all gone. Okay, so I like, maybe, told a few lies, but I just like want everything to be totally perfect for my first date with T.J. I have like no idea why it's such a big deal, but it is. I mean, I've like crushed on other guys like, before, and T.J. isn't really, like, no offense to him because I like him a lot and all, but he's like not as good-looking as like some of the other guys I've dated, but, like whatever.

Okay, so I like made sure not to set up any candles because those will like definitely freak him out. And I've totally got snacks and some, like, other things. But, for like, seriously, the first time in like, my entire life, I have like, no idea what to wear.

I mean, should I dress casual, comfortable, showy, or like what? I have no idea what to do. I'm like totally having a fashion emergency over him. I must really, really, really like him.

Okay, come on, Ashley, let's think, like okay? Okay, I can like put on my pink bikini, like, just in case, and then wear the white capris with the pink spaghetti-strap top with the ribbons. Oh, and like, my best pair of pink designer tennis shoes with the tiny rhinestones in them. Should I like put my hair in a ponytail? I like never wear it up, after all.

Nah, I should just curl it like a little more and find my pink lip-gloss. That'll like totally work. I just really hope that he likes my outfit. But, like, who am I kidding? He's a boy. Boys like have no fashion taste, period.

Ooh, like there he is now! Eee! I'm like so excited! I've like, got to go out and greet him like a proper hostess would.

"Hi, like T.J.! It's totally great that you're like here! Uh, um, like, what are you waiting out there for? Come on in!" I chatter on cheerfully.

Weird. T.J. looks kind of nervous. Where should we go? Oh, I know! We should like, so totally go to the yellow sitting room. It goes great with my outfit.

"Well, um, like, uh, follow me, T.J. It's like, really nice to see you. Anyways, so, uh, what exactly are we doing in Social Studies again? I, like, wasn't paying attention today, in, uh, class," I ramble nervously.

I must sound like a total idiot, which he probably thinks I am, like, already. I know that I like, may not be the shiniest nail polish in the bottle, but I am like, not stupid, okay! No matter what that like, horrible Spin-Ugly says.

Oh, he's smiling that like, totally dreamy smile of his. I like totally wish that I got to see it more. Seriously. I could like, die happy because he's smiling at me. I so want to sigh.

"To tell you the truth, Ashley A, I wasn't there during Social Studies today… I was kind of busy… But I asked Gretchen, and she told me. We're learning about The Industrial Revolution," He explains calmly, in that oh-so-smooth voice of his.

Oh, yeah, I like, remember now. Eli Whitney totally sucks.

"Yeah, like, with that Eli Whitney guy who invented the something-or-other…"

T.J.'s nodding. Wow, he like agrees with me.

"It's called the Cotton… And then some kind of drink I'm never supposed to go near," T.J. mutters, confused.

Oh, he's like so dreamy when he's confused! I clear my throat, gesturing towards the snacks that I like, painstakingly set out. I got his favorites… The very best Yahoo soda, Wingerdingers, and Beanie McGum. I just, like, really, really, really hope he likes them.

I nod, smiling, because, like, I don't know what to say.

"Well, I like, guess we should, like, get started, huh?" I giggle.

T.J. forces a chuckle, and even though it's fake, it's still one of the best sounds I've ever heard. He sits down and grabs some food, opening his book. Oh, he looks so cute when he's trying to study!

"The year was seventeen-seventy-six, and things in America were just starting to heat up. That summer, the Continental Congress had drafted and mailed The Declaration of Independence, and the war was starting to speed up, as the British soon realized that the colonists were serious. However, our founding fathers still had many factors against them. For example, only one out of every three colonists considered themselves a "patriot" or supporter of America. For another, even among this band, the members had separate beliefs about what to do about their unfair treatment. Some offered to give…" T.J. began to read aloud.

Oh, listen to his oh-so-sexy reading voice! I could just sigh right now. Okay, so maybe I like did.

"Is something wrong, Ashley A?"

Ooh, he sounds so concerned. And for, like, me! Ha! Take that Spin-Ugly! You may have like, won the pageant, but I'm like, so getting his heart…

Hey, wait a second, that's so not about The Industrial Revolution.

"Why were you like reading about The American Revolution, T.J.?" I ask, fighting to keep the like, amusement, from my tone.

His face is like so red. He's actually, like, blushing! And he looks so, so, so cute doing it.

Aww. It like totally melts my icy heart.

"Oh, oops," T.J. says, sounding a little flustered.

Our eyes meet and my hand covers his. Yeah, I know; I like totally can't believe that I was like, that brave either! Of course, he like just looked down, so I'm like, kind of scared that he'll like hate me, but he doesn't! He like, didn't even pull away!

I mean, yeah, so he's like still reading and all. And he's like, not looking at me. But he's still like holding my hand!

And to think, I actually thought he totally like-liked Spinelli earlier. Ha! But does T.J. like, like me?

Loren ;

Oh, I don't own Eli Whitney. Lol… I don't even think we've studied the Industrial Revolution…

Oh, by the way, the stuff about the American Revolution's true… All of it… I think.

Hm, does T.J. like Spinelli? Or does he like Ashley A.? Hmm… Things to ponder…

Anyways, a teaser for the next chapter: Mushy Shakespeare stories, King Freddy, and some topics that Fifth Graders don't even want to hear about, much less talk about…