As Told by Ginger copyright Viacom

Chapter 2: Courtney's Beau

Posted: 19 Dec 2007

"No? What do you mean no!" Dodie moved her face to within inches of Chet's. "Listen, bub. I've been steeling myself up for the past fifteen minutes to ask to the dance. And you have the nerve to tell no!" She poked him in the chest. "You have better a good excuse, pal."

Chet nodded. "I do."

"Well? What's your excuse this time?"

"Courtney is going to ask me."

"What? Of course she's not going to do that," Dodie stated flatly.

"How do you know that?"

She opened her mouth to answer, it seemed to her all rather obvious, before realizing that was a very good question. Courtney hadn't been the same fashion-conscious, popularity-seeking girl she had been before. Not since the family scandal all the way back in their freshmen year. Now she was… something else altogether. Maybe she would ask him to the dance. "I don't know," Dodie finally admitted.

"You don't know Courtney Gripling very well, do you?"

Dodie didn't have a ready answer for that. And so she let Chet get back to his sandwich as she just stood there. She was so dumbfounded that she didn't notice the girl come up behind her.

"Courtney is one of our very good friends," Macie said before Dodie knew that she was standing behind her. "Isn't that right, Dodie?"

Dodie, still speechless, simply nodded.

"Come on, Dodie," Macie said before she wrapped her arm around Dodie's. "I don't think that he's accepting your offer."

They returned to their table. And finally Dodie was able to speak. "I'm not giving up on this, Macie. I am taking Chet to the dance."

"You had better hurry, Dodie. You don't Courtney swooping in on him before you get that chance, do you?"

"You don't really believe that bit about Courtney, do you?"

"I don't know what to believe about Courtney," she said, shaking her head. "I really don't."

The rest of lunch passed in uncomfortable silence as they finished eating their lunches. Dodie had hardly been comforted by Macie's words.

Later, when Macie and Dodie met Ginger after lunch on their way to Typing class, Dodie still feel much better. The joy that Ginger was holding, however, apparently was just bursting to get out. "Guys, guess who I asked to the Christmas dance!"

Macie seemed also to be caught up in the excitement. "Who, Ginger, who!"

Ginger took in a deep breath before answering. "Darren!" Macie shared in Ginger's excitement as they held hands and jumped up and down in joy.

Dodie, on the other hand, did not join them. She did not feel much like celebrating just then.

When Ginger noticed, she stopped the hopping with Macie and asked, "What's wrong, Dodie?"

"I asked Chet, and…."

"Yeah? And?"

Dodie deflated. "He said no."

"Oh, I see." Ginger looked almost as disappointed as Dodie felt. And that was saying a lot. "Did he say why?"

"He said he was waiting for Courtney to ask him."

Ginger shook her head. "That doesn't seem too likely. Courtney's still after Will."

"Still?"

Ginger nodded.

"You would have of thought that she would have given up by now."

"Given up what by now, Dodie?" She looked up and found Courtney coming their way. She was smiling at them as she approached. She must have known something that they didn't.

"Oh hello, Courtney," Ginger said. "I didn't see you there."

"I heard what happened in the lunch room today. Rather sad really. I can't have people thinking that I'm going to ask them to the Christmas dance when I have no intention of doing anything of the sort."

"Thank you, Courtney. I owe you one."

"We shall see, Dodie. We shall see."

"You're still going to ask Will, aren't you, Courtney?" Ginger asked.

Courtney grinned. "You had better believe it."

Dodie was more than a little skeptical. "But he has already turned you down time and time again. What makes you think that anything would be different this time around?"

"It's called persistence, Dodie. If you can keep it up long, then even most stubborn boy will crack in the end."

Macie nodded. "I see what you mean. It certainly worked with me and Andrew."

Dodie beamed a smiled. "You're right, guys. If I worked at hard enough for long enough Chet will be mine."