As Told by Ginger copyright Viacom

Chapter 3: Never Taking No for an Answer

Posted: 24 Dec 2007

It wasn't until after class that Dodie was able to see Chet again. He was putting the last of his books into his locker when she reached him. He didn't look up when she approached. Maybe he didn't notice her come up to him.

Basically the story of her life.

She cleared her throat.

That got his attention. He looked in her direction, looking a tad bit annoyed. "Yes, Podie?"

"It's Dodie actually."

"Good to know. I guess." He looked expectant for an answer.

Dodie took in a deep breath. Here it comes. "Why do persist in this delusion of yours that Courtney will ask you to the Christmas dance?"

Chet rolled his eyes, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "She told me herself."

"She did what!" Dodie didn't know Courtney all that well, but that didn't seem all too likely.

"She said that she was going to ask me to the Christmas dance."

Dodie shot him a skeptical look.

"Okay, okay. She didn't say that in so many words, but she definitely said she was going to ask me."

Dodie took hold of his shoulders. "Now I want to listen to me very closely, Chet. Just what were her exact words?"

"If you must know, Dodie-"

"I do."

"She said, 'You're kinda cute, Bret. I should ask you to the dance.'"

When she realized that he wasn't saying anything more, even though he really should, she blinked. "That's it?"

Chet nodded.

"But she didn't even use your real name. She could've been taking to Brett, who was standing right there."

"How do you know that's going to happen, Chet?" Macie wondered. Dodie jumped. She hadn't even known that she was there.

Chet shrugged. "Got me."

Dodie sighed. How could an incredible hunk like Chet Zipper possibly be so dense? "I hate to break it to you, Chet. But Courtney was probably talking to Brett."

"Oh no, she was talking to me."

"Ha! There's no way that Courtney would ask you to go to the Christmas dance with her."

"She so would."

They might have come to blows over it, but Macie intervened. "Might I make a suggestion?" she asked.

Dodie and Chet glared at each other before replying. "All right."

"We could go ask Courtney who she was talking to?"

Dodie liked that idea. Except for one little problem. "We could do that if Courtney hadn't left for home."

Chet agreed to ask Courtney.

If the search didn't take too long that was. He had a ball game to get to after all. Dodie was well aquatinted with Chet's mania for basketball.

"Very well, Chet," Macie agreed. "This shouldn't take too long."

"Should we split up?" Chet asked, scratching his head.

"Duh!" both Dodie and Macie told him.

"Uh… is that duh yes or duh no?" he wondered.

Dodie sighed. Men!

They split up for the search and headed off in separate directions. That way they would have better chances of finding Courtney.

Dodie started for Courtney's locker, which to her seemed the most likely place to find the former diva of Lucky Junior High. She never made it there.

She was met by Ginger on the way. "Has he said yes yet?"

Dodie shook her head. "He still thinks that Courtney will ask him to."

"Huh."

"He even thinks that she said that she will."

"But don't you think that if she was going to ask him, she would already have?"

"Yeah. But he doesn't."

"Yeah. He can be pretty dense," Ginger agreed.

"Ginger…" Dodie wished that Ginger wouldn't talk that way about Chet.

"All right. Sorry. You were saying?"

"Have you seen Courtney? I wanted to ask her about the whole 'asking Chet to the dance' thing."

Ginger nodded. "Yeah, she went to watch the basketball game."

"Oh really?"

"Yes." She inclined her head. "Isn't Chet in that game?"

Dodie nodded. "Would you mind waiting for us there while I get Macie and Chet?"

"No, sorry. I promised mom that I would help her with something."

"That's too bad."

"Not really. It is kind of important."

"Could I ask what it is?"

"You could." Ginger tapped her nose. "But it's a surprise."

As much as Dodie loved surprises, she had to get going if she ever wanted to catch up with Chet. She didn't know how long that Chet was willing to wait, and so didn't want to overestimate the time. It would be very embarrassing if she were to miss him.

But she didn't him. He found her.

It was a spot just as unassuming as the spot where Dodie had met Ginger was where she met Chet.

"Did you find her yet?" he asked.

"No. She went to the ball game."

"Then why are still here? Let's get to the game."

"All right, Chet." She smiled. "You have anything that you need me to carry?"

Chet thought for a second. "Oh gee, thanks, Dodie. Could you carry my gym bag for me?"

"Sure thing, Chet. Anything you want."