That Thursday, after my usual preparing of the stage for the show tomorrow, a stage hand in charge of making sure everyone was where they were supposed to be when called me over.

"You're Bridget Misako, right?" she asked. A petite thing with stylish, wire framed glasses. I've seen her around school before, and she's very particular. And by that, I mean slightly obsessive compulsive. It was more than likely the reason why she got the job of ordering everyone for the show. OCD people are always awesome at organizing events because they really can't make themselves just let it go.

"Yeah, I am." I told her, responding to her question. "I'm doing a dance number to Jennifer Lopez's Hit the Floor."

"I know." She said, with a simple blink. "I was told to round everyone up for a walkthrough of the talent show, so we knew who would go up when. Apparently you are one of the first acts, so you need to be up on stage soon."

"Alrighty," I told her, so cheerful that it slightly sickened me when I thought over the conversation later, "I'll be over there soon."

The stage hand rolled her eyes before going to flag other students that were going to take place in the show. I felt rather ecstatic personally, and immediately went to wait with the other students already rounded up by the stage. There were about four or five other students that went on stage before I did, and I hate waiting. Luckily though; the magic act only did one stunt, the violinist did a rather short but lovely piece, the twins juggled until they reached four objects that their younger sibling threw at them, the soloist sang as high as she could to break a champagne glass, and Sylvester Frinkle (a rather… odd kid that was in tenth grade) recited the alphabet reversed while burping. Then, it was my turn.

I got on stage and took my position. Before the music started I could hear someone shout my name and gave a whoop of support. Without even looking I knew it was Kentin. Who else could it have been?

I took a deep sigh in as the music started. Then, I let go and let the music lead me into perfect harmony while I bust out all the moves I had planned for the song. Okay, I admit, I didn't compose the entire dance alone. It was actually an old recital dance I did a few years ago that I remembered pretty well. Our teacher that year was once a show gal herself, and made us do all these crazy stunts and flips whether we wanted to do them or not. I reused a lot of the moves, but a lot was edited out. There was only one of me, not nine. As the song neared the end, I finished with a cartwheel that went into a split. Almost instantly, Kentin stood up and cheered at my performance. If my face wasn't already red from dancing so hard, I would have blushed in embarrassment.

"You can call me Ken, by the way, if you want." Kentin later informed me as everyone got ready to go home for the day.

"Okay…" I agreed, not sure what he was getting at.

"And… and maybe I could call you Barbie." He then suggested, I nearly choked on my water that I was drinking. He then quickly added, "Because… you know… Ken and Barbie are…"

This time, I did choke on my water. It took me several seconds to recover. Kentin watched anxiously, awaiting my answer.

"No." I said finally, shaking my head. "No, no, no, no!"

Kentin's face fell, and I quickly picked this up.

"You're a sweet guy Kentin, really," I quickly said, "But I'm not… interested in you like that. Maybe friends, yes, if you stop being so…. so clingy! But I don't love you!"

Kentin opened his mouth to say something, but then shut it again. He was surprised to say the least, and I felt guilt. I felt guilty for just shouting at him like that. He really is a sweet guy… but that didn't mean I liked him, or hated him for that matter. It's just that… he is… well… I have no words to explain it, but it causes my head to hurt and tugs my heart even more.

Suddenly, Kentin then turned around and ran away from me.

"Kentin, wait!" I shouted after him, but he didn't stop. "Kentin! Ken! KEN!" It was too late now though, he had left the room. I let out a groan of frustration before looking down at the ground. What lay down there made me groan in even more frustration.

With the revelation that Ken's love was one sided, he had dropped a small object on the ground that he had planned to give me. A ring. A pink plastic ring with a B on it that was more than likely bought at the dollar store for little to nothing for little girls to play dress-up with. But he had bought it with meaning. All my nights reading romance novels with a flashlight with a near dead battery taught me that much.

"Oh no…" I sighed, picking up the ring off the ground and found that it surprisingly fit my pinkie finger well, "What did I just do…?"