February 14, 1987

The weather was cold outside, but Olivia paid no attention to the goosebumps that were forming on her arms and legs. She had decided to wear a pink mini skirt and a white tube top with pink heels. She had spent over an hour on her hair and makeup before she felt as if she looked just right. Her mom would have told her that she was dressed way too provocatively for a 7th grader so Olivia tried to look as conservative as she could until her mom left for work.

When she arrived at school, all eyes were on her, but she didn't give anyone a second glance. She hurried over to her locker so she could check her lipstick in the mirror. Her make-up was still in tact, but Olivia knew there was no such thing as being too careful.

"Are you ready?" Abbie asked Olivia as she had her arms around her boy toy of the week.

"For what?" Joey asked.

"Nothing, cutie," Abbie said and gave him a hug. "It's girl stuff."

"See you in class?" he asked.

"Yeah," Abbie responded. Before sending him on his way, she handed him her science book and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "See ya in a few."

"How do you do that?" Olivia asked.

"Do what?" Abbie responded. Before Olivia could get another word in, some guy walked by and handed her a Valentine card.

"How many does that make today?" Olivia asked.

"I don't know," Abbie said nonchalantly. "I have one from Joey, one from Billy, one from Josh, and from Dan, and…"

"And what?"

"One from Trent Abernathy," Abbie said and started blushing. "I can't believe he actually noticed me."

"Why wouldn't he? You're gorgeous."

"I know," Abbie teased. "Do you think I should lose my virginity to him? Not now because I'm only in 7th grade, but later? No, what if I get pregnant with Trent's baby. That would be so cute."

"Abigail?"

"What?"

"Please stop talking. I thought you were into girls."

"I'm into both," Abbie informed her. "I'm a true '80s woman. I can do whatever I want."

"I wish I could do whatever I want," Olivia told her. "If I could, I'd have Alex in my arms."

"And in your bed," Abbie teased. "In your bed with no clothes."

"I don't think about her like that," Olivia insisted even though it was a lie.

"Livya, it's okay," Abbie told her. "I know you like Alex for her intelligence and who she is on the inside, but you also want her in other ways. You tell me that you always think about Alex at night and I know the reason you think about her at night is because that's when people have sex and you want to have sex with Alex."

"Okay, I do," Olivia admitted. "But not now. I want to wait until we're both emotionally and physically ready for it. I want Alex to be my first and I want it to be special."

"Oh, blah, blah, blah," Abbie said and rolled her eyes.

"First I'm going to tell her that I like her and then I'm going to ask her to be my girlfriend," Olivia said. "By the end of the school day, Alex will be my girlfriend. But what if she says no? I don't know what I'd do if she rejected me."

"She's not going to reject you, Olivia. Stop talking yourself out of this."

When Alex approached them, Abbie and Olivia tried their hardest to act as if they had nothing planned. Abbie began leaning against her locker, but Olivia had no idea what to do. She wanted to look cool, but not cocky. She wanted to look pretty, but not as if she had tried too hard. Instead, she began nervously playing with her dangling, heart-shaped earrings.

"Liv, is that you?" Alex asked with a confused look on her face. "You look so different. Do you have a date tonight?"

"No!" Olivia said as quickly as she could. "I mean, nah, nothing like that. I'm just…in the spirit of Valentine's Day."

While leaning against the locker, Abbie shook her head and tried her hardest not to laugh. Dead puppies. Think of dead puppies, she kept telling herself in hopes that it would counteract the potential laughing fit.

"Either way, you look great," Alex said and smiled at her.

"Thanks," Olivia squeaked.

"Did your voice just squeak?" Alex asked.

"No," Olivia said hesitantly, sounding more like she was asking a question instead of responding.

"Olivia, what's wrong? Are you feeling okay?" Alex asked and touched her hand. That simple gesture made Olivia's heart race and her whole body started to tingle.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Olivia said even though she was blushing.

"Just making sure," Alex said and smiled at her. "I have to get to class, I'll see you two at lunch."

"Wait! Alex!" Olivia shouted as Alex turned around to leave. "I have to ask you something."

"Sure," Alex said and waited for Olivia's question.

"Will you…I really…"

"Will I what?" Alex asked hopefully.

"Will you let me borrow your math notes?" Olivia asked. She had taken the safe way out, but she felt like hitting herself afterward.

"Of course," Alex said and handed Olivia the notes she had taken out of her binder.

"Oh, that was smooth," Abbie said once Alex had left.

"Shut up," Olivia told her and started hitting her head against her locker.

"You wanted to ask for her heart, but you got her math notes instead," Abbie teased.

"Oh, yeah? Well, I'd like to see you do better, Abbie."

"I could do better," Abbie insisted.

"If you're such a hot shot, ask Trent out on a date," Olivia smirked.

"I can't ask Trent," Abbie said worriedly. "He's a boy and I'm a girl. It's different with Alex because you're both girls. Girls can't ask boys on dates. That's like social suicide. Boys have to ask girls. Everyone knows that."

"I thought you were a true '80s woman," Olivia said sarcastically. "A true '80s woman would go against the rules and ask out her leading man."

"Maybe the '80s are a little too cutting edge for me," Abbie realized. "I'm going to revert back to the '50s and wait for Trent to take me to a Sock Hop. I'll get to wear his football jacket and we'll share a milkshake at the diner afterward. Olivia?"

"Yeah?"

"This whole dating thing sucks," Abbie said glumly.

"I know and where's a bully when you need one?" Olivia asked. "Unless, do you think I could stuff myself into this locker?"

"Olivia!"

"Just make sure to get me after school," Olivia said as she tried unsuccessfully to stuff herself into her own locker.

"There's always next year," Abbie told Olivia in an attempt to cheer up her best friend.

"You're right," Olivia said and stepped out of her locker. "I'll ask her next year and if not next year then the year after that or the year after that."

Abbie started shaking her head again. "At this rate, Alex won't be yours until you're 30."

"Or 29," Olivia said as they started walking to class. "As long as she's mine by the time I'm 29."