I was in the 8th grade. I was shy, had maybe one friend, and was not even smart.

It would have been one thing if I was some kind of girl wonder in the brain department, and that’s the reason why I had no friends, because I was so amazingly intimidating…but that was not the case.

I was a little on the chubby side, unusually shy, and as I said earlier, only had one friend.

However, I still liked boys…specifically this one boy who would always try to copy my notes in English class. I told him time and time again that I was not smart, he would be better off copying from Jeffery, who sat on his left side, but no, he always wanted to copy my notes.

Okay, I warned him.

David was extremely tall for an 8th grader. I would put him right at 6ft, and, I would also call him a prep. So not my type now, but back then, yes.

I mean he never even talked to me, and looking back, there were cuter guys. Maybe it was the whole him wanting to copy my notes thing.

So anyway….I liked David. Now, in my Science class, Beth (my one friend) and I would talk about him, all-the-time. First of all, Science class always put me to sleep, even to this day it bores me…or perhaps I do not have a long attention span, either way, my friend Beth and I talked about David because he happened to be in her next class, history.

Follow so far?

Beth really wanted me to “make a move” with David, and back in the day, “make a move” simply meant, “I like you, do you like me?”

There was absolutely no way I would ever “make a move” on David. Puh-leaze! The boy did not even know I was alive…..unless it was to copy English notes.

For some strange reason, that I blame on the combination of having the flu and being sleep deprived, I gave Beth the “okay” to see if David liked me.

I was fully expecting David to say something along the lines of “Who? Who is Jennifer?”
(even though I have been sitting beside him in English class for two years)

The next day in Science class, Beth could not wait to tell me the news.

“What news”

“Guess”

“I do not want to guess, what news”

“He likes you!”

“Huh?”

“He likes you, he is interested in you, David likes you”

and my heart stopped. Because I am dramatic, and I was in 8th grade, and that’s what 8th grade girls are, dramatic.

“No he does not like me, he does not even know me, he must think I am going to do good on the test on Friday, trust me, he does not like me”

“Jen, I am totally serious, he likes you. My friend Jess who is in Davids Shop class because she is a total slut and only wants to be around the boys but she is super nice one on one talked to David about you because I asked her to and it took him a day to think about it, but he told her yesterday that he totally likes you…for real!”

“Omigod, Omigod, Omigod no way, he likes me? I did not even think he knew me, at least my name, I mean he always looks at my notes, Omigod, what do I do now, how is my hair? Do I look okay? Omigod”

at this point I am embarrassed to say both Beth and I were screaming like…..like 8th grade girls.

So, Beth and decide to skip Chorus class and head to the bathroom so I can pretty up for English class. I had my aqua net hairspray and blue eye shadow ready to go. I was determined to recreate a scene from one of my favorite 80’s movies…The Breakfast Club, Pretty In Pink, Karate Kid. You get the point….unless you are too young to know any of these movies, and if that’s the case, then don’t tell me. I feel old enough retelling this story.

I had my big hair, two pounds of makeup, I was ready to make my appearance in English class. As soon as I enter the room David would walk over to me, throw his notebook down and whisk me up in his arms.

Well, that’s not quite how it happened.

I went to English class, and he was not there. Of course, he is going to be late, he is always late. Perhaps when he comes in he will discreetly give me a note that says “Do you want to go out?”

David was indeed late, but there was no note. He did not even ask me for my notes. Nerves I’m sure.

As soon as class was over, I took extra long in gathering my books, just waiting for the perfect time…..and here it comes…..he walks over towards me, this is it, this is the moment.

“Hi”

“Hi David”

“So”

“Yeah, so”

“Did Beth talk to you?”

“She did.”

“So what do you think?”

“Well…..I think….”

“I mean I know you are not friends with her, but she is your neighbour and I thought maybe you could put in a good word for me”

“Ummm, what?”

“You know, Jennifer, she does live across the street from you right?”

Okay, just kill me now.

“Oh yeah, Jennifer, yeah, umm, well it is not like her and I hang out or anything, but, ummm, I think our mothers know each other or something. Sure David, I’ll put in a good word for you”

“Thanks Kid! Hey….did you get today’s notes, can I copy them?”

Somehow between my friend Beth and her friend Jess who is an apparent slut who takes Shop class, they confused the two Jennifers. There was me, and there was her…..David was interested in the her.

To this day I never let Beth live that down,

and if memory serves me correctly I demanded that my parents take me out of school and home school me.

Ahhhhh, gotta love those times.

and to David, if by some freak chance you ever read this post….

YOUR LOSS!!!

This was Mama Kats weekly writing prompt, go check her out!