Will He Ask Me?

I am in seventh grade, and like all of the other people here, I am going through my awkward phase. I am a total introvert. I am the kind of person that sits and listens. I’m not particularly funny, and I don’t get straight A’s. I don’t even play any sports well. But, there is one thing that is similar between the girls in my grade. We all have a crush on Austin Brooks.

Austin Brooks, he is the heartthrob of Dale Middle School. He has silky brown hair, bright blue eyes and tan skin. He is five foot seven, he is the captain of the football team, and he is way out of my league. Or so I thought.


Spring break is edging closer, and that means the dreaded Spring Formal was too. I have dreaded the formal since fourth grade. The idea of not getting asked by a guy, going by myself, sitting around the whole time, and being totally miserable for some reason does not appeal to me. There was one guy I wanted to go with, and that was Austin Brooks.

My friends have been hinting to me all day that a certain someone was going to ask me to the formal. I was psyched! Austin Brooks was going to ask me to the spring formal, Me! I grabbed some lip gloss and a hairbrush from my locker and ran to the bathroom, I mean who cares if I miss conjugating verbs? It is Austin Brooks after all.

I stood in front of the mirror for twenty minutes parting my hair, deciding I don’t like it, then parting my hair again. It wasn’t until thirty minutes into class when Mrs. David walked in. Not Mrs. David! I thought to myself. My life was over. Mrs. David was the secretary, she seemed ancient. My whole life seemed to freeze when she walked in and saw me. Of course the first thing she did was ask for my hall pass. I hesitated, took a deep breath, and ran for my life. I was down the hallway and in the janitor's closet in less than a second. I slammed the door, sat down on an upturned bucket, and breathed. What have I done? I thought to myself She surely saw me, I’m dead! If I get suspended, I’ll never be able to go the dance with Austin! Being a seventh grader, that was my biggest concern.


I waited for the bell to ring, dismissing D block, and I waited until I heard footsteps outside of the door. I quietly opened the door and snuck into the mob of people. I crept to my locker, making sure Mrs. David wasn’t around, and grabbed my history binder. I snuck off to history and sat down in the middle row so nobody would pay attention to me. I started drawing in my binder to pass the time. I looked up from my binder to see Austin Brooks writing on a small piece of paper. I looked down again so he wouldn’t notice me staring. A few seconds later I got a tap on my shoulder and someone handed me a note, they whispered, “It’s for you, from Austin.” I was out of my mind excited! I slowly unfolded the piece of paper, I looked up at Austin, smiled, and looked down again, I read the note.

Hey, Cody Smith wants to ask you to Spring Formal.
- Austin

I swear, I almost started crying. I looked up at Austin, he was smiling at me and giving me the look of Yes or no? I shrugged and forced a smile, then I immediately looked back down. Cody Smith was Austin’s jester. He followed him everywhere. Cody was Austin’s idiot friend that was just there to make a perverted joke every once in awhile. Cody? I thought to myself, Cody Smith?


The bell rang at 10:45. My stomach felt like it had two-hundred rubber bands wrapped around it. I walked to the water fountain, took a big gulp of water and, passed out.


I woke up in the nurse's office confused, scared, and with a giant headache. I sat up to see my friends, the nurse and, my mom. I was overwhelmed by the questions: Are you ok? How do you feel?l DId Austin ask you to spring formal? Are you going to pass out again? And a loud, “Everyone, I need you to leave!”, that was the nurse.

The nurse inspected me, she checked my eyes, ears, skin, mouth, and so much more. I still felt dizzy, but not as bad as before. She asked if I knew why I passed out, Because I was asked by Cody Smith! I wanted to yell, but I thought the nurse would think I’m weird. So instead I told her I was stressed. I had to leave school early that day.


After school, around 4:00, I got a call from my best friend, Cindy. “Are you ok?” she yelled into the phone.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I sighed. “I guess I was just stressed.”

“No!” Cindy once again yelled into the phone. “What is wrong!?” I didn’t want to talk so, I hung up on Cindy. I got another call about two minutes later.

“What Cindy?” I said frustrated, “Can’t you tell I don’t want to talk?”

“Um, sorry?” I heard in a low voice, “Do you want me to go?” Oh. My. God. That was Austin! What are you doing? Go back onto the phone!

“Sorry, I thought you were Cindy.” I apologize. What are you doing? Of course he knows you thought it was Cindy! Grow up and talk to him!

“Um, yeah. So, are you ok? I heard you fell. Also, did you want to go to the dance with Cody?” He asked a little confused.

He knows I passed out! Wait, here’s your time. Tell him how you feel! “Actually, not really.” I explained. “But,” I hesitated, “are you going with anyone?” I swallowed.

“Actually, no. I was too scared to ask the girl.”

Wait, is this happening? Someone pinch me! “Maybe you could tell me, and...and I could ask her.” I inferred.

There was a long pause. “It was you.”

“Yes! I’ll go with you!” I almost screamed in the phone. I said bye then hung up. I didn’t want him to change his mind. I laid down on my bed, and took a big breath. This was going to be a good year.


It was the day of the dance. I had a long blue dress on and my hair was very curly. I was wearing a little bit of blush, and a little bit of mascara. I was looking in the mirror for the billionth time, and I was out of my mind nervous. I hope this goes well. What if he kisses me? What if he hates the way I dance? Then I took a breath, looked in the mirror, and the doorbell rings. I hesitate. Should I go downstairs? No, I can’t look desperate. Besides, I can make a dramatic entrance. I wait another five minutes, then go downstairs.

Austin stands up. “Hi.” he says in a magical voice. I couldn’t speak. All I could think about was man, he looks good in a tux. I say goodbye to my parents and get into his dad’s car.

The dance was wonderful. there were fast dances, slow dances, and group dances. We participated in all of them. And at the end, something happened that I’ll never forget. He kissed me.

~ Harper M.