The 20 Dates Challenge

Five - Banned

Banned

‘So you went to the shops?’ Jesse asks the next morning in homeroom, ‘to do what?’

‘I’m not allowed to say but it was kinda fun,’ I reply, ‘reckless.’

‘Please tell me,’ she begs.

‘No, I don’t want to get Alex in trouble,’ I laugh at her.

‘Oh, come on, I’m your best friend,’ she whinges.

‘And he’s taking me on dates.’

‘That aren’t really dates.’

I turn away from her.

‘Sorry, that was harsh,’ she says quickly.

‘It’s fine,’ I say.

‘Why don’t you just tell him that you like him?’

‘Because he doesn’t like me.’

‘Maybe he’s just worried you won’t like him back?’

‘I’ve made it clear that I like him on so many occasions.’

‘Yes, but he’s a guy. He doesn’t understand that laughing at his lame jokes, watching his stupid football games and going along with this ridiculous date thing are all signs that you like him.’

I can’t help but laugh at that.

‘Too true,’ I say through my giggles.

‘So, just tell him.’

‘No.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because he doesn’t like me.’

She sighs and softly hits her head on the table. The bell rings and I follow her out of homeroom and into the hall.

‘What if I told him?’

‘I’d kill you.’

She just laughs.

‘No you wouldn’t. You’d miss me too much.’

‘Not if you ruined my life by telling him I like him.’

‘Tell who you like them?’ Alex runs up behind us causing me to jump.

‘Kevin, in drama,’ Jesse says quickly, ‘she likes him being her partner on the assignment.’

‘Not gonna ditch me tomorrow to hang out with Kevin instead are you?’ Alex just laughs.

‘What are we doing tomorrow?’ I ask him.

‘Date number three,’ he says.

Then, before I can say anything, he runs off down the hall towards his friends. Jesse laughs and I just roll my eyes at his back, linking my arm through hers as we head to the auditorium for assembly. We take our seats and talk about the upcoming math exam while waiting for the principle to ask for quiet.

When he finally does, the room is hushed into silence. The assembly begins; singing of the Australian national anthem and school hymn, awards to three girls in year eight for making it to the International Irish Dancing Competition, announcements about the upcoming junior school dance, a free dress day to raise money for the cancer foundation and soccer tryouts for year nine, ten and eleven girls, and a notice asking all year eleven and twelve students to stay back after the assembly.

The principle releases us and, while the other students make their way for the doors, the year eleven and twelve students grumble and moan and move towards the front of the auditorium. Jesse and I end up sitting in amongst Alex’s group of friends. Alex smiles at me before the principle starts talking.

‘Quiet, please, students. Now, I have been informed of a list going around mainly the boys, but there are some girls who are a part of this ridiculous fad. I would just like to say that this competition between the male students of this school is to be brought to an immediate end and no further competitions of this manner will be held in the future. Any student caught talking about this competition on school grounds will be given a detention.’

All the guys and quite a few of the girls groan in protest. Most of the girls look around with confused looks on their faces.

‘Really?’ one of the year twelve boys yells, ‘you’re gonna ban this?’

‘Yes, Mr Wallis, I will not have students of this school participating in such trivial and degrading games.’

More shouts of protest fill the hall.

‘If you do not agree with the ban, please, feel free to fill in a formal complaint notice and acquire a meeting to discuss the matter with me further.’

With that, he leaves the stage and exits through the back door, leaving more than half the group yelling after him.

‘I’ll pick you up tomorrow at twelve,’ Alex whispers in my ear before Jesse drags me from the auditorium.