Limerence

XV

BLAKE MAXWELL

I have always hated September, and not because September is the start of school or whatever, because it's technically not - that would be August. But, actually, because September is known for Spirit Week.

Out of the two Septembers I've spent at San Pueblo High School, I can say that Spirit Week is ridiculous. I've always hated it and thought it was a massive waste of time and money. Spirit Week is really just mayhem followed by commotion. Everyone loses their heads and forgets how to act like humans. Everyone makes a giant fool out of themselves. You can always tell who the dumbest people of the class are just by observing how much they participate in Spirit Week. If their Tacky Tuesday outfit is truly tacky, then you know you're dealing with a phony idiot.

San Pueblo has this one event during Spirit Week that makes everyone wild with anxiety. That event is woefully known as "The Fall Shindig." Who names an event a "shindig?" Despite the humorously ridiculous name, this event - I refuse to call it a shindig - is the third most famous event that San Pueblo hosts. I say third because it's behind prom and homecoming. This event is a dance, but what makes this dance unique is that traditionally, the girls are supposed to ask the guys to the dance. Now, at this point, this should not be a unique concept; girls should be able to ask the guys out to whatever and wherever the hell they want, so long as it's not a gang bang or something ridiculous like that. But, I digress.

Of course, this event is often accompanied by a great deal of drama; mostly because everyone always worries about who will ask whom.

We were two days away from this dance, and I still did not have a date. Of course, I wanted Leah to ask me, and I had a suspicion she would when she walked into my car with a plate full of brownies.

"Hi, Blake."

"Hey."

"You excited for today?" This question alone increased my suspicion. But, I wanted to test the waters before I got too hopeful. I have learned to never predict the best case scenario when you're in my situation.

"What's today?" I asked.

"Oh, you'll see," She said while smirking a little bit. That told me everything I needed to know. I was going to dance with her on Saturday night, and it would be the best not-actually-being-in-a-relationship-but-really-wanting-to-be experience I would ever have. I was incredibly satisfied with my findings that I could not keep myself from smiling.

"You seem happy this morning," Leah said questioningly while turning to face me.

"Oh, well, what's not to be happy about? It is Spirit Week, after all," I replied.

"Blake, you hate Spirit Week," She said. I could tell she was rolling her eyes.

"No, I don't," I parked and we walked in.

LEAH SIMONS

Yes, I was planning on asking Blake to the Fall Shindig, and I was really excited because I had made his favorite treat - brownies with chocolate chips inside.

I wanted to wait until AP Bio; strangely, I wanted to ask him in front of Katherine. Something about claiming Blake in front of her enticed me, but I pushed these thoughts out of my head.

I could hardly contain my excitement. I made a poster, the brownies, and I dressed all in green. Green is his favorite color, and I wanted to make this day all about him as soon as I asked him. I went through my morning classes in a daze, and I just really wanted AP Bio to hurry up and arrive! It was like that peculiar feeling you get right before a presentation, and you want to present so you can get it over with, but at the same time, you want to wait as long as possible so that you don't have to embarrass yourself.

BLAKE MAXWELL

My morning classes were ridiculously boring; I just wanted to get to lunch so I could confirm my suspicion. Leah was waiting for me when I got to our usual table, and the uniquely pungent odor of school lunch mixed with adolescence greeted me as I sat down.

"You excited for next period?" She was practically gushing with excitement. I could almost see her individual freckles light up as she smiled. Finn joined our table, along with Julian. I tried not to roll my eyes as Julian sat next to Leah and smirked at her. Why was he even sitting here? I thought he and Finn have jock friends to goof around with.

"Yes!" I answered Leah perhaps a little too enthusiastically. Leah and Finn exchanged looks that signaled something that I was maybe unaware of, probably because it was one of those sibling looks. The looks you give your sibling when you guys are on the same level of understanding. Ivy joined our table next.

"Guys! I just asked Dylan to the Fall Shindig, and he said yes!" Ivy screamed at us.

"That's great, babe!" Leah reached out and squeezed Ivy's hand. I wished I could have my hand squeezed affectionately.

That's when Katherine squeezed her ass next to mine and Leah's. Leah and Finn exchanged another sibling look, but this one was more worried. It was almost as if they lost that confidence they had just five minutes ago. I tried not to sigh with exasperation as Katherine combed her hair with her grubby fingers.

"So, Blake, I wanted to ask you something," Oh, great. She was here for me. Katherine started giggling, and Finn and Leah continued to look concerned. This was rapidly turning out negatively.

"Uh, what is it?" I asked as tentatively as possible.

"Oh, well, you know that thing coming up?" She asked. Yeah, this was bad. My forehead started gathering little beads of nervous sweat as if to agree with my thoughts.

"What thing?" I tried to make this as dragged out as possible in hopes of having the bell ring.

"The Fall Shindig," As Katherine said this, I heard Finn suck in a ginormous breath, and Leah furrowed her eyebrows.

"Uh, yes. I do know of the Fall, er, Shindig," I ran my right hand through my hair and glanced at Leah, who looked equally distraught. Finn continued to hold in his uncomfortably huge breath, and Julian and Ivy leaned in to watch this unfold.

"Do you have a date?" Katherine asked while giggling some more. That's when I noticed the tiny crowd of Katherine's friends that was forming around our table. My palms were sweaty, and I was bouncing my leg rapidly. I could feel the clammy sweat collecting in that grossly unpleasant location that lies in between your knees. Where was the stupid bell?

"Uh," I struggled to answer, and I could feel my stomach turning into a gummy ball of anxious energy. I glanced at Leah once more. She gave me a look that I took to mean that unfortunately, I should answer truthfully. I looked at the putrid yellow walls of the cafeteria as they seemed to mock me by closing in on our now infiltrated table. I could just hear the walls laughing as they bullied their way closer. They were probably saying, "look at Blake! He actually thought something would work out for him! The loser!"

"Well, do you?" Katherine implored more impatiently. I sighed and looked at the hideous walls again.

"No, I do not," I admitted defeatedly. I could hear those walls cackling with delight. Are you happy now? I thought while glaring at the walls. Leah sighed and looked away. Finn let out his breath in the form of a whistle. Katherine beamed.

"Great! Do you want to go with me?" I already knew this was coming, but I still lost all of the color in my face as she asked this. I looked at Leah again, and she gave me a look that signaled that I should probably say yes out of politeness.

"Sure," I said while holding back a defeated sigh.

"Yay! Oh my gosh! This will be so fun!" Katherine screamed while hugging me. It was a very awkward hug; it was very stiff because I did not hug her back.

"Okay! Well, I'll see you later!" And that was that. Katherine beat Leah to asking me to the Fall dance - I will not call that dance a shindig. No event deserves to be called a shindig.