Lights Up

What the Heck I Gotta Do?

CRASH

"Oh, I'm SO sorry, I totally didn't mean to bump into you. It was like a total accident."

Did I mention that I hate Regina George with every fiber of my being? I might even hate her more than Eacker, and he slammed me into a locker. Regina knocked Dia's armful of books to the floor, and she's got one bright pink Barbie heel pinning her binder to the floor. I kneel down to help Dia pick up her stuff, while Dia attempts to get her binder back from Regina.

"Regina, can you PLEASE take your shoe off of my binder."

"But why would I? Seeing you crawling around on the floor is SO satisfying."

That just makes me angry. So she interrupts my pathetic attempt (I'm self-aware) to ask out the girl I like, then insults her? I thought I was done with bullies for at LEAST a month.

"Regina, can you just give Dia back her binder so we can get to lunch?"

"Oh Phillip, I don't know why you're hanging out with her in the first place. You're like, way too good for her. You should just come hang out with my friends like I offered last year."

"See, that's where you're wrong, Regina. She's too good for me, and she's actually a nice person. That's why I hang out with her. And I don't hang out with you and your friends because you're all entitled jerks."

She seemed a little taken aback at the rejection, which I consider a win. Regina storms off, letting Dia pick up her binder. But my chance to ask her is gone, and we're getting closer to the dance.

Wednesday

Three days till the dance. Operation Ask Dia is still a complete and utter failure. I think Frances is about to disown me as her cousin because I haven't done it yet. I'm sitting in English, checking answers on an assignment. It's the perfect time to ask her. Well, not really perfect, but I have a feeling that this is the best time I'm going to get. Let's do this.

"Hey, Dia, I was just wondering-"

BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING

Jeez. Curse you government required monthly fire drills. Everyone gets up and heads out the door, though I think I saw Frances flip off the fire alarm on her way out. Which honestly wouldn't surprise me, because I know she was watching the whole situation like a Netflix romantic comedy. We stand in line, single file like you learned in kindergarten, till we're allowed to go back inside. Then Aunt Peggy starts teaching again, and I still haven't asked her. Frances sums it up pretty well after class.

"This whole situation is starting to feel like the plot of a bad fanfiction."

Thursday

It's been FOUR DAYS, and I still haven't asked her. I didn't have a single chance at school today to ask her, so screw it. I don't care how unclassy or whatever Frances says it is, I'm just going to text her.

PipThePoet: Hey Dia can I ask you something

DiaDiaDia: sure. My battery's low tho, so hopefully it doesn't die on me

PipThePoet: I was just wondering

DiaDiaDia has been disconnected

PipThePoet: if you'd go to HoCo with me? (message not delivered)

Friday

Homecoming is tonight. I'm going, sure. I just don't know if I'm going with Dia. I've been trying all week, but something goes wrong every time. Every. Single. Time. So I'm going to do it. Right here, outside of Dia's first period class. I am GOING TO DO IT. Just get it out, just tell her. All I have to say is, Hey Dia, would you go to the dance with me? No problem, right?

"Hey Phillip, what were you going to ask me last night? My phone died at the WORST time."

Oh, great. I can't procrastinate any more. Pull it together, Hamilton. You can do this.

"Yeah, I was just wondering if you...got the extra credit question on the English test?"

"Honestly? I skipped it. Ms. Laurens makes those way too hard."

Great, so I finally got the chance to ask her, and I couldn't even get the words out! Nice job, Hamilton, you screwed up. Now, she's going to class, and you won't have enough time to ask her any other time today, so you threw away your shot. You threw it so far away that you'll never get it back. Guess I'll go to homecoming alone, stare at Dia the entire time like a creep, and wallow in self pity. To top it all off, I'm pretty sure Frances crammed herself in the nearest locker for the sole purpose of spying on me, and as soon as she gets out I'm a dead man.

Aaaand that's a wrap. Hope you enjoyed it, and don't forget to keep on smiling and keep on surviving everyone.
Peace Out ✌️
Author

1129 words