Just a Little Crush

She could feel herself turning black and blue with envy.

Her rage consumed her and she stomped away.

She hated everyone at that moment- particularly Melissa.

It had all started at school a few weeks ago…

>>>>>

It was the first day of school for the year and Valerie felt her eyes drifting to the boy at the seat next to her.

She couldn’t help but notice his shaggy brown hair and bright green eyes.

The boy looked at her and smiled.

Valerie could feel her heart fluttering. Her cheeks turned all pink and she looked down at her textbook, gazing at the boy through the corner of her eye.

The boy had resumed studying his book, and nothing else happened regarding the small interaction between him and Valerie.

On Valerie’s part however, it was the beginning of her first crush.

The next few days came and faded away, and despite the fact that the boy never even glanced in her direction, Valerie’s thoughts constantly revolved around him.

Her best friend, Melissa, noticed something was off about Valerie’s behaviour and confronted her one day at lunch.

“What has gotten into you Val? You’ve been daydreaming in class, you don’t hear anything I say… you’ve been getting F’s in your exams! What happened to your A+?”

Valerie shrugged and replied, “I dunno what you’re talking about.”

Melissa spat back, “Oh you do know Valerie, you do know.”

Valerie turned her back as Melissa stalked off.

Yes, Valerie did know.

It was just a little crush.

The next day, the boy handed out party invitations to everyone in the class, but Valerie glowed like she was the only one invited.

By this time her little ‘crush,’ had developed into something more serious.

Valerie made up her mind that at the party next week, she would ask him out.

She would ask the boy to go out with her.

‘No big deal,’ she thought as she flicked through a fashion magazine article.

She was trying to decide what to wear to the party next week, she wanted it to be great. Valerie pushed the article away, deciding to go shopping instead.

She started with the dress. It was a flimsy, vibrant pink sleeveless gown that was so tight it made he want to cry out. But it was worth it, Valerie decided.

She had to look good for the party.

It took all her saving money and more to buy that dress, but she did it without complaint. Next, Valerie betook herself to the jeweller’s store, and brought a lovely ruby necklace with a heart on it. She brought some matching ruby earrings, bracelets, and even got a double piercing in her ears for the occasion.

She then went to the shoe shop and brought some sparking gold edged stilettos with neon pink hearts on them. Valerie dyed her hair a pale pink, and got some pink heart hair clips to go with it. She paid for all of this with credit.

When she was satisfied, she brought some extra makeup and then crossed items off her list;

• Dress
• Necklace
• Earrings
• Ears pierced
• Necklace
• Shoes
• Hair colour + accessories
• Makeup
• Gift

She still had to get the boy a gift.

She didn’t know what he would want, so she asked at the reception of the next shop.

“Hi there! I need a gift for a special someone… do you have any ideas what I could get?”

The receptionist led her her to a isle labelled: “For someone special,” and left without another word. “Thanks, I guess,” Valerie shouted after the receptionist.

Her eyes were drawn to a bottle of perfume labelled; ‘A gift to someone special.’ Valerie smiled. Who wouldn’t want a nice floral perfume for a gift? She certainly would- especially if it was pink! She paid for it at the reception and trudged along the gravel road with her arms loaded with bags.

On the day of the party, Valerie was so excited, that at school she did nothing but watch the clock as the seconds turned into minutes, turned into hours, turned into lunch, turned into the bell. Valerie skipped home joyously and changed into her outfit, wishing she hadn’t eaten such a big lunch. She fixed her hair and jewellery, and finishing with her shoes.

Then she raced outside with the gift for the boy.

She arrived at the party and gaped at the amount of people.

She saw the boy dancing with Melissa and smirked when she thought of him pushing her away and asking Valerie to dance.

The boy turned in her direction and appeared to be walking towards her.

Valerie straightened up and smoothed out her dress. Then the boy turned in the opposite direction and poured a glass of punch.

He walked back to Melissa and handed her the glass.

A voice whispered in Valerie’s ear. “Oh! Aren’t they a cute couple!”

Valerie scoffed and began to stride towards Melissa and the boy.

She coughed to get their attention. The boy turned with Melissa on his arm.

“What is it?” He asked.

Valerie felt her heart flutter in her chest.

He had never spoken to her before.

“Hi! Um, I was wondering if…“

“If what?”

Valerie faltered.

“If you would, you know…“

“I don’t know actually.”

She tried to summon the courage to say the words; ‘Will you please go out with me?’

Valerie took a deep breath.

“I was wondering if you would go out with-“

The boy cut her off.

“Sorry, do I know you?”

Ouch!

Valerie could feel tears well up in her eyes as she tried to blink away the pain.

The boy looked at her angrily.

“If you would excuse me,” He said, “You are interruption my dance and ruining my evening.”

>>>>

She could feel herself turning black and blue with envy.

Her rage consumed her and she stomped away.

She hated everyone at that moment- particularly Melissa.

She tried to drink some punch to contain her nerves, but she spilt it all over her new dress.

As she tried to wipe it off, she tripped and fell on the hard ground.

Her dress ripped straight down the middle and Valerie cried out.

Everyone turned to look at her, then they started to laugh.

The humiliation burned in Valerie’s eyes.

She turned and ran all the way home and hurried her head in her pillow.

She vowed then and there that she would never again have another crush.

>>>>

The next day at school, Valerie found herself reluctantly drawn to a boy sitting at the corner of the classroom. He had such lovely amber eyes…