She waited for him at the front of the school gate as he entered for the day class. She had her own doubts and urges to stop whatever she was trying to do while other parts of her whispered: Just do it, what do you have to lose by doing it? It was not like she was the most popular girl in school so she would be worried about her fame or was the smartest nerd so she would worry about her reputation neither the most active in social activities so all in all she had nothing to lose. The image she had was established by her choice of not making unnecessary large group of friends or getting chummy with her classmates. All she was known for was her guts to do whatever she wanted to do and her confidence to do anything she thought was appropriate to do.

 Perhaps that gut was what made her stand right now first thing in the morning in front of a school gate waiting for a certain someone and ask a question when mostly she was supposed to receive it. She shrugged in thoughts because it didn’t matter to her whether she ended up asking or receiving because at the end of the day the reason she was even going to that damn prom was because her friends were going and like all her high school previous prom nights she couldn’t ditch as she was a senior and everyone around had this thought that this night would be one of the nights she wouldn’t be able to forget for the upcoming few years or even a lifetime. She highly doubted she would remember because that wasn’t really her but for once she decided to flow with the majority voice.

However that was not all there it was. The main reason she came early to school than other times when she would arrive two minutes before class started was because of what her gang of friends believed.

On one of the days in the previous summer where the whole gang was at her place and watching movies the topic of the highly expected prom got brought up. To her no surprise everyone had already got their dates or someone in mind who they would ask. And one of her best friends, Nick asked her who her date is. At first she didn’t bother answering but after a nudge on her shoulder twice made her wince. With the ice cream still in she gaggled “No one.” With their nose wrinkled in disgust, the gang snickered as they expected the answer and everyone started remarking about her dark aura and annoyance since many things bothered her made it understandable that she was the only one who was going to go to the prom alone. But what made her exactly where she was right now was the remark even if she is the one who was asking she would get rejected. At the time she ended up throwing the spoon on she was holding the rest of the gang laughed and everyone changed the topic. But for her the thought never left her head. And now after summer ended and they were back in school and contemplating who to go with to prom for months she decided to be bold as always and go for one of the smartest yet popular guy in her batch. All or nothing.

She looked down on her phone to see what time it was as she was getting tired of waiting. It has been fourteen minutes to be exact since she stood. She looked up from her phone when she saw him across the road coming up to school with his bag stripped on his one shoulder while holding a few books in his other hands, calculus on top of it. She crossed the road and waited until he reached to where she was. As he got near she noticed he had headphones on so even if she called his name he wouldn’t be able to hear her so instead she walked to him. He noticed she was walking towards him after a while and when she stopped few feet away from where he was he took out his IPod from his back pocket and turned it off before taking off the headphones.

He didn’t say hi, he didn’t call her name, he didn’t bother chit chatting but just looked at her waiting to hear what she was there for. She smirked inwardly. Her choice wasn’t bad after all. He didn’t look like the type to sugar coat stuff and she thought that it was his biggest trait.

“Wanna go to prom with me?” she asked straight to the topic. He raised his eyebrows in question. Whatever he was imaging he wasn’t expecting what she thought.

Prom was still three months away. They were in high school where things change in matter of hours, where love breaks into pieces and gets amended by another in matter of weeks. Prom thoughts doesn’t enter anyone’s mind unless it’s a month away. And girls expect to be asked. No girl goes to a guy three months in advance to ask him to be her date when they have never talked, not even for a greeting.

“Do you have someone in mind?” she asked. She was sure he didn’t.

He raised his eyebrows not bothering to answer her.

“You don’t right? I don’t either so I am suggesting we go together.”

“What made you sure I am not seeing someone then?” he asked seeming interested for the first time since he arrived.

“I am just hoping you don’t and your answer to my first question was a give-away.” she returned his stare.

“And what made you think I don’t hate you?”

“I go against the odds all the time. And since I don’t remember doing anything that would make you hate me, I am hoping the possibility of hating me just based on my guts is low.”

He smirked at her answer and she felt she was proving her gang of friends and a little part of herself that she could swing prom night easily.

“Cool. We are going together then.” He said and started putting back the headphones while walking before she held his arms back.

“I have some rules.” she said. He just stared at her as he pulled out the one side earphone he just put on. “Three to be exact.” She tilted her head.

“One, we don’t have to be chummy, greet each other in hallways when we pass each other like we suddenly are the best friends in the world. Two, we are not dating. And three…hold on,” she stopped talking and looked up to meet him from folding her third finger.

“Is there anyone who seemed awfully interested in you?”

“What if there is?” he grinned.

“I am not a big fan of my hair being pulled and my face getting scratched. Neither my picture being posted online. People can be pretty delusional when it comes to feelings and dates.” She wrinkled her nose.

“You have picture floating around?” he smirked. When she didn’t respond and looked back as if daring him, he chuckled. “Don’t worry. Your face won’t get scratched neither your hair will get pulled. Though I can’t guarantee the matter of an online post.”

“Good.” She said through her blank face. “And three, is off the table. I know after the dance screwing each other is a tradition but I will pass.”

To say the least he was baffled not because was off the table but because she even brought it up. They were strangers long story short and she was the one who came up with the crazy idea first, then she drew the lines.

He chuckled with the thought in mind: ‘You are no ordinary, are you?’

“Those are some good rules.” he commented.

“Have any problem with any of them?”

“Nah.”

“We are good then.”

He nodded and started walking but before taking more than three steps he walked back to her. “Why me? Why did you choose to ask me of all the guys? Even your friends?” he motioned to Nick who was getting in without seeing her.

“Dating my other best friend.” She dead pinned. “Or the others have already a date. Plus you are smart. Didn’t think I would have trouble communicating with you on the dance and didn’t seem like you have anyone you are interested in.”

“Why so sure?”

She motioned to the books in his hand by his side. “Time. Thought you would be short of.” She shrugged. He nodded as he smiled.

“Well see you in three months then.” He said and walked away as he put his earphones.

Not a bad choice at all, she thought as she jogged to Nick who was standing on the school yard with the rest of the group.

“Hey.” She greeted and everyone responded. “I got a date.” she smirked and everyone who was about to walk to class froze on their steps and looked back to her. She grinned widely as she saw their expression as she thought the response was totally worth the wait on the gate that early. She imagined what they would say when they heard the details and walked away smugness splashed on her face while they followed her behind, their curiosity killing them.

 

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A/N: a very short one shot inspired by my dream. Few days ago I woke up at five in the morning. It was summer and I had nothing to do at that hour but after a few seconds I started remembering what I just saw in my dream. I was asking a guy from my school to prom and funny enough my best friends did made fun of me saying I won’t get a date for next year senior prom. Yes, I never actually held a proper conversation with the boy and we are no way near to being close so yeah, the dream was one of those bizarre ones but then again who cares right? I got a fiction out of it. *shrugs*