Love+Hurts

Nicola stared at the clock. Her Long ginger hair was neatly pushed back behind her ear. She glanced at her best friend Dorothy. Dorothy was taller than Nicola and had shoulder length blonde hair. Dorothy had an insanely crazy personality. Finally, the bell rang, signaling it was time for lunch. Nicola’s little sister, Blair, was waiting outside the door for the girls. “Hey Blair!” Dorothy said in a chipper voice, “Are you going to the dance?”

Blair shook her head. “I’m not into that sort of thing.” The Valentine’s Day dance was being held on that Friday.

The girls made their way towards Nicola’s locker, unaware they were being followed. The school bullies were close on their tail. Once there, Nicola started to open her locker, but Jesse, the leader of the bullies, stepped in her way. “Move, Jesse,” Nicola said, annoyed by his presence. Jesse just loved to drive her insane and insult her.

“Make me!” he said. Blair pushed his arm to try to move him. Jesse grabbed her shoulder and shoved her to the ground. “What the heck man!” Blaire yelled, rubbing where he grabbed her.

Jesse turned away from her and walked out of the hall. Dorothy helped Blair up. It’s ok,” she said, “he’s just a jerk."

Since Jesse and his group of thugs had left, Nicola opened her locker. “Huh? What’s this?” she asked. There was a petite crimson rose with a note attached to it. She opened the note and read it aloud, “If you want to know who I am… come to the dance on Friday…” Nicola then noticed that there was a small purple dance ticket taped on the card.

Dorothy squealed. “I wonder who it could be?!” she questioned.

“Maybe it’s Chris,” said Blair. “Isn’t he the only guy who knows your combo?”

“Lets go ask!” Dorothy said. She grabbed Nicola and Blair by their arms and pulled them all the way across the schoolyard to where Chris was sitting. “Chris! Did you put this in Nicola’s locker?!” she asked him. Nicola held out the rose and note for him to see.

He looked completely dumbfounded. “Uh, no…” he said.

The smile upon Dorothy’s face melted. “Well then… this is awkward,” she said, “but if you didn’t… then who did?”

On Friday, Nicola and Dorothy got as dressed up as you can for a school dance and walked into the gym. There were heart, kiss, and cupid cutouts galore. They were scattered everywhere from the floor to the roof to the walls to the tables. Nicola looked around for who could be her secret admirer as Dorothy raided the snack bar.

“I wonder who your secret admirer is!” Dorothy said when she came back with lemonade.

“That would be me!” a voice said from behind them.

The girls turned around and gaped at him in disbelief. “Jesse?!” Nicola exclaimed.

“You?! I thought you hated her!” Dorothy yelled.

“Guess you don’t know everything like you thought, huh Blondie? Now get lost,” Jesse said.

“No! Dorothy’s my best friend, she’s not leaving!” Nicola said.

“Yes, she is. Now dance with me, sweetie.” Jesse grabbed her hand and tried to pull her onto the dance floor.

Nicola slapped his hand away. “No…” she said.

“No what? You came here to be with your secret admirer, so c’mon! Do you know how hard it was for me to break into your locker to put the rose in?!” Jesse said.

“No! Just, no. I can’t love a hideous, vile, beast like you. I can’t love someone who pushes down my little sister, who breaks into people’s lockers, who tells my best friend to get lost, who treats me like a //possession//! Leave the dance and //never// talk to me again. You don’t deserve love from anyone,” Nicola said in a dead serious tone that even made Dorothy step back. A tear ran down Jesse’s cheek as he ran from the dance.

Nicola watched him, a heartbroken boy with nowhere to run, as he left the dance crying. “What did I just do?” Nicola asked. “You gave him what he had coming to him! That little jerk deserved that,” Dorothy said.

Nicola shook her head and sat down. “No, that’s not it… I feel bad. I… I just crushed someone and I’m glad I did. This is worse than Jesse. I’m a jerk.”

“Now you know that isn’t true,” Dorothy told her.

“I think it is… I need to be alone,” Nicola ran out of the dance.

“Nicola!!!” Dorothy called after her. Chris stepped out of the shadows. “I’m sorry about that. She left.”

“I should have come out earlier. I didn’t know that dumb lug would take credit for my rose. How’d he even know about it?”

“He must have seen us ask you earlier… Don’t worry; she’ll come around… eventually. Why didn’t you just tell her at lunch that day?” Dorothy asked.

“I wanted it to be a surprise. I wish I’d told her the truth! I really like her and have for 3 years!”

Dorothy put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s ok Chris,” she said, “she likes you back. She’s just… having a hard time after that. Sor-“

“Don’t even say it. This is my fault. I need to think.” Chris left the dance, completely devastated.

//Sigh… and now I’m alone.// Dorothy thought, //this is all my fault. I should have just told Nicola that the note was from Chris. I guess all’s not well and nothing ends well.// She left the dance like the others and went home.