it werenât for the necessity of extracurricular activities to build up my transcript, I wouldâve resigned from my position as sports editor.
Chollie left and, as if on cue, Ralph Waldo appeared. He wanted to talk about
The
Pajama Game
and the school newspaper and was extremely curious to know whether Sharon Dolan had arrived. I couldnât take any more, so I smiled, closed my eyes, and watched as Knuckles and Moose returned to straighten out Ralph Waldo. He would not destroy another article of mine ever again.
After that, things quieted down in the lobby. Mr. and Mrs. Porter finally left me alone and went into the gym. I listened to the music, tapped my foot, and waited.
And I waited.
And I waited.
But there was no Miranda Mullaly.
Soon students began to leave the dance. And I was still at the check-in desk, waiting for Miranda. I felt silly and embarrassed, sitting there all alone. I put my hand up to my bow tie and was overcome by the feeling that I looked foolish. I took off the bow tie and stuffed it in my pocket.
Just then, Sharon Dolan appeared. She began to talk about the musical, but I couldnât understand what she was saying. I stared at her, thinking of Miranda Mullaly.
I blinked my eyes. âHuh?â
I had more important things on my mind than
The
Pajama Game
. Sharon wished me a happy Valentineâs Day, gave me a heart-shaped lollipop, and went on her way.
I was alone again. Looking at the lollipop Sharon left me, I suddenly wondered if I had signed Mirandaâs candy-gram. I could not, for the life of me, recall if I had signed it or not. And then I was
certain
I forgot to sign the candy-gram, so Miranda would not have understood the note and without a signature probably would have dropped it in the trash.
And then, suddenly, the dance was over.
And then, suddenly, Neal and Cassandra were driving me home.
âDuke, did you hear me?â Cassandra asked.
âHuh?â was the only reply I could muster.
âDid you have a good time at the dance, dear?â
âIt was okay.â
âWhat happened to your tie?â
âOh, itâs in my pocket. It became a little loose, so I had to take it off.â
Neal nodded and we were silent.
I had to pinch myself. How did I go from waiting for Miranda at the dance to sitting in the backseat of my parentsâ car? Where had the time gone? And, most importantly, where was Miranda Mullaly?
âDid you get to dance with your special friend?â
I didnât answer and closed my eyes. What began as a dream had become a nightmare.
Miranda
To: Tom
From: Miranda
Date: February 12, 2016 10:55 PM
Subject: Thank you for the greatest night of my life!
âââââââââââââââââââââââââââ
Tom,
I canât sleep. My thoughts are still of tonight and our time together. How perfect were the snowflakes falling from the sky when the dance ended? The night was truly wonderful. It was magical. It was a miracle.
I was honored to be on your arm and to meet your friends and to see your school. Itâs hard to believe our schools neighbor each other. They are so different.
Thank you very much for saving me from the Penn Valley dance where Iâm sure they were throwing toilet paper and pizza at one another. I canât believe how clean your school is. Penn Valley is dirty and our gym smells. I feel like a princess who has been saved from heathens. Though, I do feel bad about leaving Erica to fend for herself . . .
Last but not least, I forgot to thank you for the surprise candy-gram. How did you purchase a candy-gram at my school? I had no idea you had a poetic side. It was so romantic!
Iâve been thinking a lot about what you said about your graduation dance in June. I think it would be marvelous to rent a limo, but if you canât afford it my father has already
Chollie left and, as if on cue, Ralph Waldo appeared. He wanted to talk about
The
Pajama Game
and the school newspaper and was extremely curious to know whether Sharon Dolan had arrived. I couldnât take any more, so I smiled, closed my eyes, and watched as Knuckles and Moose returned to straighten out Ralph Waldo. He would not destroy another article of mine ever again.
After that, things quieted down in the lobby. Mr. and Mrs. Porter finally left me alone and went into the gym. I listened to the music, tapped my foot, and waited.
And I waited.
And I waited.
But there was no Miranda Mullaly.
Soon students began to leave the dance. And I was still at the check-in desk, waiting for Miranda. I felt silly and embarrassed, sitting there all alone. I put my hand up to my bow tie and was overcome by the feeling that I looked foolish. I took off the bow tie and stuffed it in my pocket.
Just then, Sharon Dolan appeared. She began to talk about the musical, but I couldnât understand what she was saying. I stared at her, thinking of Miranda Mullaly.
I blinked my eyes. âHuh?â
I had more important things on my mind than
The
Pajama Game
. Sharon wished me a happy Valentineâs Day, gave me a heart-shaped lollipop, and went on her way.
I was alone again. Looking at the lollipop Sharon left me, I suddenly wondered if I had signed Mirandaâs candy-gram. I could not, for the life of me, recall if I had signed it or not. And then I was
certain
I forgot to sign the candy-gram, so Miranda would not have understood the note and without a signature probably would have dropped it in the trash.
And then, suddenly, the dance was over.
And then, suddenly, Neal and Cassandra were driving me home.
âDuke, did you hear me?â Cassandra asked.
âHuh?â was the only reply I could muster.
âDid you have a good time at the dance, dear?â
âIt was okay.â
âWhat happened to your tie?â
âOh, itâs in my pocket. It became a little loose, so I had to take it off.â
Neal nodded and we were silent.
I had to pinch myself. How did I go from waiting for Miranda at the dance to sitting in the backseat of my parentsâ car? Where had the time gone? And, most importantly, where was Miranda Mullaly?
âDid you get to dance with your special friend?â
I didnât answer and closed my eyes. What began as a dream had become a nightmare.
Miranda
To: Tom
From: Miranda
Date: February 12, 2016 10:55 PM
Subject: Thank you for the greatest night of my life!
âââââââââââââââââââââââââââ
Tom,
I canât sleep. My thoughts are still of tonight and our time together. How perfect were the snowflakes falling from the sky when the dance ended? The night was truly wonderful. It was magical. It was a miracle.
I was honored to be on your arm and to meet your friends and to see your school. Itâs hard to believe our schools neighbor each other. They are so different.
Thank you very much for saving me from the Penn Valley dance where Iâm sure they were throwing toilet paper and pizza at one another. I canât believe how clean your school is. Penn Valley is dirty and our gym smells. I feel like a princess who has been saved from heathens. Though, I do feel bad about leaving Erica to fend for herself . . .
Last but not least, I forgot to thank you for the surprise candy-gram. How did you purchase a candy-gram at my school? I had no idea you had a poetic side. It was so romantic!
Iâve been thinking a lot about what you said about your graduation dance in June. I think it would be marvelous to rent a limo, but if you canât afford it my father has already
Similar Books
