(DANIEL: point of view)

The fliers all over school never got interesting. They were just big reminders that I wasn't going to prom with the girl I loved and I didn't even have a back up date. What sucked even worse was that the girl I loved was going with one of my best friends.

I walked to my locker, which was now located right next to Melanie's. I sighed in frustration as I swung open my locker door. I grudgingly pulled out my books, one by one just to take up time. Part of me wanted to go fast, so I wouldn't run into HER. But, another part wanted to stay just to see her smile as she said hi. Her perfect hair cradling her glistening chestnut hair...

"Hey Daniel." The voice was so familiar, so sweet. I looked over to my left to see Melanie. She smiled at me joyously.

"Hey," I chuckled. Sometimes I was just such a sad excuse for a human being.

"So, are-" She was cut off by Jonathan hanging his arm around her shoulders, crushing her to him. She smiled up at him. I noticed that her smile to him was much brighter than the one I received. I had to keep myself from gagging as he pressed his lips to hers. Her face reddened after a few seconds. A few seconds longer and she pulled away. I went back to my locker to glare at it.

"Hey, you're riding with us to prom, aren't you?" she asked.

"I guess. It's not like I have date to drive," I grumbled.

"Great!" She leaned forward and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. "You'll find a date, don't be so grumpy," she whispered in my ear.

I was still overwhelmed from the kiss. It's not a real kiss, I told myself before hope could swell in my heart. I smiled after her.

"You really hadn't found a date yet?" teased Jonathan.

"Well, I haven't had the time that you did. I don't have the nerve to just demand the girl to go with me," I laughed. "I'm not as lucky as you." Sincerity covered every word I said.

"Whatever. That dance is tomorrow. Do you even have tux?"

"Yes," I said sharply.

......

I stood in front of my mirror, adjusting my black tie. I brushed my hair to the side, and shrugged. I shoved my hands in my pockets as I made my way down the stairs where, no doubt my mother would attack me with a camera.

"Oh, Daniel! You look so handsome!" The camera light flashed. "Smile! Get your hands out of your pockets!" Another flash. I smiled as much as I could without bursting into tears.

The doorbell finally rang, but my mother beat me to it. Jonathan walked in with...wow. Melanie wore a red, strapless, floor length gown. Her hair was curled and pinned back with dangling curls hanging out. She looked beautiful. A very painful twinge pinched my heart.

My mother cooed over Melanie. She was on the verge of tears. She kept saying, "Look at how beautiful you are!"

"Daniel, come take a picture with these two!"

I walked over to them and stood by Jonathan. I smiled for the three pictures she took.

"Alright, just one of Melanie and Daniel!"

"Mom," I groaned.

"It will be the last one, I promise!"

Jonathan walked away to sit on the couch. I took a step closer to Melanie. She smiled up at me. She had never looked this much like a girl. No matter what girly phases she had gone through, she was always a tom-boy, but now she was a GIRL. I wrapped my arm around her waist, and she leaned her head on my chest. WE both smiled as we watched the camera flash.

"You look very handsome," she whispered.

"You look so beautiful," I murmured.

We all made our way to Jonathan's fancy car. I slid into the back, putting on my seat belt. I ran my hand through my hair and mumbled, "This is going to be a long night."

We pulled into the school parking lot which was already close to being filled to its limit. I climbed out just as Jonathan came to open Melanie's door. She took his hand as she used her other one to gather her dress so she could get out.

I started walking ahead of them, just to get out of watching them take a prom picture together by the front. I walked in front of a couple taking their picture for prom, they didn't like that too much. I went straight to the punch bowl, hoping someone spiked it. I took a sip; still clean.

Melanie and Jonathan were dancing on the dance floor. It hurt to watch. I hated this. If things went on like this, I don't know if I can hang out with her, or at least him hanging out with her. We would have to plan our own times to hang out.

"Hey, you're Melanie's friend aren't you?" asked a high pitched voice. I turned to see one of Melanie's friends who was wearing a light pink dress.

"Yeah," I said with a smile.

"You wanna dance?" she asked, her cheeks turning the color of her dress.

"Sure." I held out my arm as I led her to the dance floor. I put my hands on her hips just as a slow song began. She placed her hands on my shoulders and we spun around the room. I made sure to pass by Melanie frequently. She would just smile at me and her friend as if this didn't bother her at all. A fast song began to play. It was one of those grinding songs.

"Sorry, I don't dance like that," I muttered and started to walk away. I grabbed a cup of punch as I made my way to the hallways. I walked along the line of lockers until I was too depressed to move forward. This totally sucked. I slid down to the ground right outside of the bathrooms. I sat there for about an hour just drawing on the floor with a sharpie I found. I traced the squares that made up the tiles on the floor. No one would know the difference, but I would have to do every square in the school, so that it wasn't too noticeable.

"Jonathan, you are such a pervert! Can we not have a normal time where you don't try anything? I just want to have fun! Daniel was right, you are not right for me! Just go hit on one of the sluts in there that you like to keep your eyes on!"

"Mel, come on!"

"No, we are done! D-O-N-E!! I'll find my own ride home, but thanks for your concern!"

She can running down the hallway that I happened to be sitting by. She meant to run into the bathroom, but she saw me. She stopped right in front of me. Her eyes were angry, but they softened. She sat next to me quietly.

"Hey," I mumbled.

"Don't tell me that you've been sitting here all night," she chuckled. She seemed to be over her bad mood.

"Only, the past hour," I said as if I was here for a few minutes. She laughed, leaning her head against the locker.

"So, I guess you kinda heard that little conversation, huh?" she laughed.

"Only the yelling part," I chuckled.

"I think I just want to give up on love forever," she sighed.

"You didn't really love him, did you?" I asked.

"I don't know. I've known him a long time and I knew that he was the way he was, but I just thought...I don't know."

"Well, you shouldn't give up on love. Love keeps us going. Whether that person we love loves us back or if we are just head over heels for someone who doesn't see that we love them as much as we do." I was confused by all that I was saying. I was just rambling. "What I mean is that-"

"I love you too," she whispered. My mouth fell open as I turned to look at her. She was looking at her hands as they messed with her dress.

"What?"

"I'm guessing that's what you were trying to say," she mumbled.

I turned her face towards mine, but she still didn't make eye contact. I couldn't believe what I was about to do, but somehow I gained the courage as I pressed my lips to hers gently. She kissed me back for a moment and we both pulled away. Her eyes were closed.

"Do you know how many people told me that this would happen one day? My own mother kept telling me over and over." Her eyes slowly opened.

"I think both of our mothers plotted this," I chuckled. I kissed her again. "Yep, this is all their fault." I smiled from under her lips.