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Artifice
"Did you find a date for Prom?" I ask Daisuke. Digging into my frozen yogurt, I ignore his pained expression.
"I already told you," he says, "I don't want a date for Prom."
"But it's your senior year! Won't you feel like you missed out if you don't go?"
"Not really," Daisuke says. "School dances are pointless anyway."
"You just think it's pointless because you don't have a date," I tell him. Daisuke looks at me funny for a minute, like he's trying to figure something out. Then he laughs.
"Hey, if you're so interested, why don't you go?"
"I don't have a date either. Besides, I'm not the one graduating this year," I say, looking away. All of a sudden, I don't like the direction this conversation is taking. I swirl my plastic spoon through my yogurt, trying not to think about Daisuke going off to college and leaving me here, minus one best friend.
"Is there even any yogurt in there, or is it all Oreos?" I tease, pointing at his paper cup with its mountain of cookie crumbles, gummy worms, and other assorted sugary toppings. Changing the subject is easier.
"What's wrong with Oreos?"
"Nothing," I say, "except this is a frozen yogurt place."
"Hey," Daisuke says. "Do you want to come over after this? We can play Rock Band or whatever."
"Yeah, sure," I reply, breathing an inward sigh of relief. Sure, Prom is in a month and graduation isn't long after. For now, I'd rather not think about that. Why ruin the time we still have together?
* * * * *
Taking my yearbook off my bookshelf, I flip through the pages of photos. This isn't idle nostalgia - I've got a plan. If Daisuke won't ask anyone to Prom, I'm going to do it for him. Now all I have to do is find the right girl.
"Hmmmm," I say to myself, "no cheerbunnies... this girl looks too fake... and her nose is too big."
This is harder than I expected. For one thing, I don't really know that many girls in Daisuke's class. For another, no one seems good enough for my best friend. Maybe I need a new strategy.
Common interests? I wonder, chewing on my nails. He's in band.
Turning to the group photo of last year's band members, I examine every face. My eyes fall upon a petite girl with a halo of orange curls. She's the only one with a real smile, as if she's actually happy instead of just cheesing it up for the camera.
She's the one, I think. Daisuke deserves someone genuine.
I unzip my bookbag and pull out a spiral notebook. Opening it, I tear out a page and begin to write. Phase one of my scheme is complete; I've found a girl for Daisuke. Now all I have to do is make her love him.
* * * * *
Two weeks later, I'm sitting on my bed, listening to music. My phone rings and I grab for it. It's Daisuke's ringtone. Excited, I press the button . Maybe my plan has worked and he has a date!
"Hey, Daisuke," I say, hoping I sound normal. My heart is pounding in my ears.
For a moment, Daisuke doesn't say anything. He's silent for so long that I start to wonder if we've been disconnected. I'm about to hang up and call him back when he finally speaks.
"Um, Sam?" he says. Is it just my imagination or does he sound kind of pissed off?
"Yeah?"
"Do you, by any chance, have some idea why Kathleen Sullivan threw a bunch of notes in my face and called me a 'fucking psycho' in front of everyone in the band room?"
"Um... well... uh..." This isn't good at all. I fumble for words. "She did that?"
Dead silence. My mind races and my heart feels like it's going to jump into my throat.
"Come on, Sam," Daisuke finally says, his voice cold. "Quit playing dumb. The handwriting on those notes was yours."
"I'm not playing dumb! I just don't know what to say."
"How many notes did you send her?" he demands.
"Just one a day," I tell him. "I wanted her to know you were really interested."
"Sam, what the hell?" He's practically yelling now. I have to hold the phone away from my ear.
"I didn't mean to - I mean, um... I just wanted to help you enjoy your senior year and - "
"Sam?"
"Uh, yeah, Daisuke?"
"Could you please not 'help' me anymore? Like, ever again?"
"I'm sorry... I just - " My voice trails off as I realize I'm speaking to no one but empty air.
* * * * *
My stomach does backflips as I climb Daisuke's front steps. He hasn't spoken to me all week and I can't say I blame him. I can't give up, though, so I take a deep breath and ring the bell.
He has to forgive me sometime, right?
When he opens the door, he stares me down and doesn't speak. At least the door is open, though. I stick my foot inside before he can change his mind and slam it shut.
"Daisuke, I... um, here." Digging in my pocket, I pull out a folded piece of notebook paper.
"Another note? Seriously?" His expression is thunderous. It's a good thing I have my foot in the door.
"No, come on, please... just read it."
Daisuke takes the piece of paper and unfolds it with a reluctant sigh.
"Dear Daisuke, I just want you to know that you're my best friend in the whole world and I am so sorry I messed up. All I wanted was for you to find a girl who is real and makes your last months here really special. I know you're mad but I'm going to write you a note every day until you forgive me. Love, Sam."
When he finishes reading, Daisuke just stands there, saying nothing.
Great, I think. I knew this wouldn't work. He's still mad.
Then he grabs me and hugs me so hard I feel dizzy.
"What the hell?" Why is he hugging me like that?
"How am I supposed to stay mad at you, Sam?"
"Uh... I guess you're not?"
I'm never going to understand him, but if he's happy, I am too.
"I already told you," he says, "I don't want a date for Prom."
"But it's your senior year! Won't you feel like you missed out if you don't go?"
"Not really," Daisuke says. "School dances are pointless anyway."
"You just think it's pointless because you don't have a date," I tell him. Daisuke looks at me funny for a minute, like he's trying to figure something out. Then he laughs.
"Hey, if you're so interested, why don't you go?"
"I don't have a date either. Besides, I'm not the one graduating this year," I say, looking away. All of a sudden, I don't like the direction this conversation is taking. I swirl my plastic spoon through my yogurt, trying not to think about Daisuke going off to college and leaving me here, minus one best friend.
"Is there even any yogurt in there, or is it all Oreos?" I tease, pointing at his paper cup with its mountain of cookie crumbles, gummy worms, and other assorted sugary toppings. Changing the subject is easier.
"What's wrong with Oreos?"
"Nothing," I say, "except this is a frozen yogurt place."
"Hey," Daisuke says. "Do you want to come over after this? We can play Rock Band or whatever."
"Yeah, sure," I reply, breathing an inward sigh of relief. Sure, Prom is in a month and graduation isn't long after. For now, I'd rather not think about that. Why ruin the time we still have together?
Taking my yearbook off my bookshelf, I flip through the pages of photos. This isn't idle nostalgia - I've got a plan. If Daisuke won't ask anyone to Prom, I'm going to do it for him. Now all I have to do is find the right girl.
"Hmmmm," I say to myself, "no cheerbunnies... this girl looks too fake... and her nose is too big."
This is harder than I expected. For one thing, I don't really know that many girls in Daisuke's class. For another, no one seems good enough for my best friend. Maybe I need a new strategy.
Common interests? I wonder, chewing on my nails. He's in band.
Turning to the group photo of last year's band members, I examine every face. My eyes fall upon a petite girl with a halo of orange curls. She's the only one with a real smile, as if she's actually happy instead of just cheesing it up for the camera.
She's the one, I think. Daisuke deserves someone genuine.
I unzip my bookbag and pull out a spiral notebook. Opening it, I tear out a page and begin to write. Phase one of my scheme is complete; I've found a girl for Daisuke. Now all I have to do is make her love him.
Two weeks later, I'm sitting on my bed, listening to music. My phone rings and I grab for it. It's Daisuke's ringtone. Excited, I press the button . Maybe my plan has worked and he has a date!
"Hey, Daisuke," I say, hoping I sound normal. My heart is pounding in my ears.
For a moment, Daisuke doesn't say anything. He's silent for so long that I start to wonder if we've been disconnected. I'm about to hang up and call him back when he finally speaks.
"Um, Sam?" he says. Is it just my imagination or does he sound kind of pissed off?
"Yeah?"
"Do you, by any chance, have some idea why Kathleen Sullivan threw a bunch of notes in my face and called me a 'fucking psycho' in front of everyone in the band room?"
"Um... well... uh..." This isn't good at all. I fumble for words. "She did that?"
Dead silence. My mind races and my heart feels like it's going to jump into my throat.
"Come on, Sam," Daisuke finally says, his voice cold. "Quit playing dumb. The handwriting on those notes was yours."
"I'm not playing dumb! I just don't know what to say."
"How many notes did you send her?" he demands.
"Just one a day," I tell him. "I wanted her to know you were really interested."
"Sam, what the hell?" He's practically yelling now. I have to hold the phone away from my ear.
"I didn't mean to - I mean, um... I just wanted to help you enjoy your senior year and - "
"Sam?"
"Uh, yeah, Daisuke?"
"Could you please not 'help' me anymore? Like, ever again?"
"I'm sorry... I just - " My voice trails off as I realize I'm speaking to no one but empty air.
My stomach does backflips as I climb Daisuke's front steps. He hasn't spoken to me all week and I can't say I blame him. I can't give up, though, so I take a deep breath and ring the bell.
He has to forgive me sometime, right?
When he opens the door, he stares me down and doesn't speak. At least the door is open, though. I stick my foot inside before he can change his mind and slam it shut.
"Daisuke, I... um, here." Digging in my pocket, I pull out a folded piece of notebook paper.
"Another note? Seriously?" His expression is thunderous. It's a good thing I have my foot in the door.
"No, come on, please... just read it."
Daisuke takes the piece of paper and unfolds it with a reluctant sigh.
"Dear Daisuke, I just want you to know that you're my best friend in the whole world and I am so sorry I messed up. All I wanted was for you to find a girl who is real and makes your last months here really special. I know you're mad but I'm going to write you a note every day until you forgive me. Love, Sam."
When he finishes reading, Daisuke just stands there, saying nothing.
Great, I think. I knew this wouldn't work. He's still mad.
Then he grabs me and hugs me so hard I feel dizzy.
"What the hell?" Why is he hugging me like that?
"How am I supposed to stay mad at you, Sam?"
"Uh... I guess you're not?"
I'm never going to understand him, but if he's happy, I am too.