No fans

there was a blonde haired girl in my class and she was pretty with her wavy hair and freckles and small string of pearls teeth. she was usually late, and always loud, brazenly stating her opinions. i don't think i liked her from the second i saw her. i didn't talk much to anyone around me. 

it was a public speaking class so we all had to make speeches and i was nervous at first, but then after a while i got into it and made some memorable speeches. my jokes usually got laughs. people usually perked up a little when it was my turn to present. but not her. 

at least, at first i wasn't paying much attention to her. there was a prettier blonde haired girl who for her first speech sung her name 50 times while wearing a sombrero and shaking maracas. she always wore short denim shorts. I liked the way she always smiled. she gave the worst speeches. most of the time while speaking i would look in her direction to see if she was interested. then she stopped coming to class one day. i missed those short shorts on her long tan legs.

so then i was left with this other girl, with the mousy face and tank tops. her voice had a kind of grate to it, and her blue-green eyes had a way of coming across as though she could not be less interested in performing well. basically, i felt jealous that i was making an effort and she wasn't trying. 

then when i had to deliver an anecdotal speech, i decided to just squeeze in ten funny short stories. I had the class laughing, and i knew people were listening because on one of my riskier punchlines, i saw one girl get visibly offended. that's a good speech, when it evokes reactions, good or bad. then, i caught sight of miss crinkle hair marble head and the look on her face was as if she was watching the nature channel. the way i remember it, her jaw was drooping, conveying to me a deeply felt gaze of disdain for my antics. the real kicker was that she opted out of even giving a speech that night, and now she was looking at me, expecting me to say something specifically for her to laugh at? my conclusion was flat but the momentum i had built up kept it going for a good finish, but returning to my chair i was defeated.