Wasted Angst

My teacher wanted us to write a short story of an embarrassing moment! This was the first thing that popped into my head so I ran with it!

“You can do this.” Sonja Ross whispered under her breath as she tried yet again to convince herself, coasting along Park Avenue on her sleek new Schwinn.

“But what if he says no? What if he says no and I’m left standing there like an idiot while everyone laughs at me?”

                She scowled and chastised herself for thinking so negatively. Such talk was not allowed within her mind; not while she could help it. She gave up on convincing herself of what could or might be and instead focused on what WILL be: the things that she could control.

                Arriving at the school with twenty minutes to spare before first period Sonja locked her bike up on the rusted bike rack that must have been from the 50’s. Johnsonville High never did seem to have new things. Not that the budget was low, but only that their principal, Mr. Welsh, was just about the cheapest man to ever walk the earth.

                Turning her Debussy Arabesques up in her ears, Sonja drowned out her self doubts and the everyday clamor of people talking to their friends, the immature boys grappling in the hallways, and poor Ms. Filch attempting to reign in the young boys; her daily struggle against the raging hormones that seem to resonate throughout the tiny school. Amidst all of the turmoil she was able to spot a mess of blonde stalking towards her.

                Gina Olson was the most popular girl in school, and Sonja’s only true friend in the place. At five foot four inches tall she only came up to Sonja’s shoulder and they were as alike in personality as they were in appearance. Gina was a short and blonde outspoken person who didn’t mind telling you exactly what she thought about you. How anyone that small could be so loud Sonja never could understand.

                At five feet eleven inches, Sonja was one of the tallest girls in the senior class. Coupled with her auburn hair, pale skin, thin curvy figure and the fact that she was best friends with the loud, aggressive, and most popular girl in school, she was a tad intimidating to most of the guys.

                Having finally wormed her way through the half of the student body Gina reached her at last.

“Did you do it?” She asked.

“Do what?” Sonja replied innocently.

“You know what I’m talking about Sonja Ross, don’t you dare hold out on me. You’ve been making eyes at him all week and the deadline to buy the tickets for prom is today.” The impatient blonde retorted, clenching up her fists in frustration. “Now you go right on over there and ask him to take you!”

                Sonja fidgeted in front of her locker, glancing out of the corner of her eye to the most frequented location of her gaze. Just eleven short lockers away she could catch peeps of him, Jake, here and there as he casually joked around with his friends before first period began.

“And if he says no?” Her voice wavers as she expresses her fears.

“Come ON already! We have been over this!” Huffs Gina in exasperation. “Only a complete lunatic would say no to you. You’re gorgeous and wicked smart. Plus, everyone knows you haven’t dated before so you are still certified pure!” She snickered at her own joke and winks at Sonja. “But should he be crazy enough to say no then I’ll kick his a*s and we can talk about it tonight over some ice cream.”

                Her last joke earns a snicker out of Sonja as she feels some of her friend’s good humor rubbing off on her; this is why she needed Gina, she was her confidence when she had none.

“Fine,” she finally agreed, “you win. I’ll ask him. However, if he does say no and you don’t beat him up you have to eat the fat free crap that my mom keeps in the freezer while I get the good stuff. Deal?”

Tapping her chin sarcastically as if she were actually thinking about it she finally burst out, “Yes! Now get your big butt over there before some other chick gets there first!!” Turning her around and pushing towards Jake and his friends, Sonja is caught off guard. Her foot catches on something and she ends up falling to her knees in an uncontrolled slide, arriving at her destination sprawled on the dusty floor of the hallway.

                Feeling heat rise to her face she knew she must look red as a strawberry as she tried to get up hastily. An able hand grasped her elbow and lifted her to her feet. Her gaze was on the hand that had helped her and followed it the arm, up into a kind, albeit slightly bemused face, Jake’s.

“Oh thank you so much I don’t know how that happened I just was coming over here to ask you something and I fell and slid and…” Her voice trailed off from the stream of words she had seemed to spout from nowhere and in one breath, her embarrassment apparent from the hue of her cheeks.”

“Yes.” He stated matter of fact like.

                Her eyebrows drew together in from his answer to an unasked question. “Yes what?” Nearly hyperventilating now from the confusion and mess that this morning had become Sonja was at a loss for what to think.

“Yes I will go to prom with you.” His knowing smile made her know something was up. He looked over her shoulder and her line of sight followed his to a meddlesome, and soon to be dead, blonde nearly dancing with giddy.

“So yo- you knew I was going to ask you?” She stammered out.

“A little blonde bird told me.” He replied, beaming.

                For once Sonja was grateful for her long legs, because she was going to hunt down her tiny interfering friend.

“At least he said yes.”, she thought to herself, blood again rising to her face as she relived her disastrous fall before taking off after the pixie she calls her best friend.

               

Author's Note

This was the first short story I ever wrote (short of one when I was about seven) so it is a bit rough.. But I would still appreciate feedback!