Tongue Tied | Teen Ink

Tongue Tied

January 21, 2008
By Anonymous

It was a normal day just like any other day, me getting crippled by fear every time I even thought of the opposite sex, not to mention what happened when I actually looked at them or even tried to speak the same language as they did. I turned to the left glancing over causally at the spot where Adrian the girl of my dreams usually sat. To my anguished dismay she wasn’t there or physically anywhere in our ninth grade classroom. In another side long glance I was staring directly into the russet eyes of Brandon my so called Best friend. He smiled cheekily at me and then rose abruptly making it to my desk in a matter of three uneven strides. This was besides the fact that he sat a whole half of class away from me. He came into my line of vision at a whooping 6’5” towering over the rest of us like a giant maple; strong, sturdy and reliable. We have been best friends since, well the day we were practically born. Our mothers forcing us together like glue and paper at every moment possible. When I think about it in a way I wouldn’t have had it any other way. With new found confidence Brandon told me he had a proposition, I agreed innocently thinking it would be something I could do blindfolded. His husky voice deepened as he spoke out his request, “Jonathan we have been friends for a while now, and in my professional opinion I think you need to get a girlfriend.” He began judging my expression. I tried to control it but he could see right through my calm façade. With an uneven voice I asked “what do you propose I do about this then?” to my astonishment he said he would make a wager with me if I could get Adrian the girl of my dreams to go out on a date with me by the end of tomorrow, Brandon would give me his brand new PS3. Without a second thought I stuck out my clammy palm and Brandon thrust his rough hand into mine shaking it with over enthusiastically. That’s when it occurred to me that I had no idea how I was going to even attempt to talk to Adrian not to mention actually asking her out on a date. My bewildered expression deepened as my train of thought started to rumble and roll making my brain shuttle into over drive trying to think of a way to ask out the girl of my dreams. Suddenly this proposition started to feel more like homework than something new and exciting. I shuddered at the thought of being turned down but I tried to think of the more positive out come, if that was even possible.

I woke up in cold sweat this morning dreading what was approaching in the on coming day. I did all my morning chores in a haze not even realizing what I had already done and what still needed doing. I opened the front door cautiously not aware of what would be waiting on the other side. I causally glared around the yard making sure Brandon wasn’t hiding in the bush watching for me to screw up. Just then a fat rain drop splattered on to face reviving me from haze and hauling me back into the real world. I gulped down the lump that had expanded in my throat knowing there would be a lot more worrying to be done at school. I shuffled onto the bus mechanically climbing the two steps I encountered. I sat in my regular seat and exhaled when Brandon wasn’t there. By glancing to the back of the bus I confirmed what I already knew: 1.Adrain was going to be at school today and 2. I now only had today to get her to like me as well as asking her out. I climbed off the bus exasperated finally glad for once that it was the last to arrive and that classes would commence in a matter of seconds. I raced up to my locker throwing my stuff in without any care; I slammed the door turning on one foot and darted to class. When I got there I realized I still had a few minutes to spare but luckily I wasn’t the only early bird. The teacher smiled warmly at me as I approached my desk carefully taking my seat. The last thing I wanted was a conversation so I kept my head down and avoided eye contact until the safety of other students engulfed us. As lunch time approached my thoughts were not focused on calculating the algebraic expressions but rather on a certain goal or a certain girl that I had to obtain before it was too late. I had been dreading this conversation all day but I thought I might as well get it over with while I was still young. I threw my stuff back into my locker grabbing my bagged lunch and headed for the cafeteria. That’s when I smelt it; it smelt like spring flowers on a warm summer day, laundry left out in the wind. It was the most amazing scent I had ever inhaled and I knew exactly who it was coming from. I turned awe struck by her beauty and grace. Her long blonde hair carefully grazing her shoulder blades, her taut and toned dancer’s legs looked stunning in a mini skirt, finally my eyes adjusted on the knit sweater that revealed a sliver of her ample cleavage as well as her bronzed skin. She had the prettiest girl category locked down and now here I was fumbling with my lock appearing to be a loser. I quickly put it down making eye contact with her; she met my gaze and smiled her perfectly white teeth straightened from years of dental work. I stepped slowly into her path intersecting her, she paused, her grin widened if I didn’t know any better I would have thought she was as excited to see me as I was to see her. Then her eyes refocused on me her bemused grin had me at a loss for words. I stuttered out something incomprehensible her face twisted in an unpleasant frown. I watched and then tried again but to my great dismay all that came out was “widdy yon gee ion itt meeek” I finally screeched out. If her face weren’t enough my last answer just blew but before I could realize what I had done, she spat out “eeewww get out of my way loser! ” and just like that she turned in the opposite direction and stalked off to the cafeteria. The kids in the hall had noticed my unmanning attempt to woo Adrian. They now surrounded me pointing and mocking me for my loss of words. I banged my searing head in to my locker dismayed at the scene I had caused, if only I were in her league then I never would have made such a fool of myself. With a heavy heart I staggered out of the school not caring for once what would happen with my life because in reality my life was over.


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