Yes! After months of asking, Vanessa finally said yes to Alex. He finally got a date with the girl of his dreams. She definitely wasn’t the prettiest girl in his school, but to his 17-year-old eyes, Vanessa was perfect. His poems and chocolate never had any effect on her. She was bullet-proof. His flowers had always been in vain; she just threw them away. Buying jewelry for her was a waste of money, she always sold it. She said, “No hints for me, I only go out with guys who ask me out straight up.” So Alex finally did, and he didn’t regret it. Especially after her eyes lit up when he told her they would be going to his favorite spot. He didn’t say which spot, because at his school, fishing was not accepted at all. It was frowned upon, even spat on. Not even his closest friends knew that what he did on Saturday was this beloved sport of his. He took care to hide all of his gear when his buddies came over. But finally he would show somebody his passion.
When arrived at her house with his boat in tow, she was astonished. She was hoping to park. Vanessa climbed in the truck and they were off. The cab bounced around while Vanessa inquired where they were going. All Alex could do was smile. The boat launch wasn’t busy, which was good: Vanessa wouldn’t have time to change her mind. The boat fell in the water with a clunk! Alex knew exactly what they were fishing for. If the fish were in the right mood they were going to have a fun day. If not, then Alex could say goodbye to any sort of life he had. They both donned their life-vests and motored their way to the south side of the lake. When he reached the secret spot, Alex impaled a worm on a hook for Vanessa. Then one for himself. He tossed both over the edge and soon was satisfied, for there were tiny, pan-shaped fish everywhere. Soon one took the rest of the bait on Vanessa’s hook and the maverick little bluegill was taking off at full speed to the bottom. Alex uttered the very words his Grampa had uttered years before: “Tip up, line tight.” He mused while his date struggled to bring the tiny fish toward the net. He too felt a tug on his line and motioned for Vanessa to watch. In one precise motion he lifted up the rod and a sunny bluegill shattered the surface of the water. She did the exact same thing. Two bluegills were in the boat. A smile erupted on Vanessa’s visage. Alex had caught what he wanted.