“Oh Ben you are so funny,” Vanessa said.
She was standing at Ben’s locker when Chase came over to talk.
“Oh Chase, Ben wrote me another poem,” Vanessa said as she handed the piece of paper to him.
“Only the best and true poets can really write,” Ben said, winking at Chase.
“Oh yeah, yeah,” Chase said, getting it. “Hey Vanessa…would you care to take an afternoon stroll with me while we discuss our feelings towards each other?”
“Oh Chase, you are my bestest friend, but I know what we have is nothing more than a friendly relationship,” Vanessa said.
“Just give me a chance to show you what I mean,” Chase pleaded.
“Oh Chase,” Vanessa said. “We hang out, and I enjoy all the time we spend together. But I know my feelings for you are not that strong.”

Love is soft,
Love is sweet.
Be my date to the Fireworks Dance.
Be my true love forever.
Ah, a sweet note. A sweet invitation. Vanessa thought.
Ben began to head to her locker and that’s when Chase saw what Ben was doing and knew what he was going to ask, for Chase wanted to ask the same thing, knowing this was his last shot at telling Vanessa how he felt. His chances were being limited.
Chase pushed his way through the crowd but all his classmates kept getting in his way, as he looked to see Ben was already at Vanessa’s locker and they were chatting away.
“So Vanessa,” Ben said. “I was wondering if you’d like to be my date to the Fireworks Dance.”
“Oh Ben, your poem said it all,” Vanessa said. “Pick me up at my place at 8p.m.”
He smiled and walked to class as Chase came huffing and puffing and out of breath. “Hey.”
“Hey,” Vanessa said. “Ben just asked me to be his date to the Fireworks Dance! Oh, everyone’s going to be so jealous when I arrive with him.”
“Oh,” Chase sighed with disappointment. “Well I wanted to tell you…”
“Well, I need to head to class, but you can ask another girl, and I’ll stop and talk tonight, kay?” Vanessa asked, cutting him off.
“Okay,” Chase muttered. “I guess you got the guy you’ve always dreamed of and my dreams are smashed.”
That night, eight at night, the main park was packed with the whole school attending the Fireworks Dance.
Vanessa and Ben arrived and from his first glimpse at Vanessa, Chase found himself staring at her all night.
She wore a white satin dress, matching shoes, a diamond necklace, and her hair was French braided down her back.
As Ben and Vanessa began to dance, Chase found himself getting lonely and bored, giving up the chance he thought he’d ever have of sharing a relationship with her.
As the fireworks went off, Vanessa gazed up in the sky, all the bright colors making the black sky pop behind.
When she turned her attention back to Ben, he reached his hand up to her face and brushed his fingers on her cheek lightly as they dance till midnight, just gazing at each other, not caring about anything but the momentt they were in and continued when Ben escorted Vanessa home and they were standing on her porch, and that’s when Vanessa finally spoke.
“Thanks for a great night Ben,” she said. “Who knew the guy behind all the love notes was the most popular guy at East High.”
“Yeah. But the truth is…,” Ben began.
“What truth?” Vanessa asked. “This is the truth, and the truth is reality.”
As she was standing on her porch, the most popular guy all hers; she couldn’t help but have her mind on Chase.
Was he the real poet and she just wouldn’t listen to him when he tried to tell her? No, that thought was totally beyond and out of this world crazy.
Ben was too good to be true.
Then, he moved.
His face began to lean towards hers and they were about to share their first kiss and the only thing that could ruin the momentt…
“Vanessa’s got a b-o-y-f-r-i-e-n-d!” a little voice said.
“Wow Sara, its awfully late, isn’t it?” Vanessa asked her sister.
“Well, I’ve gotta head home, so, see you at school,” Ben said.
The night ended perfectly, though without a kiss.
But it was true. Ben was too good to be true.

“Oh my gosh Chase. Friday night was the greatest night of my life,” Vanessa said Monday morning.
“And I want to hear nothing,” Chase said. “If you don’t want to hear the truth from me, then go ask your true boyfriend. He may not be your boyfriend once you hear the real story. Then if you feel sad afterwards, my shoulder won’t be available to cry on.”
He walked away, knowing he put his feelings away for good.
Vanessa didn’t feel fazed and went over to Ben’s locker to chat.
“Hey,” she said. “No love note today?”
“Love note?” Ben asked. “Why would I send you a love note? Don’t you know I have a girlfriend?”
“But what you did on Friday, and how you acted around me all this time…what are you saying?” Vanessa asked.
“Chase Dawson is the one writing all the love notes,” Ben said. “He just asked me to play along and get you to fall in love with him.”
“You are not the kind of guy he should have used,” Vanessa said. “I mean, why use anyone at all? He should have told me how he felt.”
“He just thought you’d never believe him,” Ben said. “And for you to ever think I’d ever date a brainy girl like you…keep dreaming. The only girl I want as my girlfriend is Maggie Sanders.”
“I can’t believe every time I was talking about you Chase was trying to tell me he’s in love with me,” Vanessa said. “And he hates me now.”
“Wow. You deserve this,” Ben said. “You were just the girl who wouldn’t listen, and now you can only be guilty.”
“Oh yeah,” Vanessa said. “And Maggie is one weird girl to fall for a jerk like you. I wish now you’d just fall off a cliff and never show your face in these hallways again. Thankfully you’re a senior.”
She stormed off and ran to class.
Chase was heading to English when his phone buzzed. A text from Vanessa that said:
Ben told me the truth and insulted me. I feel guilty now that I never listened to you. My love for you is strong and powerful and if yours is too I’ll be so overjoyed. Can you forgive me?
Chase sighed and texted back.
When Vanessa got the text:
Glad you finally learned the truth, but I’m sorry, my heart has moved on.
Her eyes filled up with tears and she began to sob.
Knowing that their future of getting into a relationship was far off, it was time for some thinking.
They knew they both had done something wrong and it was time to figure out what had happened.
Though they knew it would be hard. Their friendship had lasted years and now their lives had fallen apart.
Vanessa loved Chase but Chase was moving on.
She knew he was her Prince Charming and she was Cinderella, but she wanted to change the past.
But in reality, you can’t change the past…you have to face your fears.
It would take time…if at all.

Day by day, Vanessa struggled alone and out of place.
She hated every second that lay ahead of her, which she spent all her time at her locker…staring at Chase, seeing the cuteness in him and feeling stupid that she never knew he was the love of her life was him until Ben told her.
Now, they will never share a relationship, and the love of her life will never love her again.
She wanted him. She needed him. Her life was nothing without him but she knew for the moment shcouldn't’t do anything. She’d have to wait a while till she could win him back.
A few days after their separation, Vanessa received a poem.
Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
You broke my heart,
I don’t know if I can ever forgive you.
Why did you send me this kind of poem? She texted Chase.
I can’t stop writing, but I thought you should know.
Was the reply.
He was all she could think about. Shcouldn't’t believe she let him go. She knew if he was a great friend, he’d be an even greater boyfriend.
She didn’t feel like she could talk to anyone about this, but she knew she should.
It was agonizing. Seeing him in the halls, at lunch, everywhere.
She wanted to call him, but she knew he’d just hang up on her.
She never knew how empty her life would be without Chase right besides her.
She tried talking to other girls in her class but nobody liked her.
That was when she knew why Chase was her only friend, but now he was gone and she wanted to do something.
And she knew the one thing she had to do that Chase was waiting for.

Chase was in no better shape. He missed Vanessa terribly and there was only one other friend he could go to for support.
“Hey man, what’s got you back to having a sullen face?” Nico asked.
“Well, I’ve given up,” Chase said. “I tried telling Vanessa I liked her like two or three times and she wouldn’t listen.”
“So what…Vanessa’s now with Ben for the rest of her high school years?” Nico asked.
“I don’t care. He’s a senior anyway,” Chase said.
“Really?” Nico asked. “You really don’t care about Vanessa anymore? You’re going to fall in love with some other geek chick? Dude, she’s like the hottest girl here! I’ll date her if you won’t. You’re lucky to have a friend like her and man, you ask her out and every guy in school will be jealous of you because she’s taken. Dude, wake up!”
“Nico, I’m totally in love with Vanessa, okay?” Chase said. “She just wanted to be with the most popular guy in school. She doesn’t think her best friend can fall in love with her.”
“Then go show her that,” Nico said. “She’s probably figured out the truth from Ben by now. What are you waiting for?”
“I want her to apologize to me,” Chase said. “I don’t want a text message, I don’t want a note. I want Vanessa to come to me a talk.”
“Well, do you think she knows that’s what you want?” Nico asked. “And she isn’t the only one that needs to apologize. Instead of telling her the truth, you put her through something you knew wouldn’t work I mean, come on man! You asked the most popular guy in school to help you, and he has a girlfriend.”
“He does?” Chase asked. “Wow I never knew that. Wait, yeah I did. He’s dating Maggie Sanders and she is a geek! But you’re right. I think this is more my fault than hers. I should’ve told her, or I could’ve signed the love notes with my name.”
“Yeah, that would’ve worked,” Nico said. “So you are going to wait till she comes to you?”
“I don’t know,” Chase said.
He began to wait. He found himself longing to just go up to Vanessa and apologize, but he was scared she’d get mad at him because he just walked off on her.
He knew he needed her when he spent his time between classes just staring at Vanessa who was across the hall.
But one night, he found himself happy again when he received a visit from someone.


Chase was in no better shape. He missed Vanessa terribly and there was only one other friend he could go to for support.
“Hey man, what’s got you back to having a sullen face?” Nico asked.
“Well, I’ve given up,” Chase said. “I tried telling Vanessa I liked her like two or three times and she wouldn’t listen.”
“So what…Vanessa’s now with Ben for the rest of her high school years?” Nico asked.
“I don’t care. He’s a senior anyway,” Chase said.
“Really?” Nico asked. “You really don’t care about Vanessa anymore? You’re going to fall in love with some other geek chick? Dude, she’s like the hottest girl here! I’ll date her if you won’t. You’re lucky to have a friend like her and man, you ask her out and every guy in school will be jealous of you because she’s taken. Dude, wake up!”
“Nico, I’m totally in love with Vanessa, okay?” Chase said. “She just wanted to be with the most popular guy in school. She doesn’t think her best friend can fall in love with her.”
“Then go show her that,” Nico said. “She’s probably figured out the truth from Ben by now. What are you waiting for?”
“I want her to apologize to me,” Chase said. “I don’t want a text message, I don’t want a note. I want Vanessa to come to me a talk.”
“Well, do you think she knows that’s what you want?” Nico asked. “And she isn’t the only one that needs to apologize. Instead of telling her the truth, you put her through something you knew wouldn’t work I mean, come on man! You asked the most popular guy in school to help you, and he has a girlfriend.”
“He does?” Chase asked. “Wow I never knew that. Wait, yeah I did. He’s dating Maggie Sanders and she is a geek! But you’re right. I think this is more my fault than hers. I should’ve told her, or I could’ve signed the love notes with my name.”
“Yeah, that would’ve worked,” Nico said. “So you are going to wait till she comes to you?”
“I don’t know,” Chase said.
He began to wait. He found himself longing to just go up to Vanessa and apologize, but he was scared she’d get mad at him because he just walked off on her.
He knew he needed her when he spent his time between classes just staring at Vanessa who was across the hall.
But one night, he found himself happy again when he received a visit from someone.

Vanessa stepped onto Chase’s porch a week after Chase walked off on her and knew this was the last thing she could do.
She knocked on the front door and only a few seconds later, he answered the door and she sighed, beginning to talk.
“Hi Chase,” she began. “I'm sorry I never listened to you and never believed you were sending every one of those lovely poems, but I can’t go on. I need you!”
Chase pulled her to him in a light hug and whispered, “That’s all I wanted to hear. And I only wanted to hear you actually say it to me.”
“Really?” Vanessa asked.
“Yeah,” Chase said, pulling back. “And, Isorryy too. For everything. I should’ve told you when I first fell in love with you. Sending those notes was a waste of time and I never signed them, which brought you to thinking Ben was the real poet.”
“The jerk,” Vanessa mumbled. “I can’t believe you asked him to help you. Didn’t you know that using the most popular guy in school would totally make me fall head over heels for him?”
“I knew that once I saw you two dancing,” Chase admitted. “I felt totally invisible the whole time. When I saw you dancing with him, that made me wish I could’ve walked up, pushed Ben out of the way and then we would’ve been dancing. It wasn’t until that night I saw how gorgeous you were. And then a few days ago my friend Nico called you the hottest girl in school.”
“And you disagreed?” Vanessa asked.
“No,” Chase said. “I totally agreed with him. You are the hottest girl attending East High.”
“Oh, that’s the sweetest compliment a boy has ever said to me,” Vanessa said.
“I only wish I asked you to be my date to the dance,” Chase sighed.
“Then ask me,” Vanessa said.
“What? The dance was a week and a half ago,” Chase said.
Vanessa took his hand and brought him to the lawn.
There sat a pianist sitting at his piano.
Chase offered his other hand to her and asked, “May I have this only dance?”
“Of course,” Vanessa said.
Vanessa cued the pianist and they began to dance with the cloudy night sky above them.
As they danced, Chase said, “Roses are red, violets are blue. My heart flutters every time I see you.”
They continued to waltz on Chase’s lawn and when they were finally finished, Chase still had something more to give.
“Oh, I have a little something to prove our love,” he said.
He then slipped a heart shape necklace around her neck and engraved in it were two words:
My Girl
“Now whenever you’re wearing the necklace, people will know you’re my girl,” Chase said.
“Oh, that’s so sweet,” Vanessa said. “I totally know I’m your girl.”
They gazed at each other for a long time before they leaned in and they shared their first kiss.
The world melted away and all Vanessa could think about or feel were Chase’s soft lips on hers.
Light rain began to fall, and they both looked up and smiled as they headed back onto the porch so they stayed dry.
“I was stupid,” Vanessa said. “You should have slapped me in the face and I would have listened.
“I would never do that,” Chase said softly.
He leaned in to kiss Vanessa again.
“I love you too much.”
“Oh, you’re so romantic,” Vanessa said.
“So when’s our first date?” Chase asked.
“Can we call this our first date?” Vanessa asked.
“Eh, not really,” Chase admitted.
“Then just say when and I’m there,” Vanessa said.
After that, Vanessa leaned into Chase and cozened up against him and it was only a few moments later when Chase’s little sister Angela opened the door and said, “Chase has a girlfriend! Ooh la la!”
“Oh Angie!” Chase said. “Don’t scare Vanessa off.”
“It’s okay,” Vanessa said. “If we go back to my house, my sister Sara would do the same thing.”
“My girl,” Chase said.
He gazed at her soulfully, kissed her, and let her rest in his arms.
“And I know you’ll always be.”