Christian G

-The Night of Nights -

            It all started in ninth grade, which came at the speed of light and finished with the speed slower than a turtle with no legs. In high school, I was like the salad at a McDonald’s menu, I exist, but no one ever chooses me. That was until homecoming came along. I was your typical teenage guy, skinny with a rebellious attitude. When homecoming came, I didn’t think much of it, until I saw that just about everyone in my group had a date. Why I’m here is to tell you not to make the same mistakes that I did. Number one, just because everyone else in your “table” has a partner to go to homecoming with, doesn’t mean you need one, don’t let them influence you to make decisions you do not want to make.

            Once I found out the news, I needed to find out whom to “attempt” to ask for homecoming. Choose wisely, like a lion stalking his prey. Don’t be detected, or the opportunity will be forever lost in the void of love. For reasons, I will not refer to my ninth year homecoming date with her real name, I will call her… Isa (That is not her actual name). I had a one class with Isa throughout the whole year. This isn’t enough time to get to know your target, I advise to try and talk to her in the halls ALONE. If you try to talk to her in front of her friends, you’re basically first in line for the electric chair, frying all hope of you going to homecoming with her.

            After you have gotten to know her (which I hardly did with mine), start to think about how to ask her to homecoming. Make it CLEVER and UNFORGETTING (in a good way). Do not do what I did to ask her out. I ran out of time to brainstorm any slightly clever idea to ask her to homecoming with, so I did the stereotypical way of asking someone out. I waltzed right up to her door, with my Mother trailing right behind me, making me swell and churn with embarrassment, and rang the doorbell. I had the basic things in my hand, a small piece of chocolate and an enthusiastic mood to go along with it. When she came to answer the door, my heart thudded against my chest as loud as a bass drum, found in any typical band room. Don’t make this mistake as well. Be calm, and be cool, don’t break a sweat when you ask her. Simply say, for example: “Isa, since I’ve gotten to know you, you’re a great person with an amazing personality. Will you go to homecoming with me?” That’s what I said to ask, and afterwards she promptly said yes. It’s good to know I did at least one thing right during the whole experience.

           

Once I returned to school the next day, the fact that I had asked her and she said yes spread around the school like a wildfire, spreading to all the plants until no more remain. Expect this, because high school is full of the utmost prestige type of drama. Unfortunately it is impossible to escape drama in high school; it is always in the atmosphere and will never go away for all of eternity. People bombarded me with questions, they whizzed by my head like bullets, over a soldier as he runs towards the enemy. “When did you ask, where did you ask, who’s group are you going with?” Now, if you want people stalking you and watching you through all of homecoming, then go ahead and answer them. If you want a nice time, with no intrusions and interruptions, then I would ignore them, or tell them to find out from someone else (Which no one else but you and your date knows about). Once you survive that school day, every day from then on will be less chaotic with questions, until it dies out completely.

Once homecoming day came, I was a nervous wreck. Since I was in band, we played at the homecoming football game the day before, and that wasn’t the most calming event either. Make sure to calm yourself before the day of homecoming. It will be exiting, but it will be tough to control your nervousness and eagerness. When I hopped in the car, my mother drove me to Isa’s house to go get ready for pictures. When we arrived, I hopped out of the car, and approached the door with the flower-homecoming-thing that you have to give your date, and she has to give you one too. When the door opened, I was greeted by a beautiful face, with a smile. I smiled back, and we started to talk about the schedule and how great we looked. After that, both mine and Isa’s mother came and told us to exchange the flower-homecoming-thing that I still cannot remember what it was called, and took out their phones for pictures and videos. I must warn you; this is the part of the date where I could barely hold back my nervousness. Take deep breaths, and think about the date. After the flower-homecoming-thing ritual was finished, we came over to my car and drove off to one of the other group’s house to take pictures of all of our groups. This part isn’t too hard, all you have to do is smile, and always smile.

Once the pictures were over, we headed to our restaurant to grab dinner before the homecoming dance itself. When our whole group arrived, 2 third-wheels arrived and sat down with us for dinner. If any third-wheeler comes to your dinner, treat them as if they have a date, just without the date-part. The food took a long time to prepare, but once it was there, it was very delicious. Do the same thing I did here, be cool, talk about yourself, and ask many questions. Most importantly, always be interested! Unfortunately during the whole dinner, at least six or so parents were super protective and sat in the booth about 4 feet away from my date and I, including my mother.

Once dinner was over, we headed for the school, to the actual homecoming dance. Don’t make the car ride awkward, be talkative and loving, and don’t forget to open the car do for her! When we were dropped off at the front door to our school, we handed the tickets to the ticket keeper, and made our way inside. When we stepped inside, we placed our belongings inside of your assigned bag, and only then can you carry on to the gym, where the real action starts. When we stepped one foot into the gym, our mouth’s dropped in unison and our eyes bulged out of their sockets. We expected dancing, but what we got was a hideous display of bodies moving back and forth to the deafening “music”. Right there and then, did I question whether or not to gouge out my own eyes and never see such a horrific sight in my life again, but then I realized that I might need them for the rest of my life. We cautiously made our way inside the gym, trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone we didn’t know. Then the music suddenly stopped.

Once the music stopped, it cut to a very slow and romantic song. Now’s your opportunity to dance with her. Don’t be shy and act awkward, leaning backwards and avoiding eye contact, look into her eyes, and smile, leaning forward. Unfortunately for me, the song ended abruptly and jumped back into fast music and more hideous dancing. We both looked at each other and sighed, smiling. Once we had enough of the dancing and music, we went back into the bag room and gathered our items and called for my mom to pick us up. She came and dropped my date back to her house. Now, this is one of the most important parts of the whole event. Open the door in the car, and hold her hand all the way to her door. Once she’s at the door, look at her in the eye and tell her that you had a very great time with her.

Basically, during the whole date there are about three rules to follow, don’t be nervous, be you, and be talkative. I was as silent as the deep sea, no sound what so ever in the depths. On the way home, I talked and talked and talked about how great of a time I had, about the dance, about the restaurant, and about how great she was the whole way through. And on that day, I earned the milestone of love.