Chapter 3

Steve hesitated to let go of the girl’s hand sitting across from him. Her voice had this strong yet feminine quality, and her smile was downright enchanting. Suddenly realizing he’d been staring, he quickly let go of her hand.

He went on to spill that he’d just joined Sparta over the summer and got the lowdown on the reading assignment for his English class. One thing led to another, and Steve found out Gwen had two sisters, with the older one being drop-dead gorgeous, according to Gwen. That’s when Steve decided to take a shot and ask Gwen to the dance.

“Gwen, I heard about the fundraiser for Jim Archer’s brother next Saturday,” Steve began, sounding a bit unsure. “Can I be bold and ask you to go with me?”

Gwen was completely caught off guard. No one had ever popped the question so soon after meeting her. In fact, only a couple of guys had hinted at wanting to date her, and she swiftly shut them down.

Gwen was a studious high achiever set to graduate at the top of her class, aspiring to be a surgeon. She had long decided that brief romantic flings wouldn’t help her career goals. Plus, she was a hopeless romantic, aiming for a love story like Juliet and Romeo. The guys who had shown interest so far just didn’t measure up.

“I really can’t, Steve. I have to study that night,” Gwen weakly replied.

As the words left her mouth, Gwen realized how lame she sounded. Her usual calm demeanor crumbled as she struggled to come up with something that made more sense. Steve watched her closely for a few seconds and then smiled.

“If you have a boyfriend, I’ll back off and apologize, Gwen. I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable. If you just don’t want to go out with me, say so. But seriously, don’t give me the ‘I have to study on Saturday night before school starts’ line,” Steve chuckled. “I’m not great at asking out pretty girls like you, and that doesn’t do wonders for my confidence. So, I’m asking again, Gwen. Do you want to hit up that charity dance with me on Saturday?”

“Steve, truth is, I don’t think I want to go out with you. I can’t help but wonder why a guy like you would ask the class nerd for a date. The only reasons I can think of are either it’s a joke, or you just haven’t met anyone else from our school yet. Once you do, you won’t want to date me. We’re both aware of that,” Gwen concluded in a hushed tone.

“Okay, got it, Gwen. I’m an idiot for asking out the first beautiful girl I met. She’s intelligent, witty, tall, attractive, and stunning, but I can aim higher. I could likely find some blonde cheerleader with an IQ smaller than her bust line, who’d complement my appearance. I shouldn’t aim for a thoroughbred like you when I can have the horse that pulls the milk wagon.”

Once again, Gwen struggled to find her words. How could this boy rattle her so quickly and thoroughly?

“Steve, I’m no high-class horse. I’m more of a workhorse. Just look at me. There are only two girls in the class taller than me, and they’re both ballers on the basketball team. I’m carrying an extra ten pounds, and I’m a total brainiac. Just ask any guy in my class. Trust me, you’ll regret being seen with me within a week of school kicking off,” Gwen stated.

“Or maybe you just don’t wanna be seen with me, Gwen? Are your standards too high for me? I’m not part of your crew? Is that the deal? Or is it something about my look? The way I dress? The way I become silly when I glance at you?” Steve grinned.

“No! It’s not you, Steve. It’s me. I’ve seen what happens to girls trying to roll with the wrong guys. They always end up hurt. You can date any girl in our class, heck, the whole school. I bet some teachers would even go out with you if you asked! But you won’t want me once you see what else is out there,” Gwen asserted.

“We seem to be stuck here, Gwen. I got an idea - a simple bet. Let’s leave it up to chance. We’ll let fate decide if we should hit up that dance together,” Steve suggested. “How ‘bout this? If Sparta wins the football game Friday night, you roll with me to the dance on Saturday. If we lose, I won’t bug you again.”

“You’re aware we got trounced by Gifford, like, thirty points last year, right? They snagged the league title. Plus, we lost our quarterback and most of the starting offensive line last spring. Sparta ain’t winning that game, Steve. We’re probably not winning any games this year,” Gwen anticipated.

“So, it’s an easy decision, especially for a ‘braniac’ like you, Gwen. Let’s shake on it, and we got a deal,” Steve urged, offering his hand to Gwen.

Steve and Gwen had just wrapped up their bet with a handshake when Paula and Kate came around the corner in the mall, catching them deep in conversation. Steve quickly figured the approaching duo had to be the mother and sister Gwen mentioned earlier. The family resemblance was clear. As they got closer, Steve thought Gwen’s mom could be a great ally in his ongoing efforts to impress Gwen.

Come Friday night, Gwen, her mom, and two sisters were chilling in the visitor’s section at Gifford High, ready for the first football game of the season. Gwen had casually mentioned the idea of going to the game to her family the night before at dinner.

“I guess you’re going!” laughed her older sister, Lisa. “I hear you’ve got a lot at stake in this game, Gwen, like a date with some Adonis who magically popped up in Sparta. Mind if I tag along? I haven’t seen a high school game since I graduated. Plus, I’m dying to check out this guy. According to Kate and Mom, he’s making Brad Pitt look like a regular Joe.”

“Wait until you lay eyes on Steve,” Kate added. “I know you think we’re exaggerating, but you’ll see. Gwen’s got the best-looking guy our school has ever seen chasing after her, and she’s playing hard to get! It pays to be so smart. She’s stringing this guy along before she snags him in front of all those prissy cheerleaders. Legends about Gwen will be passed down from mother to daughter for years to come.”

“I don’t get why everyone’s making such a fuss,” Gwen lamented. “We’ve got no shot at winning the game tomorrow. There won’t be a date, so there’s no point for all of you to come to the game with me.