"So," I ask my best friend, Leona. "You want to go to the mall after school?" Leo and I have been best friends since first grade when I fell off the swings and broke my ankle. She was on the playset and ran to get a teacher. Now it's our junior year of high school, and we're practically sisters.

"Sure. I'll pick you up around five? I have to stop at home first to walk Junior." Junior is Leo's new puppy. She loves animals so much that she fosters them for our local shelter.

"Okay." The warning bell for sixth hour rings. "I gotta' get to class or Ms. Lincoln will kill me."

"Okay, bye, Kate."

"Bye." I walk to my English class and sit down just in time for the tardy bell to ring.

"Okay class," Ms. Lincoln says. "Please take your seats."

~~~

I suffer through an hour with Ms. Lincoln then go to my locker after the bell rings. A body slams against my locker while I try to put in my code.

"Hey, Zach," I say. Zachery has been my friend since fifth grade when we were lab partners and I set fire to the beaker of water. I know, I know, I'm extremely clumsy. That or I just have really bad luck. Or am bad luck. Back to the point. I swear Zach has a crush on me for a variety of reasons, even though he swears he doesn't.

"I need girl advice."

"What? Not even a hello?"

"Hello, Katrina Baker. I need girl advice."

"Katie."

"Hello, Katie Baker. I need girl advice."

"That's better. Why, who, and what?" Zach moves to the side so I can open my locker before answering.

"I like this girl. None of your beeswax, and how should I ask her out, plus where should we go if she says yes?"

"Is it Leo or I?"

"No, and does that tailor to the advice?"

"No, but you would never have a chance with either of us."

"Wow, thanks."

"Just letting you know. Now, it matters on the girl. Some may like flowers, but others might think you are insanely creepy and a stalker. I would forget about the flowers altogether unless you know that they like you and they know you like them. I would do the asking face to face. No phones! Maybe start a conversation, or throw them off guard. Don't trick them into asking you through. It might be a yes to a first, but there will be a low likelihood of a second. And go somewhere where you can talk and get to know each other. Not movies, but not a fancy restaurant either. Do like, an ice cream parlor or frozen yogurt. Especially because it's fall and all of them are having sales. Anything else?"

"That's good."

"Now who is it?" I yell.

"Not so loud!" Zach whispers. I look around. I see a girl talking to her friend and whispering. She's pointing at us.

"Ooh!" I say. "It it Veronica?"

"Shhhh! Yes, but I don't want her to know!" He whispers. "Be quiet!"

"Zachy likes Vi, Zachy likes Vi!"

"Quiet! Oh, shoot. She's looking at us. I need to go. See you tomorrow."

"Bye Zachypoo!"

~~~

I walk home and unlock my front door. My parents usually work from home but they've been on a business trip for the past three days and are planning to come home tomorrow. I set my backpack down on the floor and pour myself a bowl of cereal. I sit down at the table, and my phone starts to ring. I answer it. "Hi, honey. How are you?" My mother asks.

"Hey, Mom. I'm fine. I just got home from school. Leo and I are going to the mall later."

"Okay. Your father and I's conferences got canceled for tomorrow. We should be home by nine."

"Okay. I'm going to the mall around five. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Knock yourself out. Hey, did Zachery ask you to Homecoming yet?" My mother is a huge shipper of Zatie. My dad, though, would rather that I didn't know what a guy was.

"What? Ew, no! He is thinking about asking out Veronica Wilson though."

"Ooh, Vi Wilson? I wish him luck. Okay, your father and I have a reservation. I need to go. See you tonight honey. Love you!"

"Love you too, Mom. Bye." I hang up the phone and start working on some homework.