“Okay lets take it from the top.” Laura Lynn said “Step by step”. Take it from the top.”

I glanced around uneasily. Anyone could overhear us out her in the crowded hall before the 8:10 bell. “Step one” I began “We walk to thee learning center.” She waited expectantly. “Go on.” she said

“Step two,” I said haltingly. “You’ll go in and see where he’s

Sitting. You pull up a chair at his table.” “And?” “And---” this wasn’t going to work. LL didn’t know what she was asking of me. “You walk up and join us.” she filled in. “’oh hi LL, Hi Justin.’ and you sit down too. Then after a minute, I remember something all of a sudden and have to leave--- and there you are!”

“And just ask him to go with me to JC’s party? Just like that? I’ll feel like the biggest loser!”

“You?” she asked “The only reason he hasn’t asked you himself is he’s afraid to. He thinks you’re so popular you’d never be interested in him.”

It was so nice to hear her say so. Unfortunately o didn’t believe her. I had plenty of friends but Justin Timberlake was out of my league.

LL hoisted the bulging green backpack that was her trademark. “You ready?” she asked “lets go before he takes off for homeroom.”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” I stretched on tiptoe to stash my books on the top shelf of my locker. My blouse crept up my midriff when I reached above my head. LL giggled as I tugged it down and tried to tuck it into place. The dress code at our school was totally repressive and I was pushing the limits.

Together LL and I headed down the hall toward stairway d. I tried to clear my mind to sweep away the clutter of worries. I’d been watching Justin since last fall when he turned up in my history class. We talked back and forth across the aisle every day. We’d even worked on a group project on the reconstruction era. But I’d never come close anywhere to a date with him. Asking him Jcs party would be an all time first. Suddenly LL put a warning hand on my shoulder. “Uhh-oh. Here comes heartless.” sure enough Mr. Hartman Bellowed “Come over here” I was relieved to see he was staring at Jacob Tinley. He was the school drug addict. We called him drugs sometimes.

We walked to homeroom. 233 were nearly empty when I arrived. I took my seat in the back with all the rest of the popular. Justin Timberlake walked in. he leaned on the doorway. Broad shoulder and solid. He never quite looked at home ion a classroom. He surveyed the room for a moment. Our eyes met and nodded twice over to me. He saw the empty seat over to me and pulled off his boookbag. He always seemed too big for his desk. His long legs, sprawling into the aisle. “Hey you’re on the cheerleading squad right? Captain right Britney”?

“Yeah and?”

Like to go to JC’s party tomorrow? I mean I am the captain of the football team. And it’s only right to start the new school year out like that right?”

“Sure I’d love to go!” I screamed

“Cool” he winked at me. How could I say no to those eyes?

Mrs. Spencer walked in. “Morning class. Um I don’t really have a lesson planned for today being the 1^st day of your senior year so I thought why not just play a game?”

Everyone cheered. We picked people of war.