the Rules To Flirting

There are three rules when flirting in high school. These three rules are simple and very easy to follow, they are: 1) Know the name, first and last, of who you are flirting with 2) know what grade they are in and 3) know who their relatives are. Failure to follow even one of these rules will lead to disaster. My personal disaster happened when I forgot all three rules.1

The schedule for my senior year of high school was set. I had all the classes I needed to graduate and the classes I wanted to take. But when I looked at my “perfect” schedule I realized my 7th period was open. I scrambled to find a class to fill the empty space. Any class would do, as long as I had a full schedulre. When I looked at the master schedule there were two options still available: Auto Shop and Beginning Welding. I had wanted to take both for a while but my mother was dead set against it. But after much discussion, argueing, and pleading, I finally persuaded her to let me take welding. 2

I was excited the first day of class and for about the first five minutes of the period. I was one of two girls in that particular period, and while I knew no one the other girl knew half the boys there. This put me at odds and for the first half of the term I was not my usual perky, energetic self, but a silent, shy girl. But then some of the boys started to make comments that I could turn into a joke and then start conversations with. I was surprised that it was so easy to talk to them since I usually avoided boys. 3

I hadn’t really paid any attention to their names at first, and so it took me a while to figure them out. I didn’t want to ask because then they would have known I hadn’t taken the time to learn their names. For a while I nicknamed the boy who sat in front of me “Football Player,” even though that described most of the boys in the class. The boy who sat next to me became “Tall One.” And since everyone talked to the boy diagonal to me I had picked up on his name the first day, Evans, though that was his last name.4

I felt bad about not knowing their names, so I would listen intently every day when the teacher, Mr. Hill, would call roll. Football Player’s name turned out to Devin: Though Tall One still remained nameless because he was first on the roll and I always missed it. Then I heard it, Nate. I stored this precious piece of information away for future reference and I needed it too. That day I couldn’t loosen some equipment so I called out to him but for some strange reason he didn’t respond. I thought it was because he didn’t hear me, so I got his attention by yelling “Hey!” a little louder in his direction. Surprisingly it worked. 5

Later, I heard the boys calling him something else and I figured out he had a more common nickname than Tall One. To bad I had no idea what it was, even though I tried hard to catch it, so to me he stayed Tall One.
We started talking a lot in class and talking turned into flirting, and after a term the flirting started to turn into a small crush. 6

I wanted my friends to see who Tall One was so I was forever looking around for him., then the day came. I was walking back from the courtyard after getting my lunch. I looked at the small Credit Union branch enclosure to wave at my friend, Adrianne, who interned there. That’s when I noticed that at the other window Tall One was getting money. I made a sharp turn to Adrianne’s window and whispered that Tall One was right there. She glance over and did a double take. 7

“That’s him?” she asked as he walked away.8

I leaned further into the booth. “Yeah, isn’t he cute?” I laughed: why did she have a funny glint in her eye?9

She fidgeted and looked around, “Are you absolutely sure?” 10

“Yeah, how could I not be?” It was my turn to give a funny look. You think she would believe I knew who I had a crush on.11

“Um, Angela, I don’t know how to break this to you,” she paused for a second, “uh, but that boy is Josh’s little brother.”12

I stood shocked, and then I got defensive, “No, that can’t be. His little brother is a freshmen. Nate is a sophomore at least.” I couldn’t, wouldn’t, believe that Nate was Josh’s little brother. I had had a crush on Josh for two years: he was a guy that I could actually talk to and not feel like a total idiot. If Nate was his little brother I would never be able to look either of them in the eye again.13

“I’ve done a transaction for him before, he has the same last name.” she gave me a sorry to have to break it to you look.14

“Cadshire’s a common last name,” I said casually, trying to appear calm and composed.15

“In your dreams,” she laughed.16

“You know, I’ll prove you wrong. I have Metals next, I’ll ask him then.” I held out my hand.17

“Ten bucks?” she asked, shaking my hand. I nodded and hurried back to the Commons. 18

I looked at both my wrist watch and the wall clock in the commons constantly until Jana, one of my best friends, started hitting my wrist every time I went to look at it.19

“What are you so uptight about? Ready to burn your fingers again?” she teased. She was refering to the week before when I had picked up a metal plate I had just welded on, without a glove. It left some nice burns on my left hand: 6000 degree metal will do that. 20

I gave her a sarcastic smile, “Yeah, the other hand wants some too.” I rolled my eyes.21

“Really? You know it’s easier to heat up a curling iron and do it that way.” she gave a know-it-all-smile.22

“Like I would do that. At least I have a cool story to tell about my earned burns.” I wiggled my injured fingers.23

“Oh yeah, stupidity. That’s always a cool story.” 24

I stuck out my tongue and she just smiled. Luckily for me I had a friend to banter with and take my mind off Nate and Josh. Then the bell rang so I slung my book bag over my shoulder and booked it to Metals. I didn’t even wait for Holly , another best friend, who I usually walked to B wing with.25

I sat in my usual seat and tapped my foot, trying not to fidgit to much. The class slowly trickled in the door before the two minute bell. Well most of the class was there before that bell, but there were always a few slower ones, and Nate had decided to be one of them. Today of all days! I was going crazy. I felt bad for Devin because while he was trying to talk to me, I was off in a different world. 26

Then, the door opened and Nate strolled in and took his seat, leaning against the wall with the air of a jock, had he always done that or only since wrestling season started? He gave me a nod and I figured I had to get it done then, before I lost my nerve.27

“So Nate, what’s your last name?” that was about as subtle as I could come up with.28

“Yeah, what is your last name, Phano?” Devin piped in: apparently I was not the only one curious. Or was he just being helpful?29

“Cadshire, you went on a date with my brother last week.”30

My mind froze, but my mouth said “Cool” while my head nodded. Luckily Mr. Hill started class before anything else was said. 31

My mind was going a million miles an hour trying to cope . How could that be possible? Why did it happen to me? A freshmen? Now it made sense why he wasn’t in last year’s yearbook but why, oh why, did this sort of thing happen to me? 32

“Go to work,” Mr. Hill’s voice cut into my thoughts. I automatically went into the shop and got my safety glasses. I fumbled for a moment with what I was actually supposed to be doing and remembered, Arc, you need to do arc welding. I slowly went about getting a plate and setting up my booth, still stuck on the fact that Nate, Phano, was Josh’s little brother. Oh man, how could I miss the resemblance? It made me cringe to look at him now, seeing Josh’s face instead. While I did a pretty good job from stopping the shock from showing on my face my welds gave it away. They were the worst welds so far.33

Fortunately, the bell rang and I raced out to the parking lot, once again forgetting about Holly. I paced in front of my car waiting for the rest of the group to show up so I could tell them the horrible news. When I did they were supportive as usual. Holly just shook her head in silent pity while Jana and Kathryn roared with laughter. Adrianne could only tell me she told me so, and asked for her ten bucks.34

After going home and trying to figure it out I remembered the three rules, and how I had broken every single one of them. If only I had followed them, even remembering them would have helped, but being a typical teenager I had ignored them until it was to late.35