Monday, March 1, 2010 | 1:43 PM |

Chapter 10

"Don't freak," Genie said in chorus the next day. "From what you're saying, it sounds as if Jiro's just not getting the message that you like him.""An understatement." I sighed. "I could broadcast it in twelve different languages, and I don't think he'd get it. He doesn't seem to notice that I exist. And I can't even start a decent conversation with him. All my cute lines seem so corny and lame."
Genie shook her head. "Wow. I've never seen you this way."
"I wish I could just go up to him and say, "Jiro, do you want to go out with me?"
"well, why don't you?" Genie said. "I'm serious. What are you waiting for? Ask him out!"
I snorted. "No way. I mean, people don't act like that. There's a certain game you've got to play. It's just that suddenly I'm really bad at it."
Genie gave me a sympathetic smile and we lifted our music. Mr. C took us straight into the piece. It was one I really liked, but my mind kept wandering to thoughts of Jiro.
I blushed. It was a gentle lesson, but still a lesson. He'd caught me singing off-tempo. Okay, everyone makes mistakes occasionally. I'd just had more occasions to make them in the past few days than most people.
The bell rang, and it was time to go.
"I have to talk to Calvin about some yearbook plans before I go to the U," Genie said. "I'll walk with you guys."
We headed out. Walking with Ella, Genie, and GuiGui, I turned into the hallway by the gym, heading toward the lunchroom.
Then I spotted Jiro and another guy hanging out by a bank of lockers. My pulse started beating faster. You can't keep freaking every time you see him, I thought. And what's so different about Jiro anyway? He's just a guy. A guy that I like a lot.
That's when it hit me. Maybe Genie really was right. What was I waiting for? All I could do was try, right? If Jiro didn't like me, then there was nothing I could do about it. But I had to find out. I had to find out now.
I stopped abruptly, my sneakers squeaking against the tile floor. "Hold on a second," I told my friends, not taking my eyes off Jiro. I could sense them staring at me as I marched right up to him. I didn't even care that he was talking to somebody. It was now or never.
I tapped Jiro on the shoulder, and he faced me.
"So, Jiro," I said. My heartbeat raced. "Do you want to go out with me or what?"

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