The Best Is Yet to Come (12)

“I understand relationships change,” Hope told Spencer. “That doesn’t mean they need to end.”

“I’d like to be more than her friend, Ms. Goodwin. I’d like to be her date for homecoming.” He said this squaring his shoulders, as if releasing a long-held secret.

“I see.” And she did.

“I know she’s one of the most popular girls in school.” His eyes lit up, as if another thought had suddenly entered his mind. “Do you think Callie suspects the way I feel about her?” Spencer asked, wide-eyed with both dread and hope.

Hope understood that more than anything, Spencer wanted Callie to know how he felt about her, and at the same time was afraid she did know and chose to ignore him rather than hurt his feelings.

“I don’t know.” Hope had definitely noticed and wasn’t sure if Callie had or not.

“I think about her all the time. I know, I know, it’s useless. Callie would never date me. I was thinking if we could go back to being friends that she might be willing to date me eventually. I want to ask her to homecoming in the worst way.”

More than he realized, Hope wanted to help Spencer. He had a lot to offer Callie, or any girl, for that matter. Hope didn’t approve or disapprove of his choice. She didn’t know Callie well enough to say one way or the other. But it discouraged her that all Spencer saw was a pretty face.

“Why don’t you start small. Call her.”

“I don’t have a reason,” he insisted.

“Come up with one.”

He frowned, as if he’d already considered that. “I’m not good at conversation or making small talk. It would likely be one of the shortest phone calls on record. I thought, you know, if we were together more often…”

“So Callie’s the reason you took Introduction to Computer Science.” Anyone who knew Spencer recognized his computer skills were far and away more advanced than anything the class would teach him.

He didn’t deny or confirm her statement.

“You know, Spencer, there are other ways of getting Callie’s attention.”

He sat forward in his chair. “I’m open to suggestions.”

“I don’t have any to give you. That is something you need to figure out for yourself. I have every faith that someone as smart as you will be up to the task.”

Spencer didn’t look convinced. “Smart in getting top grades, but when it comes to girls, I fail every time. I’ve never attended a school dance. This could well be one of my last chances.”

“How many girls have you asked?”

He shrugged, which was answer enough.

“You didn’t ask anyone, did you?”

He released a deep, frustrated sigh. “Why bother? I knew they’d all turn me down. I didn’t think I could take the rejection.”

“Oh Spencer, I can only imagine how many girls would have jumped at the chance to attend any one of the school dances with you.”

From his expression, it was clear he didn’t believe her.

“Homecoming is in two weeks,” she reminded him. “You should go to that dance, Spencer. If you don’t, I think you’ll regret it.”

“The only girl I’d want to take is Callie,” he insisted, even before Hope could suggest a few other names.

“Then ask her.”

He hedged, as if giving the idea consideration. Hope could see his mind brewing possibilities before his entire body seemed to slump with defeat. “She’s probably already agreed to go with Scott.”

Hope had considered that, too, but that didn’t keep her from encouraging him. “You’ll never know unless you ask.”

“If I ask her to homecoming, then Callie will know how I feel about her.”

“Isn’t that the point?”

“No,” he insisted, and then quickly changed his mind. “Well, maybe.”

“Whatever happens is up to you.”

“I’ll think about it,” Spencer agreed.



* * *



—

All weekend, Spencer thought about his conversation with Ms. Goodwin. It was terrifying and exhilarating to think that if he were to ask Callie to homecoming, she might agree to go with him. For a time, all too short, he told himself Ms. Goodwin was right, he should ask Callie.

There was one factor he hadn’t shared with Ms. Goodwin that kept circling in his mind. He’d heard a rumor that Callie and Scott had broken up after an argument in the school parking lot. A lot of people had witnessed them shouting at each other. But then, a day or two later, they were all chummy again. So much for that.

Even with an effort to be optimistic, he realized it’d be ridiculous to think that Callie would go out with him. By Monday morning, he’d discarded the idea completely. No need to humiliate himself in front of the entire school. If he asked and she turned him down, news of her rejection was sure to be echoed through the halls of Oceanside High.

The last thing Spencer thought would happen was Callie seeking him out.

Monday, after classes were done for the day, Spencer was headed toward the school parking lot. He and his dad had worked on a 1965 Dodge Dart his father bought when he got out of the military. His dad had loved that car, and together they’d worked on getting it running again so Spencer would have a vehicle.