Molly Jangler looked down at her old beat-up black Converse. She started her big eighth-grade end of the year speech. Totally humiliating.

“Well, um, I have met lots of friends here, and, um, I really enjoyed all my teachers. I will remember these three years for the rest of my life.”, she said, wavering.

Oh, please, how pathetic, she said to herself.

It wasn't the first time she had to stand up in front of the school, and It wouldn't be the last time, either. Definitely not. She was very grateful after her three minutes were up. The next person to speak, however, got loads of claps, and she only got five.

That afternoon, stepping off the bus was such a huge relief to her. The last activity of her middle school life was the Graduation dance that night. She had picked out an amazing red dress for it with black mary-jane heels and black silk gloves. She hopefully was going to be stunning-if she took of her glasses and her mother let her-finally-wear contacts.

She stepped up the rugged three-step stairway to her old tan house. It looked deserted, but she knew her mother was home.

“Hello?” she called through the open front door.

“Sweetie!” her mom called as she gave her a welcome hug and led her inside.

“How was school?”

“Okay, I guess.”

“You guess? What's up? You're always so happy after school.”

“Well, um...Let's see. I embarrassed myself in front of my whole class and thats about all that's good happened to me all day.” she said, sarcastically.

She sat down to do her four-page homework assignment., Yay she thought. A horrible day and this.

After her homework was done, she headed toward the kitchen for some afternoon tea and brownies her mother made the day before. She settled down into the rocking chair silently and took out her favorite book, that she was reading again, called “Type It Up” about a girl who loved to write books when she was only thirteen, and still got them published and all that pizzazz.

It was getting late, and she was totally absorbed in her book. Oh, my word! She thought, and ran to her bedroom.
October 8

She pulled on some tights, then her beautiful dress, and she was almost ready for her mom to help with her hair. She grabbed her silk gloves and slid her fingers into the slots. She looked gorgeous! She was going to have her mother do her makeup and hair, because her mom was a bueatician. Her mother curled her hair, and put on some amazing makeup.

“Ready for the finishing touch?” her mom asked.

“YES!” she laughed.

“Okay, one, two, three.”

“Mom, thank you so much! I look so pretty.” she smiled.

“You're welcome sweetie. One more thing.” her mom took off Molly's glasses.

“Here are some contacts for the dance. Enjoy and have fun, sweetheart.”

“Wow, thanks so much mom. Love you!”


October 9


She pulled on her shoes, a nice over-coat and ran out the door, carefully noticing she was on heels, so she wouldn't slip. She speed-walked over to her best friends' house, which was only a tiny bit down the road from her own home. She knocked on the door three times before Mrs. Olina answered.

“Oh, hello Molly!” she smiled.

“Good afternoon Mrs. Olina. How are you?”

“Wonderful, thanks. She's up in her room. Knock before you go in, she is a little axious tonight for some reason.”

“Okay. Will do!”

She walked up the stairs and knocked a few times before she walked in.

“Hello...Natalie?”

“Oh, Molly! I thought you were Mom.”

“Nope, I'm younger than thirty-seven.”

“Ha! Well, you can come in now, if you want.”

“'Kay.”

She slowly walked into her room and plopped on the bed.

“My feet already hurt really bad in these shoes.” she complained.

“Yeah, same here. You look like those shoes are three sizes small...”

“I know. But oh well. If its only tonight I think I can handle it.”

“Yeah. Mine are so uncomfortable, I have to put tissues in the toes because they're like, three inches tall.”

“Well, isn't that okay?” thought Molly, knowing that Natalie was only 5' 1” and in eighth grade.

“Yeah, I guess so.”


After Natalie was done, they headed downstairs to Natalie's dad, who was going to drive them. The got into the shiny red car and headed off for the town conference center.

As they pulled up in the conference center driveway, Natalie's dad told her she looked amazing and kissed her goodbye.

“Love you, dad. Bye!”

“Bye, Mr. Olina. Remember 11:00!”

“Sure thing, Molly. Have a good time. Bye!”

And off he left, leaving them in the warm breeze of July 20th. They both knew they had to dance with someone, so they headed inside, when Natalie's boyfriend, Robert, came up to them, in a white blue button down shirt and nice dress pants.

“Well, I'll leave you to it.” Molly said, and went through the doors.

She saw him standing there in the corner, Jamie Parker, alone, which was very suspicious. She walked up to him.

“Hey!” she yelled over the overpowering music.

“Um...Hi” he said, unknowingly.

“So, why are you alone?”

“Because Jane won't dance with me.”

“Oh, well, okay. I'll just go now. See you.”

She speed-walked over to the punch bowl, thankful she was wearing red because she spilled a bit on her dress. She saw Natalie and Robert slow dancing. She stared at them for a long time before realizing what she was going. Jamie walked over to the punch bowl and stood next to her.

“You really know how to dress, because that dress looks amazing on you.”

“Oh, thanks.” she blushed.