So in November, 2013, I had a fresh start, beginning the sixth grade. I decided to stay after school for the school musical auditions. The musical was Seussical, and I wanted a lead role so bad. I decided to sing Part Of Your World, and I thought I did great. After I auditioned, I left school and on my way out a short, curly brown haired, shy boy rammed into me. I looked up and I couldn’t move. I blurted, “Sorry, my bad! Hi.”

The boy said, “Uhhhh… Hi. So Sorry!”

My mom was waiting for me, so I left and I looked back and he was still looking at me. I thought, “Why didn’t I get his name?” My mom drove me home and I did my homework. I went to bed that night wondering, “Who was that?”

The next day, I checked the list to see if I got a callback and I saw my name. I was so excited and I couldn’t wait for the callbacks. I continued my day and tried to look for the boy. By the end of the day, I still didn’t see him, so I went home. When I got home, I did my homework and took a shower. I still couldn’t get him out of my head.
The next day was callbacks. I practiced my song and I was ready to sing. Throughout my day, I sang my song quietly, until, the last bell rang and I ran to the music room. When I got there, I saw a bunch of other kids. I was confused at first, but someone told me that we had to sing in front of everyone. I couldn’t stop thinking, “What if I sucked? What if I sound like a dying cat?” Sitting in my chair, not holding still,  I waited for my name to be called.

Finally after about 20 minutes of waitng, a woman called, “Kate-lyn Tong you’re next.”

When I got up to sing, I was shaking, and then random flat and sharp notes came out of my mouth, “There ONCE was a girl named GERTRUDEEE McFuzz.” I tried to clear my voice, but I kept shrieking. My face was the color of a tomato and I kept looking at the floor. Then I sang my last note, and I made an excuse to leave the room. I was embarassed and humiliated. A tear rolled down my face, and my eyes started to squeeze together. After about five minutes, I walked inside and I grabbed my bags to leave. I walked out of the room, and closed the wood door. I was headed for the front door of the school, but before I could get there I heard a noise.
A voice came out, “Are you okay?”

I said, “Uhhh. Yeah, I’m FINE.” Then I turned around and I saw a boy with brown, short, curly hair. I smiled and said, “Hey. What’s your name?”
The boy said, “Daniel.”
I said, “I’m Katelyn.”
Daniel said, “Why are you here?”
I replied, “For the callbacks.”
Daniel responds, “Oh, lucky you. I didn’t get one.”
I sounding relieved, “Don’t worry. I did terrible.”
Daniel said, “You probably did AMAZING!”
I said, “Thanks, but I really sounded bad.” I left him again, and my mom picked me up. I went home smiling and I couldn’t stop. I did my homework that night and I went to bed thinking about Daniel.
The next day was Friday, and we had rehearsals for Seussical. When I arrived at the auditorium, I saw Daniel. He went towards me, and I got a little nervous. He said, “Hey.”
I tried to sound cool, “What’s up?”
He said, “Wanna hang out and do homework together?”
I said, “Sure.” I followed him and put my bag down in Row E. We sat down together and I took out my homework. He took out his phone and started playing a game. I asked, “What game it that?”
He said, “Race Car HD.”
I replied, “Oh, how do you play? Can you teach me?”
He said, “Sure. It’s really easy and I think you would love it.”
So he and I were sitting there playing this game and I had this weird feeling inside of me. I felt different and I couldn’t place it, until Dan put his hand on mine and we both looked up and I couldn’t believe what was happening. My heart was beating fast and I was really nervous. I decided to keep my hands underneath his and continue playing the game.
The teacher called, “Everyone on stage right now!”
Simultanously Dan and I put both feet on the ground and started to walk towards the stage. When I got up onstage, my friends came up to me and asked me where I was. I tried to explain that I was with Dan. When I told them what happened, my friend Alyssa was shocked.
Then, Alyssa walked over to Dan and asked, “Do you like Katelyn? You should go ask her out? You guys would be so cute together.”
Dan responded, “I don’t know. We just met. I’ll think about it.”
The teacher announced, “We are done for the day. Go home.”

Dan jumped off the stage, onto the floor and he grabbed my hand and helped me down the stage. Then I walked out of the auditorium and went towards the front entrance. I saw my mom waiting there, so I ran towards the car. When I arrived home I talked to my sister and she was flabbergasted.

After about two weeks, we had another rehearsal and Dan came up to me and asked, “So, If I asked you out, what would you say?”
I replied, “I don’t know, but I would probably say yes.”
He said nervously, “So, I know we just met, but do you wanna go out?”
I said, nodding, “Umm… okay.”

We talked during rehearsals and we always laughed together. We even ate lunch together and we hung out at the mall together. Our parents meet each other and we really hit it off. Then one day, my friend Dora ran up to me and said, “Dan was so mean to me. He gave me the middle finger because I didn’t give him a munchkin.”
I said, “What? I don’t understand why he would be so rude to you.”

I walked around the auditorium looking for Dan and I asked people if they had seen him. They all said, “No.”
I checked the halls and I even went out by the front entrance, but I still couldn’t find him. I decided to sit by our backpacks and I waited for him.
Finally, I found him, and I asked, “Where did you go? Why were you being rude to my friend? What’s going on with you?”
I didn’t give him a chance to talk too much, which I later regretted that. I blurted out, “We have to break up.”
He said, “Why? We are great together and I messed up. I am so sorry.”
I don’t know why, but I had this feeling that sorry from him wasn’t good enough, so I left. I knew that I was acting on impulse, but I wanted to stick with my decision.
After a few weeks, I saw Dan and I asked him, “Are you okay?”
He responded, “Yeah, I’m fine.”
I knew deep down, he wasn’t fine, but what else could I do.

About four years later, I realized how stupid I was, but now Dan and I are friends and we couldn’t be happier.