The following day at school Lila explained her brilliant plan to Jack and Monica and their friends and showed them my letter. Jack and Monica loved the idea and decided to put it into action as soon as they could. When Katie and I were walking into school that morning I was greeted by Jack and received quite a different greeting from the day before. “Ty! My man, how’s it gliden?” Jack asked with a fake smile playing across his face. I looked suspiciously at him and replied cautiously, “Smooth, thanks.” “Hey Monica and I were wondering if you wanted to join us for lunch today? We’ve got one empty spot open.” Jack said, emphasizing one making it clear Katie was not invited. “Uh… sure, see you at lunch.” I replied utterly confused about the event that had just transpired. “Great!, See you then”, Jack said walking away as his grin changed into a sly smirk. When she was sure Jack was out of ear shot Katie asked, “What was that?” I looked at her just as confused “I don’t know, maybe they’ve finally come around. We will find out at lunch I suppose.” “You’re actually going to sit with them?” Katie asked, her voice dropping an octave and her face down cast. “Well yeah,” Almost inaudibly she replied, “Oh ok, well I have to go return a book.” And she walked away without another word. Later that day at lunch I sat at Monica’s table and felt for the first time in my life that I was worth something. “So Ty, are you going to the pollination dance?” Monica asked sweetly as her wings fluttered. “Definitely” I replied, brimming with confidence. Monica mentioned on several occasions during lunch how she would like to go but that she didn’t have a date. “This is almost too easy” I thought to myself as we left the cafeteria. Monica and I were heading the same direction, so when her friends had departed I asked nervously, “um… Monica, do you want to go to the pollination dance with me? She beamed and accepted at once. The rest of the day was bliss, and I didn’t notice that Katie was absent from our edibleology class. The days leading up to the dance were like the dreams I always dwelled on. Two days after I had lunch with Monica I started to notice that Katie wasn’t anywhere to be found, but after a momentary thought I would forget about her and return to my new world. The days before the dance flew by and I ate lunch and spent all of my time with Jack and Monica. When school was over I went home to get changed. I tried calling Katie but she didn’t pick up her celery phone. A few hours later, dressed in my best attire I found myself in the school’s gym about to have the best night of my life. I met up with my new friends and started dancing with Lila when she said “Ty, Monica told me she totally wants to kiss you tonight!” My heart thudded in my chest at the suggestion. After dancing with Lila I went up to Monica and asked her to dance. Before I lead her to the dance floor, something caught my eye over her shoulder. A butterfly I had never seen before was just walking into the gym; she was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on – and somehow oddly familiar. I reminded myself that my dream was about to come true. I danced with Monica Monarch and pushed the mysterious butterfly out of my mind. A slow romantic song came on and Monica and I began slowly rotating on the spot so close I could hear every flutter of her wings. At the end of the song I took a deep breath and went in for the kiss. “Whoa, what do you think you are doing ? You are the last insect in this ecosystem that I would ever even consider touching and that is below fleas and maggots.”, Monica said in a cold voice. I looked at her confused, when Jack yelled “What are you doing with my girlfriend creep.” I felt a hot blush engulf my face and my chest begin to rattle as the entire school started laughing at me. Tears started sliding down my face as I flew for the door. Flying like I’d never flown before I eventually found myself in a bathroom stall gasping with sobs, my dreams crushed by the girl I thought I loved. I heard the door open slowly and a familiar voice asked, “Ty? Are you in here?” It was Katie. I felt guilt rush through me, as Katie, my true friend whom I had neglected for the evil insects, came to my rescue. I allowed her to open the stall door and as it swung open I felt my mouth fall open. I was looking at the beautiful butterfly I saw in the gym, I was speechless. She stood there silent just looking at me, and then said “I told you she was a nectar sucker. “I laughed and said, “Katie I’m so sorry for going off with those jerks, I was so hung up on Monica I never noticed what was right in front of me. Katie looked at me and said, “You’ve always told me I was beautiful, but I never told you how I feel” and with that she leaned in and kissed me. “Let’s get out of here, I said”, still in utter disbelief. Side by side, Katie and I flew out of the school, turning heads and dropping jaws. In that moment my thoughts belonged only to Katie, and for the first time in my life I didn’t care what anyone thought of me.