Lunch in the courtyard. Monique, Ashley, Lucas, and Corbin were watching Vanessa and Adam. They saw them sitting across from each other, but acting in a way that suggested they were more than ffriends.
“I don’t get it,” Lucas said. “Adam totally acted like he wasn’t in love with Vanessa.”
“Here, watch this,” Corbin said. “Hey, Adam!”
Adam and Vanessa stood up quickly and came over, laughing like good ‘ole best ffriends.
“So, lovely day, isn’t it?” Adam askedd.
“Clearly they’re hiding something,” Monique whispered to Ashley.
Riinng! It was the bell to their next class.
Their ffriends ran ahead, but Adam and Vanessa hung back a bit. Their ffriends watched them spin into a meaningful hug before they walked off in different directions to class.
Later that afternoon, they saw Adam talking to another girl.
“Is he flirting with her?” Lucas askedd.
“I don’t know,” Corbin replied. “I’ve never known Adam to be a flirt, or use other girls while we think he’s in love with Vanessa.”
“Your right,” Lucas said. “But let’s keep a close eye, just in case.”

“Hey, Adam,” Lucas said. “You have a date to the dance yet?”
“No,” Adam replied. “Why do you ask?”
“Well, we just wanted to know, if in the case you don’t have a date, maybe you could ask a really close friend,” Lucas suggested.
“You mean like Vanessa?” Adam asked. “No way! She’ll think of it like a date, and there is no way I like her like that!”
Lucas and Corbin extachanged glances.
“A date?” Corbin exclaimed. “No, just ask her. Come on Adam. The worst that could happen is she’d say someone already asked her, or no.”
“Fine,” Adam said.
An hour later, Vanessa opened her locker, and a piece of paper fell out. She picked it up and it read,
Vanessa,
Just a question, completely out of the blue, but, will you go to the dance with me?
Sincerely,
Adam
Wow. She thought. I never thought he’d ask me to a dance. Is he trying this as a date? No, he doesn’t like me that way.
The last school bell went, Rinng!
“Guys, I put that note in Vanessa’s locker two hours ago,” Adam said. “Shasn't’t replied, and I’m nervous. What if she said no, but doesn’t want to tell me?”
“Dude, its okay,” Corbin said. “It’s hard for a guy to ask a girl to a dance. I had trouble asking Vanessa’s friend Monique. Everyone gets nervous.”
Then Vanessa came walking toward them and Adam cried, “Oh no, here she comes. She’s going to cancel on me now. What do I do?”
“Dude, we’ve never seen you like this when you’re around Vanessa. What’s wrong?” Lucas asked.
“Oh…I…um…I have f- I can’t explain it. It’s too complicated,” Adam stuttered.
“Hey, Adam,” Vanessa said.
“Oh, hey, Vanessa,” Adam said, scratching the back of his head.
“So, I got your note and…,” Vanessa started.
“And someone already asked you,” Adam finished.
“No, I…,” Vanessa tried again.
“Don’t want to go with me,” Adam stammered.
“No, Adam, just listen,” Vanessa said calmly. “I’ve never seen you like this around me, but I came over to say I’m sorry I took so long to reply to your note, but I don’t do too well with replying back in writing. I’d rather tell you myself than stick a note in your locker saying if I’ll go or not.”
“So, what are you saying?” Adam asked.
“I think it was really sweet that you asked me to the dance,” Vanessa said. “Not too many guys like me and it must have taken a lot of guts to ask me.”
“Yeah, you don’t know how much I was fretting before you came over,” Adam said. “So, you…”
“So, what I’m saying is… thanks for the invitation and I’ll be glad to go with you,” Vanessa said.
“Oh, great,” Adam sighed with relief. “So, see you there.”
“Yeah, can’t wait,” Vanessa said, slipping back down the hall.
“Well, you finally got your date,” Corbin said.
“Yeah, and I think it was worth asking Vanessa,” Adam said.
His friends couldn’t agree more. But what they didn’t know was they were in for a shocking surprise.
That night, the gym was turned into a romantic Valentines dance.
Adam, dressed in a suit, was talking with Lucas and Corbin, with Monique at Corbin’s side.
All of a sudden, both Corbin and Lucas looked up at the entrance and stopped talking.
Adam, not knowing the reason they turned away and were staring at the entrance, snapped his fingers trying to get their attention. “Um, guys?” he said. “Come back to earth.”
“Uh, dude,” Corbin said, still staring. “If you turn around and see who’s here, you might find the reason why we’re staring. Then you probably won’t be able to take your eyes off her.”
Adam turned, and saw Vanessa. Suddenly, to him, everyone magically disappeared from the room, and they were the only two left alone in the room.
She wore a red dress, with pink roses on top, and red high heels, and her long hair falling down her back.
She came up to him and said, “Hey.”
“Wow…I…um…,” Adam stuttered.
“Yeah, you got one lucky date,” Lucas whispered.
“Still not talking like normal,” Vanessa observed.
A romantic song started to play and Adam was able to collect himself and ask, “May I have this dance?”
“Of course you may,” Vanessa said.
They walked to the middle of the dance floor and began to slow dance.
“Oh, they look so cute together,” Ashley said, watching the two.
“Yeah, and I helped Vanessa get ready,” Monique said.
“So, you planned Adam’s reaction?” Lucas asked.
“Yeah. And even though Vanessa won’t aadmitshe’s crushing on Adam, I thought helping her get ready and making her look really hot, would get Adam to aadmithis feelings, then Vanessa would aadmithers,” Monique said.
“Wow Adam. I didn’t know you could slow dance,” Vanessa said.
“Yeah, I’m pretty good,” Adam said, not able to stop himself from gazing into her eyes. “But there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What?” Vanessa asked.
“Well, I don’t know how to put it, considering how long we’ve known each other, you’d think I’m joking,” Adam said.
Vanessa looked up, and saw it was time for her to leave.
“Oh, I’m sorry Adam,” she said. “Maybe you can tell me tomorrow, but I need to leave. But I’ll remember this night forever.”
She started to walk away, but Adam reached for her and said, “Wait, maybe I can walk you home. I bet you’d want the company.”
Vanessa greatly appreciated the offer, so they said goodbye to their friends and left. They began to walk under the shinning silver moon and Vanessa said, “Wow. It really is a lovely night.”
“Yeah,” Adam agreed. “And you look so gorgeous under the silver moon.”
“Really?” Vanessa asked, flipping her head towards him, and her hair flipped over the side of her face.
“Really,” Adam said, brushing it away for her.
They reached her house, and Vanessa said, “Thanks for walking me home Adam. I enjoyed it. And for the dance. I will remember everything that happened tonight forever.”
She began to walk inside, but Adam reached for her again, and said, “Wait Vanessa. Before you leave me tonight, I have something for you. Turn around.”
She turned, and he drew out a necklace. Then he clipped it on her and Vanessa looked down and saw the little red rose.
“Oh Adam!” she cried. “It matches my dress.”
“I know,” Adam said. “I found that a coincidence. And one more thing.”
He leaned over and kissed her cheek, and whispered, “Maybe this will get you thinking.”
“Thinking about what?” Vanessa asked.
He smiled as he began to walk himself home and said, “You’ll have to figure it out.”

“So, tell us all the details on last night,” Ashley said the next morning.
“Well, he walked me home and gave me a little something,” Vanessa said.
“What’d he give you?” Monique and Ashley asked together.
Vanessa reached into her bag and pulled out the necklace.
“Oh, how sweet of him,” Monique said. “I think only a true boyfriend would do something like that.”
Vanessa gave her a puzzled look as she put it on.
“When are you going to stop with this “boyfriend” thing?” Vanessa asked.
“When you finally admit your true feelings about Adam and you two are together,” Monique said. “I mean, come on Vanessa! Everyone in the school knows how you and Adam would literally be like the Class Couple. Everyone’s talking about it, I mean; it’s like the juiciest gossip this year. How do you not know about it?”
“Because I don’t listen to it, and nobody’s said anything except you two,” Vanessa said. “Adam will probably tell me if he likes me.”
“What else did he do last night?” Ashley asked.
“Well, the last thing he did was kiss me on the cheek, and said, “maybe this will get you thinking” and “you’ll have to figure it out”,” Vanessa said.
“See? He obviously likes you,” Monique said. “Now, tell us what you think of him.”
“Well, fine,” Vanessa said. “I somehow never saw how cute Adam really looked until last night.”
“Oh yeah, that proves you’re in love with him, now go and tell him how you really feel towards him,” Monique said, pushing her along.
They reached the courtyard, and they pushed Vanessa right next to Adam and ran off.
His back was to her and he was talking to another girl. He waved her off, and turned around in shocking surprise.
“Oh, hey Vanessa,” he said. “What’s up?”
“Oh…I…um…,” she started, not knowing what to say. “Who was that girl you were talking to?”
“Oh, just another friend,” Adam said. “Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask you, do you want to take a little sunset stroll with me after school?”
She smiled and replied, “I’d like that.”
That afternoon, Adam and Vanessa set off on a sunset walk down the beach. Whenever Vanessa wasn’t looking, Adam would gaze at her beautiful dark hair that fell down her back and was gently blowing in the breeze.
When Adam wasn’t looking, Vanessa would get lost in his deep blue eyes.
At one point, they both looked up, Adam gazing at Vanessa, Vanessa gazing at Adam and held it there. Then Adam slipped his hand into hers, and Vanessa leaned herself into Adam.
Strolling back towards Vanessa’s, they watched the sky turn colors. When they reached her house, Vanessa said, “Thanks for a wonderful afternoon. I had fun.”
“Yeah, me too,” Adam said. “Hey, have you heard that rumor about us being like, the Class Couple or something?”
“Oh, that. Yeah, my girlfriends told me about that this morning,” Vanessa said. “Why? Do you believe it?”
“Well, they might be right,” Adam said. “Maybe it’s true. And it would be fun.”
“I don’t know Adam,” Vanessa said. “But maybe we can talk about this tomorrow. It’s getting late, and it’s a school night. I have to go.”
But in his heart, Adam just didn’t want her to leave him. Ever since the dance, every time he got to spend alone time with her, he just wanted it to last forever. And that’s exactly what he wanted to do tonight. She began to walk away, and Adam gently pulled her back so his body was against hers.
“Adam…I have a feeling you are too strong,” Vanessa said.
“I don’t know,” Adam replied. “I think this just feels… right.”
In a few minutes, Vanessa actually began to really soak it all in and felt like she was melting into him. His fingers started to graze her cheek, and he leaned in. As they were about to kiss… “Oh my gosh Vanessa!! You have a boyfriend!!??” a little girl cried.
They separated, and Vanessa said, “No Danielle. He’s just a friend.”
“See, this is what I get for that,” she whispered to Adam.
“Well, you look pretty cozy to me,” Danielle said.
“Well, would you look at the time,” Vanessa said. “Its past your bedtime Danielle. Good night Adam.”
She urged her sister into the house and the door closed behind her. Adam waited a few seconds before Vanessa slipped back out. He leaned towards her and kissed her cheek, before she disappeared for the night. Then, smiling, he walked himself home for the night too.

“So, he really tried to kiss you?” Ashley askedd.
“Yeah, and it felt kind-of nice,” Vanessa said.
“Well, let’s go see Adam and see what he thought,” Corbin said.
They slipped out into the courtyard where they saw Adam, and they couldn’t believe their eyes.
“Adam! What are you doing with that girl?!!” Vanessa cried.
Adam pulled away from their embrace and stood up quickly.
“Oh, hey Vanessa,” he said. “I’d like you to meet my girlfriend Rachel.”
“What are you… cheating on me with her?” Vanessa askedd.
“Vanessa, I can explain,” Adam said.
“Don’t bother,” she said. “Just don’t talk to me anymore.”
She stormed off with her friend’s right behind her.
He sighed and looked down into his palm where she had dropped the necklace before she ran off.
“Dude, I don’t know what you were thinking, but I think you just made a bad move,” Corbin said.
Then he and Lucas walked away too.
“So, Adam, can we get back to where we left off?” Rachel askedd.
“No Rach,” Adam sighed. “I’ve just made a huge mistake, and I’ve got to go figure it out alone.”
“So, no movie night tonight?” Rachel askedd.
Adam shook his head sadly, and feeling a lot of guilt, and pain, he slumped away.
Great. He thought. I’ve now lost a really good friend who I’ve fallen in love with. But how do I tell her how I really feel?
That was the one question burning in the back of his mind as he dragged himself home.
He opened the front door, and his older brother Jake greeted him. “Hey, little bro! Why the long face?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Adam mumbled, stumbling to the stairs.
Jake grabbed him by the arm, and dragged him to his room. “Whoa there,” he said. “When you’re down like this, we’re going to talk about it. Now, tell me what’s on your mind.”
“Its girl problems,” Adam said.
“What? Something wrong with Rachel?” Jake askedd.
“Well, Vanessa found out I’m dating Rachel,” Adam said. “She stormed off and now…”
“What?” Jake askedd.
“Well, I’ve been realizing over the past week that I’ve fallen in love,” Adam said.
“With who? Vanessa?” Jake askedd.
“Yeah,” Adam said.
“Wow. I’m impressed,” Jake said. “I think you should ask her out. She is one hot chick. Rachel isn’t your type. I don’t even know why you started dating her in the first place.”
“I know,” Adam mumbled in agreement. “She kind-of chose me. Then I think when she fell in love with me, I realized she was my first girlfriend, so we went on. But now I’m really in love with Vanessa, but she’s never going to talk to me again. How do I win her back?”
“First thing you do is you dump Rachel,” Jake said. “I mean, it won’t be that hard, considering you’ve never been in love with her.”
“But because she’s the first girl I’ve ever dated, I can’t do it. She’ll get mad at me,” Adam said.
“Do you want to win Vanessa’s heart back?” Jake askedd.
Adam nodded.
“So you have to straight up tell Rachel you’ve fallen for Vanessa,” Jake said. “Sure, she’ll probably be mad at you for a while, but it’s the only way. When Vanessa sees you’re single, she’ll trust you again and come after you. That’s when you tell her how you really feel.”
“Wow, thanks,” Adam said.
“Hey, tell me when you get together with Vanessa,” Jake said. “Because you are one lucky guy to have a friend like her. If she was a few years older, I’d ask her out.”
“Yeah. You should have seen her on the night of the dance. Man she was something,” Adam said. “But you have got to stop it with my friends and get yourself a girlfriend.”

Adam walked into the courtyard and found Rachel. He walked up to her and said, “Hey Rach. We need to talk.”
“About what?” she asked.
He walked her right under a shady tree and said, “This is really hard to do, but it’s got to be done.”
“What?” Rachel asked.
“Rach, you being my first girlfriend was new and exciting,” Adam said. “But I realize now that you were in love with me, but I never felt the same way. All this time, I think we should have been friends.”
“What are you talking about?” Rachel asked.
“The night of the dance, I went and met up with Vanessa. I have always looked at her as a friend, but nothing more. But that night was when I saw the other side of her and literally fell for her,” Adam said. “I know this is hard for you to understand, but this is the way I’m feeling now. You can get as mad as you want at me, I understand how you feel. But I just think you should find someone else that you know will be in love with you, as you are to them. But I just think it will be better for the both of us if we’re just friends.”
“Wh-wh-why?” Rachel questioned, her eyes filling up with tears.
“I’ve had a change in heart,” Adam said calmly.
Then Rachel got red in the face, and slammed her foot on his.
Well, I think that went pretty well. He thought.
“Oh…ow that’s my foot,” he cried in pain after Rachel stomped away.
Then Vanessa came walking by and Adam said, “Hey Vanessa I…”
But she turned and walked the other way.
“Hey dude, you okay?” Corbin asked.
“Well, I just dumped Rachel, and I feel good about that, but Vanessa still isn’t talking to me,” Adam said.
Days started going by, and nothing was going right between Adam and Vanessa.
Adam wished Vanessa would talk to him, but she never did. But she was all he could think about. He longed to have Vanessa in his arms, so close to him, he could kiss her to prove his true feelings towards her, but he couldn’t. He knew. For now, it was over between them, but Adam didn’t want it that way. He wished he could change the past, but now he has to prove he’s innocent.
Vanessa was also feeling down, knowing when she first walked off on him; it was the right thing to do. But now, knowing she was totally in love with him, she knew he’d never forgive her now. But her heart was telling her to move on. But did she want to? No! She wished she could be nuzzled in his arms, not able to stop herself from gazing into his eyes, for them to share their first kiss together. But Vanessa wouldn’t let anyone know. Why? Everyone would freak, especially her girlfriends. But, being the Class Couple with Adam…wouldn’t that be something? But somehow she had to keep it from everyone’s wondering eyes until the one person knew how she really felt, and all they could do is hope and maybe somehow fall into each others arms.

Days still lingered on, and Adam and Vanessa were as miserable as ever. Their friends tried to help, but all they could do was push them along, or not help at all.
“Dude, cheer up,” Lucas said one day. “There are other fish in the sea.”
“Other fish in the sea?” Adam growled, glaring at him. “For who knows how long, you two were torturing me to admit I’m in love with Vanessa. Now, I’ve lost her totally.”
“Well, maybe not,” Corbin said. “Remember how you got Vanessa to go to the dance?”
“Yeah, but how does that help me?” Adam asked.
“Just use that same technique to win her back,” Corbin said.
Walking down the hall, Ashley, Monique and Vanessa were talking amongst each other.
“Vanessa, you can’t just faze Adam out like this,” Ashley said. “I mean, I know it was stupid of him to have been dating Rachel, and he never said anything, but PLEASE talk to us. We want to help. You’ve just been ignoring everyone. What’s on your mind?”
“The lying doofus thinks he can sneak around hiding secrets behind my back,” Vanessa mumbled.
“Oh really? You believe Adam’s a liar?” Monique asked. “Or are you the liar? Tell us how you really feel.”
“I’m totally in love with him, okay?” Vanessa cried. “I have been this whole time. I just didn’t know why anyone would care. But then you two were talking about Adam and I being the Class Couple and that wanted me to tell him how I felt then. But I didn’t know how he would have reacted. Then at the dance, he started, and afterwards when he gave me the necklace, I started wondering and pondering if he really liked me. It wasn’t until after the sunset walk we went on I knew he was in love with me. But when we saw him with Rachel, what was running through my head was that it was all an act, so I dumped him. Now I know he cares more about Rachel than me.”
She opened her locker and a piece of paper fell out. She picked it up and it read,



Vanessa,
I know you’re probably still incredibly mad at me. It was wrong what I did, and I can’t do anything except think of you, and I apologize for not saying anything about me and Rachel. I can’t explain all I really want to say to you in this letter, and I want to do anything to show my true feelings I have been feeling towards you for the past few weeks, so please come to my house tonight at 6p.m. and I’ll be able to explain it all.
Yours Truly,
Adam
“Well, looks like you have a little chat with Adam tonight,” Ashley said.
“Yeah, and somehow I think I know what he’s going to tell me,” Vanessa said.
That night, Vanessa strolled over to Adam’s house and rang the doorbell. The door opened and she saw Jake.
“Hey there, hot chick,” he said. “What brings you here this late?”
“Jake, I’m out of here. Just tell Adam I’ll see him another time,” Vanessa said, turning to leave.
In his mind he saw Adam’s reaction and how bruised he’d be if it became his fault that Vanessa left.
“Wait, Vanessa,” Jake called. “Adam really, really, really wants you here. I’d be the one blamed if you left and even though Adams younger, he can really beat me up. But have you looked in the mirror lately?”
“Yeah, I have,” Vanessa replied turning towards him. “I’m so out of here.”
“Adam will kill me if he found out you left because of me,” Jake said. “You don’t know how much you really mean to Adam now. If you leave now, you’ll never find out.”
She came back and asked, “Where is he?”
“In the living room,” Jake said.
She started to walk past him, paused for a second and said, “You really need to get yourself a girlfriend.”
“Everyone keeps telling me that,” Jake said.
She walked to the living room, and the door was closed, so she knocked.
“Come in,” Adam said.
Vanessa opened the door, came in and shut the door behind her.
“What’s all this about?” she asked, seeing all the lit candles and hearing the soft romantic music.
“Come here and sit next to me on the couch and I’ll tell you,” Adam said.
Vanessa crossed over to the couch, and sat next to him.
“So I’m really sorry about the thing with Rachel,” he said. “I never even liked her. She was in love with me, but I never loved her back. She was just the first girl who I saw more than a friend, so I went for it.”
“But then you never told me, so when I found out, I just thought you didn’t care about me anymore,” Vanessa said.
“Vanessa, why would you think that?” Adam asked.
“Hello?! You were wrapped up in an embrace with her when I saw you,” Vanessa said.
“Oh, sorry,” Adam said. “But as soon as I realized you were more important to me than Rachel was, I dumped her.”
“And when was that?” Vanessa asked.
“The day after you dumped me,” Adam said. “The first time I looked at you and saw you as more than a friend was at the dance. When I saw how gorgeous you looked, I instantly fell in love with you.”
But Adam couldn’t hide it. Not anymore. Not with the way he was feeling towards Vanessa. He started inching closer to her. He was close enough to reach his hand to her face, but not close enough to kiss her to prove his true feelings towards her.
His fingers ran over her cheek, marveling the softness of her skin. Letting his fingers circle her cheek, gazing into her eyes, in a long silence just letting Vanessa soak it all in. Only moments away from Vanessa realizing she was in love with him too, inch closer to him and they’d finally share their first kiss.
“Vanessa, I’m in love with you, you’ve got to believe me,” he said softly. “I would never cheat on anyone, especially you. You are an incredibly gorgeous, intelligent person, and I could ask you what I’ve been meaning to ask you all night, but I can’t until I know how you feel towards me.”
Then she instantly leaned herself into him and began to sob. “I’m so sorry. I just thought you were cheating on me to make me mad. Please forgive me.” she cried into his shoulder.
“What? How could you believe that?” he asked. “And what are you trying to say?”
“All this time I’ve been in love with you,” she said. “But I never knew if you felt the same way. Then my friends told me about us being the Class Couple, and that got me anxious, but I still wouldn’t tell. Then you started to give off hints the night of the dance, but I didn’t know until after the sunset walk you were in love with me. But the next day I saw you with Rachel, and thought everything you did was all an act, so I dumped you. But I am truly in love with you.”
Adam lifted his hand up to her face and gently wiped her face clean, and his fingers lingered on her cheek again.
“Why did you think I’d be mad at you?” he asked.
“I dumped you because I thought wrong,” she said. “I never told you how I really felt until now.”
“Vanessa, look at me,” he said. “It’s not your fault, its mine. I should have told you about her, but I never did because I never thought I’d fall in love with you. But she’s out of the way now, and there’s something I need to give back to you.”
He reached over to where a small table stood, and picked up the necklace. Then he clipped it back on her, and kissed her cheek.
Vanessa turned towards him and said, “And this will prove how in love I am with you.”
She started inching closer to him. Their faces began to move closer together, and when their lips first touched, it was electric.
With the candles burning low, and the music still playing, it was the perfect first kiss.
They separated from their smooch a minute later, and Adam asked softly, “Vanessa, my hearts pounding, and my bodies shaking from all that has happened tonight. I have one last thing to ask you… will you be my girlfriend.”
“I thought you’d never ask,” Vanessa replied.
“Cool,” Adam said.
Then Vanessa rested herself into Adam and he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer to him.
Nestled in Adams arms, Vanessa finally knew she was cozy in his presence and in the arms of a teenage boy she loved and knew she would never let Adam go again.
The night couldn’t have been more perfect for Adam. Finally, he had the girl of his dreams in his arms, and holding her so close to him made him finally realize what love is. He would never let Vanessa go, and now knows Vanessa will never let him go either.
They were so lost in each other’s arms, they lost track of time, but knew what they would have to do the next day.

Walking to school hand in hand, Adam and Vanessa entered Westward High. Everyone turned to look at them and was shocked, but not as shocked as their friends. Corbin came over and began squeezing Adam.
“Hey, don’t break my boyfriend,” Vanessa said.
“Your-Your boyfriend!” they all exclaimed.
“Yeah, just last night,” Vanessa said.
Their friends went and announced it over the intercom, and Adam and Vanessa were crowned Class Couple. They kissed again and felt nothing but the sheer bliss of happiness.