What a Crush Is All About

Darla shook her head violently.

"Like I'll ever do something like that!" She protested.

Her best friend Sophie managed to look both impatient and amused at the same time.

"Just put it on, will you?"

Darla sighed and did as she was told. Carefully, she put on the dress, not wanting to destroy it. It wasn't her money that had payed for it, but she knew very well how much a dress like that cost; enough to make her terrified at the thought of somehow damaging it.

Sophie helped her with the zipper, and stepped back to fully admire it. Her eyes twinkled like stars at the sight. In a good way, and her smile gave Darla a forewarning of what was to come. Surely she couldn't look that good?

"You look sooo pretty!" Sophie almost shrieked. "Oh my God! You just have to see it for yourself!"

She almost dragged Darla to the mirror and forced her to face the glass.

To tell the truth, Darla looked pretty. Or maybe it was the dress? The extremely pink creation really fitted the teenager well, and Darla had to admit that it wasn't very bad. Not bad at all, really.

"I'm sure he will notice you now, don't you think?" Sophie smiled and hugged Darla from behind. "Of course he can't ignore such a beauty if she's standing right in front of him.

"I think it's more the dress that is pretty, and not me", Darla said, looking a bit embarassed. "Thanks a bunch, Soph. I can't believe you would actually let me borrow something like that. It must have cost you a fortune."

"Nah, it's okay", Sophie said. "I do have the money. And pink really isn't my colour. It looks great on you, though."

"Thanks."

"If only it could be Friday tonight... I can't wait to see Zach's reaction. I'm sure he'll be head over heels in love with you, if he isn't already." Sophie pouted. "Oh well, there's nothing to do about it anyway."

"I don't think a single dress is going to change the way he looks at me", Darla said, looking a bit amused by her friend's enthusiasm.

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Don't say that. You never know."



‘Right. You never know. I can't believe I actually did this’, Darla thought, her heart beating fast as she approached the party. The party. Friday night. According to Sophie, this was it. The day she would actually approach the boy of her dreams. Zach.

Almost chickening out, Darla stopped. Her legs felt like marshmellows. Why did she always end up like this when she was nervous.

"Come on!" Sophie protested, and pushed the other girl in front of her. "You can't stop now, think about all the time I spent on your make-up!"

"That's my girl, Sophie. Always thinking about others before herself", Sophie said, making a lame attempt at joking.

As Sophie rolled her eyes at the faintness in Darla's voice, she suddenly caught a sight of the boy in subject, arriving elegantly, looking even more gorgeous than normally.

"Good luck", she wispered, and watched anxiously as Darla's and Zach's gazes met.

For a moment, they were staring into each other, Zach looking a bit surprised, and Darla looking thunderstruck. Then, believe it or not, Zach nodded at her and his face lit up in a smile as sunny as sun itself.

As Darla felt the blood rush to her face, she walked towards him, seeking courage in his lovely smile.