Puppy Love

Living in Dorm C, Junior Boys Dormitory, Silver Oak Wing, Rockwood International School, Brian Wolfe was no stranger to trials and tribulation. To wear yesterday’s dirty underwear or not, to take a bath or not, to own up to breaking the shower head or not. Luckily, super quick decision- making in the face of insurmountable odds was his forte, even if he did say so himself.

But he was now faced with a conundrum of the most peculiar nature and he found himself ill-equipped to deal with it. Brian Wolfe was in love. And this time, he desperately wanted to do it right. He’d learnt from past experience that girls didn’t view sticking gum in their hair or pulling their ponytail as a sign of affection. ‘Had,’ he wondered, ‘his decision making skills deserted him?’

“Hmmm....,” Elaine Rawlings finally spoke.

Brian swallowed. ‘Maybe’, he thought hysterically to himself, ‘the direct approach wasn’t such a good idea’.

“It’s kind of clichéd to bully the girl you fancy, you know”

“Is that right?” Brian grinned, trying to show a nonchalance he didn’t feel.

“Yeah.”

Brian cleared his throat to break the awkward pause that followed her statement. “Er...so, is that a ‘no’?” he asked in a would-be casual tone, as she turned to walk away.

“We-ell....why don’t you get me an apology gift for ruining my hair to start with?” she said, running her hand through her now short mop of hair.

‘And....then will...you know,’ Brian trailed off when he realised how desperate he sounded.

“Hmmm...I wonder” Elaine said with a coquettish smile and walked off.

Brian made his way back to his dorm in a daze, a silly grin on his face. The day really couldn’t get better! Pot roast for dinner and a promise of ‘I wonder’.