Why does he have to be so good-looking? You know the feeling where you want something that you can’t have? That’s exactly what this is. Sitting with that Ella girl everyday at lunch makes me worry that they have something between them. But, oh well, my parents would die if they knew I was interested in someone that could only afford to be here on a scholarship. But that’s what you get when your parents are the Dunsan's, co owners of the finest restaurant chain in Canada; Makayla's. And yes they did name it after their only daughter; me. So you understand exactly why no one can find out I like him. We haven’t even spoken because I’m sure he knows his boundaries. People on scholarships don’t date people who can afford the whole building to themselves. In fact they don’t even sit near each other. Yet for some reason out of all the good looking rich boys on campus, my heart wants Evan Cooper; one of the smartest, funniest, cutest guys I have never talked to. I worry that if I do, it won’t be as special as the speeding up of my heart rate when he passes by me in the halls makes it seem. But that doesn’t matter. No one knows. And no one will ever know. Especially not Evan.

Grabbing lunch in the scholarship student’s side of the cafeteria, I can see those gorgeous eyes sparkling as she eats her gourmet meal with all of her upscale rich friends. She’s the richest of the rich. Too bad she doesn’t even know I exist. I’m in one of her classes and we pass each other in the halls at least once a day. But we’ve never spoken. Ella thinks I’m crazy for even looking at her, but then again she’s my cousin; who cares what she thinks. She'd never go for a guy like me anyways. She could probably afford the place and I can’t even afford to attend. Luckily I have my brain. If only some of the things I read in textbooks could tell me how to talk to her. You don’t even know how much I want to talk to her, to hold her hand, to see her smile shine towards me. I don’t think she would even look towards me. Most of the students that can afford their own tuition act like everyone else is invisible. They look through us like were nothing, but we’re not. We actually earn our way into school unlike those who just buy their way in. Don’t get me wrong this school is the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I’ll get into University with no problems, but I just wish it wasn’t all about the books. Makayla Cooper has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? If only she would.

The Valentine’s dance will be soon. I’m not worried about not having a date. Every guy seems to want to be with me. I think they want my money. Most guys here are rich, but if they ended up with me they’d be super rich and that’s all they want. I’ve only had a few real boyfriends but none of them have been special. I don’t care about money, I have that. I want something I don’t have, I want love. I wish Evan would ask me, but he’ll probably go with Ella, I think they’re dating. They’re always together and he doesn’t hang out with any other girls. Maybe I’ll just go with some friends to make a statement. Walk straight over to him and plant my lips firmly on his. Let them all talk; it won’t matter because I’ll be with him. Ha. What a funny thought. But it’s what I think about every night when I close my eyes. And in my dreams he wants to be with me too.

Ella tells me we should go to the Valentine’s dance together. She says no one knows we’re related and that way we wouldn’t look like dateless losers. When she said that, something clicked inside me. I’m going to ask Makayla Dunsan to the dance. What do I have to lose? Well, maybe my dignity but if she turns me down I’ll just have to take Ella up on her offer. And if she brutally turns me down, well, then I’ll go home. And never show my face at this school again. I look up and see her pass by me. She swishes her golden hair over her shoulder and doesn’t even see me. I can’t do this. Her friends look at me funny as they pass and I’m standing there gawking like an idiot. I’ll just go with Ella. But I can’t, I’ve wanted to go to a dance with Makayla since the moment I saw her beautiful face. Her always perfect wavy long blonde hair, her beautifully lip glossed smile and eyes as green as emeralds. Those eyes could kill me and bring me back to life. I can’t face them. I’ll have to leave her a note. That’s romantic right? Girls like romance. I’ll do it. Hopefully it doesn’t bite me in the end. Hopefully she says yes.

When I open my locker in the morning something falls to my feet. I put my bag down and pick it up. It’s a note. “I’ve liked you for a long time and I would be honoured if you went to the Valentine’s dance with me. I know I’m not someone you’d normally go with and I know I should have asked you in person, but I really hope you say yes.” Oh wow. I stood there blushing like crazy. I looked at the note again. There’s no name on it. I looked around to see if my admirer was still around but no one stuck out at me. And then I see Evan with Ella, laughing while they buy tickets to the dance. Why couldn’t it have been from him?


Crap. Crap crap crap. After I slid the note in Makayla’s locker this morning I realized I forgot to write my name. So much for my brain. It can get me a scholarship to one of the top schools in Canada, yet it can’t remember to write my name on a note? Now she’ll never know it was from me. I went with Ella to buy our dance tickets this morning. I bought two just in case and Ella bought hers. I watched Makayla open her locker while I paid and Ella made fun of me for chickening out. I saw her looking around clearly impressed by what I wrote. But of course she wouldn’t be looking for me. She would be looking for some handsome rich kid, which is someone I can never be. I need to ask her in person.

Since I didn’t find out who wrote me the note and I figure it wasn’t Evan anyways, I decided to mope in the courtyard and throw myself a pity party outside of my dorm that night. The stars were pretty and I wished I could have shared them with Evan. How romantic would that be? I like romance. I was daydreaming about what our future house and kids would look like when I heard a rustling in the bushes. Was someone watching me? I stood up and a boy appeared out of the bushes and walked towards me. My breath caught as Evan stopped and stood right in front of me.

I can’t believe I’m doing this. I’m standing in front of Makayla and I think she’s smiling. Or laughing. But I hope it was the first one. I told her I wrote the note. I pulled out the dance tickets and took her hand, and suddenly I wasn’t afraid. I put one in hers and looked into her eyes and asked her to the dance. She looked back and actually smiled. A full smile that would make anyone smile back. She said yes. She said she’d been hoping I’d ask. She said that she’s liked me for a long time too. And then she kissed me. And I kissed her back. And it was better than anything I had ever dreamed of, and later she told me the same thing. We laid down a blanket and sat on it in the courtyard and stared up at the stars. And for once, nothing else mattered.