Chapter 3

Tanya couldn’t wait to spill the juicy details on how she managed to land Marshall. It was just like in middle school when she convinced Jeremiah Taylor to come to Khrystyna’s 13th birthday party with her.

“Marnie, guess what?”

“What is it, Tanya,” sounding a bit perturbed, “did you break another nail?!”

“No, Marshall asked me to the homecoming dance.”

“I thought he was dating Khrystyna?”

“Well, I guess things must not be going to well.”

“What did you do to come between them this time, Tanya?”

“What makes you think I did anything to break those two up?”

“I know you, Tanya. You would do anything for the guy you set your eyes on.”

“Well, FYI, I didn’t do anything to break them up. Maybe Marshall and Khrystyna just aren’t right for each other.”

“Okay, if you say so. I believe you, Tanya.”

“Well, Marnie, I’ve got to get to chemistry class. Can’t be late. TTYL. Bye!”

“TTYL, Tanya!

Tanya puts away her cell, and with a sly smile, she thinks to herself, “Khrystyna won't know what hit her when Marshall is hers/ She thinks to herself, what Marnie doesn’t know won’t hurt her. Besides, she didn't have to explain herself to Marnie. She walks to her chemistry class dreaming of being with Marshall.

Chapter 4

“Tanya, will you go homecoming with me?” Marshall asked an ecstatic Tanya, who kept her enthusiasm in check.

“You want me to go to homecoming with you?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t believe you asked me?”

“Well, Khrystyna’s been acting like a child lately.” Marshal pointed out.

“Well, if you really want me to go…Yes! I’ll go with you to homecoming!” Tanya told him, but secretly couldn’t wait to tell Khrystyna.

Tanya sees Khrystyna in the hallway at school and decides to rub her nose in the fact that Marshall asked her to the homecoming dance tomorrow night.

“Hey, Khrystyna! Has Marshall asked you to the homecoming dance yet?”

“No he hasn’t.”

“Gee, I wonder why?!”

“I guess he decided not to ask me and he asked someone else.”

“And do you know who that someone else is?”

“I don’t really care, Tanya. I don’t care if he asked you to the dance.”

“So you don’t mind if I did accept Marshall’s invitation to the homecoming dance?”

“Tanya, you could go with every guy in this school and I still wouldn’t care.”

“Well, what will you be doing if you won’t be attending the dance?”

“Stuffing my face with whatever I can find in the fridge.”

“Well, Khrystyna, I’ll think of you while I’m dancing with Marshall. You have a nice time, whatever you do.”

Tanya snickers as she walks off to her next class. Khrystyna runs to the bathroom feeling humiliated. She can’t believe that Marshall asked Tanya to the homecoming dance. She had always dreamed of her and Marshall attending the dance arm in arm. Now that dream won’t come true. Tanya has ruined her dream.

Chapter 5

After sulking for an hour while in the girls' rest room, Khrystyna decides to confront Marshall to see what went wrong with the two of them. Khrystyna finds Marshall shooting hoops in the gymnasium.

“Marshall, may I have a talk with you?”

“Sure, let's have a seat here on the bleachers.”

“Why did you ask her to homecoming? I thought we had plans to go together?”

“I thought you were angry with me and didn’t want to go. So I asked Tanya to go with me.”

“What’s happening between us, Marshall?”

“I don’t know. All I was doing was tutoring Tanya in her math class and you flipped out about it.”

“She’s manipulating you, Marshall. Can’t you see it?” Khrystyna tried to reason with him.

“So, I’m supposed to ignore a friend in need of help with a class she’s having trouble with because of my drama-queen girlfriend?”

“Tanya’s not a friend, she’s scheming to be your girlfriend! She planned this whole ruse. I’ll bet she isn’t even failing her classes!”

“That’s a mean, cold-hearted thing to say. I didn’t think you could be so cruel, Khrystyna.”

“Oh, so now I am the cruel one.”

“Khrystyna, you've changed. You're not the same girl I met!” Marshall spits out at her.

“Well, I hope you have fun at homecoming.” Khrystyna tells him, as she walks out of the gymnasium.

“I plan on it.” Marshall yells after her.

“Don’t ever call me again, Marshall. We’re finished.”

Khrystyna is so hurt, she can’t even finish the rest of the school day. She packs up her books from her locker, stuffs them in her backpack, and walks home.