Diana's AP English teacher babbled on about Romeo and Juliet for what seemed like hours. Her eyelids were slowly flopping down and she had to pinch herself to stay awake.

"So in the scene where Romeo and Juliet first meet, there is a very important element of symbolism..."

Diana sighed. How is my Calculus class more interesting than this? she thought to herself.

She had brought Violet's dress and a few sewing supplies with her just in case she had some free time. Her teacher was consumed in his lecture, so he wasn't going to notice her sewing... in the middle of class. Completely normal.

She started pulling her supplies out when someone's voice distracted her.

"Dude, it's not funny." It was from Matt. He and his jock friends were also ignoring the lesson and talking about something that made Matt clearly upset. "I'm gonna be going to the dance alone."

"That kinda sucks for you, dude," he said in a surfer-like accent. "You can't be so picky, especially now since everyone has a date."

Not everyone, Diana thought.

"It's not like I'm trying to be picky," Matt argued. "I don't know. I just want someone different than everyone else. I don't want to end up with a walking bleach blonde stereotype."

Diana snorted. She covered her mouth up trying to pretend she hadn't just embarrassed herself.

Matt and the others looked over at her.

"What's so funny?" one of them said trying to sound all intimidating.

"Well," Diana started, "Matt just practically described every girl at our school. And I mean no shade to them, it's just everyone's like everyone. There's no originality."

"And this is coming from the blonde girl," one of them said. The others chuckled.

"Hey, I'm strawberry blonde. Basically a brunette actually," Diana commented.

"She's not wrong," Matt agreed. "I feel like everyone is just the same person here. The same cookie cutter and everything."

"You're gonna be stuck with no date you don't pick soon," Nate added. "And all the girls are drooling over you so why are you worried?"

Matt scoffed. "Yeah right. I've never seen a girl do that. No one cares that much about me."

How oblivious are you? I've seen girls cry when you've just said hello to them.

"I bet she doesn't drool over me," he continued while pointing at Diana.

Don't blush, don't blush, don't blush.

Diana laughed and rolled her eyes. "I'm not a walking stereotype, so no. I don't dream of us being together or anything."

Liar, she thought.

Matt smiled. "So 'I'm-not-a-typical-girl', who are you going with?"

"Oh, I don't think I can go," she said frowning. "I have a lot of chores that have to be done before the dance and I just don't think that I'll finish in time."

"That stinks. Well, I hope you can finish in time," he said apologetically.

Diana smiles back.

Did-does Matt want me to come to the dance? she thought to herself.

She immediately pulls out her phone and texts Patilda.

"Patilda," she starts. "You have to come over later and help me. I think Matt kinda wants me to go to the dance. And he said that he doesn't have a date yet. Crossing our fingers I don't get into much trouble today so no extra chores."

She shoved her phone back in her backpack. Right in time, too. Professor McBoring had just finished his lecture.

"Now," he stated loudly getting everyone's attention back, "your assignment for this weekend is to read Act two scenes one through four and write a two-paragraph summary for each scene."

The class groaned.

"But sir, the dance is tomorrow. Can we wait till next week to do this?" Matt asked.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "It's just a silly Winter Formal. This is your education! You can't just push it back or slack it off. In ten years, you won't remember this dance, but you should hopefully remember the themes of Romeo and Juliet."

Everyone sighed.

"I've always disliked dances," the professor muttered under his breath.

Diana's phone buzzed.

"Omg of course I'll help!" Patilda texted back. "I'll bring some extra sponges and stuff."

"We're gonna need to work extra hard tonight. I just got assigned even more homework," Diana texted.

"Got it. I'll see you after school."
*~*~*
The end of a school day. It's supposed to be relaxing, right? Not for Diana. School was the easiest part of her day. Going home to all the chores, that was the hardest part.

"Diana," Violet said through the phone, "I apparently haven't turned in like six assignments in my biology class and my teacher needs to discuss my 'behavior' with me. And Grace is in detention for being on her phone in class. You're gonna have to wait for us until we get out."

"What?" Diana asked annoyed. "What am I supposed to do for an hour while I wait for you guys?"

"I don't know and I don't care. I've gotta go before I get detention," Violet said hanging up the phone.

Diana sighed. Now she had one less hour to do her chores and get her homework done. And not to mention find a dress, shoes, and accessories. Her hope for going to the dance was shrinking rapidly.

She texted Patilda the bad news and found herself a nice bench out in the courtyard to sit. The most productive thing to do was to start on her homework here and then chores at home.

"Ah, which boring subject to start on first?" she said to herself. "Chemistry, calculus, or English?"

"I vote calculus." Someone said from behind her.

Matt was walking towards her. "I hope that offer for tutoring was real 'cause I need it."

Diana was frozen in shock.

"Hi, Matt," she stammered out.

He sat down across from her. She smiled and pulled out some notebooks.

"Practice got canceled today since most of the team is putting up decorations for the dance," Matt said.

"Bummer," Diana squeaked out. "Not to be rude, but why is the football team setting up the decorations? It's not like you guys are the dance committee."

"I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you this," he said lowering his voice, "but the actual committee bribed the coach. They didn't want to be blamed just in case the dance is lame."

Diana laughed. "That is gold. Well, the dance is gonna be trash anyways but not because of the decorations."

"I know!" Matt exclaimed. "They're even doing Winter Formal's King and Queen. Like what?"

"You're joking. For a little dance like this? They're blowing this dance up of proportion."

"I know right. Like, what's the big deal? It's just a school dance. Why is everyone freaking out about it? It's not even like prom."

"Exactly," Diana agreed.

That sat in silence for a minute and Diana went back to her homework.

"Can I ask you something?" Matt cautiously asked.

Diana nodded her head.

"When you said that you can't go to the dance earlier, was that true?"

"Unfortunately, yeah," Diana said. "I have a unique situation at home to put it nicely."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"It's kinda hard to explain," she explained, "I live with my stepfamily who don't particularly like me. I always seem to get extra loads of work while my sisters get none."

"That sounds rough," he said.

"Yeah, that's just the tip of the iceberg," Diana said flatly. "And right now my sisters are making me do their chores and fix their dresses just so I have a possibility of going to the dance. So on top of the piles of homework our teachers gave us, I have piles of chores to do at home."

"Man, I'm sorry. I wish there was a way I could help," he said making a realization. "Wait, are you Grace and Violet's little sister?"

Diana grimaced. "People don't refer to me as that, do they?"

"No, no. They've just mentioned you before. Wow, I can barely sit through one class with them. I can't imagine living with them."

Diana laughed. "You're telling me. They've probably said that I'm horrible and I've ruined their lives."

"Haha, actually yeah. But nobody believes them cause, well, it's them," he said.

"I know. I always have to watch what I say because I know they'll twist it somehow. I have to keep all my secrets to myself."

"Oh yeah? What kinda secrets?" he taunted.

"I'm not telling you," Diana said laughing. "They're secrets for a reason."

"Well, I know one of them anyways," he claimed.

"Really? Why don't you tell me it," she gestured.

"I know you have a huge crush on me," Matt said smirking.

Diana dropped her pencil. "You-you do?"

Her thoughts started racing. Oh man, he must have known this entire time. I must have looked so stupid in front of him and his friends.

"Yeah, I kinda caught on after I saw your drawing earlier this week."

So, this is what death feels like. I'm going to die of embarrassment.

"You did?" Diana asked.

"Yeah," Matt laughed. "But I honestly wasn't making fun of you earlier. I swear I wasn't trying too."

"Yeah, sure," Diana grunted as her face flushed even more.

"No, I'm serious!" Matt admitted. "And if I'm being honest, I think I've got some feelings for you, too."

Diana's jaw dropped.

"I know it's stupid. I barely know you. I'm not even sure I know you're name," he blatantly said.

Wow, that makes me feel really good.

"But I want to get to know you," he continued on, "and not just as that girl from math and English. I wanna get to know you personally and your history. I wanna know all about you. So, I have a little proposal for us."

Diana was listening intently. I do, yes. Whatever you want, Matt.

"Since I don't have a date, and you don't have a date, do you wanna go together? You know, if you get the chance to go at all," he asked hesitantly.

Diana gasped. "I would love too."

Matt giggled and grabbed his phone. "Great. Perfect. Can I have your number so we can keep in touch?"

"Of course," Diana said entering her number in.

This can't be actually happening. I must be dreaming. Someone pinch me.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow," he said smoothly. "Oh, and so I don't mess it up again, what's your name?"

"Right. It's-"

"We're leaving now!" Violet screamed as she shoved the hallway doors open. Grace was timidly following behind her.

Always right on time you two.

Matt jumped in his seat a little bit.

"Grace and Violet?" he whispered.

Diana nodded. "What's wrong?"

Violet had smoke coming out of her ears. "My teacher said she is going to fail me if I don't get all of my assignments turned in by the end of next week. Can you believe that! I have got so much work to do in such little time."

Diana caught Matt chuckling out of the corner of her eye.

"You have almost a week and a half to do six assignments. You'll be fine," Diana reassured.

Violet scoffed at her. "As if I have the time."

"I live with you. You have all the time in the world," Diana fired back. "Grace, how was detention?"

"Just great," she said sarcastically. "I had to write 'I will not go on my phone in class' a hundred times."

Grace's eyes shifted from Diana across to Matt, who was trying to make himself invisible.

"Hi, Matt," she said flirtatiously. "What are you talking to this peasant for?"

Diana glared at her.

"She's helping me with some math homework. I didn't understand the lesson and our teacher gave us a lot of homework for this weekend," he easily lied.

Violet rolled her eyes. "As if she's smart enough to help the most popular guy in school."

Matt shrugged. "She's pretty smart to me. Thanks for your help. I'll see you later."

Diana waved goodbye and smiled. This was the best day ever, even with her stepsisters ruining the last second.

"What were you really doing?" Violet asked suspiciously.

"I was tutoring him. Why is that so hard to believe," Diana lied.

Violet eyed her and walked away. She snapped her fingers so Grace would follow. Diana putt her stuff away and chased after them. She practically skipped the whole way to the car.

This is my favorite day, she thought as she saw Matt walking through the parking lot.