I couldn't believe it was happening to me! One second I'm writing in the margin of my notebook what every teenage girl is supposed to write at one point in their lives, substituting the names with others. I scribbled DARREN LUVS JACKIE with a red pen. I looked up at him, his curly hair fell above his glasses perfectly. It gave me an easy line of vision straight to those big brown pupils the would shine when he smiled. Next thing I knew he was looking back at me, smiling shyly, and blushing. Blushing like he was thinking of my eyes the way I thought of his.

I just looked down at my notes like I didn't notice and tried to ignore it. I was probably fooling myself anyway. After the bell rang I collected my books and placed them carefully in the Jansport I'd been using since the year before. I glanced over at Darren's desk and saw him sitting there, looking at me. I swiveled my head around to see who he must have really been looking at, and in like every bad romance movie, no one was there. He got up and started walking over to me.
"Hey, Jacks. How's it going?"

Darren and I had been pretty good friends since freshman year. I walked into the nurses office asking for tampons and he blushed. I didn't even see him! I looked over at him and he smiled like he was trying to stifle a laugh. I cursed under my breath and hid my face in my hands. That's when he lost it and started cracking up. He assured me it was okay and not to feel awkward because it was normal and he understood. I automatically noticed how sweet his voice was and how he moved his head a lot when he talked, like he hadn't completely developed his neck muscles yet.
"Pretty good! I get to babysit my nephew this week so, you know, yay me!" I punched the air dully in celebration. He chuckled and started to aimlessly pulling at the hem of his Foo Fighters tee shirt.
"So, we haven't had movie night in a while." he reminded me.

I remembered when we used to sit on the couch in my basement and eat popcorn with sugar sprinkled on it. Depending on the movie we would either make fun of it or discuss the actors and actresses like we knew what we were talking about. On more than one occasion we would mute the television and pretend we were the characters. I'd say something silly like, "Oh damn it, Watson! I left my spoon in the microwave!" and he'd say "Why'd you put the spoon in the microwave in the first place?" I'd reply with "Why because the spoon was cold, you bumble!" For some reason that would seem hilarious to us and we'd laughed so hard little pieces of popcorn would fly across the room.
"You're right!" I said excitedly. "Want to have it tonight?" he smiled that Darren smile and it made my knees weak.
"Sure! What should we watch?"
"I don't know, surprise me." I said smiling.
"Sounds good."

That day as I hopped onto public transportation, against my better judgement, I received a text message from my good friend, Meghan. It read, Hola Jackarumundo. Wanna hang out today? and I replied with, No, Can't. Having a movie day with Darren. Oh, how thrilling it was to type that. Coolio, whacha guys gonna watch? she asked. Probably some Disney movie. You know Darren, he's a six year old trapped inside a sixteen year old's body.

The weird part was that Darren showed up at my house with a box of microwavable popcorn and the blue-ray copy of Beauty and the Beast. He had the widest of smiles on his face and I remembered just why I got all nervous and blushed when he talked to me anymore. It was like all my dreams were coming true. Darren was overly happy to see me and the movie he brought was perfect for my mood! Romance + Darren = Here Comes The Bride! At least I hoped so.

Meghan text me again just as Darren sat down on the couch in my basement. Sooo, Darren kiss you yet? I said, What?! No, of course not. I wish SOMETHING would happen though. Like he'd put his arm around me, anything. And then he outstretched him arms in a yawn and squeezed his eyes shut before swinging said arm around to rest on my shoulders. Good thing the room was dark or he'd see me blushing.

What movie did he bring over? Meghan asked. Beauty and The Beast. Think it's just him being a romantic sap? I asked seriously, I didn't want to get my hopes up but it sure was tempting. YES! He so brought that over to say you're gorgeous and I have self esteem issues, you just need to know I'm in love with you. What if he were to lean in right now and say 'you're beautiful' and kiss you! Silly me sent back, I wish! And of course, right on cue, Darren closes his eyes and adjusts himself on the couch so that he's flush against me and he whispers,
"Jacqueline, You're beautiful." before cupping my cheek with his hand and pulling my lips into a kiss. That's when it hit me. I write Darren loves Jackie and next thing you know he's saying he wants to come over? I write he's going to bring over a Disney movie and next thing you know we're cuddled up watching Beauty and the Beast? I write I wish he'd put his arm around me and then his finger are ghosting over the sliver of skin above my elbow? I write I wish he says you're beautiful and kisses me and now I'm having an epiphany while I'm lip-locked with the ever so dreamy Darren Ryerson?! Oh. No.
I pulled away in disgust.
"Darren, I can't do this." his face fell with disappointment.
"Why not?" he asked sadly.
"Because, and I know it'll sound dumb, but I tricked you into loving me." his eyes got wide.
"Whoa, who said anything about love?"
"Look," I pulled out my cell phone and clicked on the message button. "Everything I wrote came true, Darren! It wouldn't have happened if it weren't for me having crazy super-powers." Darren chuckled and pulled out his cell phone. He went to his pictures and handed me the device as I flipped through I saw photo after photo after photo of myself. Me surrounded by flowers and in heart frames. they were all dated for days, months, weeks and yes, even years before that day.
"I've had a crush on you since freshman year!"
Darren and I started dating and looked back at our start and laughed. How many stories do you have like that? I discovered other things he had written and drawn about me before the movie night like poems, songs and pictures. I couldn't believe I had acted so stupid that day! Of course, I have to admit, None of this really happened until after I wrote it.