The Assembly

“And once again, we have the wish fairy, here to grant your wishes! What will our wish be for today’s assembly? Let’s see…

“‘Dear Wish Fairy: My friend is hopelessly in love with a girl, but he never gets up the courage to ask her to do anything with him, because he’s too shy. He really likes her but isn’t able to express how he feels. He doesn’t think she likes him, because she knows he likes her but never acts on it. I think they have a chance however, and I bet Josh would like to ask her out… in front of the whole school!’

“Time go grant that wish! So can we get Josh Messick up here, please!”

As the female audience ‘awwwwed’ and the male audience cheered, Josh sat and waited expectantly for the boy who had just been called to go to the center of the gym and embarrass himself in front of the school. It was not until his friend elbowed him in the stomach that he realized he was the one who they had just called.

Josh turned bright red and wondered what to do. Going up would be embarrassing, but wimping out would be much, much worse. Slowly, he rose to his feet, and began climbing down the bleachers and towards the floor of the gym.

Once he reached the floor, a chorus of cheers urged him on. Fighting his nervousness and a sudden wave of nausea, he walked to the ‘wish fairy’ – a boy in a Halloween costume – and took the microphone.

The cheers redoubled.

“Hello.” He had to repeat it three times before he was heard and people began to quiet down.

“Uh, hey, I’m Josh…”

Cheers again.

“This wasn’t my idea…”

This time everyone groaned, anticipating that his next words would be “and I’m not doing it.” But he surprised them all, most of all himself, by continuing: “But what the hel… hay.”

More nervous than he’d ever been, Josh trembled slightly as he continued. “I don’t want to embarrass someone, so I won’t use any names. But you’re out there, and you know who you are, so if you want to, come on down.” His voice hadn’t cracked had hit?

The audience was silent.

Beads of sweat formed on Josh’s head. Rejection would be terrible, but then again he’d have it over with.

Just as he was about to decide that she didn’t want to come down, Josh noticed a girl in the upper rows standing up. Was that her? He couldn’t tell, she was too far away. A sudden new fear arose within him. What if some other girl was coming, either out of confusion (had he been leading someone on?) or as a joke?

The girl drew slowly closer. He thought he recognized her but then wasn’t sure. Long blonde hair, medium height… she looked right. Or were his eyes playing tricks?

Emotionally Josh was torn. He was anxious, torn with anticipation and fear and longing and nervousness. He wanted so badly for this to happen, but at the same time, he was more afraid than he’d ever been. Silently, he stood there, shaking, waiting.

Now she was close enough for him to make out. It was her! His heart filled with joy, a joy so immense and indescribable that it drowned out all his fear and overpowered him. He almost cried tears of happiness.

“Oh thank God, that’s her…” he said aloud, into the microphone, and was pleased to be rewarded with laughter from the observers.

She walked up to him. He couldn’t read the expression on her face. He began to worry again, but too late for that now, he had to keep going.

“Uh, ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to introduce Erin.”

Cheers and applause.

“So, Erin…”

It all comes down to this.

“Will you go out with me?”

On impulse, he tossed her the microphone. She looked momentarily startled but quickly recovered and smiled at Josh.

Come on, please…

“Yeah, Josh. Of course!”

And suddenly they embraced. Erin handed Josh the microphone and he turned it off. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

She laughed silently in his ear. “I was just as afraid as you.”

Then they kissed, and the thunderous applause of their audience disappeared from both their minds.