February 18th 2023 Prompt

A 10-year-old genius who is a senior in high school asks their biology lab partner to prom with an elaborate “promposal.” Write the scene. How does the lab partner respond?

“Do you see the pen?”

Freddy Wilson swallowed hard, hands clammy and shaking slightly.

Fiona Sanders stared blankly at him, waiting for a response.

“Say something. Say anything, you idiot!”

He smiled and put that 155 IQ to good work.

“Um…..what?”

Fiona repeated her question as if Freddy was deaf and special needs; louder and slower.

“Do. You. See. The pen?”

Freddy looked down at the squid dissection on the tray. He did see the pen, having looked at the assignment the night before in anticipation of this moment.

He deftly pulled it out, regaining a spark of confidence. Have to stick to the plan.

Fiona’s brow was wrinkled as she looked up the next anatomical items on the biology handout to remove and label. He only had a minute and had to hurry before he lost his nerve.

They’d only been lab partners a few months, but Freddy was smitten. Fiona was his first crush. She may not be considered conventionally beautiful to other guys her age, but to a 10 year old genius, she was perfect.

She had untamed red curly hair, thick black glasses, and her nose was perpetually buried in a book, usually a classic by an old dead English author. Her giggle (which Freddy only heard sparingly) was melodious and could turn a tough day into an ok one.

Fiona’s main passion was the ocean. She wanted to be a marine biologist someday, and Freddy was hoping he could tap into that without seeming like a creep.

Despite being 7 years younger than most peers his age, an early growth spurt helped Freddy keep up physically with the other seniors. But asking a girl to prom made him feel like the age gap was even larger, if not insurmountable.

Still, he had to give it a shot. A girl like Fiona still not having a date seemed unfathomable to Freddy, bless his heart.

He dipped the squid pen in an old school inkwell he’d bought online. Furiously, he jotted down a single word at the bottom of the handmade card he retrieved from his backpack.

Finishing, he cleared his throat, praying his voice wouldn’t crack.

“Fiona?”

“What?”

“Um……I made this for you”

Fiona paused from scouring the handout. She glanced down at what was in Freddy’s hands.

Looking back up, she raised her eyebrows, but didn’t say anything. Freddy felt his ears burning, but plunged ahead.

“I uh, know you like fish and stuff. Well not just fish. All sea life. And I do too. Not as much as you. Not that I think it’s stupid. But um……”

Brutal. A few notes of feedback: slow down. Stop acting like you have to break the speed record for talking. Get to the point. And get out.

Freddy exhaled, then continued.

“I made this card with some of my favorite memories at the beaches my family has travelled too. A shark tooth, old eggshells from a turtle, a sea star. I just thought maybe you’d like it.”

Fiona still hadn’t said anything, but gently took the card from Freddy’s hand.

“I love the ocean! What does this say on the bottom?”

Moment of truth buddy.

“You’re the coolest girl ever. Will you go to prom with me? Sorry it’s smeared, I used the pen from the squid and I’m not very good at writing with it.”

There was some shock in Fiona’s reaction to this. Her mouth opened slightly but she didn’t say anything.

Then she smiled, and Freddy forgot everything.

She leaned in and gave him a slight peck on the cheek.

“I’ll go with you. I’ll drive.”

It was the greatest day of Freddy Wilson’s life.