Chapter 3- Viva La Vida

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School was going well. Being in regular school was definitely different from being homeschooled, but I couldn't say I minded it. I liked not having all of the attention on me, and I liked not having the same teacher in the same room all day.

I was doing well in all of my classes, and had straight As. I had gotten a near-perfect score on the SAT the first time I took it, and it was time to start applying to colleges. I already knew my first choice was Stanford University, and was planning to apply early decision (which meant that if I got in, I would definitely be going). I already sent my SAT score to Stanford and to the other colleges I was applying to, but I needed to make sure my transcript and recommendation (my gymnastics coach was writing me a recommendation, seeing as he knew me so well, but I had to get a recommendation from the guidance counselor, too) would be sent, too.

So one day in October, at lunch, I said to Benji, "I have to go to the guidance counselor's office. Will you come with me?"

"Uh, sure." We had both finished eating, and he stood up.

"Thanks."

"Why do you need to go, anyway?" He inquired as we began walking.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure that she had sent out the forms for my college applications." I said.

"College applications? Already?"

"Yea, I know it's early, but I'm applying early decision to Stanford, so I need to get everything in by Halloween, basically."

"Wait, Stanford? That's like… really good, right?" Benji seemed pretty impressed.

"It's pretty good, I guess. It's my first choice, but I don't know if I'll get in."

"I'm sure you will," Benji reassured me. "You're really smart."

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A week after that, I got off crutches, although I still had to wear a large, fashionable black brace on my leg. The homecoming dance was coming soon, and I totally wanted to go.

On my first day without crutches, I was a little late for lunch, so I told Benji to save me a seat. As I walked over to his table, I heard him talking to Joel.

"Hey, what's up?" I said.

"Uh… nothing," Benji replied awkwardly.

"So Ashley," said Joel, "are you going to the homecoming dance?"

"Of course!" I told him. "I am so excited, you have no idea. I've never been to a real school dance before."

"It should be pretty fun," Joel told me. "Have you thought about who you're going with?"

"Not really. Do most people go with a date?" I wondered. I didn't want to be the only one going solo.

"Well, most people go with someone, you know? Even if it's not a date, a lot of girls go with a guy as friends or whatever."

"Oh yeah? Do you have a date yet?" I inquired.

"I do, but not everyone does." Joel's eyes quickly flashed to his brother; I wasn't sure if I was supposed to have noticed.

I nodded, and thought about who I might want to go with. Joel already had a date- probably the girl in his Spanish class that he was crushing on- and Paul and Billy had girlfriends that they were going with. There was a guy named Steven in my AP Calculus and AP Physics classes, who was pretty nice, but I thought he might be taken. I knew a few guys that trained at my old gym, but they were probably busy, you know, training. Besides, it would probably be weird to bring someone who didn't go to La Plata.

"Hey, uh, Ashley?" Benji said to me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"What's up?" I said. Then, before he could respond, I had an idea. "Benji, do you want to go to homecoming with me?"

He seemed startled.

"Me? Really?"

"Well, as friends, but yes, of course. Do you want to go?"

"Yeah, yeah, I would love to."

"Great! I'm so excited. You have no idea how excited I am." I told Benji.

"Yeah, I am too.

It will be fun to go to the dance with Benji. Even though I see Joel, Billy, and Paul almost as much as I see Benji, I definitely feel like I know Benji the best. I no longer need someone to help me get to my classes, but Benji still walks with me almost all of the time. He always seems interested in what I have to say, in a nice-but-not-stalkerish way.

Benji's POV

I can't believe Ashley asked me to the dance. I mean, I guess I [/can/] believe, but still- I'm excited. I know she said it's "as friends", but I'm still in shock at the fact that she even thought to ask me. So many guys would kill to take her to the dance, but I'm the one that gets to do it. I feel so lucky. I mean, Ashley is gorgeous, intelligent, and really, really nice; she's also the only girl in the school that will talk to me, pretty much. I love spending time with her, and I love talking to her. I walk with her to almost all of her classes

I hope this turns out well. I want to be more than friends with Ashley, but I'm not so sure if she feels the same way.

"Hey, Mom, guess who Benji's going to homecoming with," Joel said to our mom when we were at dinner that night. I kicked him under the table and glared at him; he rolled his eyes.

"Benji, who are you going with?" she asked.

"Ashley," I muttered under my breath.

"What did you say?" she inquired.

"He's going with that new gymnast girl, Ashley Del Rossi. The one you made us bring the brownies too." Joel informed her, grinning proudly. I kicked him again.

"Benji, I'm very excited for you," my mom said to me, ignoring Joel.

"Thanks," I said. "Ashley's applying to Stanford University."

"Stanford? Really? She must be very smart."

"She is. She's a genius, and thanks to her tutoring me, I'm not failing math. Or even getting Cs."

"Benji, that's just wonderful. Now, I've got to go make a phone call; would you and Joel mind clearing off the table?"

"Sure, no problem."

When our mother was out of earshot, Joel said to me, "Wow. Ashley's smart and attractive. She's like your polar opposite."

"Dude," I said, "you just dissed yourself. We're twins. If I'm not attractive, then neither are you."

"Oh yeah. Good point."