First Love, Fragile Heart by Susan Bloom

Episode : 2

Fast forward a year and Sandy was doing high school the way she always thought she would. She had made an awesome group of friends, was semi popular, and so far, was actually doing well in Biology. "Let's dress up as Lil Wayne and Eminem," her friend Kate said, as they were discussing the Homecoming spirit week themes, which included favorite music artist day. "You already know I was planning on dressing up as Slim Shady," Sandy replies giggling at the thought of her pale, dirty blonde friend with a fake grill in her mouth. "It's settled then", Kate replied, "come over after school and we can go through my broth- ers clothes to find the perfect "gangster" outfit."

Sandy felt extremely proud of her outfit choice, rocking a white shirt, oversized black hoodie, baggy jeans and Christmas boxers that said "ho ho ho" on the backside. Kate went above and beyond though, coming out with tin foil wrapped around her teeth, trying not to crack up at her idea for a homemade grill. "I can't with you," Sandy told her friend as she covered her eyes laughing. "Says the one with "ho ho ho" written on her butt," Kate replied, rolling her eyes at her partner in crime. "Will the real slim shady please stand up?" Sandy says as she stands up loud and proud on her friends bed. "Tomorrow is going to be so much fun, I love Homecoming week."

The next morning, Sandy put on her Eminem attire and raced to the bus, super excited to get to school and see her friends reactions at her and Kate's new look. "You guys are too much," her friend Jazz said as Kate and Sandy try to pimp limp through the hallways. "You're just jealous that we look awesome and nobody can tell tell that you dressed up as Beyonce," Kate joked with a nudge. "That's because I always look like Beyonce," Jazz said, with a snap and a hair flip. She wasn't wrong, her and beyonce did share similar traits, including sass.

Before they could even look up at the clock, the late bell rang. "Crap, I'm late for home again, Mrs. L is going to kill me," Sandy said in a panic. "Let's head to the front to get a late pass, you bad noodle," Kate replied. The girls headed upstairs to get an unexcused late pass printed out but it seemed that a bunch of other people got distracted talking in the hallways too because the office was packed. More panicked, Sandy twiddled her fingers and played out her teaching getting mad at her, in her head. She snapped out of it though when she heard one of the guys in the line behind her sing the lyrics to the song "Just Lose It."

"Did someone just sing Eminem?" She said, looking around. "You're dressed as Eminem right?" The stranger in the back of the line asked. "You know it? He's my favorite," Sandy replied with a blush, realizing that this mystery guy was super cute. "He's my favorite too," mystery guy said, walking up closer to her. "I'm Andrew Soloman, I think I've seen you around a couple of times," he continued. "I'm Sandy Blossom, I've never seen you before," she said, realizing that her words sounded kind of harsh. "Ha well there's a first time for everything," he replied winking at her. "Did he just wink at me?' Sandy thought to herself, wondering whether she should flirt back or not. Before she got the chance to respond, it was her turn to take her pass and head back to class. "Hold up, I'll walk you," Andrew said when he realized she was about to walk away. Kate and Jazz both looked at her with complete understanding that they were going to be walking to class without her, and Sandy looked at them knowing that the second she got to class the interrogations would start.

The walk was fairly quiet because for some reason Sandy forgot how to talk. They talked for a couple seconds about their favorite Eminem song and then got back to walking in silence. When she got to the door of her classroom Andrew winked at her again and said that he would see her around. "Bow chicka wow wow" were the first words she heard when she walked into class. "Late again Miss Blossom," Mrs. L said shortly after. "I know, I'm sorry." The teacher assigned groups to make a couple of food ingredients look fun for a kid snack. Sandy, Jazz and Kate decided to make a car out of a cucumber. "Soooo0000...," both Kate and Jazz said in sync "how'd the walk go?" Turning red Sandy said "it was kind of awkward but oh my gosh he's so cute and he likes Eminem almost as much as I do." "Yall would be so cute together," Kate said, beaming at her friend. Sandy instantly started daydreaming about them walking hand in hand through the hallways. "We would be cute together, wouldn't we?"

Thursday was 80's day and Sandy went all out in neon clothes and crimped hair, basically cloning Madonna. She walked up to her locker to find her group of friends AND ANDREW standing there waiting. "Morning sunshine," Kate said to her with a side hug. "Morning guys, I am loving the pink suit jacket Andrew," Sandy said before realizing that she had no control over what her mouth was doing. "Why thank you, I was going for a Breakfast Club kind of look," Andrew said with a smirk. Sandy beamed, his smile was the most incredible thing she had ever seen. She really needed to head to class, but she didn't want to leave him. "I hope to see you later," Andrew said before heading off with his buddy Sam. "You will," Sandy replied with confidence she does not re- member having ever before. "Holy crap San," Kate said after Andrew walked away, "you just sounded like such a boss ass b***h right then." "I don't know what got over me," Sandy replied, "but I think I'm in love."

The next day was Friday, and Spirit Day, which meant that she was supposed to wear Shady Dale High apparel, and get all pumped for the Homecoming football game. "We got that Wildcat Pride!" She heard coming down the hallway as the football team made their way into the gym for the pep rally.

She was already hyped up because that night was the football game and Sandy already knew that it would be the perfect place to spend more time with Andrew, without interruption.

In her mind, the game was going to be perfect; she was going to sit with An- drew the whole time and talk about anything and everything. By the end of the game they would be so close, people would already think they were dating and he would look at her like she was the most beautiful girl in the world. Too bad it didn't actually end up working that way...

"Okay so don't freak out," Kate ran up and said to Sandy, the second she walked into the stadium. "Oh well that's a good start, why what's wrong?' Sandy asked Kate. "Uhh well Andrew is kind of here with a girl from another school." Sandy turned cold and immediately wanted to call her dad to come pick her up. She decided to stick it out though, and see who this other girl was and what she was doing with her future boyfriend.

"Hey Sandy, glad you made it," Andrew said to her when she found him and her friends in the stands. "Yeah, me too," she said as she eyed the short blonde girl sitting next to him. "This girl isn't even that prety, I mean yeah she has the blonde hair and blue eyes but I mean she had chipmunk teeth and no boobs at all," Sandy thought to herself be- fore she snapped out of it. "Ehem," the blonde girl said with an annoyed look on her face. "Oh sorry, this is Tara, she goes to Clarkston High," Andrew said, almost through force. "He forgot to mention that I'm al- so his best friend and future girlfriend," Tara responded, flipping back a piece of her stringy blonde hair. Sandy shot her a fake smile. "Like hell she is his future girlfriend."

"Hey Sandy, let's go get some nachos before the game starts," Jazz said, trying to evict her friend from the situation. "That sounds so good, I'll come with," Andrew butted in, before Sandy could reply. They walked to the concessions and Andrew pulled Sandy to the side. "She's not actually my future girlfriend, just so you know," he whispered into her ear so nobody else could hear their conversation. "Oh, okay, I mean it's whatever," she said back, hoping that there was no literal steam coming out of her ears. She didn't know if she believed him but she sure knew that she hated that Tara girl regardless. "Cool, cool just wanted to clarify and stuff," Andrew said, trying to sound like he didn't care that she had just brushed it off."

Once they were back to their seats with the nachos, the game started. Andrew found himself staring at Sandy, and Tara was the first to notice. To break the clear affection he had for Sandy and not her, she leaned in and kissed Andrew's cheek, and proceeded to grabs his hand. "The hell?" Sandy found herself thinking really loudly in her head. To make matters worse, Andrew didn't even flinch. He finally turned to her and muttered "sorry," acknowledging that she was clearly bothered and seconds away from pouncing on Tara like a puma. She looked away really fast though, keeping her nonchalant vibe up as long as she could. That was not the outcome she hoped for.