I was at home helping my dad make the tofu and rice we were having for dinner. I recently tried going vegetarian and he was being super cool about it. We finished everything up and since my little sister Vicky was out with my stepmom Frances, it was just me and him.

"So honey how was school today."

"Ugh, they showed us that dumb hormonal telegram video about how are bodies are about to go through some stupid metamorphosis. And now Shawn is starting to like girls."

"Girls like you?" He said putting his fork down and string at me while looking all protective.

"No, girls like Hilary Jameson. Come on dad, Shawn wouldn't like me like that."

"Why not?" He said picking up his fork and starting to eat again.

"Because we're best friends. Best friends don't like each other like that."

"Well Frances and I were best friends."

My eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah we were best friends for probably about 10 years before I asked her to marry me."

"10 years? That's a long time." I put my fork down and look him right in the eye. "How did you know you loved her?"

He smiled. "Well, I was taking her sister's wedding pictures because i'm pretty good with camera's. And as I was taking the photos, just looking around. I looked through the lense and saw her in the front row, and in that moment I saw her with a completely different set of eyes."

"What do you mean?"

"There was something about her that I didn't see before. I don't know what it was but it was beautiful."

"So how did you two get married."

"Well I told her how I felt and she thought that since I was still fresh out of a divorce we should give it time for you and Vicky's sake. But one day, I asked her to dinner and proposed."

"You guys didn't even date?"

"Nope, I just bought a ring and got down on one knee and hoped everything would turn out all right."

"Dad that's really sweet and all, but I don't think that's Me and Shawn."

"Good because you both are 11 and i'd kill him." I laughed and we went back to eating our food.

Once we were finished I heard the phone ring. "I got it dad." I put my plate and fork in the sink and ran to the phone on the table next to the couch.

"Hello?"

"Hey Crissy." It was Cory, he sounded kinda down.

"Hey Cor what's wrong?"

"Ugh, it's Shawn. He had his date with Hilary today and they went to the movies and threw malt balls at peoples heads, and he missed our game of basketball."

"Malt balls? But he normally does that with us."

"Yeah well looks like we're being replaced."

"Cor I don't think it's gotten that bad yet. Maybe it's just a phase."

"I don't know Crissy, the way he was talking about her just made it seems like she was the only person worth talking about." I felt really funny after he said that.

"Well we still got each other right?"

"Right."

"Well I gotta go start my homework but i'll see you tomorrow Cor."

"See ya Cris."

I hung up the phone and sighed. Hunter please let this just be a phase.

Well, Shawn sat with Hilary instead of us today. That .

"He promised me nothing was gonna change."

"Yeah well if he's gonna change things then so be it." I said looking down at my food.

"Not without a fight." I looked at Cory concerned about what that meant. He grabbed my hand as we walked over to Minkus' table.

"Minkus, let's talk Perky." Oh no.

"Ah I see your telegram has finally arrived."

"No, this isn't romance, it's revenge."

"Two sides of the same hormone." I groaned as hit my head on the table.

"What does that magazine say you've got to do to get a girl to go out with you?"

"Me? Almost nothing. But you, it's going to take some effort."

"And you wonder why you sit alone at lunch." Cory snapped back at Minkus. Minkus glared at him. "Alright i'm sorry what do I have to do?"

"According to a survey in the September issue, the number one thing a girl wants from a guy is shared interests."

"Hmm shared interests, talk to me." He put his elbow on the table really focusing on what Minkus was saying. That's a first.

"If she's into something, show an interest in it. Example, if the girl you're dating is interested in numismatics, you talk about..." He waited for Cory to finish his sentence.

"Numizmos?" I picked my head up and banged my head on the table again.

"Coins." Minkus said matter of factly. I lift my head up and look at the boys.

"Alright so how do I select the lucky girl?"

"Just think of someone you're completely comfortable with. Someone you could share a meal with, and someone who doesn't mind having you around."

Cory and Minkus slowly turn their heads to me. Shit. "Absolutely not."

"Cris come on it's just gonna be for a little while."

"Cory you're like my brother, it's gross."

"Yeah it would be weird if people started calling us boyfriend and girlfriend."

We both simultaneously made gagging noises.

"Well what am I gonna do now?"

"Just go find the first thing in a dress."

"Dress, got it." He got up and tried looking around. He saw most girls wearing jeans. He finally found a dress and when he looked up it was Topanga. This was gonna be interesting.

"Topanga!" He shouted.

"Yes Cory?"

"So, what's interesting in your life right now?"

"Well, mercury is in retrograde which is making projects difficult to complete, and causing general chaos in the universe." She nods her head at him.

"Ya know, not only is that unbelievably interesting," Liar. "but it reminds me of a joke I once heard." Here we go. "How did the astrologer cross the road?"

"I don't know."

"In his TARUS!" He smiled like an idiot, and she didn't laugh. "But I kid the zodiac...umm, would you like to go Bob Stubcheck's Burger World with me after school?"

"Cory i'm a vegetarian."

"Of course you are! That's why we're just going to meet at Burger World and walk over to International House of Salads."

"I love IHOS."

"Who doesn't?" He does. "So i'll just meet you at 4:30?"

"Okay, it's a date. See you there." She walks away and Cory looks worried.

"What? Who said anything about a date? Oh no what have I done?"