The Homecoming dance was coming faster than ever, and Joseph had spent day after day with a mindset of despair. He knew that sooner of later, he'd have to work up the courage to ask at least any girl to the dance.

He then looked over at Betty Lee, who was twirling a piece of strawberry blonde hair around her index finger, while biting absentmindedly on the back of her pencil.

She caught him staring, sending him a sweet smiled that electrified her purity. "Hey," he whispered, scooting a bit closer. "Meet me outside of the third building at lunch."

"Why?" Betty asked, furrowing her brows at Joseph's discreetness. "Is something wrong—"

"No, no, I just want to ask you something." Betty grinned after this, knowing exactly what Joseph wanted to ask her.

"Sure, Joe," She whispered back, "I'll be there."

Lark sat there just a few feet away from the Betty and Joseph, who, for the rest of English, spent their time giggling to themselves and batting their eyes at one another.

Of course Joseph had asked her. Betty Lee was everything a boy could want in a girl. She was tall, thin, blonde, and nice—even to the colored janitors and people like Lark—the queers.

Once the bell had finally rung, Lark was practically sprinting out of the classroom, and making a turbo-blast for the cafeteria. He was sort of excited; for, just earlier today, he'd read in his school agenda that they'd be serving pizza.

"Hey." A hand was on his shoulder. He turned, coming face-to-face with a small, brunette girl he didn't recognize.

He stopped, furrowing his brows. The girl was so tiny—was she a freshman who'd gotten lost? At the mere thought, he leaped to assist her. "Oh! You're lost, aren't you. Well, this is the sophomore and junior hallway, so, you've got to—"

"I'm in your year!" She shouted over his distress, sending a reassuring smile. Lark was shocked, he'd never seen this girl before. Although, that could be because she was abnormally small.

"Oh, well then, how can I help you?"

"Can we maybe talk somewhere . . . private?"

Lark furrowed both brows again, leaning in closer. "About what?

"Follow me and we'll talk."