The Boy Project (20 page)

Well, my science fair project is finally over! The research is done. The hypothesis is supported. The results are published. That's one research project down and one to go.

It is time to compile my data and attempt to come up with a hypothesis for my more important Hidden Agenda Boyfriend Project. Here is a review of some of the most significant data I collected:

1. Unobtrusive Observations: Boy Subjects

After observing a variety of subjects, I've deduced that Subject #5 is interested in me.

2. Unobtrusive Observations: Girl Subjects

I observed the methods used by three girls when approaching their crushes. They all did it differently, but they had two things in common.

• Each girl had the confidence to approach her crush even if she
had
to realize (Gina the Vine) that some approaches would end in rejection.

• Each girl was successful at least some of the time.

3. Interview (Primary Source)

The interview I conducted revealed that it is important for a girl to approach her crush when he is alone.

4. Expert Advice (Primary Source)

Bebe Truelove says that a girl should show her style and her confidence. (She says a lot of other stuff, too!)

5. Faceplace Surveys

The data collected from the surveys supports Bebe's advice about confidence. It also supports my earlier conclusion that I'm too young to be looking for a soul mate.

So. I've found a guy who is interested in me. And I've found an awesome way to show my style!

I think I've also found that invisible part of me that needs improving: The fact is, I'm a big chicken! Like I've said before, I like myself just fine. I do! But I'm not confident that boys are going to like me.
I'm afraid of rejection.

But after analyzing the data, I think if I can find the courage to face possible rejection, my hypothesis will be supported.

At first I thought my custom-designed duct tape dress plan had backfired on me in a big way. Tabbi promised she'd be at the dance when I arrived so I wouldn't be alone, but when I walked through the gym doors, my BFF was nowhere. Well, I guess she was somewhere, but since she wasn't where I needed her to be, she may as well have been nowhere. Here's who was there: Maybelline.

She took one look at my dress and burst out laughing. “What'd you do, Kara, make your own dress? Puh-lease tell me you're posting directions on your blog, because I'm gonna need them if I ever want to make something that hideous.” When she said the word “blog,” she used air quotes. I hate air quotes!

Despite the fact that I rode all the way to the dance reminding myself that seventy-five percent of guys like girls who are self-confident, this scientific knowledge evaporated under the heat of Maybelline's burning comments. I couldn't think of anything to say. So when she turned to laugh with The Sponge, I backed into the shadows, where no one would notice me. No one did. When I thought about how successful I was at going unnoticed, it was pretty depressing. . . .

Eventually, Tabs entered with James. She took, like, fifteen seconds to glance around before hitting the dance floor. Thanks, BFF!

A little later, Chip came in alone. He was dressed like the other guys, but I thought he looked particularly nice in his khaki pants, button-down shirt, and tie. I watched him walk over to the refreshment table and get a soda. Then he stood across the room and looked around. I held my breath, hoping he would notice me and then run toward me, arms outstretched, asking me to dance. Then I would know for sure that he liked me. But I am never that lucky. When Chip's eyes reached me in the shadows they slid right over me. Was I just successfully blending in, or had he seen me and decided that he'd rather not notice a girl in a homemade duct tape dress?

One thing was for sure. If I stayed in the shadows all night, I'd never know. It was time for:

“Wow.” That's what Chip said when I got close enough for him to really see my
Teen Vogue
duct tape dress with roses on the strap. He reached out and touched the roses, and when he did, his hand brushed my shoulder and it gave me that tingly feeling!

“That dress is amazing.”

“Thanks,” I said. I could feel my face heating up, but it wasn't the Mouth of Hades chili type of hot. More like the snuggled-under-a-blanket-drinking-cocoa kind of hot.

“Kara, you can do anything.” Chip smiled.

“No I can't,” I said, but I smiled back.

“Well, can you dance?” he asked.

I nodded and we headed to the dance floor, which was really the gym floor. But the gym was decorated with lots of balloons, glittery golden streamers, and colorful lights, so it really didn't seem like an athletic facility. We danced for, like, five songs in a row. It was great! But let me just say that if you go to a dance in a dress made of strips of plastic, be sure to create a short hemline and make it sleeveless, like I did. Man, did I sweat! So I didn't really mind when Tabs pulled me aside to “freshen up” even though what she actually intended to do was accost me in the girls' room.

Tabbi waved her finger at me and said, “Kara, you look like you're really enjoying dancing with Chip! Please tell me it's an act.
Please
do not say that you have a crush on that goof.”

“I'm just doing research, but you're right. I'm enjoying it,” I said. “Remember, James was pretty goofy, too, at the beginning of the year.”

Tabbi changed the subject. “Why didn't you
tell
me you were making something cool to wear? I could have made one too!” Which might have been a
teeny tiny
part of the reason I didn't tell her, now that I think about it. But I was glad she liked it.

Tabs and James danced near us for the rest of the night. The tiny, swirling lights bouncing off the disco ball made it seem like we were being sprinkled with fairy dust as they passed over our skin and dressy clothes. Everyone looked better that night than they do at school, and everyone looked happier! It was überfuntastic! And I was glad I had a chance to see Tabs pretend to gag when Evan boogied by, clinging to Monique. I think she's finally over him!

When the dance was almost over Chip offered to walk me home, so I called Mom. She said it'd be okay as long as I got to the house in fifteen minutes. She also mentioned that she'd be looking out the window, watching for me to come down the street. That's a bit overprotective, don't you think?

I gave her message to Chip and he gave a little frown before flipping open his cell to check the time. “Well, we'd better get going.”

As soon as we got outside, Chip held out his hand and I took it. His palm was warm and he squeezed my fingers. I'd never held hands with a boy before — well, not in that way — and it felt really, really good.

We were about five houses from mine when Chip stopped to check his phone again. “We have five whole minutes.”

He took my other hand and pulled me closer. I pulled back.

“What?” he said.

“I don't know . . . it's just . . . I'm not sure I can like a guy who let Gina Johns crawl all over him.” (It still bothered me. I couldn't push it out of my mind.)

“Come on, Kara,” he said, putting his arms around my waist. “You should thank her. 'Cause if it weren't for her, I wouldn't know how to do this.”

Then he touched my face, leaned down, and kissed me. Which feels a whole lot better than holding hands.

When I opened my eyes, Chip was smiling at me. Talk about a fantastic smile! I smiled back . . . until I saw our front porch light blink on like a warning beacon.

“I need to go,” I said.

Chip nodded and slid his hand into mine again. Then, holding hands, we walked to the door.

I have asked a question. I have researched. I have formed a hypothesis. I have performed an experiment. I am now ready for:

After analyzing the data above and adding it to the fact that Chip has sent me fourteen texts since the dance, one of which asked if I could go to the movies tonight, I have a pretty good idea of what my conclusion is going to be. (I have
got
to figure out another way to get Mom and Dad to spring for unlimited texting since my plan for making an A in science didn't work out! Maybe it's time to sell more duct tape creations. . . .)

This afternoon I got another message from Bebe Truelove, along with an ad for a
Romantic Atlantic Singles Cruise.

To: Kara M

From: BebeTruelove

Subject: You can keep receiving Bebe's great advice!

Dear Soul Mate Seeker,

Have you found your soul mate yet? If so, let me know! I'll add your name to the growing list of souls who have found mates by following my advice. That list is currently over 950 names strong! If you haven't, don't give up hope! You can continue getting advice from me, Bebe Truelove, once a week for the next year for only $19.95. Just go to the
subscribe
page at my web address and enter your credit card number. You must be 18 years or older to subscribe.

Yours in Luck and Love,

Bebe

Take a Singles Cruise!

What better place to meet your soul mate than on the romantic Atlantic? Don't miss the voyage of a lifetime!

Click here to book your trip!

♥ Romantic Atlantic ♥

(Must be 18 years of age to order.)

I'm starting to feel like Bebe might be a scam artist. I guess there's a chance that her advice helps some people find soul mates. But maybe it's just that covering yourself with Love-Mist body spray while wearing a red velvet bikini on a singles cruise brings luck in love.

Besides, I found that some of her tips could be improved by changing just a few little words. Take Tip #1: Be yourself. This is not the greatest advice. But if you add just two words, it fixes everything. If I were sending out advice, my first tip would be: Be
true
to yourself.

In other words, it's important to stick to your values. But maybe there are things about yourself that you can improve without changing your values. Things that might change your life! Or at least your social life . . .

Anyway, I am not going to sign up to keep getting advice from Bebe. Why would I? I'm no longer looking for love!

Have to go. My parents are actually letting me go out on my first real date tonight! By
real
, I mean a date where the boy isn't forced by his older brother to go out with me. Chip and I are double-dating with Tabs and James. . . .

Going to the movies with someone who actually likes me is a whole new experience, let me tell you. After the movie, we went out for pizza. It was a blast! I think Tabbi is warming up to Chip, and James isn't so bad.

The guys want to go out again on Wednesday. Right. The only way my parents will let that happen is if I finish Mrs. Hill's magazine project before then, and that's pretty unlikely. Tabs, Anna, and I have tons of work to do, since we basically goofed off the whole time at Anna's house. Homework doesn't go away, even when you finally get a boyfriend.

BTW, I finally got up the nerve to ask Chip why he didn't kiss me that time we played spin the bottle. His answer surprised me. He said he was scared I wouldn't kiss him back! I totally would have, since I was so curious about kissing. But it wouldn't have been as good because I didn't feel the same way about him back then.

While I'm on the subject of kissing, let me just say that kissing a boy who might be your soul mate (you never know) beneath the stars on a cool spring night is a whole lot better than kissing a boy who's your best friend's ex beneath a ringing bell in a stinky restroom. Pretty much every kiss I've shared with Chip (all three of them) is so much better than the one I had with Evan that it's like comparing a piece of chocolate cake with fudge icing to asparagus soup. I don't know . . . kissing him just feels right.

All in all, I'd say my Hidden Agenda Boyfriend Research Project has been a huge success. It is time for the final step of the scientific method!

Ahhhhhh. It feels great to be done with the project!

Wait. I'm just checking over my notes here. Aaarrrrgh! There's one more step to the scientific method.

Retest? Are you KIDDING me? I've spent months compiling this very private data. I am NOT going through that again. Especially since I'm busier than ever. Now that I have a boyfriend, I don't expect to have every single weekend free, for one thing.

Also, I can tell that my blog is going to take a lot of time. It's worth it, though. I posted pictures of my
Teen Vogue
duct tape dress with flowery straps this morning and I've had over eighty hits. Not to mention tons of comments, some with questions that needed responses!

So instead of retesting my original hypothesis, I think I'll go back to step one.

Now
there's
a topic I can throw myself into researching!

Yours in Luck and Love,