THE CRUSH

"Chantelle," my boss said. "Could you type up a report on the traffic situation down at Marley Street by Monday, please?"
"Yes, boss," I said, watching him walk away.
I've worked for my boss, Tom Maffey, since the day I started work down at the "Daily Buzz". Dark brown hair, a dimple in his right cheek, he looked a bit like David Tennant. Whenever I had a spare moment to myself, I would type up Mrs Chantelle Tom Maffey on my computer over and over. But I've fancied Tom a lot longer before I started working for "The Daily Buzz"...

I got home from school, a great big smile on my face.
"How was school?" Mum asked, stirring something in a saucepan over the cooker.
"Oh, fine. You know. The usual." I pulled a face.
"Oh, that bad, huh?"
"Not all of it. There was a new boy in my class today. He's called Tom Maffey, and he's absolutely dreamy."
"Wow. Well, remember to ask out for a date."
I smiled at Mum, as I ran upstairs to practise writing my new name, in pretty, flowery handwriting...

I started on the report five minutes after Tom left, but I couldn't concentrate on it properly, imagining myself in a wedding dress, in a church, with Tom Maffey as my groom. Then I remembered, it was Valentine's Day in a couple of days! Here was my chance to let my boss know how I feel about him, unprofessionally. I copied and pasted a Valentine's card from the internet into what was supposed to be my report on the traffic situation at Marley Street. And then I practised what I was going to say in my Valentine's card...

"All right, class, settle down!" Barked Miss Redgrave. "Now, before I get started on our lesson for today, I'd like to introduce someone new. She waved a hand towards the newcomer who was sitting on his own in the front row. My heart skipped a beat! He was so good-looking! Floppy blonde hair, just like Jack Ryder from "Eastenders". I smiled weakly to myself. But it faded away when I realised he would never be interested in me, he'd be interested in someone popular and pretty, like Priscilla Paddock. But I thought I would say hello to him anyway, just to let him know I was more friendlier than Priscilla Paddock. At break, when I've worked up the nerve...

This was it. I'd finished and printed out the card, now all I had to do was give it to him when he next came over. Inside, I'd written: "Roses are red, violets are blue, you are sweet as sugar, that's why I like you."
I thought it was such a cute sentiment, that he would love it, and love me forever, and we'd get married, and have two daughters, named Ariel and Belle...
"Chantelle?"
Tom's voice snapped me back to reality. I looked up at him. I took a deep breath, ready to give him my card.
"Chantelle, just thought I'd let you know. I'm knocking off work early. I'm taking my girlfriend Emma out for a special Indian tonight."

The End by Charlene Samm...