"Fire and Ice"

Fire and Ice by Corinne Kaplan

Kathy Moosestein just absolutely could not wait for her date tonight. She had been waiting all sophomore year for the cutest boy in Quebec High to ask her out, and just earlier today when she was sitting in her first period class, History of Maple Syrup, he finally did! Timothy "Javi" Horton (he was 1/4th Italian, hence the nickname) leaned over to her and ask her if she would like to go to the ice skating rink tonight just like that. Happy as could be, Kathy spent the rest of the day smiling in anticipation for the date. She had her father, Tom Moosestein drive her to the ice rink to meet Javi , who like a perfect gentleman was waiting outside for her.

The two began holding hands and were having the time of their lives! Halfway into the night, Javi even held her hand. She couldn't stop smiling...until she felt a rumble in her stomach. "Oh no," she thought. "I've broken the first rule of teenage dating: never go to Taco Bell 24 hours before the date!" Kathy of course HAD went to Taco Bell. Oh how she hated Merriska for dragging her there, she knew she should have stayed home studying for her Advanced Moose final.

Playing it as cool as possible, Kathy excused herself from Javi. Looking confused as first, Javi left and continued skating. Kathy left the ice and stumbling as she tried to walk with her skates on all the way to the bathroom. When she got there, the Horror really sank in. "Girls Restroom - Out of Order" No, no, no. This can't be happening! It was the perfect date, and yet here she was about to explode from the bottom with nowhere to go. She looked around carefully, and saw no one looking in her direction. Slyly, she worked her way into the men's restroom. Luckily, no one was there. She hurried to the first stalled and slammed it shut, making it just in time. OUCH! How it BURNED!  She did all she could to do her business silently, but it felt like absolute fire. That is the LAST time she tries the extra firey double habanero burritos. She persevered and persevered, through the blood and sweat and tears.

It was over. Thank Jesus. She checked her watch - 20 minutes have passed! Javi must be wondering where she went! She pulled up her pants and quickly left the stall, lucking out once more as no one saw her exit the men's room. She went back onto the rink and searched for Javi, and then her heart sank. Across the rink was Javi...skating with the meanest girl at Quebec High, Cherry America. Her heart would sink into a million pieces, if it hadn't already felt like it had and left through her butt. She was sad, but ultimately after the experience in the restroom, she was thankful to still have her life. Oh how she hated that Cherry, she was such a villain, stealing her man like that. But she couldn't blame her, she was an American exchange student after all, which clearly meant she was evil. Kathy decided it would be the courteous thing to do, to let Cherry and Javi finish off their night together. As she started to leave the rink, her phone rang. It was Merriska, her best friend, calling to let her know that she had tickets to tomorrow night's hockey game.  And just like that, the night had a happy ending for Kathy Moosestein.