2.1

My favorite game is chess, but I don't really like playing with people. They aren't very good at playing chess, well, most people aren't, I assume. My sisters certainly aren't. The computer can come up with every possible move and choose the best one. Perhaps it's by chance it chooses the best move, because sometimes I wonder what it's thinking when it makes a terrible one. One day I would figure out how it decides, but for now I'm immersed in the current game.

My best friend, Melody, usually watched me play in silence, sometimes pointing out a possible move, usually the most obvious one, but tonight something was exciting her. "Your sister has a boy over," she said. I could tell she wanted to continue, but hesitated. "I don't care what my sisters are doing, Melody." "He's sort of cute, maybe you should introduce yourself." Why would I care if he was cute? I don't like boys! She was so weird sometimes. Melody always tries to get me to be more social, but Melody is all I need in a friend, why do I need anyone else? "He could play chess with you. Or maybe catch! He could chase us around in a game of tag!" She annoyed me when she included herself in activities with other people. She knows no one can see her. I tried talking to my parents about her and they just laughed. I think Makoto kind of believed me, but I don't want her using Melody in any of her diabolical schemes. "No one can see you, Melody!" I reminded her, kind of rudely, I'll admit.

"Geez, someone's attitude stinks!" I guess she noticed how mean I was being. "Fine," I agreed, "I'll go look at this guy, make sure he's not a creep." She clapped her hands in delight and lead the way to the window closest to Mandy, who was outside. She shushed me when I did my dinosaur walk to the door. I wonder why she is so excited about my sister seeing a boy, Melody is usually too cool to care about that stuff.

"Oh my grosh!" Melody squealed, "They just kissed!" I laughed, "That's disgusting! That's what you wanted to see?" "They're coming!" She shoved me away from the window before I could even see what the guy looked like. "It's the boy from the party," she told me, seemingly reading my mind, "Hide!" There was nowhere for me to hide in my red dinosaur costume so I ran into the bathroom, leaving the door open a crack. Melody followed, tripping over the lumpy tail of my costume.

It was Daren Henly, from the party Mandy threw a couple weeks ago while Mom and Dad were on vacation. "He's so dreamy," Melody whispered to me. I rolled my eyes, she knows she doesn't have to whisper, no one can hear her. She was such a girl sometimes, she must have learned it from watching Mandy and Mako. "Mandy, I came here to ask you something I didn't think I should ask you at school. You always have your friends around..." Daren started, but as usual Mandy has to interrupt. "Daren! Don't be scared of those girls, you can talk to me about anything in front of them! They would be so jealous!" She likes making herself look important. Right before Daren could continue Mom came bursting out of her room like a maniac.,"If it isn't little Daren Henly! I remember when you babysat Maddox that one time Will was working on his last book and I had a show! I bet Maddox would be thrilled to see you!" I don't remember this guy. Isn't babysitting a girls job anyway? "What are you doing here? Your face is so red-OH MY GLOB!" Mom gasped. "Are you here to ask my baby girl out!?" Daren looked thoroughly embarrassed.

"Yay! She snagged herself a cute one!"
"Um, well-" Daren stuttered. I felt kind of bad for him, he didn't even get to ask Mandy anything yet.
"Oh! Stay right here, Daren. Willard has to talk with you if you're going to be dating our baby." With a quickness, Mom was back in her bedroom, I guess telling Dad of the situation. Not a moment later, before Mandy or Daren could even give each other an awkward glance, Dad was interrogating the guy. He was asking him questions about his age, grades, where he wanted to go to school, what his parents did for work and other strange things. I was getting cramped sitting behind the bathroom door, but whenever I stood to walk out Melody silently begged me not to.

"What are your intentions with my daughter, young man?" Dad finally asked him.
"I-I just wanted to ask her to prom!" Daren exclaimed.
"Well, what are your intentions after the dance? Boys your age only have one thing on their minds.."
"No, sir! Definitely not, sir! I will bring her straight home after the dance! Promise!" No doubt this kid was nervous, I don't blame him. My family is crazy.
"Well, get to it then, son!"
Mandarin was standing off to the side, pretending not to hear any of the conversation, I guess. When he got down on one knee and asked her to the prom she screamed as if she didn't just hear him tell Dad. "And FLOWERS!? Thankyouthankyouthankyou, Daren!!! They're almost my favorite color!"

"So, is that a yes?" He mumbled.
"Of course it's a yes, silly! Oh my grosh! The girls at school are going to be so jealous I'm going to prom with the hottest guy at school!"
They proceeded to talk about the prom and what colors they were going to wear and more boring stuff. When Mandy said goodnight to Daren and went off to her room is when Melody finally let me escape the bathroom. I swear she held me hostage in there for like an hour. I went to the kitchen to grab a snack, I should have sent Melody to do it for me because Mom was in there and decided to talk to me about girls.

"One day you'll meet a nice girl and want to ask her to prom." Melody nudged me, something she did when she wanted more information about something. I sighed because we both already knew what prom was, but I asked Mom anyway, since Melody wanted a deeper explanation. "Prom is like a dance, a big, significant dance that every teenager wants to go to. It's really fun, but sometimes the fun can go wrong." I hated when she explained stuff like this, everything goes wrong with her. I noticed that Daren was being dragged into the other room by Mako while Mom was going off about prom. I stepped on Melody's foot, somehow she knew that meant to follow Makoto and Daren. I would tell her what Mom said later, if I could remember.

We met back in my room and Melody, the best spy ever, gave a full report.

Makoto had taken Daren in Mom's room to tell him she didn't approve of him taking Mandy to the prom. "I know I should have told you this earlier," she explained softly, with a longing look in her eyes, "but I really care about you, Daren. I don't think Mandy cares about you the way you deserve. You're so kind and she's so not. I just wish I could have told you, at the party, how much I liked you. You were so preoccupied with Mandarin, I didn't want to ruin your night."
"Makoto, I don't kno-"
"Daren, just please tell me you like me! I think I love you! I love you and I was wondering if..

..you liked me, too."

"She had a weird look on her face, Maddox! Like she was trying to seduce him or something, but it wasn't very cute." Melody seemed worried about Mako's intentions. I asked her what he said.

"I'm sorry, Mako, but I don't like you like that. I didn't know you had these feelings for me, you never talk to me."

"But, Daren!"

"I like your sister, not you. I don't even know you."

"And then he left!" Melody shouted, "He just walked out of the room and left!"

I saw him leave, he didn't even say bye to Mom, that's kind of rude. Oh well. Melody suggests that we should continue spying on Mako, I'm sure she would like the entertainment, but I'm tired. "Let's just go to bed."

For some reason I dreamed about taking Melody to prom. Too bad that's impossible, everyone would think I'm crazy dancing with an invisible person. I don't even want to go to prom.

Of course, in the morning Mandy has to wake everyone with her keyboard. Mom and Dad don't seem to mind it, but Mako and I hate it. I just hate it because I got all my homework and showers done last night so I could sleep in a little before the bus came and picked us up, but with her playing that can't happen. Come to find out, she was purposely playing this morning to irk Makoto. Apparently she talked to Daren on the phone this morning and he told her what Mako said to him last night so she was ready for when Mako came to give her a piece. "Glob, how can anyone get any sleep with that horrible noise in the house!" Makoto complained as she made her way to the fridge. Mandy slammed all ten fingers on random notes, abruptly stopping in mid-song, and stood up.

She asserted herself in front of Mako, who was ignoring her at first, until Mandy put her fist up, as if ready to fight. "I know what you said to Daren. You're so fake, Mako! You never liked him! You and your friends make fun of us! I don't care how strong you are, Makoto, I will punch you in the mouth! I will kill you if you ever touch my man!" She was really angry. Mako was caught off guard. She wasn't expecting Mandy to find out, I bet. "What's going on, Makoto?" Mom asked calmly. Makoto scoffed, "Forget it! You don't know anything, Mandy! Don't worry about it, Mom!" Her face was bright pink and she stormed off to her room, slamming the door. 

"Mandy?" Dad addressed. She silently, but aggressively folded up her keyboard and also went to her room. 

Mom and Dad looked slightly worried, I just shoved my homework into my backpack and waited outside for the bus. I bet there was going to be a lot of drama at their prom tonight. I'm glad Melody and I aren't old enough to go.