gooseberryhigh | guess who's definitely not cool enough for anti-prom

Entry tags:

guess who's definitely not cool enough for anti-prom

solution here!
ACROSS
1. High school activity that involves putting on make-up, high heels, and clothes you're not allowed to stain. (pl.)
3. Imbibing.
6. It's possible.
8. Wish or demand.
9. As well.
10. What I'll do to you if you say anything about how amateur this crossword puzzle is.

DOWN
2. Not great, kind of lame, colloquially.
4. As opposed to out.
5. 2014 GBHS Spring Musical, "Into ___________" (2 words)
7. The much cooler alternative May 26th activity I'm proposing.
9. Or fro.
10. ____-it-all.
11. In favor of.
12. Certain.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Danny lets the paper airplane sit there for a solid thirty seconds - just, let it think about what its done - before he plucks it from its spot jutting out of the swoop of his hair and unfolds it flat on his desk. He blinks down at the puzzle and the day's lecture immediately falls out of focus as he sets to work on solving the crossword. Danny doesn't notice he's grinning until he's filled in the last word.

He re-reads the whole thing, smile wide and dumb, and then shoots a sidelong glance at Rosy. And, god, she's amazing. And creative. And so fucking smart. And beautiful. And-- his smile goes ridiculous.

Jesus tapdancing Christ.

Danny pulls his glasses off. He rubs his entire face with both hands. Shit. He loves her. He loves Rosy Stoker. God damn it.

"Fuck my ass." He grumbles into his palms, because that's exactly what you're supposed to say in situations like this.

Later, at dinner, he drops a folded up piece of paper directly onto her plate:

GBX, YEO P'I THBXXPCS RX BVIBH JETT.
___, ___ _'_ ________ __ _____ ____
B = E, H = R

The pencil case is out, the overly complicated color coding has begun. Just after... nudging it out of her salad. She's not necessarily concerned with whether this is a yes, a no, or a snarky remark; she'd seen him put his head in his hands and groan during Charms, Rosy already got her ideal response. She just likes puzzles. She likes puzzles where she can use her highlighters.

But as the sentence takes shape, she furrows her brow. Either the salad dressing has ruined her puzzle, or this is one of those things Rosy should really be asking Chloe or Reid about first.

"Elmer who?"

She has a strong feeling she should be kind of concerned about this.

Danny offers up a wink and a couple of finger guns in response. It's a hard move to pull off when you are cool. So, as you can imagine, he looks especially foolish.

He can't wait to see the exasperated look on her face on antiprom night. Perhaps more accurately, he can't wait to hang out with her at antiprom. But, that's not something he's saying out loud. Instead he says, "You're a huge nerd."

"And you," Rosy shoots the wink bc finger guns right back at him, hoping the sarcasm dripping from the gesture makes it seem cooler. Or at least slightly more acceptable. It does neither. "Have bad taste."

For her part, Gwen has too much on her mind to pay much attention to the lecture. Her hand is nominally marking notes down but mostly she's just staring off into space, her chin propped in her other hand, elbow on the desk. She notices the paper airplane and it takes her out of her reverie for a few moments, but Danny has bent his head to reading it so she goes back to her ruminations.

Until he mutters something under his breath and Gwen blinks, confused.

"Fuck what?" she says, in the middle of Charms class, without thinking.