So the challenge is on and the stakes are high! This is how it’s going to work:

My date from last week (let’s call him Mr Vaughn) challenged me to write a romantic comedy storyline to rival his based around a chino wearing guy we saw at Ivy on our first date.

* My story is below – if you like it, comment or ‘like’ this blog post or hop onto our Facebook page and ‘like’ the post on there.

* Mr Vaughn’s story will be posted straight afterwards and, if you like his do the same.

At 5pm Friday we will tally up who has received the most likes or comments on both Facebook and this blog site and the “loser” will have to fulfill the “winner’s” dream date!

We have set parameters so that when Mr Vaughn loses he doesn’t have to fork out for a romantic week in Hawaii but I know I’m going to get creative and I think Mr Vaughn might as well…if he wins of course!

So here goes…in all of its romantic, cheesy goodness. Beware…the cheesiness factor is off the Richter scale!

Nat’s Romantic Comedy Storyline

The year is 2005 and Cody is preparing for his HSC. He’s the guy everyone knows and loves…in the computer studies group at least.

The guy whom the other geeky types look to in their social endeavours because, out of all of them, he is the only one who could possibly break down the walls of the cliques at school and actually get a date to the Year 12 formal.

He seems to wear his intelligence with pride, whereas they all shy away from it and spend their time in the computer room designing new programming with the hope to be the next Mark Zuckerberg.
Facebook is fairly new to the cyber world and the computer studies group are confident that a networking site like that will make dating fair game for them since they can hide behind the facade of shiny profiles rather than needing to have the confidence to actually speak to the popular girls at school.

What they don’t know about Cody is that he has been crushing on the same girl for years though. His next door neighbour Isabella.

Isabella’s flowing dark hair cascades down her back and she has curves that no 17 year old should be allowed to have.

The constant flow of friends at her house is testament not only to her popularity but also to her bubbly, vivacious nature that is so infectious, everyone wants to be her friend.

That’s what Cody was though…her friend.

He had been relegated into the friend zone when they were younger…back when their two families would take holidays in the Gold Coast together.

His computer studies friends were so jealous that he got to share a hotel room with such a beauty, little did they know the torment it put him through.

Seeing her in her bikini frolicking by the pool with the other guys staying at the hotel, he saw how differently she looked at him compared to them.

How would he gather up the guts to ask her to the formal? If she said no, he would be gutted…and would never be able to face her again.

The challenge was on…he had to do it for the guys in his computer studies class. They lived vicariously through him, although he didn’t understand why.

With half the grade just having turned 18, word had spread around school that a few of the students were going to head to the newest rooftop bar in the city on Thursday night during their study break. Their exams were around the corner and they needed to let off some steam.

Cody was nervous, this was his chance to ask Isabella in the most romantic setting he could imagine. Fairy lights twinkled in the trees and the moon glistened on the pool that already a few of the jock types had pushed each other into fully clothed.

The stage was set and he was thankful that his Dad had taken him shopping recently to buy a new pair of chinos and boat shoes which he coupled with a blue checked shirt that his mum said brought out the blue in his eyes.

He was also thankful that his dad was the lawyer for the owner of this new bar and was right on board with creating a night that he and Isabella would remember for a lifetime…for all the right reasons.

He spotted her from across the pool, standing with the popular girls who were all giggling as the boys tried to garner their attention by showcasing their hot new dance moves.

The DJ made way for a live band on the stage in the centre of the pool and the Black Eyed Peas-inspired group got the bar pumping really quickly.

This was his chance…his lessons after school all led up to this moment…

The rif started and his dad’s client met him by the stage with a microphone. As he patted him on his back and wished him luck, Cody’s heart was beating at triple time.

He caught the eyes of his computer studies group who looked more nervous than he did and then he saw her.

Isabella.

Resplendent in her fuschia strapless number showing off her natural tan and, as ever, skimming her curves deliciously.

She looked at him with confusion as he stepped onto the stage, untucked his shirt, threw his glasses into the pool and broke out into the first verse of rap in the number one hit, “Don’t Phunk With My Heart”.

The Fergie wannabe lead singer whooped in excitement and gyrated against him like no-one had ever done before and the crowd cheered.

It was happening, it was really happening!

Isabella locked eyes with him swaying her hips to the music smiling that infectious grin that lit up her face and then it happened.

The popular boy Brendan had lined up his friends alongside the stage side of the pool and all at once they water bombed the band dousing them completely.

As they surfaced, laughing at their joke, security met them by the side of the pool, manhandling them out dripping as they yelled their objections.

Cody stood there on stage…dishevelled. Chinos stuck to him like a second skin, new boat shoes ruined, hair plastered to his face but that wasn’t going to stop him.

The music had stopped and there was an almost eery silence before the microphone squealed as if in terror of what may happen and Cody’s voice rang out over the crowd.

“Isabella, will you be my date for the year 12 formal?”

She grinned and yelled back, “I thought you’d never ask!”

Like this post either on this blog site or on Facebook if you want me (Nat) to win her dream date!