It was a Sunday and since there wasn’t any church or preacher, Melissa did her homework after helping Jacy with the morning dishes. Afterwards Jacy told Melissa to take a break before they started working on today’s newspaper, so Melissa bundled up and walked over to see Teaspoon.

"Good morning, Teaspoon!" Melissa walked on in to the jailhouse.

"Good morning, Miss Melissa. What brings you over here?" Teaspoon sat up straight in his chair to welcome his visitor.

"Well, I’m taking a break from helping Jacy, and I thought I would see how you’re doing? Have you got a date for the dance yet." Melissa actually came over to talk to Teaspoon about how to get a fella to ask her to the dance, but she didn’t want to come right out and ask. She would work her way up to it.

"Well, I’ve been asked but . . ."

"But what?" Melissa was curious now. Who had asked him and why was he saying but? Had he said no to the person who had asked him.

"But she ran off before I could reply." Teaspoon replied.

"That’s strange. Why would she do that?" Melissa wondered why any lady would ask a gentleman to a dance and then run off before she received her answer.

"I’m not sure. Now I’m trying to figure out how I should approach her to tell her I’d be honored to go to the dance with her."

"Hmmm . . . let’s see. I’ll help you with your problem if you help me with mine." Melissa grimaced and said, "Deal?"

"Ok, what’s your problem?" Teaspoon asked.

"I want to know how you get a guy to ask you to the dance?" Melissa sat down ready to listen to Teaspoon’s advice.

"Are we talking about a guy in class?" Teaspoon was hoping that Melissa would say yes. He didn’t want her having a crush on Jimmy and getting hurt.

"Yes, I like this boy in class, and I was wondering if there’s anything I should do in order to get him to know that I want him to ask me to the dance." Melissa was waiting for a reply.

As Teaspoon scratched behind his ear, he was trying to think of a good answer for Melissa.

"Well, have you tried telling this fellow how you feel about him?" Teaspoon inquired because he wasn’t sure what else to say.

"No way! I don’t want him to know how I feel until I know how he feels." Melissa stated firmly.

"Well, has this fellow shown any signs of liking you." Teaspoon wondered which boy it could be if it was Jesse then maybe he could tell Jesse that Melissa likes him, and then maybe Jesse will ask her out.

Melissa pondered this question for a little while. Michael had smiled at her a lot. He had even sat down by her at lunchtime several times, and when she wanted to play a game he always played. It seemed like he liked her, but he didn’t talk too much to her, but Jesse had told her that he was shy when they had first met. "Well, I think so. But I’m not sure."

"Well if you don’t want to tell him that you like him and you don’t know if he likes you then maybe you could have someone else ask him if he likes you." Teaspoon was running out of ideas.

"That’s a wonderful idea, Teaspoon. I love it." Melissa jumped up out of her chair and ran around to Teaspoon and hugged him.

Before leaving Melissa said, "Maybe you should ask the lady to the dance instead of replying to her answer. That way she will know that you want to go with her instead of feeling sorry for her because she ran off." Melissa winked at Teaspoon as she walked out.

Melissa decided that she would ask Jesse the next day to ask Michael if he had a date for the dance yet. So the next day at school Melissa did what she had planned. She stopped Jesse before he went into the school. "Jesse could you do me a favor."

"What kind of favor? Could you ask Michael if he is going to ask anybody to the dance and then let me know, please?"

Jesse agreed to do her the favor. On the first school break Jesse asked Michael if he was going to ask anybody to the dance. Michael told him that he wasn’t sure if he was or not. Then Michael turned right around and asked Jesse if he was going to do the same thing. Jesse said "I’m not sure but you know Melissa is new to town so, I thought maybe . . ." Before Jesse could finish what he was saying Kathleen came out and rang the bell.

After hearing what Jesse was saying about he might ask Melissa to the dance, it upset Michael, so he took off towards school before Jesse could finish his sentence. Exasperated Jesse followed Michael into class. Jesse had been hoping that Michael would ask Melissa to the dance. He knew they liked each other, but they were having the same problem as him. He didn’t know if Rose liked him or not. Jesse was afraid to find out in case she didn’t. And Melissa and Michael were too shy to tell each other that they liked each other, maybe he should do it for them. He grinned at Melissa as he sat down.

Melissa was standing by the log by the big oak tree on their lunch break. She had just brushed the snow off and was getting ready to sit down to eat her lunch when Jesse came up to her. She half expected it to be Michael because he always sat near her for lunch. She looked around and noticed him sitting near Jemima today. That was strange.

"Melissa, I have some good news for you." Jesse said.

"Great! I love good news. What is it?" Melissa hoped that Jesse was going to say that Michael wanted to go to the dance with her.

"I know Michael doesn’t have a date for the dance, and that he likes you. I will talk to him and get him to ask you to the dance." Jesse replied.

"You will that’s wonderful!" Melissa jumped up and threw her arms around Jesse. She had been expecting the worst and was thrilled to finally find out that she was going to get to go to the dance with Michael.

Michael didn’t know what Jesse and Melissa were saying, but he figured Jesse was asking her to the dance. She looked excited about it too, hugging him like that. Jemima is sitting beside Michael and being disappointed and sad he asks Jemima to go to the dance with him. She agrees.