by Alexa Rosas| Staff writer
In the weeks leading up to homecoming, it is common to walk the hallways of Johnson High and see balloons and bouquets of red roses, as well as hear cute stories of invitations to the annual formal dance.
“I left roses in her first period class without a note, so she wouldn’t know who they were from. Then, I left a poster that said, ‘Homecoming?’ with my name on it,” sophomore Chris Jones said, who asked his best friend Claire Carter to Gatsby’s Gala.
Every year seems to be an improvement over the last. Every invitation seems to increase in flare and extremity and expectation.
“This year’s invite improved by a magnitude no less than three. Last year I sent my girlfriend a text message,” junior Chase Allen said.
The increase in extravagance seems to lead to an increase in chivalry and thoughtfulness. While the men who send messages in casual conversation or through cyber space appear careless or lazy, the men who plan and work for an original proposal are seen as gentlemen.
“I rode a horse wearing knight armor and delivered to her the head of the homecoming king,” Allen said. “Just kidding, I asked my girlfriend with a carrot cake.”
The excitement of the event seems to increase with direct correlation to the originality of the proposal.
“She immediately responded with a shriek of excitement,” Allen said.
When the invitation is a let down the excitement of the week drops and a dark cloud sets in over
“We were talking casually and he just popped the question,” senior Madi Cooper said, “I was a little bit angry. Are balloons going to pop out anywhere?”
The cute tales of homecoming proposals become a source of pride for many. Having a tale to pass to your family and friends is the icing on the cake that is homecoming.
“I wish he would have asked me cute,” Cooper said,”You have to have a story to tell your friends and I don’t.”