by Jenni James
“You mean you’re usually much nicer when you tell people off?” he teased.
“Something like that. Sorry.”
“Forgiven. Am I?”
“I don’t know, we’ll have to see.” I grinned and winked before I turned to Mr. Young. “Thanks. I, uh, have definitely learned my lesson.”
“No more notes in class?” His twinkling eyes belied his gruff voice.
“No more notes ever.” I headed for the door.
I found Zack on a bench at the end of the hallway. He was listening to some music on his iPod and bouncing a basketball to the beat. With his eyes closed, jamming to the rhythm, he looked like he could hold his own on any court. I could definitely see what Alyssa saw in him.
He didn’t hear me the first couple of times I called out to him. Finally, I walked right up to him and touched his shoulder. “Zack?”
“Uh, yeah?” He quickly removed one of the earpieces and turned down the volume. “Sorry. Did you need something?”
“Taylor wanted me to tell you he’ll be in Mr. Young’s class until 4:30. He said you could go ahead and he’ll talk to you later tonight.” I began to walk away, but to my amazement Zack started to follow me.
“No way. Is he in trouble or something?”
“No. Actually, he was rescuing me.”
“Really? Sounds like Anderson, always helping the ladies.” Zack fell into step with me. “Um, you’re Chloe Hart, right?”
I wonder if this is leading to Alyssa. “Yep,” I said as I walked toward the hallway door.
“Oh. Do you have a friend named Alyssa Ming?” Man, I’m good.
Zack opened the door for both of us. “She plays the cello,” he added when I didn’t answer right away.
“Yeah, I’m hoping she’s still waiting for me.”
“Wait, you’re heading to her right now?” Zach asked.
I smiled. “It’s more or less her car I need, but she should be there too.”
“Hey, uh—can I walk with you?”
If I didn’t know better, I’d think Zack Bradford sounded a bit shy. “Sure. If you want to.” I shrugged.
As we headed across the lawn toward the parking lot, I saw Alyssa and Madison lounging against the side of Alyssa’s car. Madison noticed me first.
“Hey, Chloe! Where’ve you been?” she shouted.
“Mr. Young’s,” I yelled back. “Alyssa, I’ve got a surprise for you.”
She did a double take as we I walked closer. “Zack? Is that you? I thought you were Ethan.”
“Yeah, I get that a lot.” He grinned as we approached the girls. “Hey, uh, I was wondering if, if . . .” —he looked at all of us and then back at Alyssa— “if you’d like to walk with me for a minute.”
“Sure.” Alyssa beamed and wiggled her eyebrows at us as she passed.
Madison and I watched her and Zack walk over to some shade trees on the lawn. We smiled at each other. It was about time the guy made a move.
“So, I heard you had a more-than-interesting letter during English today, one that you refused to share with anyone.” Madison’s tone was full of meaning. “Don’t look at me like that. Everyone’s been talking about it.”
I sighed. “Yeah. I have to say, Chloe has learned a lot today.”
“You have, huh? Would it have anything to do with a certain note someone wrote you?”
“Actually, it has a lot to do with it. A whole lot.” “Okay, spill. I’m dying already!”
So, of course I did what any best friend with a good three-year standing relationship would do. “All right, but first you have to promise me not to tell anyone. Promise?” Except Alyssa, of course.
It went without saying that Alyssa was exempt from secrets.
“Not a soul,” Madison said. “Now talk.”
Which I did. I told her everything—except, well, the Darcy part. That really wasn’t my secret to share anyway.
“I can’t believe how harsh Mr. Young was. I mean, you are so lucky that Taylor is as great as he is.”
“It was weird, Madison. He was really cool about it, considering yesterday with my phone call and then his girlfriend right after me.”
“So let me get this straight. Taylor broke up with his girlfriend because of you, right?”
“What? No . . . no!”
“But didn’t the note say he was angry with Anne for attacking you?”
“Yeah, well, but he meant because she didn’t trust him,” I explained.
“So then he fills in for you on your detention?”
“Yeah, well, yeah, but—”
“And he apologizes, plus he admits that you were right.” “So? We were both right, and I way overreacted—” “Hello!” Madison interrupted. “Can’t you see what I see?” “What?”
“What? That Taylor is totally into you, Chloe.”
“Wha–at? No, not even. You’re way off the mark there.”
“Am I?”
“Madison, seriously—”
Just then, Alyssa came rushing back to the car, a shy smile on her face. Madison and I looked at each other, and then we both stared at Alyssa again.
“Well, did he ask you out?” Madison asked her.
Alyssa shrugged, then smiled and nodded furiously.
“Shut up!” Madison threw her arms out.
“Ahhhh!” We all went in for a major group hug.
“So are ya out out with him?” I couldn’t help asking, just to clarify.
“Oh, no. Not out out, but we’re going to a movie Saturday.”
“That is so awesome. I am so happy for you!” I said. Wow. Who’d have thought? Zack Bradford and Alyssa.
“Hey, don’t you have a date on Saturday too?” Madison asked.
“Holy cow, you’re right. We’ve got to get home ASAP. Blake was supposed to call me this afternoon.” I ran over to the front passenger door.
“What an amazing day,” Alyssa said as she climbed into the driver’s seat. “I don’t think there will ever be a day as surprising as today.”
Madison and I smiled at each other over the roof of the car, then climbed in ourselves. Now if only there was someone for Madison.
SEVEN
MOM RULES THE ROOST
“No way!” I whined. “You can’t make me go out with him.” I stormed into the dining room. Of course, Mom followed me.
“Chloe Elizabeth, this is a nice thing to do. Stop being such a brat.”
“I’m not. Mom, he’s—”
“A little shy, that’s all. Collin’s mother is always telling me at our book-club meeting how wonderful she thinks you are—so smart and pretty—and how much she wishes her Collin would find a nice girl like you. So I just thought, what could be the harm in you two at least getting to know each other better? I swear, Chloe, if you don’t go on this date, how could I ever face his mother again? It would be humiliating.”
Why does she have to be so good at guilt trips? “Mom, but he’s—he’s, I don’t know . . . weird.”
“Chloe, I am not asking you to marry the guy, all right? One date, okay? One. You won’t die, I promise.” Mom sighed as she sat down at the dining room table. “This is something that children do for their parents and for their parents’ friends, and that’s that.”
“But Mom, he talks about odd stuff and everybody always stares at him.” I tried again. “I can’t believe you would actually plan a date for me without even asking me!” Frustrated, I sat down on a chair facing her.
“You will be nice to that boy, Chloe. I mean it! Not one rude thing better come out of your mouth.”
“You know I’ll be nice to him. That’s not the point. The point which you seem to be forgetting here is that you scheduled a date for me on a night when I already have one.”
“Again, if you had talked to me and had written it on the calendar like you were supposed to, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“For crying out loud, Mom. This is Blake Winter we’re talking about. He’s coming over tomorrow to meet you guys, just
so he can take me out Saturday night. And now I’ve got a date with Collin.”
“Chloe—”
“A date my mother scheduled today after I had already promised Blake. What am I supposed to do?”
“This is not open for discussion, Chloe. You are going with Collin.”
Cassidy chose that precise moment to saunter in. Personally, I thought it was pretty bold until . . . I’ve got it! “Why can’t Cassidy go with Collin?” I pleaded, looking directly at my sister. “We could even double.” Come on, Cass, work with me!
Cassidy giggled and began to gag. I pretended to hand her a brown paper bag, which she mimed throwing up in. It was an old joke of ours, but for some reason it never worked with Mom.
“Very funny, girls,” she said, her face completely serious.
“Please, Mom. Me and Cass together?”
“Chloe, this is ridiculous. You know the rules. You know that your father and I won’t allow anyone living in this house to date before they’re sixteen. Cassidy, in case you have forgotten, is fifteen.”
I rolled my eyes at Cass’s unsympathetic “sorry” gesture. “No, I didn’t forget. I thought maybe you’d make an exception, though. I mean, she looks seventeen, so no one would know.” I tried one last time as Cassidy smugly waved goodbye to me behind Mom.
“His mother asked about you, Chloe. You’re going with him.”
Resigned to my fate, I moaned. “Fine. Blake left his number, right? I guess I’ll call him back.”
I grumbled under my breath as I picked up the phone and the slip of paper with his number. I carried them into my room, then plopped on the bed and started to dial.
“Hello?” he answered after a few rings.
“Hi, Blake, this is Chloe. Sorry I missed your call.”
“No problem. I was wondering what time you wanted me over tomorrow for dinner.”
“Well, 5:30, but—”
“Sounds good. I should be able to make it.”
“Uh, well, that’s the thing, I’m not sure you’re going to want to make it.” I plunged ahead before I lost my nerve. “Actually, I have some bad news. I mean, you’re still welcome to come tomorrow . . . It’s just that I can’t go out with you on Saturday.”
“Why not?”
This is so embarrassing. “Uh, my mom has gone all commando on me and totally set me up with this guy Collin, who drives me nuts. So I have to go with him instead of you, but could I maybe get a rain check?”
“You’re kidding! Can’t you beg or something?”
“Okay, yeah. Tried. Seriously, she is so like a war general sometimes. Right now she’s been workin’ the guilt factor. She’s in this book club with his mom.”
“Book club?” Blake sounded amused.
I’d take amused over mad or hurt any day. “Yep. And apparently my mom will never be able to show her face again if I back out, so . . .”
“So what’s he like?
“Collin?”
“Yeah, a guy’s gotta know his competition, right?”
“You think Collin is competition?” I blurted out.
“He’s a guy, right?”
“Yes. I guess you could call him that.”
“And he’s going out with you instead of me,” Blake said. “He’s competition. So what’s he like?”
“Oh. He’s . . . er, I don’t know. He’s, like, not all there, you know?”
“Is he as good looking as me?”
“As you? Hmm. I guess he’s cute, but more in a loner sort of way.”
“Oh, well, cute? Cute, I got beat.”
“You sure about that? Just because you’ve got dimples, don’t think it’s in the bag.”
Blake groaned. “Don’t remind me. I hate my dimples.”
“What? Why? Every girl loves dimples.”
“So you’re saying you like them, then?”
“Uh, maybe.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He laughed into the receiver, and I shuddered. There was something about his voice that turned my insides into jelly.
“So, do you still plan to come for dinner tomorrow?” I asked.
“I wouldn’t miss it. What are your parents like?” “Um, they’re sort of crazy.”
“Crazy?”
I laughed. “Well, they just like to put the guys who date me through some sort of a dating ritual thing.”
“Dating ritual?” Blake sounded surprised. “What do you mean? What’s it like? Is there anything I need to know?”
“Just go with it. You’ll be fine.”
“Okay, come on, Chloe. Can’t you give me more than that?”
“You definitely need a sense of humor to survive.”
“All right, so I need a sense of humor.”
“The funnier you are, the better.”
“Wait. You mean I have to act funny? Like a monkey or something?”
“What? No! You think you’ll have to act like something?” I giggled.
“Very funny.” I could hear the grin in his voice. “How else am I supposed to act?”
“Like yourself.” Smiling, I got up off the bed and wandered over to my mirror.
“Myself?”
“Yep, be yourself and you’ll be fine.” I made a face at my haphazard hair.
“You know, you’re lucky I’m brave or this could really begin to scare me,” Blake said.
I wonder if he likes red hair. I sprung a curl and answered, “Scare you? No, it’s not scary. Just, um, funny.”
“So, you guys are going to make fun of me or something?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. I never know what they’re planning to do. Stop being so curious. I promise, you’ll live.” As I turned to plunk back on the bed, my knee collided with the corner of my dresser. Ouch! “Oh, sh–sugar!”
“Sugar? Did you say sugar?” I could tell Blake was trying not to laugh.
“Not always.”
“Oh?”
“No. Sometimes I say ‘sugar plum fairies.’”
He snorted. “You say ‘sugar plum fairies’ instead of—”
“Don’t say it!”
“—shoot.”
“Oh, I thought you were going to say something else.”
“I thought about it,” he said.
“You did?”
“Yep, but I changed it at the last minute. I didn’t want you to get mad and say ‘sugar’ or something.”
“Ha ha. Good one.”
“So why don’t you say, uh, the other word?”
“Oh, because—”
“Because of your parents?”
“No. Well, yeah, but mostly because I’d rather be unique and different than follow the crowd.” Oh my gosh! What am I saying? Blake is so going to think I’m a dork now. “Anyway, I know it’s kind of childish to say ‘sugar,’ but I always have, so it’s—”
“Chloe!” my mom yelled.
Thank you, Mom. “Uh, Blake, I’ve gotta go. My mom’s calling me.”
“Sure. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay. See ya tomorrow. Don’t forget to be funny. Bye.”
“Bye. Oh, uh, Chloe?”
“Yeah?”
“Just for the record, I like that you’re unique. Besides, it sounds cute when you say ‘sugar.’”
My heart stopped and then flip-flopped. “Really?” He thinks I sound cute?
“Yes. And I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Bye.” I sighed and fell back onto my pillows as I hung up the phone. A girl could kiss a guy like that.
“Chloe Elizabeth!” My mother’s exasperated shout sliced through my daydreams of kissing Blake.
“Coming,” I called, wishing for just three minutes of privacy. It’s not every day a girl gets told she sounds cute.
My mom was still in the dining room. She was sitting next to my dad.
“There you are, Chloe. Have a seat.” Dad pointed to the chair opposite him.
Wondering if we were having some sort of family conference, I sat down hesitantly. “What’s up?” M
y parents only did this gang-up thing if they needed to tell one of their kids something upsetting.
“Well I’ve just checked my email.” Mom paused, obviously waiting for me to speak up. When I didn’t, she went on, “It seems you were caught reading a note in your English class today.”
You’re kidding me. Mr. Young emailed my parents? That is so harsh. “Um, yeah. I was.” Great. So what’s it going to be, grounding for life?
“Your father and I” —she looked over at my dad as if to include him— “think it’s time for you to take some responsibility.”
“Okay.”
“Four-wheeling instead of doing your homework, talking on the phone all evening, reading notes in class.” My dad raised a finger for each of the things he listed, as if he was counting them off.
“So? What do you want me to do?”
“We think it would be a good idea for you to get a job. It’s been almost three weeks since the theater group broke up. Playtime is over, Chloe.” My mom gave me a knowing look.
Needless to say, after the “talk” with my folks, I called up Ms. Chavez at the dance studio to ask for my old job back. She said I could start Monday. I asked for weekends and Wednesdays off so I could still go on dates, just in case a certain someone felt like asking me out again after this weekend’s test and my blatant rejection of our first date.
My phone call with Ms. Chavez turned out to be a bit more lucrative than I’d expected. Not only did she offer to give me a raise, but she had a friend who was willing to consider me for Arizona State University’s ballet scholarship program. I guess she had told her friend about me and the work I’d done in her studio. Ms. Chavez even offered to help me with an admissions DVD. To say my parents freaked would be an understatement, and I was pretty excited myself.
Later that evening when I called Madison to tell her about my date with Collin, my call to Blake, my new job, and my possible ASU scholarship, she still found time to insist Taylor liked me. But Madison was singing a different tune about Taylor on Friday. We all were, because apparently, he’d fallen in love.
EIGHT
TAYLOR IS IN LOVE
So what else would the whole student body talk about besides Taylor Anderson? You know, I have no idea, because it appears there is always some excitement that happens to revolve around him. Seriously, can’t we think of something more original? So he’s got a new girlfriend. Like that’s a shocker. The longest the guy has ever gone girlfriendless was back in the seventh grade, and even that was for just three days.
