“I don’t think so,” she said. “Take that off this instant.”
“Mom,” I groaned. “Come on, it’s not a big deal. Everyone in school will love it.”
“No daughter of mine is leaving the house in something that tight and that revealing. Give me the shirt.”
“But—”
“Don’t but me, Angel.” She put out her hand, and I gave her my prized possession. “You’re way too young to go out in something like this.”
That’s what she thought. I made one shirt. I could just as easily make another.
Having powers had its advantages after all.
chapter 12
There was a whole crowd around Courtney on the steps at school on Wednesday morning. Even Cole was there. I pulled Gabi over to the side. “Watch this,” I said. “But you have to block me.”
Gabi raised an eyebrow, but I wouldn’t give her any more details. She’d have to see this for herself. I was going to recreate the shirt I made the other night, and wow everyone. It would be perfect. Courtney would be totally jealous. And maybe, if Cole saw how amazing I looked, he’d forget about everything that happened before and like me again. It was a two-for-one.
“You’re going to love this,” I told Gabi as I waved my hands in front of my ugly pink and red striped T-shirt. I figured I might as well morph a shirt I already hated. Why lose a good one?
As I molded it into the rocker tee, I felt a slight breeze hit my skin. It was working. My black, one-shoulder shirt was almost ready for its Goode Middle School debut.
Gabi’s eyes dropped to the ground. “Uhh, is that what you meant to do?”
I looked down. No. No. NO! I wasn’t in a fabulous new shirt. I was in no shirt. NO SHIRT. Remember how embarrassed I was about that whole initial in the tree thing? Well, that was a happy, joyful memory compared to this. This was lock-yourself-in-the-janitor’s-closet-and-refuse-to-ever-come-out humiliating. Because instead of making the coolest top in the universe, I made the one I was wearing vanish. I was now standing off to the side of school in my training bra. MY TRAINING BRA! AT. SCHOOL.
Shoot me now.
Gabi tried her best to block me, but the girl was a beanpole. She could only do so much.
“Forget something, Angel?” Courtney yelled over.
“Nice outfit,” Jaydin butted in.
Everyone started laughing. I didn’t look up. I didn’t want to know if Cole was getting a good chuckle at my expense, too. My life was over. I had managed to survive the tree carving and the fireworks. No one bugged me about it, because unlike girls, boys don’t really talk to their friends. But this? There was going to be no saving me from this humiliation. It was going to go down in Goode Middle School history. Angel Garrett: School Joke. And I deserved it. Why hadn’t I just stuck with trying to move the pencil?
“She snagged her top on a branch,” Gabi yelled back at them while I dug out my gym shirt and threw it on. “It tore, that’s all.”
I appreciated the attempt, but Gabi really needed to work on her lying. It was a pretty lame excuse and wasn’t helping anything.
“You know,” Courtney continued. “Training bras are for when you actually have something to train.”
I could feel the heat in my cheeks. There was no doubt my face was now a lovely shade of stop sign red. My mind was a complete mess. I wanted to make some snippy comeback, but my brain could only manage one thought: Get away from these people. Now. So clad in the gym shirt, I raced past them and into school.
But I did manage to hear everything they said as I passed by.
“My day keeps getting better and better,” Courtney gloated. “This was just the icing after the whole thing with D.L.”
“I can’t believe he’s going to school here now,” Jaydin said.
“Yep. He’s living with his mom now, which means he’s going to school in Goode. For everyone to see.” I knew she added that last part for my benefit. She wanted me to know that D.L. was real.
“Too bad he missed this little show,” Jaydin threw in. “I haven’t laughed so hard in ages.”
“No worries. I’m sure Double-A will strike again. A-cup Angel never fails to provide hours of entertainment,” Courtney answered.
Was that going to be my name from here on out? A-cup Angel? My nonexistent chest was going to be the subject of hours, maybe years, of gossip and ridicule. Like I didn’t have enough issues about it? Courtney was right. I did strike again. And once again, I managed to completely embarrass myself with my powers.
“Angel,” Gabi said, following.
“No,” I stopped her. “Just stay away from me. I’m dangerous.”
“You’re not,” she said, chasing me down the hall. “It was just your powers mixing with your emotions. And Cole was standing right there.”
“More reason to stay away from him.”
“You were just doing something really advanced. And it didn’t help matters that Courtney was there, too,” Gabi said.
She wasn’t making me feel better. “Yeah, perfect little Courtney.” Courtney who always got everything she wanted. The girl who no one would ever dare make fun of. The one who would never be caught dead in front of her classmates topless! Nope, that only happened to people like me. “Now she even gets her boyfriend at school, too,” I mumbled.
“How did that happen?” Gabi asked.
“Beats me. Prob—Oh. My. God.”
Then another awful thought hit me. It was probably because of me that D.L was going to school with us. When I was fighting with Courtney yesterday, I had accused her of making her boyfriend up. I had said, “Let’s see him. Bring him here.”
Now it was actually happening. I was responsible for making Courtney’s wish come true. Talk about unfair. How come my powers worked to help her dating life and ruin my own?
chapter 13
No way was I facing Cole and everyone else. So I marched straight to the nurse’s office. I needed to be sent home. Pronto.
“What’s wrong with you?” Miss Spring asked.
Other than death by embarrassment? Nothing. But I couldn’t be honest with her. Miss Spring was the meanest, crotchetiest person in the whole building, and she didn’t let anyone get away with missing class.
Allison Cheng had to throw up on her shoes last month before Miss Spring finally believed she was really ill and not just trying to get out of gym class.
“My head hurts and my stomach is all queasy. I think I may throw up.” I added in that last part to remind her about Allison.
She studied my face and then handed me the thermometer. “I’ll be back.” I knew she didn’t believe I was sick. Although, after what just happened to me, I had to look awful. I certainly felt it.
I couldn’t take any chances. I needed to be sent home. My first thought was to use my powers to make her think I was ill. But seeing as my voodoo was why I was in there in the first place, that didn’t seem like the smartest idea. With my skills, I’d probably give myself mono or the plague or some mysterious deadly disease. So, I decided to play it safe and go the old fashioned way. I shoved the thermometer under the light bulb.
While I was waiting for it to heat up I picked up a copy of the morning announcements Miss Spring had left in the room. All the normal boring stuff like school sports scores were there, but what caught my attention were the very last lines. “Reminder: The school dance is just three weeks away. We’re still looking for volunteers to be on the planning committee.”
The school dance. I hadn’t realized it was so soon. I really wanted to go. Well, I didn’t want to just go. I wanted to go with Cole. But after everything that happened, my chances at winning the presidential election were probably better.
The clicking sounds of Miss Spring’s shoes were getting closer. I shoved the thermometer back in my mouth and did my best not to let out a howl. The stupid thing burnt my tongue. The light bulb made it way too hot. I spit it out as Miss Spring walked in the room. “Here you go,” I said, handing it to her. Although it ca
me out more like, “Ha yuhh goww.” My tongue had not healed yet.
“Are you going to call my mom now?” I asked, trying my best to sound normal.
She looked at the thermometer. “It looks like we’re going to have to call the morgue. With a temperature like that, you must be dead.” She pointed to the door. “Back to class.”
Why did I leave it under the light for so long? Miss Spring stood there waiting for me to leave, but that wasn’t an option. Begging, on the other hand, was. “Please, I can’t go to class. Think of the most horrendous, horrifying, horrifically embarrassing thing that could ever happen in middle school, multiply it by ten, and then you have what happened to me. Please let me just sit here today. I’ll go back tomorrow. I promise.”
“Class, Angel,” she said, handing me a hall pass.
The woman had no soul. How could she not cut me a break? “Please, I’ll do anything. Just let me stay. Remember when you were in eighth grade. I’m sure there was a time someone helped you out. Come on, return the favor. Please.”
“Go,” she said.
I guess I knew what happened to the evil Courtneys of the world when they grew up. They turned into people like Miss Spring. After giving her the meanest look my face could twist itself into, I stood up and left the office.
Miss Spring could make me get out, but she couldn’t make me walk fast. I went in super slow motion up the hall. As I was about to duck into the bathroom, the principal called out to me. “Miss Garrett, over here.”
Busted. Absolutely nothing was going right.
I turned around to face Mr. Stanton and let out a small gasp. The guy standing by his side was stunning and, yet, somewhat familiar.
“Glad I ran into you,” Mr. Stanton said. “I need to get to a meeting. Can you show this young man to his first class?”
I nodded. Would I ever?I mean, my heart still belonged to Cole, but this guy was a hottie. His eyes were almost magical.
“Great,” Mr. Stanton said. “Angel Garrett meet D.L. Helper.”
chapter 14
It was D.L. The D.L. Courtney’s D.L. His Facebook picture did not do him justice. He was way better looking in person—tall, piercing eyes; hair that hung just the right way over one eye; and even a slight cleft in his chin. He could have been a model, except for maybe the chubby cheeks. But they didn’t take away from his cuteness, they added to it. They made him seem approachable, friendly.
But I shouldn’t have let his looks fool me. “You’re . . . Angel?” he asked, giving me a simultaneous once over and sneer making me feel, once again, no better than a piece of gum stuck on the bottom of a shoe.
“Yeah,” I said, wishing Mr. Stanton hadn’t left me alone with him. I was getting the sinking feeling that D.L. and I weren’t exactly headed toward bestfriendsville.
“Perfect,” he said, swinging his backpack from his left to right shoulder. “Figures I’d get stuck with you on my first day.” He started walking, leaving me standing there.
I’m not sure why I imagined he’d actually be a nice human being. Anyone who went out with Courtney had to have serious personality flaws. “Do you even know where you’re going?” I called after him.
“I’ll figure it out. Now get lost, please. I’d rather not be seen with you.”
Well, Courtney obviously clued him in on my reputation at school. “Nice to meet you, too,” I said, hoping he was smart enough to get the sarcasm.
I waited for some obnoxious comeback. But I didn’t get one—not from him. Because the bell rang and we were right in front of a row of eighth grade homerooms. Courtney came running out and right into D.L.’s arms, giving him a huge hug.
“I’m soooo glad you’re here,” she wailed. When she finally let him go, she turned her attention to me. “Buzz off, Double-A. I don’t need you and your gym shirt ruining this moment for me.”
Big surprise. The new nickname was sticking. And while I was prepared for it, hearing her say it still made me cover my chest with my arms and slink backward.
“Jaydin, Lana, Bronwyn, Brooke,” Courtney screamed out. “Come meet D.L.”
She was so excited, and I was so . . . so . . . ready to give up.
As I headed down the hall, I tried to block out the whispers, giggles, and finger-pointing surrounding me, but I heard and saw everything. The more I cringed, the more they kept at it. The calls of “Double-A” and some not-so-flattering comments about my chest followed me as I walked. But they were overshadowed by Courtney’s voice echoing down the hallway. She was obviously talking loud enough to guarantee I’d hear what she had to say to her friends. “I’m so excited about the school dance,” she crowed. “And one of you is totally going to have to go with Cole. I hear he’s looking for a new girlfriend.”
My pulse sped up like someone shifted it into high gear. Did she just say Cole!? With someone new? NOOOOO!!!
As the voice in my mind screamed, every locker in the hallway burst open sending the contents shooting out onto the floor. Lou would have been impressed. I didn’t just make one pencil move, I caused dozens of them, along with doors, papers, and books, to fly. Only I hadn’t meant for that to happen.
People around me were shouting, but I could barely hear them over the sound of my heartbeat. Cole. My Cole was going to have a new girlfriend. How was I ever going to make it through the year if I had to watch as he made googly eyes at someone else? And, of course, Courtney would constantly rub my face in it, and now she had her boyfriend here to help her do it.
I moved through the books and other junk on the ground in a trance. There was nothing to do, other than go on with my hopelessly, pathetic, lonely existence. As I walked to class, my foot slid on a loose piece of paper causing me to fall right on my butt. If I wasn’t so numb, it probably would have hurt. I just sat there on the ground looking at the damage I had caused. The hallway was a mess. Which was fitting.
So was my life.
chapter 15
Gabi stood with me while I waited in the cafeteria line. She never bought school lunch. Her mom didn’t think it was nutritious enough. But she wasn’t leaving my side. She was too afraid I’d have another freak out and destroy the whole school. Or zap the next person who called me Double-A into a dozen little pieces.
“Stay calm,” she whispered to me. “Courtney doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She was just trying to mess with you. Cole isn’t looking for a new girlfriend. He likes you.”
“How can you say that? You know he doesn’t. Not anymore. It’s no wonder he’s looking for my replacement.” The lunch lady handed me my spaghetti and meatballs. “What am I going to do?”
“You’re not going to do anything,” she answered.
As usual, Gabi was right. I picked up a cup of pudding and dropped it on my tray. Drowning my problems in chocolate was the only solution for now.
We headed for our table, but I stopped cold. Cole was standing in the middle of the cafeteria, at his table—the cool table—talking to Jaydin. Courtney hadn’t been lying. Cole had moved on. He was over me and into someone new. A mean, gorgeous, popular someone new.
“It’s probably nothing,” Gabi said, putting her hand on my arm.
I shook my head. “No, it’s something.”
Then Brooke sat down and told Cole to come sit by her, and he did! What did that mean? I couldn’t stop watching him. What was he doing with all these girls?
“Will you look at him?” I whispered hoarsely to Gabi.
“What? He sits there all the time,” she said.
“This is different. Did you see that? He took some of Allison’s chips and totally touched her hand. And the way he laughed when Bronwyn said something. Definitely flirting.”
“You’re reading wayyyy too much into this. You need to relax.”
That was impossible. “He’s probably asking one of them to the dance right as we speak.”
“Angel,” Gabi snapped, grabbing my pudding and putting it back on my tray. It had floated an inch in the air.
&
nbsp; The feeling I had when Lou got me so upset that I made the pencil fly across the room was back. It was the same one that stirred inside me when I caused the lockers to burst open. For once I knew my powers wouldn’t fail me.
I looked up from the pudding. Then to Cole surrounded by girls.
Pudding.
Cole.
Pudding.
It was like the dessert was calling out to me. Not to eat it, but to shoot it across the room so it landed right in the middle of Cole’s table. It would distract him. Make him stop smiling like he was at people who weren’t me. Did I dare try? It wouldn’t technically be doing anything wrong. It was just good old powers homework, and I needed the practice, right? The sooner I could learn to move objects, the sooner I could make everything okay with Cole again. That was all the convincing I needed.
After a quick look around to make sure the coast was clear, I made my move. With one sweeping motion to guide my powers, I sent the pudding sailing from my tray. Only it didn’t land in the middle of the table. It had landed splat on Courtney’s head.
Brown goop slid down her face. I did my best not to laugh as she let out a cry and wiped the pudding out of her hair. I hadn’t meant for that to happen, but I wasn’t going to complain. It seemed like justice to me.
I caught D.L. staring my direction. “It was Angel,” he said to Courtney, loud enough for everyone to hear. “She threw it right at you.”
“No, I didn’t,” I protested. “It was an accident. I never even touched the pudding.” Which was technically true.
“I saw you do it,” D.L. shot back at me.
“Oh? You saw me touch it with my hands? Did you? Did you?” There was no way he could have because I didn’t use my hands. I used my powers. Then I realized that my no hands argument would draw attention to my “special gift.” So as much as I didn’t want to, I knew I had to give in to D.L. “Fine, I threw it.”
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Dress Page 5
