by Cassie Mae
Shock flashes across his face, and he stares at me like I just told him I was moving to Africa to live with elephants. “You can’t even play Just Dance.”
“I only tried it once.”
“And that was enough. Grams still hasn’t forgiven you for breaking her favorite vase.”
“Still don’t understand why it was on the coffee table.”
“Because it had been perfectly safe there since I was nine.”
“With your grace, I’m surprised you didn’t take it out sooner,” I say.
“Touché.” His eyes go back to the road. “Swing dance lessons, huh? You must really have it bad for her.”
I don’t say anything. I don’t have to. Ryan already knows.
“When she jumped on my back and dumped my water bottle on my head, I couldn’t believe it.”
I smile at the memory of Kaylee’s long legs gaining on Ryan. The way she leaped onto him like a snow leopard attacking its prey. It was priceless.
“She’s good for you,” he continues. “You’ll balance each other out. Now don’t go stepping on her feet and ruining it.” Ryan grins, then smacks my shoulder. I rotate my arm to ease out the pain.
“Thanks.”
No pressure. No pressure at all.
Chapter 5
“I think the left is smaller than the right,” I tell Mr. Pippi, my pet gerbil. He’s gnawing on his food—and old copies of Seventeen—his cute white cheeks puffed up. He’s adding as much to the conversation as he usually does.
I slap my hands over my boobs and wiggle them. My nose wrinkles as I watch myself in the full-length mirror on the back of the door. “It’s definitely smaller.”
Mr. Pippi scratches at the water in his cage, and I strip out of my yellow Very Sexy Back String Push-Up from Victoria’s Secret. I love that one, but if my boob is all out of whack in it then I better go with something else.
Even though this is not a date.
It’s not.
But it sort of is.
My teeth pull at my lip. I slip on a bubblegum pink front clasp and wiggle my boobs again.
I slump on the edge of my bed, Teen Vogue and Glitter crunching under my butt as I flip to the quiz “Is he into you?” that was in GL last month.
“Okay,” I say to my gerbil, “help me figure this out. On the one hand, Nate’s picking me up. So that could classify as a date.” I stick my chest out over my magazine, twisting a bit. I guess I’m satisfied with the boobage ratio in this bra. “On the other hand, we’re not having food or going out anywhere. So that could mean it’s not a date.”
I pull him from his cage when he refuses to do anything but snuggle in the corner and sleep.
“Pay attention.” I point at him then set his furry butt on my bright blue and yellow comforter. He starts biting at my copy of Seventeen—seems to be his favorite subscription—so I swipe all the magazines to the floor. “Have you seen Nate? He’s adorable. Like I-could-totally-fall-in-love adorable. So if I go about this all wrong, I could lose my shot.”
Mr. Pippi puts his front paw on my knee, and I pick him up and wiggle my nose with his. “You’re totally right. I need to relax. It’s not like he’ll be seeing what bra I’m wearing, unless I have a strap mishap.”
I pet his white furry head, put him back on the bed, and skip to my closet. No nerves. Just fun. I can do this. Whether it’s a date or not, I’m going to be me and he’s going to be him and it’ll be magical. Pun totally intended.
“What do you think?” I ask Mr. Pippi, holding my shirtdress up to my body. I’m about to fling it off the hanger when my gerbil decides to take a nosedive off the bed into my bottom dresser drawer.
“Oh!” I squeal, pulling him from a pair of yoga pants. “Brilliant thinking, friend! I can’t exactly assist in something too dressy.” After setting him back in his cage—where he promptly goes to sleep—I yank on my pink-banded yoga pants and a bright purple camisole. This should be good for any flexible things he needs me to do.
Oh right, I should probably stretch. I take in a large breath and reach sky high, and then bend at the waist to touch my sparkly toes. My blond pigtails swish by my shoulders, and I shoot straight up.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I scold Mr. Pippi, tugging my braids out. “I can’t look like a five-year-old on this date. Or non-date. Or whatever!”
I let the strands wave over my shoulders as I fling the elastics across the room next to the shirtdress I discarded. Mom used to give me a lot of beef for my room being a mess all the time, but Dad is never up here. So once she moved out, I think there was this implied sign that said “Don’t come in unless you want to be scarred for life.”
My heart gives a dull thump as I watch Mr. Pippi snooze in his cage. This would normally be a girl thing I’d do with Mom. She’d help me with my bra, my outfit, talk me out of my crazy or join in my crazy.
When she moved out, I planned to go with her. But I’d just gotten adjusted to high school, and I really didn’t want to leave. So I stayed with Dad. Little did I know I’d be friends with everybody and nobody all at once.
Smoothing my hair out, I put a smile on my face and keep it there. Think positive thoughts. Nate-like thoughts.
My braids give my hair a nice wavy look, so I just spritz on some hairspray and pull a fresh elastic—one that isn’t covered in knotted hair—around my wrist. Just in case my blond locks get in the way of a magic sword or something.
After applying my makeup and scrutinizing every bump and curve of my body in the mirror, I turn to Mr. Pippi with arms spread.
“And the judge’s score is…?”
He doesn’t move, still sound asleep after his full meal of gerbil pellets.
“A ten? Oh, you’re too nice.” I wave bye, blow a kiss, and grab the big blue and black gift bag I got for Nate. “Wish me luck!”
After hearing nothing but silence, I put on a gerbil voice and squeak, “Luck!”
One of these days, I’ll have a human friend to do this with.
***
My knees won’t stop bouncing as I wait on the porch. My neck’s going to have one heck of a kink with the way I’m cranking it to look up and down my street. Please tell me he remembers where I live. He took me home last night after swing dance, but it was dark. Houses look so different in the dark.
But duh. I’m sitting on the porch. Dead giveaway that it’s my house.
I check my phone for the millionth time. So, I’m early. Like, way early. He won’t be here for another twenty. I blow out a sigh, rumbling my lips. And because the sound makes me giggle, I keep doing it as I trudge back inside.
I flop on my cushy couch and peek through the blinds. My hands are totally shaking, so I stuff them under my butt so they knock it off. But it doesn’t work.
I pull out my phone. Gar… it’s been one minute since I came inside. “Make time go faster!” I whine at the clock and shake my cell as if it possesses a magic genie who’ll grant my request.
Something whooshes outside, and I hop to my knees and look out the window. A galloping horse takes off in my tummy when I see a car that looks a lot like Nate’s pulled up on the side of the road.
I bounce off the couch and swing the door open, fixing the hair that just got caught in my lip-gloss. “You look cute. Stop thinking, Kaylee,” I mutter under my breath and put on a smile.
But when I look closer, there’s no one in the driver’s seat. There’s no one anywhere.
Oh balls. I thought… I guess it could be someone else. There’s still eighteen more minutes till Nate needs to be here. My gosh. I’m such an antsy pants.
Maybe I’ll walk around the block. Make time go faster by doing something. I zip my hoodie jacket, hook the present I got for Nate on my arm, and stuff my fists in the pockets before skipping down the sidewalk. I really do try to control my enthusiasm, but my legs and butt just want to shake and shimmy all over the place.
I cross the street and hop onto the opposite sidewalk, thinking about how cute these pin
k and black Sketchers are when I casually look over my shoulder into the car that got my hopes up.
My feet stop in their tracks. Nate’s splayed across the backseat, flipping a deck of cards between each hand. It looks like he’s talking to someone, but I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have a gerbil in there.
I run to the window and quickly rap my knuckles against the glass with probably the most un-cute smile ever. But I don’t care. The genie in my phone must’ve granted my wish.
The cards spill from his hands and topple all over his chest and stomach. I’m sort of jealous of them.
I wave, and after a few blinks, he sits up and opens the door.
“Uh, hey.”
“Hi!” I squeal, then my face heats. “What are you doing out here? You forget where I live?”
He shakes his head before running a hand through his hair. “I was way early. And you know, didn’t want to… so I waited out here… and well, yeah.”
His pink cheeks are so cute I want to pinch them. I almost do, but instead I throw the gift bag out.
“Open it.”
A dark, bushy eyebrow tilts up. “You got me a present?”
“I read in Vanish that all magicians need one.” I shake the bag at him. “Open it, please?”
His fingers brush over mine, sending twinkly stars up my arm. The dark blue tissue paper crinkles as he digs in the bag and fishes the present out.
“I hope it fits,” I say, as he quirks a smile at the light grey fedora. It matches his beautiful eyes. “Though I’m not sure if a bunny will be comfortable living in it.”
A small laugh shakes through him, and he flips the hat down his forearm and pops it with his elbow. After catching it, he slides it over his dark hair, his half grin now full blown.
“Fits perfect.”
“Holy crap, do that again,” I blurt out through my gaping mouth.
I didn’t think he would, but he totally obliges, pulling it from his head and popping it with his other elbow.
“You have to teach me how to do that,” I say, snatching the gift bag from his hand. He lets out a small laugh and opens the passenger door for me.
“Sure. I mean… if you’re serious.”
“Heck yes, I’m serious.” I plop into the seat and scoot so he doesn’t hit my butt with the door as he closes it. What a freaking adorable gentleman.
“So … I’m hungry,” he says when he starts the engine. “You mind if we get something to eat first?”
Oh. “Um, you can. I didn’t bring my purse.”
“I-I’ll pay.”
I pull my feet up on the seat and nod into my knees to hide my dorkville smile. “Then, yes, I’m starving. Feed me.”
He chuckles and lets his hand dangle dangerously close to mine on the center console.
Okay. I don’t care if this isn’t a date. I’m going to count it as one anyway.
Chapter 6
There are not many places to choose from in town, so I head over to Skippy Lee’s. They have the best burgers. Oh damn, I didn’t even think to ask Kaylee if she eats meat. My luck she’s a vegetarian like Ryan.
“Uh…do you eat meat?” I ask, and her eyes widen. Suddenly I realize just how wrong that sounds. “Like burgers?” I sputter.
“Are you kidding me? Who doesn’t like burgers?” Kaylee’s out of the car before I even have it in park. She rounds the front and opens my door. “Come on. I’m starving.”
I take the key out of the ignition and hop out. I expect my exit to look cool. Instead my suspender gets stuck to the seatbelt and flings me back. The strap snaps loose from my pants and somehow the metal clasp whacks me in the back of the head.
“Umph.” I rub my head as if my fingers are made of some magic healing lotion.
“Are you okay?” Kaylee asks, resting her hand on top of mine.
Sure I’m fine. I just made a complete fool of myself. Why can’t I be smooth like Nick? It comes so natural to him. It obviously skipped me.
Kaylee’s small fingers grip mine. “Let me see.”
I let my hand fall to my side and lean down. She pops up on her tiptoes to get a good look. The stinging is gone, and all I can focus on is her touch, the way her fingers draw circles in my hair, how her fresh scent wraps around me like a warm blanket, the way she can’t hold herself up on her toes for too long, and has to keep bouncing back up, the amazing thing those skin tight black pants are doing for her legs…
She moves closer, her boobs practically going right to my mouth. Oh. My. God. But just as I’m about to divert my attention away from boob mountain, her lips press ever so gently against my hair.
“All better,” she says.
I glance up and meet her eyes. A light breeze blows by, tossing her hair into her face. Her hands fly up to her mouth, pulling and swatting at the stray pieces. A loud puff of air leaves her lips, and she lets out a grunt.
“Hair and lip-gloss are a bad combination,” she says as she fishes a piece off her lip.
I reach out, my finger grazing the corner of her mouth as I pull away the strand she missed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with your hair down.”
“Now I’m remembering why I always have it in braids.”
I grasp her wrist, sliding my fingers across the band she has around it. Trying to catch my breath, I tuck a thumb underneath and glide it across her skin, letting the elastic snap when it leaves her hand.
“Here,” I say, holding the tie between my forefinger and thumb. She takes it from me, flips over, her blond hair cascading in front of her. She tosses her head back and combs her fingers through the golden strands before twisting it into a braid and securing the band around it.
“How’s it look?”
“Perfect.”
“Good. Now let’s go get burgers. I need fuel if you expect me to retain anything you teach me.”
I toss my arm around her shoulder, dropping my hat on her head then almost freeze, but manage to keep moving as if that wasn’t the boldest thing I’ve ever done.
She doesn’t skip a beat, pulling my hat into place and talking away about what burger she’s going to get.
My racing heart slows its beat, and the sweat prickling my neck fades.
Who knew the girl who sparks my anxiety is also the key to curing it.
***
Ava stands at the front of the dance studio and demonstrates the move she wants us to incorporate into our routine. I study her then turn back to Kaylee, getting into position. I go to step forward and step right on Kaylee’s foot. She lets out a squeal and my cheeks are an instant inferno.
“I’m so sorry,” I say to the ground because I’m too embarrassed to look up.
Her fingers tap my chin and urge my head up.
My gaze settles on the stray hairs falling loose from her braid. I’m happy she went back to them. Don’t get me wrong. She looked gorgeous that day with her hair loose, but this…the braids…that’s the Kaylee I know and like.
I focus on the golden strands. I can’t look in her eyes. She is so confident and graceful and I’m a putz. She asked me to be her partner so she can learn and all I’m doing is holding her back.
“Nate, look at me. Please?” The last of her words a mere whisper, and my resolve fizzles.
I glance into her big, gorgeous green eyes and an immediate calm washes over me.
“You can do this,” she says as her finger leaves my chin and slides up my face, cupping my cheek. “Relax.”
I go to say a million things, but every word sticks in my throat.
“Relax,” she says again. I take a deep breath and she smiles. “Good. Again.”
I listen, inhaling deeply.
“There’s nothing to this. You just have to be confident.”
“That’s easy for you to say. It comes so naturally to you.”
She pulls down on the brim of my hat. “And it does to you, too.”
I cock my eyebrow and shake my head.
“It does.” she argues. “When you’re doing m
agic, you become a different person. All your nerves are gone, and you are the definition of confident. Probably because it comes from within here.” She takes her hand from my face and presses it to my chest. “When you pull from your heart it is honest and true with no room for fear or doubt. Now focus all of that on these moves. You can do this.” Her hand falls to mine and she squeezes it gently. “We can do this.”
I close my eyes and think of the first trick I ever attempted. The cut and restore rope trick. I was nervous, holding the rope and scissors while Ryan and Lexie waited for me to wow them. Without hesitation I just did it. That’s it. I didn’t think about it. If I thought about it, I would’ve doubted myself.
So I push every thought of failure out of my head and take Kaylee’s hands in mine. I let the music flow into my ears and concentrate on the beat, the rhythm. I move my foot and start walking then quickly switch it up by touch stepping to the side. I triple step back and pull Kaylee with me, then go right into a kick ball change.
A smile spreads wide across Kaylee’s face, and I smile right back, loving the surprise in her big green irises when I raise our hands and set her into an east coast swing barrel roll. The cutest giggle slips from her lips and the music fades away. The other dancers are gone. All I can see and hear is Kaylee.
I duck under her arm and do a twirl of my own, taking my hat off and holding it to my chest.
When I’m facing her, I flip it onto my head then wrap my hand around her waist and pull her close to me. I slowly pick up the pace, triple stepping like no one’s business. Kaylee meets my pace, her blond braids swinging as we go. My left hand goes up and my right hand moves down, wrapping Kaylee in. I hold her beside me longer than I should, but I’m not ready to spin her out just yet. We triple step backward then rock step. Finally I twirl her out and a breeze of cucumber melon engulfs me. Damn she smells good.
Sweat beads on my forehead. My heart is beating out of control.
And it is awesome.
“I want you to dip me,” Kaylee says, and I almost stop. What if I trip and fall and land right on top of her? Oh man I’d never forgive myself. “Nate,” she says, and I meet her eyes. She gives me a wicked grin and nods once.
