by Kai Michaels
“Dad. Don’t worry. I have no plans to ever go out with him.”
Dad stood up and paced back and forth. “That’s good, but when you say that you have no plans to go out with him, does that mean that you have no plans now, but that you might in the future. Or are you saying that you will definitely never go out with him again. Because I think at your age, you should never go out with someone who is thinking—”
“For heavens sake, Chad. She’s not going out with Logan,” Mom said. “But you have to accept the fact that our daughter is sixteen and one day she may go out with a boy who just may kiss her goodnight. And she may even kiss him back.”
Dad’s eye’s widened and he threw his hands in the air. “What are you talking about, Annette? I can’t believe you just said that! We shouldn’t be encouraging our daughter to kiss boys!” Dad was hysterical. “Look, Maddie. I’m going to give you some advice. I’m going to get a piece of paper. We’re going to sit down and write a list of rules for determining what kind of boys you date. First on the list will be, No boys who just want to kiss you. Second—”
Mom and I looked at each other trying not to laugh.
“She doesn’t need a list. She’s not kissing anyone. Now, do you want to hear the rest of the story or not?”
“There’s more?” Dad said. He took a deep breath and sat down.
“Dad, it’s fine. We don’t need to talk about this stuff. I can figure it out with Mom.”
“No, no! I want to help. I promise I’ll sit here quietly and listen to everything without saying another word.”
He had to stop himself on several occasions, but I was able to finish without any further outbursts from him.
“So what do you think, Dad? What should I do?”
Dad thought for a minute and then said, “I think you should tell Carver . . .” He paused to think. “No, what I would do is tell Logan . . .” Again, a long pause while he thought. “Well, maybe the best thing is to . . . “ Then he turned to Mom. “Honey, what did you tell her?”
“I told her not to worry about it. Boys are weird at this age and it would probably all blow over within a week or two.”
Dad, rubbed his chin and slowly nodded, “I agree with your mother. I would also add, however, that if this Carver boy is thinking about kissing you, I would definitely stay away from him as well.”
“Thanks for the advice, Dad.”
“Anytime. Just remember I’m here for you.” He then excused himself from the room. By the speed of his exit, I could tell he felt he had done enough parenting for one day.
After dinner I worked on my homework. Morgan texted me around seven. “Logan is out front, honking. More info to come.”
After three hours, I began to worry that things weren’t working out with Logan and Morgan. I finished my homework, cleaned up the kitchen, and read two additional chapters in my book for English. What was taking her so long?
Finally, as I was about to go to bed, my phone buzzed.
“Mission accomplished!”
Chapter eight
Things were going to change—I could feel it! I wasn’t sure if the news of Logan breaking the bro code would have spread already, but I couldn’t wait to find out.
Kennedy and I pulled into the parking lot. She was sure that this would work.
“Of course it will work. Boys are idiots. They can be manipulated to do anything. The whole ‘bro code’ will be shattered by lunch.”
I hoped she was right. Even though I was still mad at Carver, I couldn’t help feel sorry for him and think that maybe he was a victim of the code as well. After all, I was asking him to sacrifice his status as a ‘bro,’ and risk being shunned by the entire bro organization just to go out with me. Maybe he figured he could just lay low for a week or two until Logan set his sights on someone new. Then Carver could claim me for himself.
I sat in the same place in math. Unfortunately, someone else sat down in the seat next to me where I hoped Carver would sit. Carver ran in two seconds before the bell rang and took a seat in the back. I peaked across the room at Logan just to see if he appeared to have been reprimanded by the guys. Our eyes met and he flashed me his trademark smile and waved. I ignored him.
I can’t believe him, I thought. He was smiling and waving like nothing had happened. Little did he know, I knew exactly where he was last night and who he was kissing. Obviously, the news of his deed hadn’t hit the general bro population yet.
In between classes I bumped into Morgan.
“So, have you leaked the information?” I asked. “Logan looks as happy as ever.”
Morgan looked confused. “I don’t get it. I texted everyone last night. I even told Braden I couldn’t go out because I was doing something with Logan.”
“What did he say?”
“Nothing. He just said, “Okay, how about Thursday?”
I looked down the hall and saw Logan and Braden laughing together. “Hey, what is that all about?” I said. “There is definitely something we don’t know about this bro code.” We decided to discuss it with Kennedy at lunch. I had my next class with Braden and, while I don’t know him very well, I sat right next to him. I had an idea.
“Hi, Braden,” I said.
“Hey,” he replied.
“So, my friend Morgan said she had a great time with you last night.”
“I didn’t go out with her last night,” he said. He showed absolutely no suspicion that Morgan might have been out with someone else.
“Really? I’m sure it was last night that she texted me.” Still nothing. Not even a response. I decided to turn it up a notch. I pulled out my phone and pretended to review the text.
“Oh, that’s right. Sorry, that was someone else she was with,” I said. “I think it was Logan. Sorry, that’s embarrassing.”
He didn’t even flinch. He simply looked at forward with a blank expression. I couldn’t tell if he wasn’t very bright and simply didn’t get it, or if he didn’t care.
Kennedy, Morgan and I met up at Kennedy’s car for lunch. None of us could believe that there were no repercussions from the previous night’s make out with Logan.
“I’m sorry, Morgan,” I said on our way to Smoothie Heaven. “You may have kissed Logan for nothing.”
“Hey, there’s no need to apologize. Logan is one of the best kissers around.”
Kennedy agreed.
I rolled my eyes. Sometimes I can’t believe I am actually friends with those two. We are so different in some ways. But, still, they were my friends and I loved them.
“If only we had someone on the inside, you know, a guy, who could find out what’s really going on,” I said.
“Yeah, a bro spy!” Kennedy agreed. “Do you know how valuable that would be?”
“What about Tyler,” Morgan suggested. “Maybe he could help us out.”
Kennedy shook her head. “No, you can’t trust Tyler. He dumped Sarah last year just because that medicine she was on made her gain a little weight.”
They threw out a couple of other names, but not one that they could both agree upon.
The guy working the drive thru at Smoothie Heaven handed Kennedy our smoothies one at a time.
“Thank you, Kevin,” she said, reading his nametag. She used her seductive, flirtatious voice. Kevin blushed and looked flustered. He dropped the straws outside, and then scrambled for some new ones.
As we pulled away Kennedy shouted, “Kevin! That’s who can help us.”
“That guy in the drive thru?” I asked.
“No, Kevin Dunn, from school.” Kevin was the mascot. He wore the Eagle costume at the games. He’s kind of a squirrelly kid, but he’s an amazing tumbler. He can do a back flip wearing the big bulky eagle suite.
“Yes! Kevin is perfect. He hates Logan. If he knew we could help him get back at Logan, he would do anything for us.”
“Why does he hate Logan so much,” I asked.
“I don’t know. Something about sneaking up behind him in gym and pulling dow
n his shorts in front of everyone.”
We decided to talk to Kevin after the basketball game on Friday night.
Chapter nine
“Where is my cheer skirt?” I yelled from the laundry room. The game started in one hour. I had to be there thirty minutes early. Myrna docks us half a grade if we are late.
“Mom!” I screamed.
“Quit that yelling!” Grandpa complained.
I ran back to my room. Maybe I had missed it hanging in the closet. I quickly slid each hanger along the rod, but found nothing. Back upstairs.
“Where is Mom?” I asked Cam. He and Zane were in their usual spots in front of the television with game controllers in their hands. Then something caught my eye.
“Zane, what are you wearing? Is that my skirt?” I rushed up to him. It WAS my skirt!
“Zane! Get that off this instant!” I demanded.
“He can’t,” Cam said. “He has to wear a dress until he beats me. It’s part of our bet.”
“I don’t care what your bet is. That’s my cheer skirt!” I turned off the television causing the two of them to whine and cry. “And you are in so much trouble when I tell Mom!”
Zane stood up and wiggled around until my skirt fell to the floor. “How many times do I have to tell you two to stay out of my things?”
Grandpa walked in complaining about the noise.
“Sorry, Grandpa,” I said. “Cam and Zane are always in my stuff.”
“Would you like me to take care of those two?” He grumbled making a wrinkly fist.
“That would be great!” I said. Cam and Zane dropped their controllers and took off screaming. They ran out the back door. We could still hear them yelling. Grandpa chuckled to himself. He loved to terrorize those two as much as Cam and Zane loved to terrorize me.
“Thanks, Grandpa.” I hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then I went to my room to change.
I was tying my shoes when a text came in. It was from Carver. “Question game, you start. Go.”
“What’s the question game?” I wrote back. I wondered why he was texting me. Was texting not part of the bro code?
“You just have to ask a question,” he answered. “Here, I’ll go first. If you were a food, what would you be?”
If I were a food? What kind of question was that? I really didn’t have time for this, but I was happy that he texted me, so I answered him back.
“I would be some chocolate. Because I am sweet and melt when someone holds my hand.” I sent the text, very pleased with my answer. Then I asked him what food he would be.
“I’d be some Chinese noodles. They don’t look good, but you like them anyway.” I had to disagree that he doesn’t look good, but I didn’t tell him that. I was still angry. Then I wondered if maybe Morgan’s date with Logan finally caught up with him. Maybe that’s why Carver texted me. Maybe Logan got busted.
Do I dare? I thought to my self. I don’t want to look pathetic, but why else would he be texting me. I decided to test the waters.
“Do you want to get some Chinese noodles after the game?”
He responded with a big frowny face symbol and the words ‘bro code’”
I threw my phone into my cheer bag. “Jerk,” I said out loud.
This was our first home game and our crowd was huge! Logan was on the basketball team. While they were warming up he came over and started talking to me. Myrna was on the front row glaring. Talking to the team or anyone else was strictly forbidden. When I tried out for cheer, all I wanted was the uniform and to have fun at the games. For Myrna, there cannot be any fun involved. Sure, we have to smile, but they have to be professional smiles. If she senses there is any actual fun behind that smile, she’ll take care of it. Earlier this year Morgan and I used to stand next to each other at the football games. It was fun and we used to laugh between cheers. One day Myrna noticed and since then we are assigned to opposite ends.
“Sorry, Logan, can’t talk,” I said. “Team rules.”
“Who cares about team rules?” He smiled and waved at Myrna.
Great, I’m in trouble.
“Really, I can’t talk, but good luck with the game.” I looked at Myrna and shrugged my shoulders acting like I couldn’t help what Logan was doing. I knew it would still cost me some points.
As soon as Logan was back with the team, Carver walked by.
“Hey, tutor,” he said. He sat a few rows up in the bleachers in front of me. I hoped he hadn’t seen Logan and me together talking. I still couldn’t understand why Logan was still talking to me after I had told him I had no interest.
Just before the national anthem, Kevin came running out in the Eagle costume. He was always late. It drove Myrna crazy, but she wasn’t in charge of Kevin, he was simply a volunteer.
Kevin was a great mascot. He ran up and down the bleachers. He danced. He made fun of the referees. The crowd loved him.
The game was close. We were down by two points at halftime.
“Okay, girls,” Myrna said. “I want to see everyone going all out with this dance. Coach Watkins is counting on us to get the crowd into the game.” We were performing our competition dance we had been practicing since summer.
With Kennedy, Morgan, and Tatum out, we struggled a little, but still got a great response from the crowd. Carver was standing up cheering. Myrna, however, was irate.
“What was that?” She complained. “Kate, you were behind the entire time. Syd, it was obvious that you don’t want to be here tonight. And you,” she said, pointing to me. “Well, you—”
Just then the team came running out of the locker room for the second half. Myrna ran over to greet them as they came out. We do it every game after halftime. We stand there and cheer as they run past. Myrna looks like a fool, but she is always there with us. We think it’s just to give Coach Watkins a high five. This time, Kevin ran up next to her and mimicked everything she did. She jumped up and down clapping. Kevin jumped up and down clapping. She high-fived coach. Kevin high-fived coach. She was too oblivious to notice. However, the audience roared.
The crowd was definitely into the game and we ended up winning by ten points. Logan ran over and gave me a hug out of the blue. It was so weird.
Kennedy and Morgan, who had to attend the game, even though they were suspended, came down onto the floor. “Okay, let’s go,” Morgan said. She was really upset that Logan didn’t get into any sort of trouble for kissing her.
“Hey, Kevin,” Morgan said. Kevin ran over, still in mascot mode. He didn’t say anything but acted like a mime using hand gestures to talk.
“Will you knock that off,” Morgan said. “The game is over.” She and Kennedy each grabbed a side of the eagle head and pulled it off.
“We need your help, Kevin,” I said. He looked happy to hear that.
“What can I do for you ladies?” he said.
“First of all,” Kennedy started. “Awesome job after halftime, making fun of Myrna. I wish I had that on video.” Kevin beamed with pride. I think he would love to live out his life in that mascot costume.
Then Morgan got right to the point. “Anyway, we need some help with the bro code.”
Kevin looked confused. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb, eagle boy,” Morgan said. “We need access to that stupid bro code blog.”
“Whoa! I can’t do that. That is a major violation. Do you know what they would do to me if they found out that I let a girl into the inner sanctum of the bro society? There’s not enough pizza and soda in the world to buy a bro out of that kind of treason. Sorry ladies, but no can do.” Kevin grabbed his bird head and turned to leave.
It looked like it was a dead end, until an evil smile crept across Morgan’s face. “How would your beloved bros, and the rest of the school, like to hear about how you took kissing lessons from—”
Kevin stopped dead in his tracks. Slowly, he turned. “You wouldn’t dare! You swore you would never tell. I even paid you twenty dollars for in
surance.”
I had no idea what they were talking about, but it seemed to be working.
“Sorry, Kev, I don’t remember that. Of course, if you just happened to let your blog login name and password slip, I could assure you that my lips would be sealed, at least until the next time I need a favor.”
Kevin pressed his lips together and shook his head. He stuck his finger up to her face and tried to find the words to tell her off, but he knew he couldn’t.
Morgan just waited patiently smiling devilishly at poor Kevin.
“Fine!” he said. “Login name is Captain Korg, and my password is spacemaster32.”
We all burst out laughing.
“Wait,” I said. “That’s from the video game my little brother plays all day.”
Kevin stood there ready to explode, but knew he had no other choice other than to take our abuse.
“I’m glad you are enjoying yourselves at my expense. Are we done here?” He asked.
“Yes, you’re excused, Space Master,” Kennedy said. I almost felt sorry for him, but I was a little frustrated with the entire male species, so I just enjoyed the moment with my two friends.
Chapter ten
We went back to my house. I was the only one with my own computer in my room.
“Hi, girls,” Dad said. “How was the game?”
“Great! We won,” I replied.
Grandpa heard the noise and came in. He was like my brother Cam. The second the door opens or the doorbell rings, they both rush to the door.
“Who’s here?” Grandpa called. Just then Cam came running in.
“Oh, it’s just you,” Cam said. I don’t know whom he and Grandpa expect to find, but they always look disappointed when they see who’s at the door.
“Is that sandwich boy with you?” Grandpa asked, hopefully. He walked to the front door and looked through the window. I assumed he was searching for Carver.
Kennedy leaned over and whispered, “Oh, look how cute. He wants another one of Carver’s sandwich.”
