Holly's Heart Collection One

by Beverly Lewis

  “For what?”

  “For snoopers while I take my jeans off and shave my legs in the sink.”

  “How bad are they?” She leaned over and slid my sock down.

  “Get outta here.” I playfully pushed her away.

  “Why should I cover for you when you got me in trouble with Mr. Ross?” she said, reaching for her chili dog.

  “Best friends do things like that for each other,” I said, clearing off my tray. “So…are you coming?”

  “I can’t eat that fast. I’ll catch up with you in a second.”

  Racing to the girls’ locker room, I glanced at my watch. Seven minutes to shave Sherwood Forest before Miss Wannamaker’s composition class. I searched my backpack for the disposable Bic razor. But it was nowhere to be found!

  THE TROUBLE WITH WEDDINGS

  Chapter 3

  I made a mad dash around the locker room, jiggling one locker latch after another, searching for an open one…with a razor.

  “Are you nuts?” Andie appeared by my side, hands on her hips.

  “Frantic,” I cried. “I forgot my Bic.”

  “Is that all?” She went to her locker, swirled her combination lock, and produced a precious blade. “Here.”

  “Thanks.” I hugged her, then raced to the sink. “You’re the world’s best friend.”

  “Now that I saved your skin…”

  “And that’s no lie,” I said, slipping out of my jeans.

  “Don’t you think you owe me something?” she said.

  I swooshed warm water and soap over my bare leg. “Is this a hint?” I laughed. “ ’Cause if it is, I already know what you’re up to.”

  “That’s good, because there’s no way on earth I’m gonna write that essay for Mr. Ross.”

  By the look on her face, I knew she was serious. “It wouldn’t be honest if I wrote it.” I skimmed the blade over my leg.

  “Come on, Holly, this is not for a grade. It’s a punishment.”

  I grabbed a towel out of my locker. “Still, it’ll have your name on it, right?”

  “None other than. Look, I’m going to be late for class,” she said, a little huffy. “See you at tryouts.”

  “Thanks again,” I said, waving the shaver as she disappeared through the door.

  After school I hurried to the gym. A line of girls was already ahead of me. Most of them had played volleyball last year in seventh grade. Danny had warned me that the competition would be stiff, but now it hit me hard. My throat turned as dry as cotton, so I darted to the drinking fountain.

  Kayla Miller was there, too, getting a drink. Her twin sister, Paula, stood in the line waiting for tryouts. “I think I’m going to throw up,” Kayla said, holding her stomach and looking pale.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, convinced she could be sick by the expression on her face.

  “Just nervous, I guess,” she said. “I have to make this team.”

  “You made the team back East, didn’t you?” Paula and Kayla’s family had moved here from Pennsylvania last spring.

  She nodded, her ponytail bobbing up and down.

  “Then you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.”

  She smiled faintly. “Hope so.”

  “Well, I’ve gotta run.” I sprinted to the locker room, where I pulled on green shorts and a white top. Last year these shorts had haunted me with their ridiculously wide legs. Now, as I viewed them in the mirror, they almost fit. At last my scrawny legs were acquiring a shape. At long last.

  The new coach, Miss Tucker, stood in the middle of the gym floor, blowing her whistle. I ran my hand over my right leg. Smooth. Andie had saved the day. She showed up just then with Danny Myers and Billy Hill. Billy was as cool as a guy gets. He’d helped me play a trick on Andie at my birthday party last February. Now he was her closest guy friend and one of Danny’s best friends. I waved them over to my side of the gym.

  Danny lit up when he saw me. “How’s the competition?” He leaned against the wall beside me.

  “Like you said, lots of it.”

  “But you’re ready, Holly.” He flashed a smile at me. He was right. I was ready and had been for weeks. All those summer practice sessions with Danny had paid off.

  Kayla Miller was called first. I watched her serve like a pro. I swallowed hard, nervous, as she did her thing on the court. And she’d felt like throwing up?

  Danny must’ve sensed my insecurity because he turned to me and whispered, “Never forget, you’re an amazing athlete. You really are, Holly.”

  Jared Wilkins wandered over. Something about the bounce in his step—and his crazy, fun-loving ways—still appealed to me even though I hung out mostly with Danny now. I wished my heart would stop beating so wildly every time my first crush showed up.

  “Hey, Holly. Good luck out there.” Jared’s blue eyes twinkled another message, too. I wasn’t sure what.

  “Thanks,” I said, looking up at Danny’s face, wondering if he’d noticed Jared’s subtle flirting.

  “Excuse me a second,” Danny said, heading for the rest room.

  Instantly, Jared came over and took Danny’s place beside me.

  “You’re a hard one to track down these days,” he said.

  I wasn’t sure what that meant. But then Jared wasn’t the easiest guy in the world to figure out. It was one of the things I liked about him. I pushed a stray strand of hair back into my braid. “I’ve been right here in the gym ever since school got out today.”

  “I don’t see you around much anymore.” He leaned closer to me.

  “Well…” I blushed. “Danny’s been helping me get ready for the tryouts, if that’s what you mean.”

  He arched his eyebrows. “Hanging out with Danny?”

  “Well, I guess you could say that. Ever since September sixth at 7:15 P.M.,” I announced, remembering when I’d answered Danny’s very special question in a letter.

  “Really? That long?”

  Danny was back, and he slipped in between Jared and me. “Wait’ll you see Holly do her stuff out on the court,” he bragged to Jared.

  Jared nodded, then he winked when Danny looked the other way. I blushed again. A girl doesn’t easily forget someone like Jared even if he had turned out to be a rotten flirt.

  The whistle blew, its shrill sound echoing off the walls. “Holly Meredith,” called the coach.

  I sucked air in too fast and almost choked.

  “Remember Philippians 4:13, Holly. You can do everything through Him who gives you strength,” Danny reminded me.

  I smiled and headed toward middle court.

  Andie shot me her famous thumbs-up. “Go for it, girl.”

  No matter what, I promised myself I’d keep my cool. And I did. Setting up, spiking, bumping the ball—I was wired for this moment. Next I showed off my serve. After three good ones in a row, Miss Tucker asked me to put a spin on the next serve. And I did it!

  Thank goodness Danny had insisted I drill this. I could hear his voice above the crowd. “Yes! Keep it up, Holly!”

  Coach Tucker pulled me over after the rotation and patted me on the back. “Meredith, you’re really good.” She lowered her voice. “Be ready to show up for practice tomorrow…three o’clock sharp.” I wanted to hug her, but thanked her instead. It sounded like I’d made the team.

  Miss Tucker blew her whistle. “Stan!” she called to him across the gym. “Cover for me just a second.”

  A tall blond boy emerged from the crowd—my cousin! “Good show, cuz,” Stan said, shuffling the pages on his clipboard. “A little rough around the edges, but not bad.”

  I leaned over and pulled up my socks. “What’re you doing here?”

  “Didn’t you hear? I’m the student manager for the girls’ B team.”

  “Just great,” I muttered as I walked off the court, away from him.

  Andie yelled to me from the sidelines. “Holly, you were amazing!”

  Danny, standing beside her, beamed his approval.

  “Coac
h hinted that I made the team,” I said. Excited, my friends gathered around. Andie did a little jig before she hugged me, and Billy gave me a high-five. Jared congratulated me next, but his smile faded a bit when Danny moved in beside me. Was he jealous?

  After everyone left, Danny went to get his jacket on the bleachers. “I’ll call you tonight,” he said, heading for the door.

  “Okay. Thanks again for your help.”

  Danny nodded, turning around. Then he stared at me. Well, not really stared, just looked terribly pleased.

  My heart skipped a beat as he waved good-bye.

  THE TROUBLE WITH WEDDINGS

  Chapter 4

  “Wow, Holly,” Andie said, swinging her backpack as we walked to the locker room. “You were hot chocolate today.”

  “Thanks,” I whispered to my toes.

  “Hey, what’s wrong?” she said, pulling on my sleeve.

  “My cousin. He’s the student manager for girls’ volleyball.”

  Andie stopped cold in her tracks. She put her hands on her chubby hips. “That guy’s your cousin?”

  “Uh-huh. That’s Stan Patterson.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? He’s drop-dead gorgeous.”

  “He’s my cousin, silly.”

  “So? You have to introduce me.”

  “I do not.” I opened my gym locker.

  “Ho-l-ly,” she whined. “I’ve seen him around school but didn’t know he was related to you.”

  “Well, he is.” I pushed my hair over my ears.

  Andie continued. “You promised you’d introduce me to him even before your uncle Jack moved here. Remember last summer?”

  “Faintly.”

  “Hurry and get dressed before he leaves,” she begged.

  “Have to shower first.”

  “Just shower at home.”

  “No,” I said stubbornly.

  Then I saw that familiar glint in her eyes. She twisted a curl around her finger. Look out…trouble.

  “Have I got an idea for you,” she began. “An even trade. You introduce me to your cousin, and I’ll forget about the five-hundredword essay for Mr. Ross.”

  “You’d do that? Write your own essay just to meet my schizoid cousin?”

  She was laughing. “Yep, you heard it here.”

  The essay punishment was, after all, my fault. “Okay.” I gave in. “It’s a deal. But I’ve got the best end of it.” I ran off to the showers, which were mostly occupied. I managed to find a private stall. Soon I was back, dressing and brushing my hair.

  Andie gathered up my dirty clothes and rolled them into the wet towel. She stuffed them into my gym bag. “Would you hurry?”

  “Relax, will ya?” I fastened a clip in my damp hair and headed out the door with Andie leading the way.

  Back in the gym, Stan and Miss Tucker stood on the sidelines, comparing notes.

  I sized up the situation. “Doesn’t look like a good time for personal introductions.”

  “We’ll wait,” she said, locking her stance like a stubborn mule.

  Almost on cue, Stan glanced up, motioning to me.

  I nodded to Andie. “Now’s your chance.”

  “Gotcha.” She followed me onto the gym floor, our tennies squeaking as we went.

  I introduced Andie to Stan. “I don’t think you’ve met my best friend, Andrea Martinez.”

  “Hi, Andrea,” he said. “Are you in eighth with Holly?”

  She nodded, speechless.

  “Andie, this is Stan, my cousin.”

  She snapped to it. “I’ve seen you with Billy Hill and Jared Wilkins. We all go to the same youth group at church. Maybe you could come with Holly sometime.”

  Stan smiled. I could tell he was studying her, but only casually. No way would he be interested in my best friend. Besides, Mom had said there was a girl back East he was writing to. “Maybe sometime,” he said.

  Just then, Andie’s mother showed up pushing a double stroller. She paused in the doorway with Andie’s two-year-old twin brothers.

  Stan turned. Before we could say a word, he had darted across the gym to see the toddlers.

  “What’s he doing?” Andie asked, surprised.

  “Stan’s a sucker for little kids.”

  “Really?”

  “Not babies, little kids,” I said as Stan knelt down to talk to Chris and Jon.

  “Hi, Mom,” Andie said as we followed Stan over. “Whatcha doin’ here?”

  “It was so nice out,” she said. “Thought we’d soak up some of the September sunshine.”

  Chris bounced up and down. “An-dee-dee,” he said, pointing his chubby little finger at his sister.

  “He’s desperate to get out,” Mrs. Martinez said.

  Andie unbuckled him, took his hand, and walked him around the gym.

  Stan, in turn, unbuckled Jon and lifted him up into the air, pushing his brown curly head high into the basketball net. Jon giggled and squealed for more. “Here you go,” he said, showing Jon a basketball, saying the word over and over, letting him try to hold it. Andie couldn’t take her eyes off Stan, and neither could little Jon.

  “It’s getting late,” Andie’s mother said. “We’d better start home.”

  Andie helped put the twins’ sweaters on before we headed for the door.

  “Nice meeting you, Stan,” Andie said.

  “Same here,” he said, waving to the toddlers.

  Outside, the autumn air was turning brisk. It was like that in the mountains. Summer was over almost before it got started in Dressel Hills, Colorado.

  “I think I’m in love,” Andie said on our way down the hill toward the city bus stop. Her mother pushed the stroller ahead of us.

  “Good grief. Don’t be so dramatic. And have you forgotten Billy? He’s nuts about you.”

  “Whatever,” she said. “Call me after supper. I’ve got an essay to write.” The bus pulled up to the corner, half a block away. She ran to catch up with her mother and brothers.

  The bus was filling up fast. “Better hurry,” I called, strolling past the Soda Straw, a fifties-style diner with a soda fountain and every flavor of ice cream in the world. Today it was hopping with kids, most of them fresh from volleyball tryouts.

  Kayla Miller dashed out the door, her ponytail bobbing up and down. “Holly, wait up,” she called to me.

  I waited on the sidewalk for her to catch up. Her grin was gone.

  In its place were accusing eyes. “I saw what happened at the gym right before you and Andie left.”

  Puzzled, I made a face. “What happened?”

  “Stan, uh, your cousin. You were talking to him.”

  Now I was really confused. “Maybe you’d better spell it out, Kayla.”

  “You introduced him to Andie, didn’t you?” Her eyes squinted partway shut, the way my mom’s eyes do when she’s upset.

  “Yeah, so?”

  She looked away. “You don’t know this, but I’ve liked Stan for as long as I can remember. Before we moved here, he and I went to different schools, but we always talked after church.”

  I listened, still wondering what she wanted from me.

  She continued. “Then Mrs. Patterson died and Stan’s dad started attending another church. Anyway, I didn’t get to see Stan much after that. Now…here we are in the same junior high, and he doesn’t even seem to know I exist.”

  I scratched my head. “Why are you telling me?”

  “You’re his cousin, Holly. Couldn’t you set me up with him?”

  First Andie, now Kayla. “I really don’t know what you see in him. Besides, my best friend is bugging me to—”

  “You’re helping her, aren’t you?” she interrupted.

  I nodded.

  “Please, just help me get to know Stan better.”

  “But he knows you already, doesn’t he?” I said, totally confused.

  “C’mon, Holly,” she said. “Please?”

  I burst into a panic attack. “This is too weird. My cousin moves to town,
and everyone’s all mushy over him.”

  “Because he’s so cute,” she crooned.

  “Cuter than Danny?” Oops. I caught myself too late.

  “Danny Myers?” she said. “He’s okay, I guess, but…”

  “Then, are you saying you don’t like Danny?” I couldn’t believe I was asking this.

  “What makes you think that?” She played with her ponytail.

  I breathed deeply. “Remember last summer? You practically begged Danny to help you with your serves. You flirted all over the place, even at the library.”

  “But don’t you see? It was all about getting close to Stan. I was sure he’d be involved with the girls’ volleyball team this year. That’s why I wanted to make the team so bad. Danny’s just a friend.”

  “Really?” I didn’t buy it for one second.

  “So, will you?” she asked again, tears glistening in her eyes.

  This girl’s either completely lost it over Stan, or she’s the best actress around. I opened my mouth to speak.

  “Holly,” Andie called to me, running across the street toward us.

  “What’s up?” I said, surprised to see her.

  “The bus was too full for all of us, so I let Mom and the twins go ahead. I’ll catch the next one.” She glanced at Kayla Miller. “Am I interrupting something?”

  “Not really,” Kayla said, wiping her eyes. Then looking me square in the face, she said, “Call me with your answer tonight.”

  And she dashed into the Soda Straw.

  “What was that about?” Andie’s dark eyes demanded an answer.

  How could I tell my best friend that the girl I suspected of chasing the guy I liked was really more interested in Andie’s latest crush?

  “Please, Holly,” she called after me as I turned to go. “Talk to me.”

  “Later.” I looked back at her, forcing a smile.

  Under my breath, I said, “Much later,” as I trudged toward home.

  THE TROUBLE WITH WEDDINGS

  Chapter 5

  I kicked every little stone along the sidewalk as I walked. There was no big rush to get home. At the beginning of the school year, Mom had said since Carrie was turning nine in a month I could take my time getting home. Besides, I was an eighth-grade student, which meant more freedom.