Racing Hearts

by Francine Pascal

  Dennis, of course, was unaware of Jessica’s lies as he brushed his lips against her forehead. “What timing,” he declared. “I’m having a lot of trouble with my car, and it’s in the shop. I’ve got to take the bus home. Sorry, Jess.”

  She didn’t seem to mind. “That’s OK. We’ll wait at the bus stop together then,” she said as the elevator arrived.

  The imitation wood elevator doors opened, and Roger Barrett, dressed in his institutional green janitorial uniform, stepped out with his bucket and mop. A shock of recognition registered on his face and on Jessica’s, but neither one said anything as their paths crossed. Elizabeth felt her stomach churn in pity for the boy. By tomorrow morning his secret would be common knowledge around school, and once again he’d be the laughingstock of Sweet Valley.

  Unless Elizabeth acted—and acted quickly. Sneaking back down the stairs, she waited until Jessica and Dennis had signed out. Then she, too, signed out and hurried down the street in the opposite direction from Jessica and Dennis. Jumping into the Fiat, which she had parked on a side street, she quickly put the key in the ignition. She wanted to be home well before Jessica.

  * * *

  Roger knew he was in trouble. He needed some advice, and as soon as he got home that evening, he reached for the phone and dialed Olivia’s number.

  “I’ve got problems, Liv,” he confessed to her.

  Olivia was surprised to hear Roger’s voice. She’d gone out of her way to avoid him ever since he’d won the race trials and, apparently, Lila Fowler’s heart as well. The sight of the two of them together was a painful reminder of how much she was missing out on and how much she truly cared for Roger.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, concerned.

  “First off, there’s something I’ve got to explain to you. You know how I’ve told you I spend most of my time studying? I lied, Liv. My family’s a lot poorer than I’ve led you to believe, and I’ve got to work to help pay the rent. Every day after school I’m a janitor in an office building.”

  For a few seconds the line was quiet as Olivia absorbed the news.

  “Go on, say it,” Roger continued. “It embarrasses you to realize you’re friends with a cleaning boy. If you don’t want to be my friend anymore, I’ll understand, so just—”

  “Roger Barrett, that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Olivia cut him off. “I don’t find anything wrong with your being a janitor—except that I wish you’d told me sooner. I have a feeling you’re the one who’s ashamed. You have no reason to be, you realize.”

  “Oh, no? It’s bad enough I’ve had to spend my life having people laugh behind my back about my clothes. The last thing I need is for the whole school to find out I clean other people’s bathrooms.”

  “So what if they know? The people who find something funny about that aren’t your friends and they never will be. But there are plenty of kids out there who’d admire you for what you’re doing.”

  Roger sighed. “Well, it looks as if I’m about to find out if you’re right.”

  “I don’t plan on telling anyone, if that’s what you mean,” Olivia said.

  “Oh, I know you wouldn’t. It’s Jessica Wakefield I’m concerned about. I ran into her tonight at the office building. I’m sure she’s on the phone with her friends already.”

  “Even if she tells the world, I don’t see that you have anything to worry about. You’re a big star in school, Roger. The fact that you’re helping out your family can only make you a bigger hero.”

  “Well, that’s the other thing I’m calling about. The star is about to fall. I can’t run in the Bart. I don’t have the guts to tell anyone. You’re the only person who knows.”

  “Why can’t you run?”

  “My boss, Mr. Pendergast, is a real rat. I know he won’t give me the time off on Saturday to race, let alone some time to practice during the week.”

  “Have you asked him?”

  “I’m afraid to, Liv. A few weeks ago I asked him for an afternoon off so I could take my mother to the clinic. He gave me an hour off—and even that was like pulling teeth—but then he warned me that if I asked him for any more time off, he’d consider it my resignation notice.”

  “He can’t do that!” Olivia declared.

  “He’s the boss,” Roger pointed out. “He never loses an opportunity to let me know how lucky I am to have the job. I can be replaced very easily.”

  “I doubt that, Roger. But in any event, there’s got to be a way to get you to run. Now it’s clearer than ever that you really could use that scholarship—certainly a lot more than Bruce Patman could. Tell you what. Let me think about it and see what I can come up with.”

  “Thanks, Liv. You’re a good friend.”

  For a long time after she got off the phone with Roger, Olivia pondered the situation. Lila or no Lila, her feelings for Roger were as strong as ever. It killed her that the only thing keeping him from a possible college education was a mean-spirited boss. She’d had enough run-ins with her superiors at the museum to know the kind of pressure he faced. Try as she did, however, she couldn’t figure out a way to help him. That’s why she decided to betray his confidence and call up someone who might.

  * * *

  On the other side of town, in a corner bedroom of the Fowler mansion, Lila looked out her window and gazed at the twinkling lights of the Sweet Valley houses below. She was racking her brain trying to figure out what she was doing wrong. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, she knew Roger had a crush on her, yet he still hadn’t asked her to the Bart dance. So far he’d been resisting all her hints; he’d even turned down an invitation from her. True, her interest in him had been rather sudden, given the way she used to ignore him. But all that was in the past. Everyone had misjudged Roger, and now that he’d won the race and proved he was one of them, things were going to be different. Together she and Roger would be the new golden couple in school, even more popular than the short-lived though spectacular team of Jessica Wakefield and Bruce Patman.

  There had to be some way she could ensure that she would be the one on Roger’s arm at the dance. But all her efforts had failed, and she had run out of fresh ideas. So she did the only thing left to do. Grabbing the phone off her night table, she quickly dialed a number, tapping one perfectly manicured, frosted fingernail against the receiver as she waited impatiently for an answer.

  “Jessica?” she said. “I need your help.”

  The girl on the other end cut her off. “Lila, it’s Liz. Jessica isn’t home yet.” Thank goodness, Elizabeth wanted to add. Lila Fowler was the last person in the world her sister ought to be talking to at the moment.

  “Don’t tell me she’s working late again.”

  “Afraid so,” Elizabeth said, figuring Lila didn’t need to hear the truth from her. “She’s very committed to this job.”

  “I think your sister ought to be committed, period,” Lila said huffily. “If she keeps this up, she’s not going to have any friends left. What good is having a friend who’s not around when you really need her?”

  “Jessica hasn’t forgotten you, Lila. She should be home soon, and I’ll tell her you called. But don’t be surprised if you don’t hear from her till tomorrow. I have to have a talk with her, too.”

  “Oh, really? What has she done to you this time, Liz?”

  “Nothing,” Elizabeth said pointedly. “It’s only some family stuff I have to discuss with her.” Just then the Wakefields’ front door slammed shut. “I’ve got to go, Lila. See you in school tomorrow.”

  Elizabeth went downstairs and followed Jessica to their spacious kitchen. She watched from the doorway as Jessica took a glass from one of the cabinets and poured herself some milk. “Have a good time at work tonight?” Elizabeth asked.

  Jessica nearly spilled the contents of the milk carton onto the counter. “Elizabeth, you scared me,” she gasped. “I didn’t know you were standing there.” Recovering quickly, however, she leaned against the counter and answered her sister�
��s question. “I had a marvelous time. I hardly even consider it work anymore.”

  Looking closely at her twin, Elizabeth now realized that the slightly glazed look in Jessica’s eyes that she had previously attributed to fatigue after a long day was actually infatuation with this new boy. It was surprising, Elizabeth thought, that she hadn’t noticed sooner. She’d certainly seen this expression on Jessica’s face enough times to know what it meant. “That stands to reason, Jess. Boys do have a way of making time fly. By the way, what’s his name?”

  Jessica fidgeted with her glass. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve spent the past six hours in Dad’s office.”

  “Oh, I don’t doubt that,” Elizabeth said. “But I know you weren’t there alone.”

  Jessica continued her charade. “You must be imagining things, Liz.”

  Elizabeth walked over to the counter and said in a hushed voice, “You can cut the act, Jess. I know all about the boy. And quite honestly I’m a little hurt you haven’t told me about him. From what I could see, you two make a lovely couple.”

  It took all the restraint Jessica could muster not to pour the rest of her milk over her sister’s head. “You were spying on me!” she shouted.

  Elizabeth put her finger to her lips. “Shh, Mom and Dad might hear.” Using the authority that came with having a four-minute head start on life, she ordered, “Finish up your milk and come upstairs with me.”

  Jessica obeyed and moments later followed her twin up the staircase to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Now that they were alone, she felt no compulsion to take the invasion of her privacy lying down. “How could you do it?” she cried. “I can’t believe my own sister has so little faith in me she feels the need to check up on my whereabouts.”

  “That’s a funny thing to say considering my suspicions were right, Jess. But I’m not going to get into that right now. I want to talk about Roger Barrett. I know you saw him tonight, and I have to make sure you don’t breathe a word to anyone.”

  Jessica snickered. “Why shouldn’t I? It’s only the hottest item to hit school in months. Big track star poses as night janitor. I suppose you want it to remain a big secret until you reveal it in ‘Eyes and Ears’?”

  “If I wanted to put it in the column, I could have done it weeks ago,” Elizabeth said. “But I’m respecting Roger’s wishes and keeping it confidential. The money he makes doesn’t go for a car or fancy clothes or money to spend on girls—it pays his family’s rent. It would kill him if anyone found out about it—and I mean anyone, Jessica. Understand?”

  Jessica shifted her weight on Elizabeth’s bed. “It’d put a big fat crimp in his relationship with Lila if she knew,” Jessica said aloud. “God, I’d love to see her face when she finds out she’s been chasing after a cleaning boy.”

  “You’re not going to tell her, are you, Jess?” Elizabeth shook her head in exasperation. Nothing was ever easy with her sister.

  “Oh, you never know,” Jessica replied airily. “Something that juicy might slip out accidentally.”

  “Then you leave me no choice. I’ll have to tell Dad what I saw tonight.” Elizabeth sighed sadly. “It’s going to break his heart.…”

  How can she do this? Jessica thought frantically. She’s using one of my very own tricks to get me! It was unlike Elizabeth to resort to blackmail, but nevertheless Jessica couldn’t help but feel a reluctant sense of admiration for her twin’s scheme. Under the circumstances, it was in Jessica’s best interest to go along with her sister’s request. “OK, you win, Liz. I’ll keep my mouth shut about Roger.” For the time being, she added silently, crossing her fingers behind her back.

  Elizabeth gave her sister a hug. “Thanks,” she said. “It really means a lot to me.”

  Jessica pushed any guilt she might have felt about deceiving Elizabeth to the back of her mind. Ordinarily she’d never break a promise to her sister, but news like this was too good to be kept under wraps forever. She’d just have to be extra careful about how and when she revealed it.

  “Hey,” Jessica said, steering the subject away from herself, “how does Todd feel about your sudden interest in Roger?” She winked. “You sure you two don’t have something going on between you?” She gave Elizabeth a playful tap on the arm.

  “No way,” Elizabeth said. “I just feel for the guy, that’s all. And now that this is settled, tell me about this guy you’ve been seeing.”

  “So you’ll have more ammunition for Dad?”

  “You know me better than that, Jess.” Elizabeth pretended to pout. “Truthfully, I think he’s cute.”

  Jessica smiled, glad she could at last pour out her feelings to her sister. “His name’s Dennis Creighton, and his father has the office across from Daddy’s. He’s very nice, Liz, and very sensitive about the things that really count with a girl. I’ve been waiting for a guy like him to come around for a long time.”

  “He sounds very special to you.”

  “He could be,” Jessica said hopefully. “Of course, given my working situation, I’ve only been able to spend time with him at Dad’s office.”

  “You’ve got the weekends,” Elizabeth pointed out.

  “I know, but that’s the funny thing. So far he hasn’t asked me to go out with him—on a real date, that is. I’d thought by now he’d want to do other things than hang out in Daddy’s office with me, but he seems content to leave it the way it is.” She left unsaid her realization that until Dennis grew tired of the arrangements, she’d have to stay on a job she was hating more and more with each passing day. “Naturally, I expect to go to the Bart dance with him. But he’d better act soon. I’m a very impatient person.”

  “Don’t I know—”

  Elizabeth’s response was cut short by the ring of the telephone. The twins’ parents recently had had extensions installed in each of the girls’ bedrooms. Jessica leaned across the bed and picked up the phone. “Oh, hi, Lila,” she said cheerfully. “Hold on a sec, OK?” Holding her palm over the mouthpiece she whispered, “I’m going to take the call in my room. And don’t worry about a thing.” She gave Elizabeth a reassuring squeeze as she got up, then hurried through the bathroom that connected her room to her sister’s.

  She settled down on her own bed. “Hang up, Liz,” she yelled. Then she spoke into the phone. “What’s up, Lila?” she asked.

  “It’s about Roger,” Lila said. “I’ve got to find a way to land him for good. I need some help. Got any ideas?”

  Jessica sat straight up. It wasn’t often that Lila came running to her for help. “Let me think,” she said, delighted to play the role of Lila’s savior. Jessica picked up her brush and began to run it through her hair. “By the way, did Roger enjoy your pool this afternoon?”

  “He never made it over,” Lila said. “That’s part of the reason for this call. Roger’s still playing hard-to-get with me. You know I usually like to take care of these things myself, but I’ve tried everything I can think of.”

  Jessica chuckled to herself. Lila sounded so desperate! “Are you sure you really want him?”

  “Of course I do.” Lila’s patience was wearing thin. “Can’t you think of anything I can do?”

  “I’m not a computer, Lila. Give me some time to mull it over. I’ll call you later tonight. OK?”

  Jessica put down the receiver. If Lila wanted Roger, Jessica thought, she’d help her get him, even though she realized her friend would run away from Roger as fast as she could if she knew the truth about him. As open as Lila tried to appear, Jessica knew that she’d never in a million years want anything to do with him if she knew he was a poverty-stricken janitor. Lila had often commented pityingly on the boys who worked weekends at the Dairi Burger or the Valley Cinema. She couldn’t see how any girl could put up with a boy who had to work Friday and Saturday nights. “What kind of relationship could someone like that ever have?” she’d often asked.

  But Jessica had promised Elizabeth not to tell Lila anything, so what could she d
o, she thought gleefully, but come up with a way to get Lila and Roger together.

  Rejecting about a dozen schemes before feeling satisfied, she finally came up with a plan she felt was destined to succeed. She snapped her fingers assuredly. Not only had she figured out a way to lure Roger to Lila’s place, but she had also managed to work in a little dividend of her own. If things worked out right, she would end up the star of the party with her new boyfriend, Dennis.

  Feeling proud of herself, Jessica quickly dialed Lila’s number. “The wizard strikes again,” she announced. “Lila, your worries are over.”

  “You’ve got a plan?”

  “Do I ever. Here goes,” Jessica said. “You know that Coach Schultz is leaving school after the race.”

  “Tom McKay told me it’s because he’s got cancer.”

  “I heard it was his heart. But that doesn’t really matter. The point is he’ll be gone, and the school doesn’t appear to be doing a thing for him. That’s where you come in. You could throw a party in his honor right before the dance Saturday night. A small affair by the pool.”

  “And invite Roger as my escort?” Lila filled in.

  “You’ve got it. He may be reluctant to accept a regular invitation from you, but he can’t pass up a celebration for his own coach. It’d be unethical. Then, of course, since we’ll all be going to the dance from there.…”

  “It’ll be very convenient for the two of us to go together. Very clever, Jessica.”

  Very clever, indeed, Jessica thought, proud of coming up with a solution that dovetailed very nicely with her own desires. Dennis still hadn’t asked her to the Bart dance, but she was sure he would say yes if she asked him to this party. Lila’s would be the perfect place to introduce him to her friends. With so many people expected at the Bart dance, her grand arrival with Dennis might go unnoticed. But everybody who mattered could be invited to Lila’s to get a firsthand look at her latest conquest.