“Ms. Success was going over your social activities and found out we were in hockey boosters together,” she said in a rush. “She asked what we were working on, and … well, the good news is, she was impressed.”
“Really? By the banners we made?” I asked.
Chloe was quiet for a second.
“Was it the extra glitter?” I asked, smiling. “Or how we rhymed ‘score’ with ‘more’?”
“Uhhh, that’s the bad news,” Chloe finally said. “I didn’t tell her about the banners. I kind of lied.”
I stopped smiling. “What?”
Chloe’s voice came out barely above a whisper. “I said we were teaching elementary school kids about hockey.”
I closed my eyes and sighed. “But you don’t know about hockey. You thought the goalie was an umpire.”
“I know,” said Chloe.
“And another girl thought the puck was a giant peppermint patty.”
“I know,” she said. “But now she wants to see the presentation we put together. Alex, we’re doomed!”
I paced the kitchen floor, wishing I could reach through the phone and throttle Chloe. Of all the people to lie to, she chose the one who could send me off to private school.
“Alex?”
“Call the other hockey boosters,” I said. “Make sure they can get together tomorrow for an emergency meeting during homeroom. It’s time for Hockey 101.”
The next morning, I showed up for the meeting decked out in hockey gear: pads, mask, and all. When I entered the room where the girls were gathered, they all stared at me.
“Chloe’s missing?” I said, my voice muffled by the mask. “That’s too bad. I wanted all of you here at once.”
“What’s … going on?” a girl asked nervously.
I pulled out a hockey stick and waved it at her. “I’m here to teach you a lesson.”
Several of the girls looked at one another and screamed, “We’re all gonna die!”
“Woah!” I held up my arms and backed away toward the door. “Wait! Not that kind of lesson!”
“She’s blocking the exit!” someone shrieked. “Go out the window!”
Chloe came through the door behind me. “What is going on? I can hear you guys screaming out in the hallway.”
“Chloe, look out!” one of the girls cried. “Alex is packing puck!”
I ripped off my mask. “Would you calm down? I just wanted to teach you about hockey.”
One of the girls, who was stacking chairs by the window, stopped. “Then why are you dressed like Jason from the Halloween movies?”
I stared at her incredulously. “I’m dressed like a hockey player. You know, the sport you’re all so fond of?”
The girls looked at one another and then at me.
“Just … sit down,” I said.
While the girls settled into chairs, I brought out the posters I’d made.
“Oh, I like that one, with all the reds and blues!” said a girl who I remembered as Claire. “What is it?”
At this point, I had no idea why I was even surprised. “It’s a diagram of a hockey rink,” I said. “Haven’t you ever been to one?”
“Well, yes, but I’m not usually checking out the ice,” she said.
And then the lightbulb went on over my head.
“You’re into hockey for the guys, aren’t you?” I asked.
She nodded, along with several other girls.
“But we get bored quickly,” said Claire. “The guys go on and off the ice, like, every two minutes.”
“Yeah. As soon as you find a cute one, he’s gone,” another girl said. “Or he loses a tooth.”
“And they’re really clumsy,” piped up someone else. “They keep running one another into the walls.”
“You mean body checking,” I said with a smile.
Then I started with the explanations. I talked about checking, the blue and red lines, and the basics of the game.
“When do they try to rope the Zamboni?” asked Claire.
I sighed. “Never. It’s for smoothing out the ice.”
By the time homeroom ended, the girls seemed to understand hockey well enough to follow along with the presentation I’d put together.
“I owe you big time,” said Chloe, helping me take down my posters.
“Just don’t lie to Ms. Success anymore,” I said.
Chloe smiled. “Deal. Speaking of Champs, what did you end up doing for your teamwork task?”
She and I stepped into the hallway, and I took my time navigating the crowd for an excuse not to answer. For some reason, I didn’t think it wise to tell the whole truth, so I said, “I baked desserts with Emily for the slumber party.”
“Kissing up to the teacher’s assistant.” Chloe elbowed me. “Clever! Not that I would have traded places with you in a hundred years.” She grabbed my arm. “Then you’re still coming to the slumber party?”
“That’s the plan,” I said.
“Great. See you at Champs tonight! I’ll keep the seat by Trevor warm for you.” She gave me a conspiratorial wink and strolled down the hall.
Emily poked her head around the corner of a locker bay and I let out a startled yelp.
“Chloe likes Trevor too, doesn’t she?” she asked.
I sighed. “Listen, you should just let it go. Let him go. It’s not worth the hassle.”
Emily stared after Chloe. “You’re probably right.”
But she didn’t look like she believed me.
That evening when I got to Champs, Chloe wasn’t warming my seat. Instead, to my annoyance, a grungy skater chick was there, talking to Trevor.
I cleared my throat. “Um, excuse me. I just had that chair disinfected.”
Trevor laughed, and the girl gave a derisive snort. “Geez, Alex. Relax!”
She caught my eye and I gasped.
Emily’s perfect ponytail was gone. Her hair was now draped around her face, hanging to her shoulders … and she’d dyed it black. On top of that, her eye makeup was so thick that she’d have to peel it off in order to remove it.
“Em-Emily?” I could only stutter her name. All other words had left my vocabulary.
She smirked lazily and leaned on the desk. “That’s what the kids call me.”
I glanced at Trevor, who gave an amused shrug. Then I grabbed Emily’s arm and pulled her toward the door. “Let’s step outside for a second.”
“What, the phrase ‘excuse me’ isn’t in your vocabulary?” She rolled her eyes at Trevor.
“Just go!” I pushed Emily in front of me.
Once I’d closed the door, she gathered her hair into its usual ponytail.
“That went well, don’t you think?” she asked, beaming.
I stared at her. “What went well? Your frontal lobotomy?”
Emily frowned. “Excuse me?”
“You’ve lost your mind! And your stepmother,” I said as I flicked her black ponytail, “is going to kill you!”
Emily waved me away. “It’s a wig, and Sharon already knows about all of this.” She made a sweeping gesture from her head to her ripped jeans, and I noticed for the first time that she was wearing an Ankle Biters T-shirt.
I pointed at it and exclaimed, “You don’t even like them!”
“Shhh!” Her eyes widened and she pushed me farther from the door. “Trevor doesn’t know that,” she said.
I marveled at her idiocy. “I’m pretty sure he’ll figure it out when he plays one of their songs and you run away screaming!”
“That’s not going to happen.” Emily tugged on the front of her shirt, as though even wearing something related to the band made her uncomfortable. “Besides, sometimes sacrifices are necessary to make romance work.”
“Wha—? Romance?” I dug my fingers into my hair. “Emily, this is stupid! You shouldn’t have to change for anybody.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Chloe likes him too. The only way I can compete with her is to be Trevor’s dream girl.”
&
nbsp; “Dream? You’re acting like a nightmare,” I scoffed.
Emily looked dumbstruck. “For your information, I learned this behavior from you!” She poked me in the shoulder. Hard.
My jaw dropped, but I quickly drew it back up. “Fine. Then let me teach you something else!”
Before she could react, I grabbed Emily in a headlock and dragged her to the drinking fountain.
“Augh! Let go! You’ll mess up my wig!” She squealed and slapped at my arms.
“We’re washing that eye makeup off,” I said. “If we’re lucky, maybe some of your crazy will rinse away too.”
Someone turned the knob of the classroom door, and I instantly released her.
“Is everything okay?” asked Trevor, stepping into the hallway. “I heard screaming.”
“Everything’s fine,” I said. “Emily was just singing an Ankle Biters song for me.” I bumped her shoulder. “Why don’t you sing it for Trevor?”
Emily’s face, which had been red from our struggle, turned redder still. “Oh, I don’t think he wants, um …” She laughed nervously. “It’s better with music.”
He smiled and nodded toward the door. “Come on. Class is about to start.”
Emily let her shoulders relax and gave a cocky half-smile, and sauntered into the classroom. I followed, searching for something large enough to knock her unconscious.
“Hello, Champs!” boomed Ms. Success as we got seated. “I hope your last few days have been almost as riveting as this interview I did.” She held up a copy of Loud Women. “Don’t let the name fool you,” she said to a chorus of giggles. “People who make the most noise get the most attention.”
“And the most spit in their food at restaurants,” I whispered to Trevor.
He snickered into his hand, and Ms. Success whipped around to look at us.
“Alexis …” She pointed at me, and I knew I was busted.
“Yes, ma’am?” I said in my meekest voice.
“Our lesson today is leadership,” said Ms. Success. “I understand you know a little something about that.”
Everyone swiveled to look at me, including my brothers. That was not what I’d expected her to say.
“S-sorry?” I asked.
“The hockey boosters,” said Ms. Success. “Chloe tells me you jumped right into a leadership role when you joined.”
“Oh!” I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I had taken charge of the boosters that morning.
Ms. Success gave me a thumbs-up. “I’m thrilled that my wisdom sank in so fast. Now, for the rest of you….”
Trevor nudged me while Ms. Success started the lesson. “Way to go!”
“Thanks,” I told him, glancing at Chloe.
She had turned partially in her chair and smiled when she saw me looking. I smiled back.
Maybe I had other girls figured out wrong. Maybe the slumber party wouldn’t be so terrible. Maybe …
Chloe’s glance drifted to Trevor. Over her shoulder, I could see Emily frowning at them both.
Maybe I needed to bring riot gear.
Chapter 9
Saturday night Dad drove me and my cake to Chloe’s. Even before I got out of the car, we could hear squeals and laughter accompanied by bad, bad singing.
Dad cleared his throat. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Oh, yeah!” I said with way more enthusiasm than either of us found believable. “I mean, it’ll be fine. I should really try this socializing thing.”
He kissed my forehead. “I’m proud of you. Have fun.”
Like a soldier heading into battle, I slung my duffle bag over my shoulder and steeled myself for an assault of perfume and powder puffs. For protection, I held the carrot cake straight out in front of me.
I hadn’t even knocked before the door was thrown open by two girls in bathing suits and towels. They giggled and pulled me into the house.
“Get changed, Alex! Everyone’s out by the pool,” said Claire from hockey boosters.
“But it’s almost October,” I said.
“It’s a heated pool,” Claire said.
“Ooh, cake!” said the other girl, taking it from me. “Who wants a sugar rush?” she called, hurrying toward the back door with Claire.
Chloe wandered in from another room. “Hey, Alex! I’m so glad you could make it!” She took my duffle bag and motioned for me to follow her downstairs.
“Thanks again for what you did in Champs the other day,” I said. “Ms. Success didn’t even make me do a leadership task.”
The expressions on my brothers’ faces had been priceless when I told them.
Chloe waved my thanks away. “That’s what friends are for. We look out for one another.”
A twinge of guilt rumbled through my stomach and I tried to shake it off. Technically, I hadn’t done anything wrong. I just hadn’t told Chloe about one little get-together with Trevor. And since Emily was involved, Chloe probably wouldn’t have even wanted to go.
I distracted myself from the feeling by taking in all the plaques and ribbons decorating the wall of the stairwell. At the base of the stairs stood a trophy case half-filled with gold and silver cups.
“Wow. You have a lot of awards,” I said.
“I like to win,” she said simply. “And soon I’ll have another trophy to add to my collection when we take the Champs championship.” She nudged me. “Right?”
“Huh? Oh, right!” I’d forgotten our agreement to compete together. “We’ll show those other ‘Champs.’” I put the word in air quotes.
“Come on. We can put your stuff in the rec room,” Chloe said, leading me inside. “Everyone’s in the pool. It’s heated, you know.”
“So I’ve heard. And everyone’s there?” I asked, ducking to avoid a row of balloons taped above the archway.
“Well almost …” Chloe smirked and dropped my bag in an empty corner beside a cot. The cot was covered with a pastel quilt, neatly tucked in at the corners, and a ruffled pillow embroidered with a gigantic, gold E.
Even without the monogrammed clue, I would have been able to guess who it belonged to. The rest of the room was wall-to-wall sleeping bags decorated with movie stars, pop stars, and Japanese cartoons.
“So where did you hide Emily?” I unrolled my black sleeping bag beside her cot.
Chloe shrugged. “She didn’t want to practice dance moves with us so I told her she could do something else. She’s in the kitchen setting out the snacks my mom bought.”
“Oh.” I frowned. “That doesn’t sound like fun. You didn’t try to convince her to go outside?”
“What can I say? Good help is hard to find.” Chloe grinned at me.
This time I felt a different twinge: irritation.
“Oh, and I have something for you!” Chloe skipped across the room and pulled a small plastic bag out from under a furry, pink pillow. “Your Emily-taming tools.”
“My what?” I peeked in at the contents of the bag: earplugs, a laser pointer, a blank CD, and twenty dollars.
Something else I’d forgotten about. “Uh, thanks,” I said, pocketing the twenty and putting the bag under my own pillow. Now that I was getting along with Emily, the bag seemed kind of embarrassing. “I think I’ll go check on her now.”
“Ah, good thinking.” Chloe winked at me. “Make sure she isn’t adding any last-minute ‘special ingredients’ to the food.” She mimed choking and dying.
I faked a laugh that turned into a grumble as soon as I was out of earshot. In the kitchen, Emily was flitting around a long table wrapped in colorful plastic vinyl.
“You’re the life of the party, huh?” I asked.
“Take the lid off that potato salad,” she said by way of answer. “And where’s your dessert?”
“Being devoured poolside. Why didn’t you want to practice dance moves?” I asked. “Not that I blame you.”
“Oh, I got the moves down after the second try.” Emily swished the end of her ponytail over her shoulder. “Then I got bored watching
everyone else flail around.”
“You couldn’t have stayed just to socialize?” I asked.
As soon as I heard my own words, I froze. Just a few days ago, my role had been reversed with Emily’s, and she was trying to convince me to be the social butterfly. Was I being brainwashed, Champs-style?
Emily didn’t notice. “I know it seems like I should be out there, given that I don’t have many friends—”
“That’s not true. You have lots of friends,” I said.
Emily narrowed her eyes at me. “I’m not a moron. I get that my personality can be a little hard to bear.”
“Oh. Then go on.”
“I’ve got a good friend,” she said, pointing to me, “most of the time. And I have a romantic interest. I don’t need anything else.” Emily clasped her hands together and looked thoughtful. “Live simply. That’s my new philosophy.”
“Okay. Well, I have a different philosophy.” I tugged her toward the door. “If I have to suffer, you have to suffer.”
We stepped into the backyard and were almost soaked by two girls holding buckets of water. At the very last second, they saw Emily and jerked back so that only a little water sloshed onto the grass.
“Sorry,” said one of the girls. “We thought Alex was alone.”
“That was meant for me?” I asked, not sure whether to feel angry or included.
“We wanted to … persuade you to get into your bathing suit,” said one of the bucket holders.
“Saying ‘please’ works too,” I said, “unless I’m on fire.”
Then a brilliant idea popped into my head.
“Speaking of fires,” I pulled Emily onto a lounge chair with me, “you would never believe what happened to us on Wednesday. Hollywood should be calling to make Emily and I stuntwomen.”
I now had the attention of every girl within hearing distance.
“What happened?” someone asked.
“Well … Emily, you should tell it.” I pushed her toward the crowd. “It happened at your house anyway.”
“Huh?” At first, Emily just fixed me with an incredulous stare, but when she noticed all eyes on her, she started talking.
“Okay, so we, uh, we decided to make desserts for the party, and I bought all these ingredients,” she said, chewing her lip. “Looking back, I probably should have bought a fire hose too.”
Odd Girl In Page 8
