Resisting the Rebel

by Lisa Brown Roberts

  She pushed through the door, the warm fall sunshine making her smile.

  “Hey, gorgeous.” Gus pushed off the railing where he’d been leaning.

  “Oh. Hi.” She shuffled nervously. This felt weird, meeting him here and him calling her “gorgeous.”

  He stepped close and twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. “We need to talk about homecoming.”

  “Okay. But can we do it later? I really need to get to the trivia contest.” And get your finger out of my hair, she wanted to say, because somehow it didn’t feel right.

  “Yeah, yeah, I know.” He stared down at her, his gaze intense. “I wanted to talk in person, not text. Tell your dad you’re spending the night at Cammie’s on Saturday, okay?”

  She frowned. She probably would spend the night at Cammie’s after the dance, but why did he care?

  He stepped closer, his finger still twirling her hair. She reached up and grasped his wrist. “Please don’t.”

  He looked surprised and irritated. “Come on, Mandy, it’s not like we’re strangers. And we’re going to the dance now.” He backed her against the brick wall. “I’ve got us a hotel room for Saturday night. So we can, you know…hang out. Just the two of us.”

  Her mouth opened in surprise, and goose bumps rose on her arms. Her mind swirled with faces: Cammie, Kay, her cheer friends, all of them saying the same thing: Octo-Gus…Octo-Gus…echoing in her mind like an echo from a cheesy movie.

  “N-no,” she finally managed. “That’s not happening.”

  “Oh, it’s happening. You. Me.” He gripped her shoulders so tightly she winced, and all the innocent sweetness she’d associated with him vanished, replaced by something definitely not sweet. “Come on, Mandy. I know how you feel about me. Just think—we’ll have a bed all to ourselves, babe—”

  It was the babe that did it.

  “Nobody calls me babe but my boyfriend,” she growled, pushing off the wall so hard he let go of her shoulders. And then she cocked her arm, pulled back, and hit him on the nose as hard as she could.

  “Shit!”

  Gus doubled over, clutching his nose, but he wasn’t the one who’d sworn. She whirled around to see Caleb racing up the stairs, his face furious and panicked all at once.

  “Are you okay?” He scanned her up and down, but before she could answer, he spun to Gus. “You’re lucky she hit you first, asshole. I would’ve put you in a coma.” He took a deep breath. “Maybe I still should.”

  Gus looked up at Mandy, his body still bent over, blood pouring between the fingers clasped over his nose. “I’m gonna turn you in, you stupid—”

  “For what?” Mandy demanded, crossing her arms over her chest so he couldn’t tell she was shaking. “Defending myself?” She glanced at Caleb. “I have a witness.” Her breaths came fast and short, and nervous adrenaline rocketed through her, but so did a surging sense of empowerment.

  Caleb scowled at Gus. “A witness and a whole pack of girls who’d back up her story.”

  Gus backed down the steps, glaring up at them. “Whatever. You two deserve each other. Fucking losers.” Then he turned and scurried away, like a rat scuttling to a sewer.

  Mandy faced Caleb, who stared at her like he’d never seen her before.

  “You sure you’re okay, Mandy?” He ran a hand through his hair. “I thought I’d be the one to clock him. Not you.” He stared at her in awe.

  She nodded, her pulse pounding in her ears and her body trembling slightly with adrenaline. “Yeah, I’m fine. And I think I just learned something.”

  He frowned, still scanning her like he wanted to make sure she was okay. “What?”

  “Sometimes—in extremely rare cases—a little bit of violence might be the answer.”

  He blinked, then his beautiful smile appeared, just like sunshine breaking through storm clouds, but she didn’t have time to stick around and enjoy it.

  “I’ve gotta go! The trivia contest already started!” She opened the door and ran down the hall, her boots echoing on the linoleum, suddenly feeling free…and happy…and stupidly in love with that guy she’d left standing on the steps, who might or might not go to homecoming with her, if she asked him.

  And she was going to ask him, as soon as she finished with the contest.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Fooled Around and Fell in Love

  Wednesday, October 5

  J.T. and Cammie went apoplectic when she ran into the caf.

  “Where have you—”

  “Why did you—”

  She shushed them with a finger to her lips. “Later. I’ll tell you everything later.

  “Okay everyone!” Mandy’s voice bounced back through the speakers, making her wince as the microphone whined with feedback. “Oops, sorry.” She held the mic away from her face while people laughed.

  “Let’s get this show on the road!” Mandy’s voice pulsed with energy. Who knew that punching a bad guy could give a person such a rush? Not that she was going to make a habit of it, because that would definitely mess up her karmic scale.

  “You all should have score sheets at your table. Make sure to put your team’s name on your paper.”

  J.T. leaned in and whispered in her ear. “You sure you’re okay? You look sort of weird.” She rolled her eyes at him and turned back to the crowd.

  “And no cheating, okay? It’s more fun this way, if you don’t use your cells to look up the answer.” She waved the DVD case over her head. “And check out the grand prize for the winner!”

  Scattered boos sounded around the room and a few crumpled lunch bags sailed toward the front of the room, landing at her feet. She leaned into the mic. “Knock it off. If you don’t want to play, you can leave. But if you’re staying, you’re playing. By my rules, people.” She shot Cammie a grin, and Cammie stared at her like she didn’t recognize her.

  “I like this new Mandy,” J.T. whispered in her ear, then he gave her a low five.

  Maybe he was right. After standing up to Spriggs and then defending herself with Gus, she did feel like a new person. She thought of Caleb telling her how strong she was, and felt a glow light her up from her toes up to her head.

  “We’re starting with an easy question,” Mandy said, grinning. “What famous TV show featured three beautiful women detectives and a boss who gave orders over the phone?”

  J.T. leaned over and spoke into the mic. “Here’s a hint.” He held a foil halo over Mandy’s head. She glanced up, laughing, folding her hands in prayer like an angel.

  She finished the next four questions, ready to turn over the mic to J.T., but he’d stepped back, texting furiously on his phone and gesturing wildly to Cammie, Leticia, Tonia, and Amber, who’d lined up behind her, and for some reason couldn’t stop collapsing into giggles every time she glanced at them.

  “Okay,” she said, darting a glare at J.T. “Time to switch it up. I’m passing the mic to my partner, J.T. Get ready for the really tough questions now.” She handed the mic to J.T., who didn’t even look at her. His gaze scanned the caf wildly, like he was looking for someone. Liam was sitting right up front, so she didn’t know why he looked so stressed.

  She grabbed a water bottle and took a long drink, wondering if Gus really would report her. Whatever. For once in her life, she wasn’t worried. Maybe it was the adrenaline buzz and she’d crash later, but right now, she was in her element, running an awesome trivia event, keeping people laughing, and getting everyone excited for tomorrow’s dress-like-a-hippie day.

  She poked J.T. in the back, since he hadn’t asked a question. “We need to keep up the momentum,” she whispered, and he arched an eyebrow.

  “Momentum is not gonna be a problem.” His mouth curved into a secretive smile, as he glanced at his phone one last time, then put the mic to his mouth. “We interrupt this trivia contest to bring you an important message from one of our sponsors.”

  “What?” Mandy whispered, stepping next to him. “What are you—”

  But the li
ghts in the caf suddenly shut off, and since there were only a few windows in the mostly cinder-block room, Mandy’s eyes had a hard time adjusting.

  “Do not panic,” J.T. boomed into the mic, quieting the crowd. “This is all part of the show. Stay seated, and prepare to be amazed.”

  He turned back to Cammie and nodded. Mandy saw Cammie’s teeth gleaming in the dim light like a Cheshire cat as she raised her camera and started snapping. Tonia, Leticia, and Amber shot past her and cartwheeled into the middle of the caf, then executed a perfect cheer.

  “We’ve got spirit, yes we do! We’ve got spirit, how ’bout you?” They spun and pointed to the caf doors, which swung open as the whispered “Oooh…do it” opening lyrics of the iconic Hustle song from the seventies wafted through the sound system.

  Mandy’s heart raced as her eyes adjusted to the mostly dark room, the only light coming from a few lava lamps she’d scattered on a few tables for ambiance. Whispering and bubbling laughter echoed around the room.

  “This one’s for the Queen of Disco,” J.T. announced, and suddenly laser lights—where the heck had those come from?—danced and gyrated, illuminating a guy in the middle of the room rocking a white John Travolta suit doing the Hustle dance moves perfectly. A guy who looked just like…

  Mandy’s mouth opened in shock. “Oh my God,” she whispered.

  Hoots and cheers filled the room as Caleb danced all by himself…until J.T. joined him, the two of them dancing in perfect rhythm to the song while everyone in the caf clapped in time to the song, laughing and catcalling.

  Mandy couldn’t breathe.

  Cammie appeared next to her, pushing her toward the center of the room. “Go,” Cammie whispered. “He’s waiting for you.”

  “B-but I…he…” Mandy stammered.

  Cammie giggled in her ear. “Get your ass out there, girl.” Cammie shoved her harder this time, and Mandy stumbled into the lights. She thought the cheers got louder, but maybe it was her imagination.

  Caleb spun in sync with J.T. and held out his hand toward her. J.T. grinned as she took a step toward them, and she willed herself not to blow it. Not to fall or stumble or wimp out.

  Mandy stepped closer and stretched out her hand. Caleb grasped it, his grip warm and strong, pulling her into his arms and spinning her around, and the crowd went wild.

  Just like she’d practiced a million times with J.T., she fell into the rhythm, and suddenly Cammie was next to her, then Jiro and Liam, and they all danced, laughing and hamming it up as they did the grapevine and the eggbeater moves perfectly like they were starring in their own episode of Soul Train.

  Mandy felt like she’d explode with happiness.

  “I didn’t know you could dance,” Mandy said over the music as she and Caleb did a twisty grapevine move in perfect synch with Cammie and J.T.

  Caleb shot her a sexy grin as he leaned in close. “Private lessons from the Blue Ranger. But maybe you can teach me your moves.”

  She almost lost her rhythm as heat flooded through her, but she kept up, aware that lots of people had joined them, dancing around the caf, some trying to mimic their Hustle moves, some making up their own, everyone laughing and dancing and making Mandy’s heart fill to bursting.

  “Also,” Caleb said, pulling her into his arms, “I need to ask you something.” He raised his eyebrows at J.T., who scurried off.

  The overhead lights flicked on as Dr. Hairy flew through the door. “What is going on—”

  But Mandy tuned her out because they weren’t dancing anymore, and someone had lowered the volume on the song, and now Caleb was staring down into her eyes, one of his hands gripping her waist while the other brushed her curls off her face as the crowd, even Dr. Hairy, seemed to hold its collective breath.

  “I’m assuming you’re not going to homecoming with Gus anymore,” he said softly. She shook her head, smiling into his dark eyes. “Good.” He turned their bodies so they faced J.T., who held an enormous lime-green poster, decorated in glittering, psychedelic swirling colors, just like something straight out of the seventies.

  Attached to the poster were packets of Pop Rocks candies, pictures of disco balls, people dancing in disco outfits, the book cover from The Catcher in the Rye, several plastic Rainbow Ponies and a Power Ranger action figure. A red one.

  Tonia, Amber, and Leticia lined up in front of them, arms outstretched toward Mandy, and launched into a full-volume chant.

  “You’re stuck in the seventies but he’s stuck on you!”

  They pirouetted in synchrony and pointed at Caleb. “You think he wears too much black, so he dressed in white for you!”

  The crowd roared and cheered, especially when the cheerleaders jumped on one of the tables. Mandy saw Reg peek around a group of stoners to watch. He shook his head in mock disgust, but he grinned and gave her a thumbs-up.

  Mandy was shaking now—with laughter and embarrassment and giddiness and just…she glanced up at Caleb, and his eyes sparked with mischief as he pulled her closer, then draped a disco ball necklace around her neck.

  “It’s not too late to get a date!” the girls cheered from the tabletop, legs kicking, arms pumping toward the ceiling. “Come on, Disco, don’t say no! You know how much you want to go!”

  Mandy collapsed against his chest, giggling, wondering if her heart was glowing through her shirt like Iron Man. “I thought you wanted to write serious literature…not cheers.”

  He laughed into her hair. “Yeah, well. I had help. And some guys will do anything to get what they want.” His hand cupped her chin, and he tilted her face toward his. Mandy swallowed, no longer laughing.

  “This isn’t fake, right? I mean, you wouldn’t go through this insanity just to get rid of a st—”

  “It was never fake with us, Disco. Never.” Then his mouth crushed hers as his arms wrapped around her, molding him to her, while everyone whistled and clapped, and the cheerleaders belted out one last cheer.

  “Three more days to bust a move! Get your asses ready to groove! If Caleb Torrs can do the Hustle, just think what he’ll do with all those muscles!”

  She pulled away, laughing against his lips. “Wow. Nice ego, dude.”

  Frustration streaked across his face, but he bit back a smile. “Okay, I did not write that one. But I know who did.” He shot a glare at J.T. and Cammie, who were high-fiving and hugging each other.

  “Your posse is insane, you know that, right?” he asked, his finger trailing down her neck and making her shiver.

  “Our posse. And yeah, I know. That’s why I love them.”

  His arms tightened around her, and she breathed in his amazing Caleb scent. “You know what’s funny? I’d decided to ask you to the dance. After I KO’d Gus.”

  His mouth dropped open. “No shit? You mean all this was for nothing?”

  She laughed and playfully shoved his chest. “This was the best prom-posal ever. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.”

  “So your answer is yes?”

  “On one condition—you have to wear this suit.”

  His smile—his beautiful, open, Caleb smile—lit her up like a million firecrackers. “Anything for you, babe.” He bent to kiss her, his lips lighting her up even more than his smile.

  She pulled back just enough to whisper against his lips. “I was lying before, when I said your kisses didn’t, um, do anything for me.” She felt her cheeks heat up, but she didn’t care—she had to tell him. No more lies. Somewhere, she knew the universe was applauding.

  He cupped her head and drew her in close, whispering in her ear. “Oh, I know, Disco. I definitely know that.”

  And then he was kissing her again, a kiss full of shenanigans that violated every PDA rule and then some.

  Someone cranked up the music again and Cammie’s camera flashed and all around them people laughed and danced and cheered…

  …even Dr. Hairy, who’d apparently decided to forget her “no PDA” rule, just this once.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

/>   I Melt with You

  Homecoming, October 8

  As Caleb stood on Mandy’s porch, working up the nerve to ring the doorbell, his phone pinged with a text from his dad.

  Have a good time tonight. Maybe bring your date by the house sometime.

  He sighed, but a small smile tugged at his lips. Thanks, he texted. I will.

  Maybe he would—some night when Helen stuck around, so it wouldn’t be so awkward. With Mandy around, he and his dad might even pull off an actual conversation. But right now he needed to focus. He shoved his phone back in his pocket.

  He took a breath, one of Mandy’s calming ones, and pressed the doorbell. The door swung open and he came face-to-face with Reg, who stepped back to let him inside.

  “And the cavalry arrives,” Reg said, his expression something between a grimace and a smile. “I was worried I’d have to take her there myself.”

  Caleb hesitated, but fortunately the tiny white-haired lady sitting in the recliner came to his rescue.

  “Come in, Caleb Torrs,” she demanded. “Come closer so I can inspect you with my old lady eyes.”

  Embarrassed heat burned Caleb’s neck as he stepped into the living room.

  “She’s harmless,” Reg whispered. “But a little weird.” Then Reg straightened and put his asshole face back on, shaking his head in disgust. “What’s that piece of crap you’re wearing, dude? You look like a—”

  “Caleb?”

  Mandy appeared, framed like a portrait in the door to the living room, her green dress hugging her body in ways Caleb definitely appreciated, her red hair twisted up in some fancy style that showed off her neck, and her electrifying smile aimed at him. Just him.

  Damn. The crazy prom-posal, the fake drama, the stalker…all of it had been worth it for just this moment.

  “Did I hear the doorbell?” A huge red-haired guy lumbered in from the kitchen. Her dad, had to be. He stopped when he saw Caleb. “And who’s this?”

  “Mandy’s boyfriend,” Gran said matter-of-factly from her chair, smiling impishly. “Isn’t he adorable? A bit devilish, but we like them like that, don’t we, dear? A real badass, that Caleb.” Gran tilted her head back to wink at Mandy, whose face flushed as red as he imagined his was.