“Are you delusional, Emily? This is a once-in-a-lifetime deal. Rampage likes you today. There’s a good chance they’re not going to feel the same way about you next month or next year or seven years from now, because someone better’s gonna come along—someone prettier and more talented,” Travis pointed out.
Ouch. “Okay. I guess that’s fair. But I’m willing to take that chance,” Emily told him bluntly.
Travis pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket and began scrolling. “Whatever. Look. Forget about recording with us tomorrow. I think I know someone who can fill in for you.”
“Really? Who?”
“Doesn’t matter. Hashtag’s not your concern anymore. Good-bye, Emily.” Travis turned to go.
“Wait, Travis!” Emily put her hand on his arm. “We’re still okay, right? I mean, you and me?”
“Seriously? There is no you and me without Hashtag. You really are delusional, aren’t you?”
Travis took off. Emily stared after him in shock. Had he just broken up with her? And basically told her that he’d strung her along? That he’d made her believe he liked her just so that she would sing with the group?
CHAPTER 22
Devin sat at the ticket table, watching couples head onto the dance floor as the DJ put on a slow, romantic song by Calla called “Meant to Be.” It was past eight, so no one else was coming through the door to buy tickets, which left Devin free to get up and party with her friends.
But she wasn’t in the mood to dance. The electric excitement she’d felt at Nationals after the team’s fifth-place win was starting to fade. It was back to reality now, which meant making up the couple of quizzes she’d missed while in Orlando. And dealing with her mom’s fury over the news that Devin’s dad had started dating someone from his office. And having to take Emerald to the emergency vet clinic two nights ago because she wouldn’t stop throwing up. (Thankfully, she was fine now.)
And, of course, there was Josh.
They had Skyped last night after the Corning game, since it was officially Valentine’s Day. He’d caught her up on the news about his little sister. Josie was doing well, and Josh’s family had found a preschool that would meet her needs.
They’d also talked about Nationals and Josh’s new pet turtle and his family’s upcoming camping trip to Yosemite.
At one point, Devin had come so close to telling him about Mateo. To telling him that she’d developed feelings for another guy and wanted to take some time to figure out what it meant. But she hadn’t been able to bring herself to do it, especially after Josh told her that he really, really missed her and that he had a special Valentine’s surprise for her.
Devin had no idea what the surprise might be. Nothing had come in the mail today. Maybe he was composing a new song for her? They had another Skype date set for later tonight.
“Hey, Devin.”
Devin glanced up, startled. Mateo was standing there. He looked incredibly handsome in a white button-down shirt and faded jeans. His curly black hair was slightly slicked back.
“Oh, hey, Mateo!” Devin picked up a pen and began scribbling random numbers on her notepad in an effort to appear busy. “I was just adding up tonight’s receipts. How are you? Are you having fun?” she babbled.
“I guess. What about you?”
“You know. Just working. Hey, great game last night!”
She felt stupid making silly small talk with Mateo, but she couldn’t help it. She didn’t want him to know that she’d been thinking about him just now. And all day. And yesterday. And the day before.
“Thanks. So, um, I didn’t see you much this week,” Mateo said awkwardly.
“What do you mean? We saw each other in history class,” Devin pointed out.
“That’s not what I meant. You canceled our study hall session. Is everything okay?”
“Yes. I’m so sorry. I, um, had this other thing I had to do. But I promise I’ll get back on track with our mock-trial project. I know it’s due in a couple of weeks.”
“I’m not worried about the mock-trial project. I know we’ll get it done. It’s just that…” Mateo looked away.
“What?”
“I wanted to ask you to the dance. To this dance, I mean,” he blurted out.
Devin’s breath caught in her throat. “You did?”
“Yeah, big-time. But I was scared you’d say no. You’ve kind of been avoiding me lately. You’re not exactly an easy person to read, Devin Isle.”
Devin stared up at him. He looked so vulnerable just then. Omigosh, Devin realized. He feels the same way I do.
She grinned shyly and held out her hand. “Okay. Yes.”
Mateo glanced down at her in surprise. “What did you say?”
“I said yes, I’ll go to this dance with you.”
Mateo gave her a dazzling smile and gently clasped her hand in his. She stood up and walked around the table to join him. He pulled her in close as they began swaying to the Calla song, right then and there.
Devin closed her eyes and rested her head against Mateo’s chest. His arms were warm and strong where they held her, and his skin smelled like Ivory soap.
Devin was finally ready to admit that she had a crush on Mateo and wanted to spend more time with him.
The song switched to a faster tempo. Devin opened her eyes…
… and saw Josh standing in the gym doorway, holding a single red rose in his hand. Watching her and Mateo with a stunned expression.
By the time Devin made her excuses to Mateo and ran outside, she found Josh sitting on a bench near the parking lot. He was plucking the petals from the rose one by one and letting them flutter to the ground.
Devin sat down next to him, trying to shake off her shock and guilt. How could she have let this happen?
“I am so, so sorry!” she began miserably.
“So much for my big Valentine’s surprise, huh, Devver?” Josh said without looking at her.
“I should have told you before. I’m such a jerk. Will you ever forgive me?” she pleaded.
Josh shrugged. “You know what? I’m kind of glad this happened.”
Devin startled. “You are?”
“I think we’ve both been kidding ourselves for a while now.”
“We have?”
“I care about you, and you care about me. I think. But the long-distance thing sucks. We can’t make this work when we can only see each other every couple of months,” Josh pointed out.
“I know. It does suck. But I should have been honest with you,” Devin admitted.
Josh bent forward to pick up a couple of rose petals from the ground. He turned them over in his hand. “So… how long have you been dating him? That guy in there,” he asked after a moment.
“Oh, Mateo? We haven’t been dating. He’s just a friend. We’re not even here at the dance together. Not really, anyway. We were just, uh…” Devin fumbled for the right words.
“It’s okay. You don’t need to explain. Come on, let me walk you back in. I’m going to call our family friends who live nearby. I can stay with them tonight and then take the bus back to Spring Park tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, Josh! I’m so sorry that you came all the way down here for this!”
“It’s okay, Devver. I’ll survive. Besides, I can always write a song about it. Maybe call it ‘The Valentine’s Day Dance Blues.’ ” Josh tried to make a joke.
Devin started to cry.
“Hey, stop that. You’re going to make me cry, too,” Josh told her, brushing her tears away with the back of his hand.
Devin took a moment to compose herself and dab at her face. When she and Josh finally headed back inside the gym, Mateo was waiting for her near the doorway.
Mateo’s glance bounced curiously between Devin and Josh. “Is everything okay?” he asked Devin.
Josh stepped forward and stuck out his hand. “I’m Josh, Devin’s friend from her old school,” he said with a smile, letting Devin know that he’d be okay. “But I actually have so
mewhere to be. It was good to see you, Devin. I’ll tell Nina and Cameron that you said hey.…”
Kate stood at the ticket table as she divided the money in the cash box into ones, fives, tens, twenties, and change. She’d offered to finish up so Devin could enjoy the rest of the dance with Mateo.
She peered around the crowded gym. People seemed to be having fun. The music was great. The decorations looked beautiful. Chloe and Daniel were at the concession table, joking and laughing nonstop. Devin and Mateo were talking with their heads bent close. And Emily was dancing with Gemma, Lexi, and a bunch of other girls from the cheer squad.
“Is the dance still going on?”
Someone handed her a ticket. Kate glanced up in surprise.
It was Adam, looking cute in a button-down shirt and navy-blue tie.
Kate stared at the ticket in her hand and realized quickly that it wasn’t actually a ticket at all. It was a tiny rolled-up scroll with a red ribbon tied around it.
“Go ahead, read it,” Adam said.
Kate hesitated, then untied the ribbon carefully and flattened the scroll in the palm of her hand.
It was written in Adam’s neat, old-fashioned cursive. It said:
“The course of true love never did run smooth.”
—William Shakespeare
P.S. I talked to Willow. She made up the whole thing because she wanted you and me to break up.
P.P.S. Can you give me another chance?
P.P.P.S. I miss you.
Kate raised her head slowly. “B-b-but why did she want to break us up?”
“She lied about having a big fat crush on Sebastian the tennis player. I guess she had a big fat crush on me, and she always has. I was totally oblivious. I’m sorry she pulled her crazy act on you,” Adam apologized.
Relieved, Kate hugged Adam. He hugged her back.
“So are we okay?” Adam whispered in her ear.
“We’re totally okay,” Kate replied.
“Good! Although it’s becoming a tradition with us, Kate. This is the second dance in a row where we’ve had some awful, awkward misunderstanding. The spring dance is in May. We’ll have to come up with another awful, awkward misunderstanding so that we can make up halfway through that one, too,” Adam joked.
Kate laughed and hugged him again.
All’s well that ends well, she thought happily.
CHAPTER 23
“Who wants popcorn?” Chloe called out as she walked into her bedroom, balancing a tray loaded high with snacks. Her dog, Valentine, sat up from her napping spot and eyed the food hungrily.
“Is it kettle corn or buttered?” Emily asked, twisting her hair up in a clip.
“I vote for nacho cheese,” Devin said, rolling her sleeping bag out on the floor.
Kate pulled on a pink hoodie over her white tank top. “Mmm, nacho cheese. I second that,” she piped up.
“We’ve got kettle corn, buttered, and nacho cheese. That should make everyone happy,” Chloe announced. She tried not to spill anything on her new baby-blue pajamas as she set the heavy tray down on her bed.
It was almost midnight on Saturday. The four girls had decided at the last minute to have a sleepover at Chloe’s house after the Valentine’s Day dance. They’d all agreed that they needed to seriously decompress from their long, exhausting week. And for the first time in weeks, there was no cheer practice on Sunday, so they could spend the entire day in their pj’s, watching DVDs and giving each other mani-pedis.
Chloe was really looking forward to chilling out with her friends. She was especially glad to have Devin there as part of the group. It was important for the two of them to be friends, especially with cheer tryouts coming up in April and summer camp just around the corner. Chloe had no idea whether they would be cocaptains next season. But whatever happened, she and Devin needed to be able to work together as one to make the Timberwolves the best squad it could be.
Devin reached over and grabbed a handful of nacho cheese popcorn. “So, Kate—are you and Adam okay now? I saw you dancing together,” she said.
Kate smiled and nodded. Yes yes yes. “We’re totally okay!”
“What about that girl Willow? Is she going to leave you two alone?” Chloe asked curiously.
“Adam had a long talk with her. She says she’ll leave us alone. But even if she doesn’t, I trust Adam. I know he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me,” Kate replied.
“Wow, it’s ironic, isn’t it? I’m the only one of us who’s single now,” Emily remarked.
“Excuse me? I’m totally single. I just broke up with Josh, like, a few hours ago,” Devin pointed out.
“Yeah, and you spent the rest of the night slow-dancing with Mateo Torres. He was holding you, like, this close the entire time.” Emily gestured with two pieces of popcorn.
“Stop it!” Devin said, laughing but blushing furiously. “We’re just friends. For now.” She picked up one of Chloe’s heart-shaped pillows and hugged it to her chest. She was still sad about Josh, but she was strangely relieved, too. At the same time, just thinking about Mateo made her feel warm and giddy inside.
Chloe raised her hand. “Well, I’m still single, too.”
“Yeah, but not for long. When are you and Daniel going out on your big date?” Kate asked eagerly.
Chloe beamed. “Next Saturday. He’s taking me to a concert at his school. I can’t wait!”
“You watch, Chloe. Now that you’re unavailable, Greg Marina is totally going to ask you out,” Emily predicted. “It’s what guys do. They want you when they can’t have you. They pretend to be your boyfriend so they can use you for something they really want, like a recording contract.”
“Awww, Em.” Chloe reached over and squeezed her hand. “Are you okay about what happened? Do you want us to yell at Travis for you?”
“I’m fine. I just feel stupid about falling for his sleazy act,” Emily admitted.
“So no regrets? About not joining Hashtag?” Kate asked.
Emily plopped back against the pillows and studied her nails. “Nope, no regrets. Welllll… maybe just the tiniest little bit. I mean, I could have been riding around town in limousines instead of in my parents’ boring minivan. Or hanging out at the Grammys with Calla and that hot guy from the Blue Skinks. Or finally having the money to upgrade Chad.” She looked up and grinned. “But mostly, I’m just glad that I can be with you guys when we rock Nationals next year. I so want those white satin jackets the national champions get!”
The four girls laughed. Chloe pumped her fist in the air. “To Nationals!” she saluted.
Emily, Kate, and Devin joined in. “To Nationals!”
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Contents
COVER
TITLE PAGE
WELCOME
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
COPYRIGHT
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2014 by Varsity Spirit Corporation
Varsity is a registered trademark of Varsity Spirit Corporation.
> Cover photography © Matt Hawthorne
Cover design by Liz Casal
Cover © 2014 Hachette Book Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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Poppy is an imprint of Little, Brown and Company.
The Poppy name and logo are trademarks of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.
First ebook edition: May 2014
ISBN 978-0-316-22723-0
E3
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