“This is social,” he said. He pointed to the junk food spread out on the coffee table. “Dinner and a movie.”
“You’re a cheap date,” I observed. “I mean—” I clapped my hands over my mouth. “I don’t m-mean…” I stuttered.
“Relax, Donnelly,” he said. “I know what you meant.” He leaned back and draped his arm over the back of the couch.
I finally did relax. I’d known Dev forever, and his days of putting worms down my back were over. Popcorn, however, was another matter.
A kernel of popcorn somehow made its way down my back. His fingertips brushed against my bare skin and I shivered.
“Hey,” I said. “I thought your bratty days were behind you.”
He grinned. “Evidently not.” He threw another kernel down the back of my neck.
I scooped up a handful of popcorn. “You’re in for it now, Lucero.” I reached over and dumped it in the front opening of his shirt.
“Watch the threads,” he teased.
“Because that’s your good shirt?” I mocked him.
“Because it’s my favorite shirt,” he said.
“Too bad,” I said. “You started it.”
Suddenly, it was an all-out popcorn fight. I laughed hysterically as I volleyed popcorn at his head.
He retaliated by running to the kitchen. He returned with a cupful of ice.
“Not fair,” I said as he advanced.
He moved in as close as a kiss, and suddenly, my breathing slowed. His eyes warmed. Neither of us looked away.
“Sophie,” he said. He leaned in closer.
“What’s going on here?” Monet’s voice interrupted.
I inhaled, still caught in Dev’s gaze.
He put the cup down and reached for the remote. “We were taking a break. Want some popcorn?”
I couldn’t meet Monet’s eyes. I was almost sure Dev had been about to kiss me. And I was completely certain I would have kissed him back.
Dev started 10 Things I Hate About You and Monet plunked herself between us on the couch. She didn’t say a word, but I could tell she was mad at me.
It was almost midnight when the movie ended. I yawned again.
“I didn’t see your car outside,” Monet said. It was the first thing she’d said to me in an hour. Halfway through the movie, she’d asked me to pass her the candy, but that was it.
“I walked,” I explained.
I expected Monet to ask me about that, but instead she gave me a level stare.
“I should be getting home,” I said.
“I’ll give you a ride,” Dev said.
Monet made a furious little noise.
“No, that’s okay,” I said. “I can walk back. It’s only a couple of blocks.”
“I’ll drive you,” Monet said. “I want to talk to you, anyway.”
I met Dev’s eyes. We both knew we were in trouble.
Chapter 16
She pulled into my driveway and cut the engine. “Please tell me you are not interested in my brother,” she said.
“We’re just friends,” I said. “I thought you’d be happy we’re getting along.”
“It looked like you were getting along all right,” she said. “And he was wearing his lucky jeans.”
His lucky jeans? What did that mean? They certainly fit him well. I fanned myself with my hand. “Is it hot in here?”
“No, it’s not,” she said. “And quit changing the subject.”
“We were just improvising,” I said. I met her eyes, but it took an effort. I didn’t like lying to my best friend, but what choice did I have?
“Good,” she said, “because Scott has this friend—”
I groaned. “Now I’m so pathetic that my best friend has to set me up on a blind date? No way.”
“He’s really nice,” she said. “He has a great—”
“Don’t you dare say personality,” I warned.
“Smile,” she finished. “And he’s blond and athletic. Totally your type.”
“What’s the catch?” I wasn’t sure a Connor clone was my type any longer.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, what’s wrong with him? Why is he on the market?”
“He’s a freshman in college. His name is Tanner. He broke up with his girlfriend a couple of months ago. They tried the long-distance thing, but it didn’t work. He works with Scott at the art supply store.”
“Can I think about it?”
“Of course,” she said. “But, Sophie, don’t wait too long. You’ve got to get over Connor sometime and get back into dating.”
“Is that what everyone thinks? That I’m pining over Connor?” The thought horrified me.
“Maybe,” Monet said. “You know how people are.”
“Hmm. Maybe a college boy is just what I need.” I felt a thrill of satisfaction at the thought. I’d been momentarily distracted from my goal. A college boyfriend could do a lot to prop up my fading status.
“Scott and I are going out tomorrow night,” Monet said. “We’ll probably catch a movie. You and Tanner could go with us.”
I nodded. “Can we have dinner at Wicked Jack’s first?” We were bound to see some of the kids from school there, which would get the rumor mill going and, hopefully, start mending my broken reputation.
It had been a long time since I’d been on a first date, so it was natural that I was nervous. Tanner and Scott were meeting us at my house. Nice guy or not, I needed to meet him on my own turf. I was still skeptical that Tanner was a great catch. Why was he willing to date a high school girl? And why would he need a setup? Then again, why did I?
I bounced on my bed and checked my watch.
“Will you relax, already?” Monet said.
“What if he doesn’t like me?” I said. “Or worse, what if he’s a troll?”
“He’s not a troll.”
I ignored her comment. “If he’s a troll, we’re not going to Wicked Jack’s,” I warned.
“He’s not a troll, I promise.”
She was right. He was definitely not a troll, at least not on the outside.
I gave him the once-over as Monet introduced us. He was taller than Connor, I noticed with satisfaction. Blond hair, blue eyes, broad shoulders. Pretty much the epitome of my type, so why did I feel like something was missing?
“Where would you like to go for dinner?” Tanner said politely, after we’d exchanged a few pleasantries.
I met Monet’s eye and winked. “Monet and I thought we could go to Wicked Jack’s.”
Scott groaned, but he didn’t complain.
On the ride over, I asked Tanner a few questions: major (undeclared), sport (baseball, like Connor).
Finally, I decided to ask straight out what I really wanted to know. “What made you agree to go out with me? I mean, you’re in college. I’m sure you could have your pick of girls.”
He blushed. “Uh, I saw a picture of you. Scott mentioned that you’d recently broken up with your boyfriend. So we have that in common.”
“You recently broke up with your boyfriend?” The words came out before I could restrain myself. As usual.
“Huh?” he said. His face clouded over.
Poor Tanner was dumb as a stump. It was becoming clear to me now.
“Never mind,” I muttered. “Do you still talk to your ex much?”
“Every day,” he said.
I lifted an eyebrow.
“We’re still good friends,” he said. “And I miss her. You look a lot like her. Annabel has the sweetest disposition.”
I hoped Monet could hear this in the front seat. She’d set me up with a lovelorn fool who thought I looked like his ex. And I thought he looked like my ex.
I suppressed a caustic comment with difficulty. We were almost at Wicked Jack’s. No time for the reply dancing on my tongue. I needed to give the impression that everything was peachy.
The restaurant was packed. I smiled at Tanner sweetly and wrapped my arm around his bicep. I gave the impre
ssion that I was absorbed in his every word, but my eyes scanned the room. Who was there?
Olivia Kaplan, sitting at a booth with Hannah and a bunch of their friends. Good.
Connor and Angie, sitting in a dark corner. Angie looked amazing in a simple green dress. A little much for the restaurant, but judging by the way Connor had his tongue down her throat, he didn’t seem to mind.
I waved to Ava, who was sitting with a bunch of kids from Monet’s art class.
My stomach lurched when I met Dev’s eyes. What was he doing at Wicked Jack’s on a Saturday night? He was with the guys from the swim team and didn’t see the little wave I gave him. Beth was giving him the eye from a table a few feet away. Stalker, much?
I was one to talk, I know. Of course, I picked Wicked Jack’s because I knew Connor would probably be there. He was a creature of habit, utterly lacking in originality. It had never bothered me before, but now Connor’s little flaws were getting on my nerves.
All the tables were full, so we had to wait for an opening.
“I’m starving,” I said. “Let’s wait over here.” I headed for a table of freshman girls. It was clear from the pile of empty dishes that they’d been there for a while. I gave a little blonde an icy stare and she practically leaped to her feet.
“Behave yourself,” Monet hissed, “and quit terrorizing the freshmen.”
“I didn’t do anything,” I protested. “Besides, they were finished, anyway.”
Five minutes later, the table had been bused and we were seated.
I craned my head, pretending to look for our server, but I was really checking out the reaction of the room. Olivia and Hannah were practically doing a Linda Blair to see who I was with.
Dev was glaring at me. I gave him another wave. “Your brother’s here,” I said to Monet. “Let’s go say hi to him.”
She stared at me. “Why would I want to do that? I see him all the time.” She gave me a suspicious look. “What’s up with you?”
I leaned in. “He’s sitting a few tables away from Connor.”
“So?”
“So I want Connor to see me here with Tanner,” I explained.
“Hi, Sophie.” I jumped. Connor was standing at our table. There was no sign of Angie.
“Why, hello, Connor,” I said.
Connor stuck out his hand to Tanner. “Connor Davis,” he said. “I’m Sophie’s—”
“Connor and I are in a play together,” I interrupted. “With his girlfriend, Angie.”
Who, I saw from the corner of my eye, was looking decidedly grouchy, sitting alone at their table.
“This is my friend Tanner,” I said to him. Connor’s eyes focused on Tanner’s arm, which was casually draped over the back of my chair.
“You look familiar,” Connor said. “Do you go to Eisenhower?”
Tanner smiled. “No, man. The university.”
Connor cleared his throat. “Oh. How did you and Sophie meet?”
Tanner started to answer, but I cut him off before the words blind date could cross his lips.
“Monet and Scott introduced us,” I said. “It appears Angie is trying to get your attention,” I added.
Connor didn’t budge from our table. “How long have you two been going out?” he persisted.
A soft voice broke into our conversation. “Connor, our food is here.” Angie stood at our table in all her glory. I gauged Tanner’s reaction. He wasn’t staring or drooling or anything else the boys at my high school did at the sight of Angie.
“Hi, Angie,” I said politely. “Would you like to join us?”
Connor looked alarmed at the suggestion. “Go on back to the table. I’ll be there in a minute, babe.”
She didn’t budge.
“Connor, I wanted to get to know your new girlfriend a little better,” I said.
Angie flinched.
Unfortunately, our food arrived then and Connor finally retreated to his own table, with Angie trailing in his wake.
“That wasn’t awkward at all,” Monet commented wryly. “And what was that all about? You can’t stand Angie.”
“Just trying to be friendly,” I said. I fiddled with my napkin to hide my expression.
“That was your ex, huh?” Tanner said. Maybe he wasn’t so dumb after all.
I nodded.
“Seems like a nice guy,” he continued.
I took a bite of my pasta and smiled at him. It had been a very successful first date. I could see it in the faces of my classmates. I was on my way back to the top.
Chapter 17
I walked into rehearsal on Monday with a renewed sense of confidence. I could face Angie and Connor again with my head held high.
The date with Tanner had gone well, the biggest mouth in school had seen us together, and I detected a thaw in the air. Hannah actually said hi to me in English class, and there was no sign of her TEAM VOGEL T-shirt.
Monet was already there and she’d wrangled Ava and Scott into helping with the sets.
Connor and Angie were there, too, but I didn’t let their lack of discretion bother me. They could cuddle and kiss all they wanted. Sophie Donnelly was making a comeback.
“Hi, are you ready to work?” I said to Dev, who was helping carry scenery.
He grunted in response and stalked off.
“What’s wrong with him?” I asked Monet.
“No idea,” she said.
I shrugged. “Nothing can get to me today. You were right. Going out with Tanner was smart.”
“He’s a nice guy.”
I shrugged. “He’s certainly good-looking, and that is definitely helping me get back on top.”
“I didn’t set the two of you up so that you could use him to become popular again.”
“So why did you?” I was annoyed. Monet was acting as though I was committing a crime or something. “I’ve never made a secret of the fact that I like being liked.”
“Being popular doesn’t necessarily mean you’re liked,” Monet snapped.
“What are you talking about?” The idea stopped me in my tracks.
“Ask yourself why being popular is so important to you.”
Ava came over. “Monet, where should I put this?” She had a painting of a Tuscan villa in her hands.
“Ava, that’s gorgeous,” I said.
“Thanks,” she said. “I painted it from a photo I took when we went on vacation there last summer.”
Mr. Fanelli clapped his hands. “All right, places, everyone. And remember, people, you need to be off book. You’ve had four weeks to memorize your lines. I’m going to start imposing fines on Monday.”
Most of the cast groaned, but I smiled smugly. I had a gift for memorization and had both Bianca and Katharina down cold.
“Sophie, Dev, where are you? I’d like to work with the two of you.”
“I’ll get him.” I finally found Dev in the closet where the crew kept the supplies they needed to design the sets. I observed him for a minute as he hoisted cans of paint onto the shelf. The muscles in his arms rippled. Just then, he turned around and caught me staring.
“Fanelli wants us,” I said.
“I’ll be right there,” he said.
I hesitated. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No.”
“Because you’re acting like you’re mad at me about something.”
Dev ignored the question. “C’mon, Fanelli is waiting.”
“Let him wait. You didn’t answer my question.”
“Sophie, why do you have to be like this? Just when I think I…” His voice trailed off.
“You what?” I said. Butterflies were building in my stomach. “What, Dev?”
“Never mind,” he said. “I’m not in the mood to stand in line to worship the great Sophie Donnelly.”
“Nobody asked you to,” I snapped.
Monet poked her head into the room. “Mr. Fanelli is asking where you two are,” she said. “He’s almost at the hissy-fit stage. He’s muttering somethin
g about spoiled little prima donnas.”
“We all know who he’s talking about,” Dev said, shooting me a glare. He strode off.
“Your brother has a serious case of PMS,” I said.
Monet was smiling. “It’s good to see that nothing’s changed with you two.”
As we walked back to rehearsal, I wondered. Something had definitely changed between Dev and me, but what?
Monet caught up with me the next day before class. “Hey, you had fun the other night, right?”
“You mean with Tanner? Yes. In fact, I was hoping he’d ask me out again.”
“That’s great,” she replied. “Because both he and Scott have to work on Friday night until closing and they wanted to know if we wanted to do something afterward.”
“Why didn’t he ask me himself?” I said.
“He’s shy,” she said.
“Sounds good,” I said. And it wasn’t like anyone else was beating down my door. I had to have some kind of social life or people would think I had turned into a recluse or something.
But on Friday, I was in the library during free period when Eli Hudson, a big-man-on-campus senior, leaned over to me from the next table. “Hey, Sophie,” he said. “My parents are out of town for the weekend. I’m having a party tonight.”
It was the break I’d been looking for. I hadn’t been invited to an A-list party in weeks and Eli was a genuinely nice guy. Tanner was a dead end. Pretty, but not the sharpest crayon in the box.
But with Eli, there were definite possibilities. Going out with him would be a coup. I was pretty sure he wasn’t seeing anyone.
I glanced over at the librarian but she was busy updating her blog or something. I gave him a flirtatious smile. “I’ll be there,” I said.
His smile was sincere. “Looking forward to it.”
I didn’t care that our imaginary romance was bound to be short-lived, since he was a senior. In my mind, we were already an item. We’d meet at the party, connect, he’d ask me to Homecoming, we’d date his senior year, and then understandably, he’d break up with me right before he left for college.
I was so busy daydreaming about my future with a guy I barely knew, it completely slipped my mind to tell Monet that my plans had changed.
I spent hours on my hair and the perfect outfit. Eli and Connor didn’t exactly run in the same crowd, but they did have mutual friends, so it was possible that he and Angie would show up at the party.
The Comeback Page 8