by Margo Kelly
“No, thank you.” I stood on my own.
“Hey,” Josh said, “Don’t be all hateful.”
“What do you want?” I asked.
Janie squeezed her lips together and then practically hid behind me. Josh’s swim trunks clung to his hips, and a trail of hair ran from his navel to his waistband. I prayed he’d tied that drawstring tightly enough. His skin pulled across his chest, stretching his dark nipples wide and exposing the curve of his muscles.
“I just want to talk to you.”
“Hurry up,” I said.
He rubbed his chest. “Look, you’ve got to stop crushing Tim. Why can’t you just go out with him?”
“Uh . . .” I started but couldn’t come up with a reply. Janie poked me from behind.
“I know I can be a jerk,” Josh said, “but don’t take it out on my man Tim. Reconsider. He’s a good guy, who for some unknown reason wants to be with you.”
“Right. For some unknown reason.” I accidentally snorted. “Well, maybe when you’ve got the reason figured out—”
“Fine. I’ll give you reasons. You’re funny. You’re tough—”
“You’re starting to freak me out, Josh. You should leave now.”
“Give him a chance.” Josh lowered his head and walked away.
“Oh. My. Gosh.” Janie clutched my shoulders and spun me around. “What the heck was that?”
I shuddered in disbelief.
“Maybe if you reconsider going with Tim, Josh will reconsider going out with me,” she said.
I didn’t want to crush her hopes, but I was over Tim. “Maybe,” I said, “but why are you even interested in Josh?”
“I can’t help it. I just am.” She let out a long sigh. “And maybe we’ve misjudged him. We have to look past his tough exterior and give him a chance.”
“Right,” I said, but I wasn’t convinced. I grabbed Janie’s hand and pulled her toward the next slide.
CHAPTER 8
The August sun broke through my bedroom window. I stretched in bed and let out a long sigh. My birthday. Fifteen. Somehow it sounded so much older than fourteen. Plus, it put me closer to Kit’s age. Obviously, I wouldn’t ever catch up to him in years, but I was getting closer to a point where our age difference wouldn’t matter.
The night before, Kit had told me on Skadi that he’d have a surprise for me today. I wondered what it would be. He said he had to work this morning but he’d be online this afternoon at three o’clock. How could I wait that long? I glanced up at the framed picture of Janie and me splashing down at the water park—the same photo I had e-mailed to Kit. He never did send one of himself to her e-mail address. He didn’t like the idea of Janie being involved in our relationship. But if I gave him my cell number, he assured me, he’d send a picture. A knock on my door startled me out of my thoughts.
“Come in,” I said and sat up in bed.
“Good morning, birthday girl.” Mom carried in a platter of steaming french toast, crispy bacon, and sparkling apple juice. Yum. She set the tray on my lap, and the sweet aroma of maple syrup drifted through the room.
“Thanks, Mom!” I snatched a piece of the thick-sliced peppered bacon and bit off a chunk. “Mmm,” I mumbled while chewing.
“So, are we going out on our annual shopping binge?” Mom perched on the edge of my bed, and I stopped chewing. Usually I couldn’t wait to go shopping, but Kit had suggested I do something different this time. I struggled for an innocently worded excuse, because I didn’t want her to suspect my reasons.
“Thea?” she asked.
“Well, what if, instead of our annual shopping trip, we spend the money on a class, which we could take together, at the rec center? And . . . there’s another thing I’d like . . .” I wondered if she’d ever agree. “A door knob that locks.”
Her face wrinkled, more than usual. “A lock?”
“I need privacy. I need to change my clothes without you or Dad barging in on me.”
“We knock—”
“Not always.”
“Okay, maybe,” Mom said. “Let me discuss it with your dad, but why take more exercise classes when volleyball is going to start soon?”
“Yoga might be fun.” In fact, Kit had suggested both birthday items. He knew a locked door would offer us privacy, and he thought I’d enjoy yoga.
“I will call and see how much it costs,” Mom said. I’d already checked online, and it would use up the majority of my birthday money to get a punch pass for the rec center, but Kit would be pleased to know I was doing it.
Mom patted my knee. “Enjoy your breakfast while it’s warm, and then we can discuss what you want to do today.” She got up and headed for the bedroom door.
“I think I’d enjoy a quiet day at home.” And an afternoon of chatting online.
Mom turned toward me. “Really?”
“Yeah. I’ve got a couple of books I wanted to read this summer, and school starts next week already.”
“Well, it is your birthday. You get to choose. Maybe I’ll read a book, too . . . or, we could run out to the rec center this morning and then come back and relax.”
I shoved another piece of bacon into my mouth. “I like that idea.”
“Thea, I can’t understand you.”
I finished chewing, swallowed, and then said, “Can we go after I eat?”
“Sounds good.”
Relieved after she left, I took a deep breath, grabbed another piece of bacon, and reached over to tear a page off my Quote of the Day calendar. The next one, October 14th, read:
Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.—Thomas Jefferson
Whatever. I shoved the rest of the bacon into my mouth. Then I twisted my shoulders and reread the official quote for today, August 10th, which I had already taped to my wall:
Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, only with what you are expecting to give, which is everything.—Katharine Hepburn
Completely satisfied, I grabbed my notebook from the nightstand. I knew exactly what I needed to write in my diary today. I had finally found love, and this quote was a perfect sign that this relationship was meant to be. This was going to be a great day. After I finished writing, I set the notebook down and enjoyed the rest of my breakfast.
■
Mom and I walked through the main doors of the rec center and headed over to the counter to purchase punch passes. We stopped in our tracks when Marcus turned around to help us.
“Marcus?” I rested my elbows on the countertop. He was his usual drop-dead-gorgeous self, and I was drawn to him like a moth to flame.
“Hey, Thea!” He leaned in, closing the space between us. I caught a whiff of soap—like he’d just stepped out of the shower—and I imagined him with a towel wrapped around his waist. I bit my lower lip and indulged my dreamy desire. I remembered what Emily had said and wondered how old he truly was.
“Since when do you work here?” I asked.
“Summer job,” he said.
“Do you like it here?” Mom asked, interrupting my fantasy. Marcus dragged his eyes away from me and straightened up.
“Yes. It has great benefits.” He glanced back at me and winked. Dang. He was cute. I stepped back and stuck my hands in my pockets. What else was I supposed to do with them? Reach out and grab his beautiful face? Too bad he was friends with my brother.
Mom cleared her throat. “Well, we need to buy two punch passes, and do you have a schedule for the yoga classes?”
“Mrs. Reid!” A man’s voice boomed out from behind us. I whirled around. “Thea!” Jackson, our old self-defense instructor, thrust his hand out for a shake. I took it, and with his firm grasp, he pulled me into a hug. Without even asking. And with Jackson’s chest, a hug equaled smashing into a brick wall.
“Can’t breathe,” I said.
“Sorry!” He let go and stuck out his hand toward Mom. “Mrs. Reid, how are you? I haven’t seen you since class. Things going well?”
“Fine. Today�
�s Thea’s birthday, and we’ve decided to sign up for yoga classes.” Why did Mom always volunteer too much information? I grinned, or grimaced, I wasn’t sure which. Didn’t care. I wanted to get back to Kit, and I felt a little guilty for flirting with Marcus.
“Perfect!” Jackson said. “The yoga instructor is Keith from our self-defense class.”
“Is he good at yoga?” I asked.
“Oh, yes. I’ve taken his class a couple of times,” Jackson said.
“Perhaps we’ll see you in class,” Mom said.
“That’d be great! Right now, I’ve got to run, but it was nice to see you again!” He hustled to the stairs and took them two at a time.
“I cannot even picture him doing yoga,” Marcus said. “It’d be like a Mack truck twisting into a pretzel.”
I couldn’t help but laugh and agree. Mom finished paying, and we headed back home.
■
The rest of the day moved too slowly. I caught myself reading the same page of my book over and over. I slapped it closed and stared at the time. One o’clock . . . Watching the minutes tick by turned torturous. I let out a slow groan and rolled off my bed. I needed a distraction from my misery.
I pulled my bicycle out of the garage and headed toward the nearby cupcake shop. At first, I pedaled as quickly as possible, and then I pedaled as slowly as possible. I resisted the urge to look at the time. I picked up an eight-pack of red velvet cupcakes for my family and returned home. I parked the bike in the garage and strolled in through the front door.
“Hi, Mom,” I said and passed through the archway to the family room. She looked up from her book, her reading glasses slanted on her nose. I lifted the bag. “I got cupcakes for dessert tonight.”
“Sweet,” Mom said.
“I’m going to my room to read.” Not.
“Okay baby-girl,” she said.
I closed my bedroom door, and set a book next to the computer for good appearance and logged into Skadi. Kit typed hello as soon as my screen name appeared in the game.
Kitsuneshin: Finally! I’ve been waiting a lifetime for you.
ImmortalSlayer: LOL. ☺ You have not! *rolls eyes*
Kitsuneshin: Ok, just years then. Now that I know u, my life can finally begin. *nearly faints*
ImmortalSlayer: Whatever. Stop teasing me.
Kitsuneshin: *tickles tummy and laughs*
Kitsuneshin: Ha. Should I sing Happy Birthday to u now?
ImmortalSlayer: No. But you can tell me what your big surprise is!
Kitsuneshin: Man, I wish I could be there to celebrate your birthday in person with u.
ImmortalSlayer: I wish u could be here too, so I could see your face and hear your laugh and see the light in your eyes.
Kitsuneshin: *sigh* I would wrap my arms around you and hold you close.
ImmortalSlayer: You make me smile ☺
Kitsuneshin: I also wish u could be here for my birthday in October.
ImmortalSlayer: Yes! And u could show me the sights of Georgia!
Kitsuneshin: Oh . . . someday we’ll be together!
ImmortalSlayer: Yup . . . someday.
Kitsuneshin: So . . . what’s the special quote for your birthday?
ImmortalSlayer: Oh. It. Is. A. Great. One!
Kitsuneshin: Tell me! *shakes computer so you will hurry up*
ImmortalSlayer: “Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, only with what you are expecting to give, which is everything.”—Katharine Hepburn
Kitsuneshin: *takes breath away*—That is a great one!
Kitsuneshin: What’s the quote for my birthday?
ImmortalSlayer: Can’t tell you.
Kitsuneshin: Why?
ImmortalSlayer: That would be cheating. We can’t look that far into the future. We can only take one step at a time. ☺
Kitsuneshin: Right. I already know you read ahead and find quotes u like on your calendar.
ImmortalSlayer: I guess you will have to check back with me on your birthday. LOL
Kitsuneshin: Can you believe we’ve only known each other for five months? I feel like we’ve known each other forever.
ImmortalSlayer: I know! Right?
ImmortalSlayer: I guess it’s a good thing u let me join your guild!
Kitsuneshin: Right! Otherwise, we wouldn’t even know each other now!
ImmortalSlayer: I’m glad I found Skadi . . . so I could find u . . .
Kitsuneshin: I totally agree.
Kitsuneshin: Are you ready for your bday present?
ImmortalSlayer: Ya! Ya!
Kit went on typing step-by-step instructions for me to log into a private online e-mail account he had set up for me on Yahoo! The account used my Skadi screen name, ImmortalSlayer, for my address, and Kit had chosen “together-forever” as the password. Accessing the account was easy, and my parents would never know about it. But that wasn’t all. My real present was something else. He had already sent me my first e-mail, and in it he wrote:
Dear Thea,
Many miles and years separate us, but my heart is so close to yours, I can feel it beating when I think your name. Thea, I love you.
Happy Birthday,
Derek
This was the first time he had actually said it to me. I had been pretty sure he felt that way, but reading those three most beautiful words in the world on my computer meant everything to me. It was the best birthday present ever. I clicked Reply and typed my response:
Derek,
I love you, too.
Thea
CHAPTER 9
The first day of school arrived too soon. Why school started at the end of August, I never understood. Janie showed up to my house an hour early so we could make sure our hair, makeup, and outfits were just right. Of course, Janie looked perfect when I opened the front door, but even when I told her that she never believed me. Her beautiful black hair had grown quite a bit over the summer, and she styled it in ringlets again. It still needed to grow more, but it looked so much better. I ran my hand down my own smooth auburn hair, hoping my straightening products would hold out.
It was going to be a hot day, and Janie had dressed appropriately. She wore brand new A&F crop jeans, a navy and white pinstriped top that opened in a wide V-neck and had short gathered sleeves, a white cami peeking out from underneath, and leather flip-flops that showed off her new pedicure.
Mom came to the entryway and greeted Janie. “I have fresh donuts from Krispy Kreme. Come on back to the kitchen and have some.”
“Seriously?” I asked. Mom rarely splurged on unnecessary things.
“Seriously. It’s the first day of school. We need to celebrate.”
I grabbed Janie and pulled her down the hall and around the corner to the kitchen. I snatched a melt-in-your-mouth donut and leaned over the counter so it wouldn’t drop icing on my own new A&F navy T-shirt. Janie and I had gone to the mall together last week, and I shopped the clearance racks. I found an A&F T-shirt, skinny jeans, and a braided belt—all at a steal. I had to admit, sporting trendy brand names on my first day of tenth grade was a lot of fun. Plus, I bought a bra with frilly trim. Derek had asked once what kind I wore, and I was too embarrassed to tell him that I only had a plain white cotton bra. But now I had a satin one with lace. The edges made my skin itch, but it made me feel more adult. I took a second bite of my donut and noticed Janie was just standing there, gawking at the box.
“Grab one,” I said through a mouthful. I continued chewing and used my other hand to wipe icing from the corner of my mouth. I tilted my head back. “Oh, Mom, these are so good.”
“Donuts!” Seth and Marcus yelled as they strolled into the kitchen. Seth pushed past me and grabbed two, while Marcus wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me tight.
“Looking fine!” Marcus said.
I pulled away and whacked him. “Don’t be a creeper.”
He pouted for a few seconds. Then he laughed and grabbed a soft donut, keeping his eyes on me. I looked away fir
st.
“Seth, do you want to drive the girls today?” Mom asked.
“Uh, no. Why would I?” he asked and then inhaled half a donut.
“Because I pay your car insurance,” Mom said.
“I planned to hitch a ride with him.” Seth jerked his thumb toward Marcus.
“We can give them a ride,” Marcus said, and Seth elbowed him in the gut.
“It’s okay,” Janie said. “We’ll ride the bus.”
“Good.” Seth grabbed Marcus by the shirt, and they darted from the kitchen.
“Janie, don’t you want a donut?” Mom asked.
“Oh . . . no, thank you. I’m on a diet,” she said and moved away from the counter.
“Since when? You are so not on a diet. You could eat five and gain nothing.” I shoved the remainder of my second donut in my mouth and went to the cupboard for a glass.
“Yeah. You’re right,” Janie said, but she sounded hesitant. She gingerly lifted a donut, but then ate it faster than I ate mine. She didn’t even notice the fact she was dropping crumbs and icing on her shirt. I pointed at the mess she’d made.
“Crap.” She ran toward the guest bathroom, and I followed, but before I caught up, she locked the door. I intended to wait, but then I heard her throw up. I leaned closer to make sure I wasn’t imagining it. She threw up again. I tapped my knuckles on the door.
“Are you okay?” I heard the faucet running, but she didn’t answer me. I knocked again. “Unlock the door.”
“I’m fine,” she said and opened the door. “The donut didn’t sit right.”
“Do you have the flu? Should you go home?” I knew she wasn’t sick, but I wasn’t sure how to ask her why she vomited.
“No,” she said with her don’t-mess-with-me head sway. “I am not missing our first day.” She had cleaned off her shirt and looked more like herself again.
“Fine.” I grabbed her arm and led her to my room. We finished getting ready, and then walked to the bus stop. Less people were waiting for the bus than last year. The Three Stooges, otherwise known as Tim, Josh, and Taylor, were nowhere to be seen. Fine by me. Less drama was a good way to start our year.
The bus arrived on time, and we climbed on. Pop music blasted from the radio, and the bus smelled like fresh vinyl. We took a seat near the front, and I couldn’t resist the urge to lean against the window and peer between the seat and the wall. No wads of gum. The bus had to be new. I slid my hand along the wall, knowing that this would be the only time I’d be able to do such a thing. It was fresh and clean. Too bad it wouldn’t stay that way for long.