"Then it's a go?"
"I guess." He rubbed his forehead. "I have no idea how I'm going to handle this with Liz."
That wasn't my problem. I wondered if he'd be upset if I started dancing a victory dance? Didn't matter. No time. "What about tomorrow night then? Will you come to dinner with my friends?"
"Oh, come on, Natalie. Give me a break."
"If you don't, the boyfriend thing will never fly."
"Why can't you tell them the truth?" he asked. "They won't tell your parents, will they?"
I bit my lip. How to explain to an ultra-confident brainiac what it was like to feel like a loser who needed to prove herself? "Please?"
He looked toward the front hall, as if he could see my dad through the wooden door. Finally he shrugged. "Fine. But it can't be late because I need to go over to my friend's house afterwards."
No way was I going let it bother me that he didn't invite me. So he was ashamed of me and didn't want his friends to know me? So what? It wasn't like we were really dating or anything. I tried not to let it bother me, but I suddenly wasn't feeling quite as fired up as I had been a few minutes ago "It's not a problem. I can't stay out late because I have a meet on Sunday. Meet me here at five-thirty and we'll do an early dinner. Then you can go do your thing." Without me. Which was fine. Really. "You know, you owe me an apology."
"For what?"
"For calling me a snob."
He raised his brows. "You didn't know my name."
"Yeah, well, at least I'm not ashamed to take you out to meet my friends."
A look of surprise flitted across his face, like he hadn't thought of that.
"You, on the other hand, can make no such claim." I grabbed my house keys from the kitchen counter.
His mouth dropped open. "You want to hang out with my friends?"
I tried to look haughty. "I could care less. I was simply pointing out that you're the snob, not me."
"I'm not a snob," he protested.
"No? Then why do you call me a jock like it's a bad thing?"
He didn't deny that he thought my being an athlete was uncool. "You call me a brain!"
"And then I invite you out with my friends. Big difference." I pulled open the kitchen door. "See you tomorrow." By the time I reached the front hall, Val had won over my parents and we were excused to go hang with Zach. Matt didn't come back into the front hall to see me off. Good. I hoped he was feeling bad. Just because he was smart didn't mean he was better than me.
I just wished I believed that.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Valerie gave me a high five on the way to the car. "Lying to your parents? Nice. The team meeting was a great call."
"Yeah." It was weird to be complimented for lying to my parents. I hadn't really thought of it as a lie either, except for the part about Coach Thompson being there. I mean, Zach had made it clear that it was a party for the team only. Party/meeting. What was the difference? It was bonding with the team.
Five other girls were in the car already, so I ended up sharing the far backseat in the Suburban with a girl I didn't know. Didn't even recognize actually. She ignored me and everyone chatted about people I didn't know, so I spent the ride over looking out the window and counting mailboxes. And wishing my friends were there with me.
I was the last one out of the SUV at Zach's house, and I had to run to catch up to the rest of the girls. No way was I walking in there by myself.
The door was open and music was blaring, and there were a lot of cars in the driveway and on the street in front of the house. When I stepped inside, I knew Zach had lied.
There were tons of kids I didn't know. Kids who weren't on our team, and who definitely weren't runners.
"Hi, guys." Zach swung in front of us, emerging out of the crowd. "Welcome." He shot me a special smile. "Hey, Natalie. Glad you could make it."
Val shot me a questioning look, but she was dragged off by her friends before I could ask her what was wrong.
They left me and Zach in the foyer together, along with a bunch of other kids wandering through, but Zach was the only one I knew. In fact, I didn't see any other kids from the team there. "Want a drink?"
"Water is fine." I stared in shock as a kid walked by with a white cup filled with beer. Beer. Seriously? My running was too important to mess with. There was no chance I would drink a beer. Ever.
Zach took my hand and guided me back through the crowd toward the kitchen, past Valerie who gave me another look that definitely wasn't altogether friendly. What was up with that? It wasn't my fault Zach had grabbed me; not that I was fighting it. I did have a question for him, though, and I'd ask it as soon as he slowed down.
The hallway was packed with kids, and I saw one guy from our team. He gave me a nod, which made me all warm and gooey inside. I was beginning to be noticed.
"Here." Zach pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge and handed it to me.
"Thanks." Someone bumped me just as I got the lid off, and I dumped half the bottle on Zach. "Sorry."
He frowned, but didn't say anything as he wiped off the water.
"Um, Zach?"
"Yeah?"
"You said this party was for team members only."
He grinned and tossed the soggy paper towel in the sink. "I said that so you wouldn't bring your boyfriend."
Whoa. I wasn't sure what I thought of that. I mean, good because he liked me enough to get me alone, right? But I didn't like the fact he'd lied to me. "Really?"
"Yeah." He touched my arm. "He didn't seem like he'd fit in with this crowd."
Double whoa. Was he hitting on me? Even though I had a boyfriend? Apparently, yes, seeing as how he had lied to me to make sure Matt wouldn't show up. I was totally floored. Zach was actually thinking he had to work to get me? Me? Hah! I was all his!
"Some of us were planning to watch a movie in the family room. Interested?"
Be cool. I shrugged, forcing myself not to jump up and down and scream with excitement. "What movie?"
"You can pick from my DVD collection. As the newest team member, it's your special privilege." He tucked his hand beneath my elbow and guided me out of the kitchen. "Make sure you keep that water away from me. You're deadly with it."
I chuckled. "You aren't mad?"
"No, but I'll get you back at some point, I promise."
Should I tell him that I was looking forward to that?
We walked into the family room. Valerie and her friends were spread out over the couches, along with most of the guys from the team, plus a few other kids I didn't know. Maybe ten altogether.
This time, there was no mistaking the coolness in Valerie's gaze. She stood up immediately when she saw me and made her way over to us. "I have to go to the bathroom," she said to me. "Keep me company?"
"Um..." I glanced at Zach.
"She's going to pick out the movie," he said. "You know where the bathroom is, Val."
"Pick out your own movie." Valerie took my arm. "Come on, sophomore girl."
If she took me out into a dark alley, I was going to run for it before she could whip out a gun and blow me away. But she stopped in the hallway right outside the room, and turned me to face her. "We need to talk."
Apparently. "What's up?"
"Stay away from Zach."
"Why?"
"Because he's no good."
"At what?" From the look on her face, I'd guess she wasn't all that high on my flippant response.
"He always likes to hook up with the new girls on the team, and then he dumps them."
My heart sank. "Really?"
"Yes. I'm telling you this only to protect you."
"But..."
"If he messes with you, and you go around getting all depressed, then your running will suffer. This is my last season, and I want to be state champs, and to do that, we need you, not a sniveling shell of Zach's leftovers."
Yeesh. Could she sound any more hostile? I mean, I wanted to win too, but I hoped I didn't sound like that. "My
running is fine," I assured her.
Valerie leaned closer and put her hands on my shoulders. "Trust me. Stay away from him. He's bad news for girls like you."
Well, that totally sucked, because I'd really liked him. He seemed too nice to only be interested in me so he could dump me.
Val put her arm around me. "Don't look so sad. We'll find you someone else."
"I'm not sad." I lifted my chin. "I have a boyfriend anyway, so it doesn't matter." Was I enjoying this boyfriend thing too much? Must remember it's not true. It did feel good to be able to say it, though.
We walked back into the room, and Val dropped her arm and veered off to sit in the empty seat next to Zach. She flashed me a knowing look that clearly conveyed she'd done that to protect me from myself, so I didn't sit next to him despite her warning.
Whatever. I flopped down on an empty couch and folded my arms across my chest. Yeah, this party was turning out to be fun.
Elaine O'Neill, the slowest runner on our team even though she was a senior, sat down next to me just as the movie started. "What did Val say to you?" She kept her voice low.
I shrugged and watched the television. "Nothing." As if I'd admit I'd almost been fooled by Zach.
"Did you know that she used to date Zach?"
My head spun toward her of its own accord. "When?"
"For two years. He dumped her over the summer."
"Two years?" Two years? How could he be running around using the new girls on the team if he'd had a girlfriend the whole time?
"I noticed that Zach has been checking you out. I think he's interested in you."
My stomach tightened, but I said nothing.
"Val has noticed Zach's interest, too, and she's not going to let you date him." She lowered her voice. "Normally, she'd warn you off and make your life miserable, but you're too good of a runner. She has to be nice to you, because she wants to win state too badly to risk messing with you."
I felt sick. Who was I supposed to believe?
"Zach's a nice guy. Too nice for her. If you like him, don't let her stop you." Elaine patted my arm. "She can't touch you as long as you keep running fast."
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked her, trying to understand.
Elaine made a face. "Because she's only nice to the fast runners."
Elaine wasn't fast. They'd probably never used her score in the entire time she'd been on the team. Which meant that Val hadn't been nice to her and this was her payback opportunity. If she could get me to date Zach, then Val would be miserable.
Or maybe Elaine hated me because I was a sophomore and beating her, and she wanted me to get burned by Zach so I lost my spot as a number two runner. Or maybe Zach really was a jerk, but Val still liked him, and Elaine didn't care if I got hurt as long as Val did too?
Who could I trust?
Zach got up and left the room, and Elaine winked at me. "That's his excuse to get away from Val. When he comes back, he'll sit next to you. If you like him, don't let Val scare you off." Then she moved to a nearby armchair and left me alone on the couch.
I pulled my knees against my chest and tried to watch the movie. And Val. She was still sitting next to Zach's empty seat, a look of smug contentment on her face. Because she'd foiled Zach's attempt to destroy me, or my attempts to win over the boy she still wanted?
Zach walked back into the room with a soda in his hand and my belly got all jiggly. Was he a letch who I didn't want near me? Or was he a great guy who deserved all my love?
He studied Val for a sec, then looked my way. Still undecided, I avoided his gaze and focused on the movie. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him move ... in my direction!
The couch shifted under his weight and then was still. He was sitting next to me, only inches away. I didn't dare breathe. Or look at him. Or at Val.
"Enjoying the movie?" His breath was warm on my ear, and I jumped, accidentally elbowing him in the throat.
He inhaled and gagged and grabbed his neck.
"Oh, geez. I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to do that." I was such an idiot. "You startled me."
I heard someone laughing, and I looked over at Val. Sure enough, she watching us and giggling. Because I'd made a fool of myself with Zach, or because Zach the jerk had gotten what he deserved?
Elaine gave me a sympathetic smile, but I didn't respond. Who was the one lying to me?
I ignored all of them and turned back to Zach, who was breathing much more quietly now. "Want some water?" I asked.
"No." He took a few more deep breaths, his hand still rubbing his neck. "You've dumped water on me, sat down on the other side of the room from me and tried to kill me. Should I be taking a hint?"
Amazed at his sense of humor, I almost laughed. "You're not mad at me?"
"Scared of you, yes. Mad? No."
This time, I did laugh. "I'm really sorry. I... you make me nervous."
He lifted a brow. "Why?"
Probably too soon to tell him that it was because I totally loved him and because I wasn't sure whether he was a lying, deceitful snake. "I don't know."
He lifted his chin and exposed his neck to me. "Is there a mark?"
I peered at his throat. "Actually, there's a little red spot about the size of my elbow."
"Where?"
I touched the front of his neck really lightly.
"There."
He flinched and I jumped. Then he laughed. "Got you."
"Jerk." Said with a soppy grin. He was cute, and funny, and he wasn't holding a grudge. No way was he a jerk.
Or was he? He had lied about the party being for the team only, but that was because he liked me. That was excusable, wasn't it? I mean, no guy had ever pursued me before. It didn't seem wise to question his motives too closely, especially since I liked him, right?
He clearly liked me. Should I trust him or not?
* * *
Matt showed up at my front door at exactly five-thirty on Saturday night. He was wearing his usual outfit and had the strap around his jeans to keep them from being caught in his bike chain.
Yes, sure, he looked kind of cute, and his blue eyes were still amazing, but there was no way could he hold a candle to Zach.
Zach, who had sat next to me all night and never tried to make a move on me. He'd even given me a ride home when I'd had to leave before Valerie was ready, thanks to my curfew. No make-out attempt in the car either. That meant one of two things: Either he didn't like me in a potential-girlfriend kind of way at all, in which case I'd have to spend the next month crying alone in my room, or else it meant that he did like me that way, but he was going to be a nice guy about it, not the letch that Valerie had said he was.
I preferred the latter scenario, but if I did date Zach, would it ruin my chances to be in with Valerie and her crowd? Who had more power over my social life, Valerie or Zach?
"You ready?" Matt asked.
I blinked and remembered Matt was standing in front of me. Okay, so, tonight wasn't about Valerie and Zach. Tonight I had to convince my very skeptical friends who knew me very well, that I had a boyfriend. "Yeah. Don't I look ready?"
He shrugged. "I kinda figured you to be the type to dress up for a date." He lifted a brow behind his glasses. "Seeing as how this is a date, right? Or was I wrong?"
My hands went to my hair. "You don't think I look okay?"
He studied me. "Do you care what I think?"
"Of course—" I stopped myself at his look of surprise. Matt had made it clear what he thought about me. Why did I care what he thought? I couldn't, I didn't, I wouldn't. "Well," I muttered. "I should practice this dating thing."
"Practice for what?"
"A real date." Yeesh. Wasn't he listening?
Matt frowned. "You've never had a real date?"
I sighed. "Not all of us have pictures in our wallets of beautiful people declaring their undying love."
He grinned. "She is pretty, isn't she?"
I frowned. "Is that why you're embarrassed to have
me meet your friends? Because I'm not pretty enough? I figured it was only that I was too stupid, but I didn't really think of the looks thing. But there's that too, isn't there?"
Matt stared at me. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah."
"I have a girlfriend. That's why I don't want to bring you around."
"I know that. But it's more than that, isn't it?" I opened the front door and beckoned him to bring the bike in. I didn't want to discuss this anymore. I really didn't need to have him confirm what he thought of me. "Can you teach me how to be girlfriend material?"
He kept the bike between me and him, giving me a wide berth like I was some crazed fool who was going to come after him. "I thought this was only dinner with your friends."
"Yeah, but why can't we make it a training session too?"
He leaned the bike against the couch in the den, then he turned to me. "Natalie, I really don't want to get involved in your life. I'm your tutor and ..."
I jumped at him and slapped my hand over his mouth. "Shut up! My parents are upstairs." His breath was warm on my hand, and for a minute, we stood there like that.
Then he put his hand around my wrist and pulled my hand away. "Sorry."
I was so close to him that I could smell his aftershave or cologne or whatever it was again. So faint, but yummy. I had no idea a guy could smell so good. I cleared my throat and took a step back. "We have to convince my friends we're dating, but I have no idea how I'm supposed to act with a boyfriend. I mean, do we have to make out and stuff?"
He looked horrified. "No!"
"Thanks for that ego boost." I waved him off when he was about to launch into his girlfriend speech again. Yeah, the girlfriend would have accounted for a gentle rebuff, not the look of utter disgust and terror on his face at the thought of making out with me. "I didn't want to make out. I was trying to figure out the plan for tonight. You know, how to behave." I held out my arms and stood for inspection. "You think I'm not dressed for a date, huh?"
"It's fine. I just thought you were the type to ... you know... do something different." His cheeks were bright red and he looked mortally embarrassed. "Can we go?"
I walked over to the mirror in the front hall and inspected myself. Cute jeans that were tight across the butt, a shirt that showed off what little boobs I had and I'd blown dry my hair and put on makeup. What else was I supposed to do?
Smart Boys & Fast Girls (A Girlfriend's Guide to Boys) Page 7