Best (Boy)friend

by Melissa J Morgan

  “The guy’s talking about getting corn off a corncob. Is this something you need to know in your life? I’ve seen you eat corn on the cob. You do it fine with your teeth,” Jordan protested, not bothering to whisper or even use his indoor voice.

  Her teeth. Had she brushed them well enough this morning? She didn’t want to have any gunk in them when she talked to Jordan. Like he’d notice if she had a whole corncob in there. Not when he was thinking about Bryyynnn.

  Kenny, the counselor chaperoning the tour, gave Jordan the death eye for talking during the ranger’s speech. The ranger kept turning the crank on the spiked disk that scraped kernels off the ear of corn he was working on. “Using your teeth on other people’s corn isn’t that sanitary,” he joked. “And I love corn so much, I’d end up eating it all if I tried to shell it that way.”

  Everybody laughed—even Kenny. Priya used the cover of the sound to answer Jordan’s question. “I talked to her. Tell you when we get outside.” She thought if she didn’t give Jordan something right that second, he might explode. Or at least get in big trouble.

  As the ranger finished up his ear of corn and started talking about the Industrial Revolution, Priya could practically feel volts of electric energy coming off Jordan. That’s how stoked he was to hear what Brynn had told her. She touched the top of her head, checking to make sure her hair wasn’t standing on end from the Jordan current. Nope.

  But maybe she should have borrowed one of those sparkly barrettes Grace liked to wear. Not so Priya could keep her hair sticking to her scalp. Just ’cause the barrette thingies were pretty, and maybe Jordan would like them.

  Yeah, because Jordan’s going to be putting a lot of thought into what your hair looks like while you tell him that Brynn’s willing to go to the dance with him, the annoying little voice commented. Priya tried to block it out, giving her hair a little fluff with her fingertips. It had seemed a little flat when she touched it before. She should have washed it last night, at least.

  Yeah, because Jordan would really notice if it was covered with three weeks worth of old, cold, stinky bacon grease while you’re talking about Brynn, that same annoying voice went on. Priya wished she could reach into her head, yank that voice out, and stomp on it. Instead she focused every molecule of her brain on the ranger. She asked four questions when he finished his talk. She would have asked four hundred more, anything to keep standing there in the mill where talking to Jordan wasn’t an option. But Kenny said it was time to head back to the Red Line and move on to Fort Stevens, which was over in another section of the huge park.

  Jordan managed to wait until Priya had taken one whole step outside the mill before he pounced. “Okay, you heard everything you could want to know about corn, and grinding, and factories. Now, please, just tell me what she said. Everything.”

  Priya forced herself to stop and turn and look at him, really look at him. Maybe she’d been delusional last night. Maybe she didn’t liiiiike him. Maybe some of Jordan’s like like insanity had rubbed off on her in some temporary way.

  “What?” Jordan asked. “Oh, man, it’s bad, isn’t it? That’s why you’ve been avoiding me and acting all freaky. It’s really bad, right?”

  Yeah, it was really bad. Those green eyes. Those freckles. And those memories of a zillion great times together. It wasn’t temporary insanity. It was real. Priya really, really liked Jordan, with a capital L.

  “Priya, you gotta tell me anyway,” Jordan begged. “No matter what Brynn said. Even if she said that she’d rather eat dog poop than even look at me again.”

  “That’s not what she said.” Priya had to swallow hard to get enough saliva in her dry throat to allow her to continue speaking. “She said that she’ll give you another chance. She said that she’ll go to the dance with you tonight.”

  “Yes!” Jordan launched himself off the ground, thrusting one fist in the air. “I knew you could do it, Priya.” He grinned at her. “I knew you could convince her for me. You’re the best.”

  Not true, the horrible, way-too-honest little voice in Priya’s head said. Brynn’s the best. That’s what he really thinks.

  “So help me come up with a plan,” Jordan said as they started walking across the park after the others. “I so need a plan. I can do okay with the dancing, I think, but what about the rest? If I open my mouth, I’m just gonna crash and burn like I did at the play if we don’t figure out some strategy for me.”

  “Hey, I read some stuff about this fort we’re going to. Sophie had some brochures,” Priya answered. “Lincoln watched a battle there. It’s the only place one of our presidents was under fire while they were in office. Cool, huh?”

  She knew she was babbling. But she couldn’t talk Brynn-game-plan with Jordan. She felt like something might break inside her if she did. She’d told him what Brynn said. That was enough.

  “What’s your problem? Do you need more RAM?” Jordan asked.

  It doesn’t matter if you help him or not, the horrible, irritating, truthful voice said. It’s not like if he messes up with Brynn, he’s going to decide he liiikes you. When Jordan looks at you, he sees a buddy. He might not even realize you’re a girl. So why not help him out? Why should both of you be miserable?

  “RAM. Good one. Yeah, that must be it.” Priya forced a laugh, feeling something crack beneath her ribs. “The planning turned out pretty bad last time. I think you should forget about a plan tonight.”

  “And do what?” Jordan’s voice cracked.

  “And just be . . . you. No memorized lines or anything,” Priya answered. “The reason Brynn wants to go to the dance with you is because I told her what a great guy you are. I was talking about you. Not whoever that was that showed up at the play and spewed lines from some review.”

  “Just be me,” Jordan repeated.

  “Yeah. That’ll work. Trust me,” Priya said. I totally know, she added to herself.

  “Thanks. You’re the best bud ever!” Jordan slapped her on the shoulder.

  That had to be the worst thing he’d ever said to her.

  “This outfit is so ‘best bud ever,’” Priya muttered, staring at the t-shirt with the frogs on it and her best pair of jeans. Her top picks—only picks, really—for the cruise slash dance.

  “What?” Sarah asked. She and Brynn were sharing the big mirror over the dresser, both putting on eye shadow, still in their bathrobes.

  Priya shook her head. “Nothing.”

  “I can’t wait to try swing dancing,” Brynn said. “It always looks so fun in old movies. And Priya promised me Jordan is a good dancer.”

  Priya forced a smile onto her face. “Uh-huh.”

  “I’m going to dance with everyone,” Valerie announced. “I decided if they don’t ask me, I’m just going to ask them. A lot of boys are just too scared to ask. That’s what my older brother told me, anyway.”

  “I’m more excited about the cruise part. I’ve never been on a cruise,” Alex said. “It’s going to be so cool out there on the river.”

  Priya watched Sarah use her little finger to smudge the eye shadow a little. At the beginning of the summer, Priya didn’t think Sarah had ever worn any kind of makeup at all. But before the last camp social, a bunch of the girls had given her a makeover.

  “You’re getting good at that, Sars,” Valerie commented. She sat cross-legged on her bed, twisting her cornrows into a wild little explosion on the top of her head.

  Priya scooted over on the rollaway until she could see her face in the bottom corner of the mirror. How would she look post-makeover? Still “best bud”? Or someone Jordan could maybe . . .

  Priya didn’t let herself complete the thought. Jordan was all into Brynn. She knew that. But still . . . she wondered if the girls would do one for her. A makeover.

  “Sarah, what color lipstick are you using?” The words felt bizarre coming out of Priya’s mouth.

  “Just Peachy,” Sarah answered as she pulled the top off the tube. “You want to try it?”

  “Y
ou do know Priya, don’t you?” Brynn asked.

  Sarah shrugged. “Just ’cause you don’t wear makeup all the time doesn’t mean you might not want to once in a while. I mean, I still don’t wear it most of the time.”

  “My lips are kinda chapped, that’s all,” Priya answered.

  “I have some Blistex you can use,” Alex offered. She added another silicone wristband to her arm. She had on about seven now, all colors, with different words on each of them, like Truth, Peace, and Love. “Want it?” Alex held up the little Blistex tube.

  Uh-oh. Why had Priya gone with that chapped lips fib?

  “Ummm. Actually . . .” Priya began. “I thought maybe it would be fun. Just for a change. You know, because we’re going to be on a boat and everything . . .”

  Because we’re going to be on a boat? What was she saying?

  Sarah looked over her shoulder at Priya. “It sounds like you’re saying you want a makeover!”

  Brynn whirled around. “Do you? ’Cause I’ll do it! I love makeovers. And I’m good at it, right, Sars? Didn’t David say you looked beautiful when I was finished with you?”

  Sarah blushed a little. “Something like that,” she admitted. “That was an amazing night. David held my hand and I got these hot shivers up my arm.” She rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe I said that out loud.”

  “See the results my work gets?” Brynn told Priya. “I’m a makeover goddess.” She turned to Alex. “Call next door and have the rest of the bunk come over with all their makeup and whatever clothes they think might be good.”

  Priya felt like she’d just been strapped into the biggest, fastest rollercoaster ever built. And there was no getting off now.

  Brynn sat down on the rollaway next to her and studied her face. “I don’t think the peach lipstick is right for you. You need something a little darker. Like that deep pink you were wearing at the last bonfire, Val.”

  “Comin’ at ya.” Val launched a tube of lipstick at Brynn.

  That definitely isn’t “best bud,” Priya thought as she looked at the color. If Jordan saw her wearing it, he couldn’t just see the girl who climbed trees and could burp the pledge of allegiance. Right? Would he even want to hold her hand—the way David had wanted to hold Sarah’s?

  Brynn, Priya reminded herself. The girl sitting right next to you. Ring a bell?

  But it wasn’t as if Brynn liked Jordan. She hardly knew him. Priya had had to work hard to convince Brynn that Jordan wasn’t a complete idiot.

  A double knock came at the hotel door. “Got it,” Sophie called.

  “I have the perfect top for Priya,” Abby announced as she led the rest of the 4A girls inside. “It’s brown, but it has these little tiny gold flecks.”

  “Perfect for your eyes, “ Brynn told Priya, as she started to slide on a coat of the lipstick.

  “And I brought a little glitter,” Grace said.

  “Glitter?” Priya exclaimed.

  Brynn pulled the lipstick back. “Careful, or you’re going to end up looking like a clown,” she warned.

  “Sorry, but glitter?” Priya protested.

  “Not big specks. You can just put a little bit in your hair, and it will give it this shimmer,” Grace explained.

  “Best buds” definitely didn’t wear glitter in their hair.

  “Okay, bring it on,” Priya declared.

  Priya’s stomach traveled up toward her throat as the elevator traveled down toward the lobby. Was Jordan already down there? What would he think when he saw her? Would he even recognize her?

  She’d hardly recognized herself when she looked in the mirror one last time before she left the hotel room. The shirt and the caramel-colored eye shadow made her eyes look like there were flecks of gold in the brown. And there really were flecks of gold in her brown hair—gold glitter. Plus, she was wearing a skirt. A jeans skirt, but still.

  The elevator came to a smooth stop. Priya was in the back, but it didn’t take long for Abby, Grace, Sarah, and Candace to step out into the lobby. Priya sucked in a deep breath and followed them.

  He was there. Jordan was there.

  And he was looking at her.

  And he was walking right toward her.

  And he was smiling.

  “You know who you look like?” he asked.

  “Who?” Priya couldn’t wait to hear this.

  “That guy in the last Austin Powers movie. The one with the yellow hair who always wore gold clothes,” Jordan joked.

  Her heart skittered in her chest. She was not believing this. “You mean the guy who kept eating his own skin?”

  “Yeah. That guy.” Jordan flicked a speck of glitter off her shoulder. “Hey, is Brynn almost ready, do you think?”

  It was like he’d punched her. Right in the gut. She couldn’t pull in a breath. She couldn’t breathe.

  “Yeah. Almost,” she managed to wheeze out. Then she turned away, so Jordan wouldn’t see the pain on her face.

  Not that he’d notice.

  chapter EIGHT

  “Hey, are you okay, glamour girl?” Grace asked as they started up the gangplank to the big cruise ship, its three wide deep blue stripes looking almost black in the twilight.

  “Yeah. Fine,” Priya answered. “Just need a bathroom, to, you know, check my pad.” Clearly she hadn’t been able to keep a basic normal human being expression on her face. Her period seemed the easiest thing to use as an excuse.

  “Well, our boat is three stories, there’s got to be a ladies’ on there someplace,” Grace said, as they stepped inside onto thick aqua carpet. “Want me to help you find it?”

  “It’s okay. I’ll ask one of the ice-cream men.” Priya gave Grace a little wave, then headed toward the closest guy in a white uniform and hat. He pointed her to a bathroom and she got herself inside as fast as she could without running. Her eyes started to burn the second the door swung shut behind her. At least she had the place to herself.

  Priya leaned on the closest sink and stared at herself in the mirror. “You are not going to cry. You are not a crier. You aren’t going to cry now, because who knows what would happen to all this gunk on your face.” She straightened up, and continued to lecture herself. “Jordan was just joking around. He doesn’t really think you look like a psycho who eats his own flaky skin.” She brushed a few specks of glitter off her neck. “He was just being funny. Like always.”

  The thing was, she didn’t want him to treat her like always. That was the whole point. She’s been turned into a complete 2.0 version of herself—with the slick stuff on her lips, and the sort of itchy stuff in her hair, and the pad between her legs, and the perfume Abby had sprayed on her. Couldn’t Jordan see that she was totally different? So why was he treating her the same?

  Duh. Because all he can think about is Bryyyynnnnnn, that horrible voice in her head volunteered.

  Priya slammed out of the bathroom, hoping she had left the voice inside. “Sodas on the main deck,” Abby called to her. “Come on.”

  “Okay.” Priya obediently followed Abby out on deck. Her eyes immediately did a Jordan scan. She saw Brynn first. Brynn was smiling, smiling at Jordan. The be-yourself non-plan plan seemed to be working.

  “Cramps?” Abby asked sympathetically.

  “What?” Priya asked. “Oh, yeah. Yeah. Bad ones.”

  “I use this stuff called Flying Fox temple balm. You rub it on your temples and the inside of your wrists, or even right in the inside of your nose. It has all these essential oils that are mood soothers,” Abby told her. “I’ll give you some as soon as we get back to the hotel.”

  By then I’ll have to coat my entire body in the stuff, Priya thought, shooting another glance at the smiling combo of Jordan and Brynn, even though she knew it was a very bad idea.

  “You guys looked thirsty,” Spence said as he came up to Priya and Abby. He held up two glasses of Coke and studied them like he’d never seen such things before. “They aren’t bright red. And they can’t be used as bug repellent. And I
don’t think Jenna has loaded them with salt or anything.” Spence frowned at the sodas. “But I’m pretty sure you can drink this strange brown substance, anyway. I’ve heard people outside camp do.”

  “Thanks,” Priya and Abby told him. Priya tried to remember if she’d ever talked to Spence—or if he’d ever talked to her—when they weren’t playing Spoons. She didn’t think so.

  Priya heard Brynn laugh. She had this really loud, dramatic laugh. What was she laughing at? She didn’t think Jordan was funny. She thought he was an idiot. Priya looked over at Jordan and Brynn, trying to look like she wasn’t looking.

  Abby elbowed her in the side. What? Was she being really obvious? “Spence was talking to you.”

  “Oh. Sorry.” Priya grimaced as she forced herself to look at Spence. “What’s up?”

  “I, uh, I was just saying that one of the crew guys told me that those houses over there, generals live in all of them,” Spence blurted. “It’s called General’s Row or something.” He hurried away.

  Abby shook her head. “That’s not what he said. He said he liked the, quote, shiny stuff in your hair, unquote. And you missed it. What were you thinking about, anyway?”

  Brynn gave another look-at-me-I-should-be-onstage trill of laughter. “Nothing,” Priya said. She heard Jordan laugh back. “I was thinking about absolutely nothing.”

  Priya sat down at the table that was the farthest away from the one Jordan and Brynn had picked. She wanted to stop staring at them like a stalker. She also wanted to be able to eat. Her stomach was growling, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to choke down any of her food if the Happiest Couple in the World was on display.

  The seat she’d chosen meant Gaby was across from her. But Priya could deal with some brattitude, no problem. David and Sarah were next to Gaby, and Marc, a guy from David’s bunk, was next to David.

  “Hey, guys, isn’t this boat fab?” Valerie asked, as she sat down at the table with Scott, a boy who was in this nature session with Priya and Jordan. Just thinking about Jordan got Priya twisting her head around and straining to see him. Yeah, he still looked like he was having fun. She turned back to face her own group, but all she could think about was Jordan and Brynn. Brynn and Jordan. What were they talking about over there? They didn’t like any of the same things. Jordan couldn’t talk about theater stuff—he’d already proved that. And Brynn couldn’t—