Fortunately she had been able to get out of the house after dinner without telling Jessica where she was going. If her sister discovered she was tutoring Annie again, Elizabeth knew she would be furious. Why am I saying “if”? she asked herself. Jessica was sure to find out, and she’d consider it a major act of treason.
For the millionth time in her sixteen years, Elizabeth wondered how identical twins could be so different. “But I am doing the right thing,” she said under her breath as she went up in the elevator to the fourth floor. Annie opened the door before Elizabeth even had time to ring the bell.
“Hi, Liz. Come on in! I was at the front window watching for you. You don’t know how much this means to me,” she said breathlessly, ushering Elizabeth into the living room.
“Take it easy, Annie,” Elizabeth said, laughing. “I’m only helping you with math, not saving your life.”
“It’s the same thing, Liz. With tryouts coming up so soon, it’s absolutely the same thing.”
Elizabeth wasn’t surprised by the look of intensity on Annie’s face, but it did make her uncomfortable. Wanting something so badly was bound to cause problems, especially with Jessica Wakefield as an opponent.
“This is a nice apartment, Annie,” Elizabeth said, looking around the living room. It was small but attractive, and the furniture was ultramodern. She had never been to Annie’s home before; Annie had preferred to stay after school and have Elizabeth help her.
“It’s OK, I guess,” Annie said, “if you like small apartments with too many people around.”
“I thought it was just you and your mother.”
“And Johnny makes three,” Annie said bitterly.
Elizabeth stared at her blankly. Annie had a brother?
“Johnny is my mother’s very special friend. He lives here, too. We’re just one big happy family.”
Elizabeth wished they had stuck to the subject of math. Mrs. Whitman’s personal life was really none of her business.
The look of embarrassment on Elizabeth’s face was hard to miss, and Annie was instantly contrite. “I’m sorry, Liz. You must think I’m a real jerk, babbling on like that. You’re not interested in my personal life.”
“It’s not that I’m not interested in you, Annie,” Elizabeth protested. “It’s just…” It’s just what? she asked herself. I don’t want to get involved? But I’m already involved. Maybe Annie needs someone to talk to.
“Forget it, Liz,” Annie said. “Maybe we should get started on the math. You don’t want to waste your whole evening on me. I’ll get my books.”
As Elizabeth watched Annie leave the room, she resisted the urge to shake the pretty, dark-haired girl. She sent a silent message to her sister. Forgive me, Jess. I’m about to get in all the way.
“Annie, let’s get something straight right up front,” Elizabeth said as a dejected Annie came back into the room. “You asked me for help, and I said yes. I don’t think I’m wasting my time.”
Annie smiled her thanks, her green eyes lighting up for a brief moment as she sat down next to Elizabeth on the sofa.
“If you’ve got problems you want to talk about, Annie, I’m a pretty good listener.”
“Really?” Doubt was written all over Annie’s face.
“Yes, really. And I’ve got time.”
Annie got up and walked to the window, jamming her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. “Do you ever get lonely, Liz? I mean really lonely to talk to somebody?”
“Everybody gets lonely sometimes.” Elizabeth tried to remember if she had ever been really lonely. She had her family; she had Enid Rollins, her best friend—she and Enid could talk about anything; and then there was Todd Wilkins, her boyfriend and the Gladiators’ star basketball player. If only Annie had one guy like Todd, Elizabeth thought, she wouldn’t need an army of other guys.
Annie turned around to face Elizabeth. There were tears in her eyes. “Liz, I don’t have one real friend in the world.”
As Elizabeth started to speak, Annie waved her hand. “Please, don’t tell me that a mother is a girl’s best friend. You don’t know my mother. She’s—she’s different. Oh, boy, is she different!”
Annie seemed like an oil well waiting to be tapped. It all poured out—all fifteen years of a life that Elizabeth could hardly imagine.
“My mother was sixteen when I was born. Sixteen, Liz—the same age you are now! I must have been really good news for her. My father was seventeen. He married her, but they didn’t live happily ever after. Are your parents together, Liz?”
The suddenness of the question startled Elizabeth. She was still trying to cope with the idea of having a baby at her age.
“Well, yes.” She felt strangely guilty about having terrific parents.
Elizabeth tried to imagine what life would be like without her mother and father. Impossible, that’s what! She was so proud of her tall, dark-haired, good-looking father. Even though he was one of the busiest lawyers in the area, he always had time to be with his family. What would she do without his warm support, not to mention his sense of humor?
And Mom, she thought. Did Elizabeth remember to tell her how much she appreciated everything her mother did for her? Probably not. Even with her career, Alice Wakefield was always there when the girls needed her. And it made Elizabeth so proud whenever people said that she and Jessica looked like their mother.
“My parents split up when I was two,” Annie continued. “My father wasn’t into responsibility, I guess.”
Annie might be a year younger than she was in actual age, but Elizabeth knew she was years older in experiénce. “Couldn’t your grandparents help?”
“Grandparents! They’re the ones who are supposed to bounce you on their knees, right? Not mine. They thought my mother was bad—there was no way they would help.”
“Annie, I’m really sorry. I had no idea.” Elizabeth almost wished she hadn’t said she was a good listener. This was much more than she wanted to know.
“No, Liz,” Annie said, recognizing the expression on Elizabeth’s face, “I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. My mother’s not like yours, but she’s OK. She’s pretty gutsy, really. She could have given me away, but she didn’t. She did the best she could, I guess.”
“Do you ever see your father?” Elizabeth asked, almost afraid of the answer.
Annie gave a short, bitter laugh. “He hasn’t been around in five years. He used to show up once in a while—wanting money, I guess. Mom was making pretty good money modeling, and my father was out of work most of the time. He came around one day—I was about ten years old—and they had a big fight. I tried to separate them because I thought he was going to hurt Mom. He got so mad that he threw me down the stairs.”
Elizabeth sat there in a state of shock. She didn’t know what to say. But Annie didn’t seem to need any words, only the willing ear Elizabeth had offered her.
“I did some modeling, too, a couple of years ago. Did you know that?”
Glad to be off the subject of Annie’s parents, Elizabeth nodded. “I hear you were terrific at it,” she said. “You’ve certainly got the looks for it.” Even Jessica would have to admit that Annie was a knockout, with her slim figure, dark, wavy hair, and flawless complexion.
Annie laughed. “I don’t know about terrific, Liz, but it was kind of fun for a while. I got to wear these really fabulous clothes, and people were always making a big deal about doing my makeup and fixing my hair. When they got through with me, I looked eighteen or nineteen instead of thirteen.” She had a faraway look in her eyes. “Sometimes I’d look in a mirror and try to remember exactly how old I really was, you know what I mean? Everybody treated me like an adult during a modeling session, but as soon as the makeup came off and I was back in jeans, I was just a kid again.”
“All that attention must have been terrific.”
Annie shrugged. “Everyone said I was wonderful while the cameras were clicking, but when the session ended, they ignored me. I finally reali
zed they didn’t care about me, the real me beneath the makeup and the clothes. I was still lonely. My mother didn’t have time for me because of her schedule, and I guess I just didn’t know how to make friends with girls my own age.”
“I can’t imagine anyone as friendly as you are not being able to make friends, Annie.”
“Well, I’ve got lots of boyfriends.” Annie smiled brightly. “I’ve been deeply in love a few times. But a lot of boys are shallow, you know? Sometimes after you break up, they don’t even respect you. That’s what this is all about, Liz.”
“What do you mean?” Elizabeth asked, still taking in everything Annie had just told her about herself.
“The grades and the cheering squad, Liz. That’s the way I’m going to change my life. Don’t you see? The kids will respect me if I get good grades and if I’m on something as important as the cheering squad.”
“I know what you mean, Annie,” Elizabeth said. “Good grades and activities are important, but the cheering squad isn’t the only good activity. There are lots of others that are just as good.” Most of which my sister Jessica is not into, she added to herself.
“Oh, you’re wrong, Liz! There’s nothing like being a cheerleader.” Annie seemed amazed that anyone would put anything above the cheering squad, until she remembered whom she was talking to.
“Oh, boy, am I dumb!” Annie smacked her forehead with the heel of her hand. She was so upset she didn’t see the hint of laughter in Elizabeth’s eyes. “Of course. The Oracle is just as important. You have to be almost a genius to write the way you do!”
That did it! Elizabeth couldn’t hold the amusement in. It started with a giggle. And soon, before Annie’s stunned gaze, Elizabeth was doubled over with laughter.
“Oh, Annie, you’re too much!” Elizabeth got out between gasps. “I don’t think Mr. Collins knows he’s working with a bunch of geniuses!” She knew that the faculty advisor for The Oracle would get at least as good a laugh out of Annie’s innocent remark.
“You know what I mean, Liz,” Annie said pleadingly.
“For heaven’s sake, don’t apologize, Annie. I know what you mean. Doing flips in front of a big crowd at a game is probably more fun than writing an article about Chrome Dome’s latest set of rules, anyway,” she said, remembering the dull story about the principal, Mr. Cooper, she’d gotten stuck with the week before.
Annie’s eyes lit up at the thought of doing flips in front of a big crowd. “I’m going to make it, Liz. I just know it!”
Annie was almost dancing around the room with excitement, and Elizabeth couldn’t help but admire the graceful way she moved. She’d be perfect on the squad—that is, if Jessica gave her a chance. Those rumors about Annie just had to be exaggerated. She couldn’t be as horrible as Jessica said she was. But how do I find out the truth? Elizabeth wondered.
“Annie, with all the schoolwork you’ve been doing, I guess you don’t have much time for dates,” Elizabeth ventured, feeling about as subtle as a Mack truck.
“Oh, sure,” said Annie casually. “I think it’s important to have a good social life. Actually, that’s about the only good thing in my life these days. Hey, Liz, look at the time. We’d better get some work done.” Annie opened her math book and binder.
Elizabeth tried to concentrate on the math problems, but at the same time she was coping with a surprising and disturbing discovery. Annie obviously had no idea of just how bad her reputation was. The poor, lonely girl saw the string of boys as her only companions. She couldn’t possibly know her nickname was Easy Annie. How much was rumor and how much was fact? Elizabeth wondered.
Well, at least Annie was in a more positive mood than earlier in the evening, Elizabeth was relieved to see. If she stays in this mood, and I can work on Jessica, just maybe we can pull it off. Elizabeth knew she was being overoptimistic about changing her twin’s mind, but it was worth a try. Annie deserved a chance to change her life, and Elizabeth was determined to help her.
An hour later, Annie stretched her arms overhead and yawned. “Wow, I’m beat, Liz, but I think I know what I’m doing. You’re really great at explaining things.”
“You think so?” Elizabeth hoped she would be just as great at explaining things to Jessica.
“Do you have time for a soda?”
“I really don’t, but thanks, Annie.” Elizabeth picked up her bag and sweater and got up to leave.
Just then the front door swung open.
“Hi, kitten, we’re home,” the tall, striking woman said to Annie. She flashed a dazzling smile at Elizabeth. “Hello, I’m Annie’s mother.”
“Hello, Mrs. Whitman. I’m Elizabeth Wakefield.”
“Elizabeth! So glad to meet you,” Mrs. Whitman gushed, her words slightly slurred from drinking.
“Mom, Liz has to leave,” Annie cut in anxiously. “She came over to help me with math. Thanks a lot, Liz,” she said, half pushing Elizabeth toward the door. The happy, confident mood of a few minutes earlier had vanished.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your pretty little tutor, kid?” The man lounging in the open doorway leered at Elizabeth, making her skin crawl. Annie was rigid with anger.
“This is Johnny,” Annie said through clenched teeth.
“Hello, Mr.—?” Elizabeth wished she had left five minutes earlier.
“Just call me Johnny, sugar. All the cute little girls call me Johnny.”
“Johnny, I said Liz had to leave,” Annie said, pushing him aside and walking Elizabeth to the elevator.
“Liz, I don’t know what to say.” Annie scuffed the toe of her shoe back and forth on the hall carpet as they stood waiting for the elevator.
“Annie, you don’t have to say anything.”
“What’s the use of kidding myself, Liz? Nothing ever works out the way I want it to.”
“You’ve got to believe in yourself, Annie!” Elizabeth insisted. “Hey, I believe in you. Could a genius like me make a mistake?” That almost brought a smile to Annie’s face.
Riding the bus home, Elizabeth reflected on the situation. It was easy enough to encourage Annie, but trying to manipulate Jessica would be something entirely different. “OK, genius,” she muttered, “think of something.”
Three
Jessica was in her element. On the patio at the rear of the Wakefield house, she was drilling Cara Walker on every move she’d need to know to become a member of the Sweet Valley cheering squad once again.
“All you have to learn are some new cheers, and the fancy moves we’ve added since you were there,” Jessica explained. “And of course you know all about following the captain.”
She meant herself, of course. Robin Wilson was co-captain, but she didn’t really spend as much time on the squad as Jessica. So the girls looked to Jessica for leadership, which was exactly the way it should be, Jessica felt.
Cara looked exhausted from the workout she was getting. Sweat poured down her face, and her breath was coming in gasps. “Jessica, practice never used to be this tough,” Cara wailed. “What do you think I am, an Olympic athlete?”
“You’re doing fine,” Jessica assured her. “Just work on that split a little.”
Cara stretched her tanned legs forward and backward, feeling muscles tighten and tendons strain.
Jessica was satisfied. With her personal coaching, Cara was sure to get back on the squad with no trouble.
“Are you pretty sure I’ll make it?” Cara asked from her torturous split beside the Wakefield pool. “I mean, I’d die of embarrassment if my old teammates didn’t think I was good enough anymore.”
“I guarantee it,” Jessica said.
Cara smiled. “It’ll be good to be back. Who else is going to be chosen?”
“Well, I’m not sure,” said Jessica. “How do you like Sandra Bacon?”
“Oh, she’s all right,” Cara said. “Not always the most graceful, though. Remember the time—”
“At Lila’s pool party,” Jessica finished, breaking into a
delighted giggle.
“Could you believe how she was showing off up there on the diving board? Like she was about to execute a triple-flip swan dive or something.” Cara lifted herself out of her split.
“And Mark wasn’t paying the teeniest bit of attention to her.” Jessica snorted. “Until she fell off the edge of the board and into the water on her belly.”
Cara doubled over, holding her stomach in helpless laughter, tears pouring from her eyes at the memory. She heard Jessica clearing her throat and wondered if she had gone too far. After all, Jessica had suggested Sandra for the cheering squad. But then Cara saw the large blue sneaker in front of her face. She looked up. There stood Steven Wakefield, the twins’ brother. Cara felt her cheeks turn crimson. Steven Wakefield, the boy she’d had a terrific crush on for years and years, was standing there, and she was groveling around on the patio like a snake!
Cara immediately rolled around and sat up.
“Hi, Steve,” she murmured, blushing to the roots of her hair.
Steven didn’t seem upset by her contortions, Cara decided. She looked more closely and decided he hardly even seemed to know she was there.
“Hi, Steve,” Jessica was saying. “What brings you home from college?”
“Huh?” said Steven.
“Cara’s going to be back on the cheering squad,” Jessica said. “Isn’t that great?”
“What?” Steven said, glancing around at Cara. “Oh, sure. I guess so.” He hurried into the house.
Jessica frowned. Cara would be just right for Steven, if he would only wake up and stop mooning over Tricia Martin. The whole Martin family was nothing but trouble, the trashiest people in Sweet Valley, and Steven had to be mixed up with them. Elizabeth was constantly telling her that Tricia was a special person, but Jessica knew that one Martin was as bad as another.
“I guess I messed that up, all right,” Cara was saying. “Boy! He must think I’m some idiot!”
“He does not,” Jessica declared. “He’s just—preoccupied. Sooner or later I’ll get the two of you together. Just you wait.”
Wrong Kind of Girl Page 2