by Abby Sher
And then he pulled me into a hug. His grip was so strong and tight, I could barely breathe.
Wait — was he holding me? Was I officially in the arms of Drew McHottie?
“I knew you could do it, girl! Come on, let’s go again!” he said, and he grabbed my hand, pushing off toward the chairlift.
The rest of that afternoon was a blur of treetops and wind, dips and turns. We took the Junior Slope another two times, and then Drew led me to an area called Powder Ridge that had steeper inclines, a couple of curves, and small patches of trees. When we got to the bottom of that one, we found Jeremy, Aaron, and Liz.
“Hey!” said Liz, her face flushed and bright.
“Hey!” I said back, still panting from the last run.
“Did you see Sam attack that mountain?” said Drew, lifting my arm up.
“Yeah. Hey, nice job, Sam,” said Liz. “We were thinking of going in to get some hot chocolate. You wanna come?”
Hot chocolate sounded perfect right now, but I didn’t want to lose my momentum.
“Yeah, I could go for a cup,” said Drew.
We all headed in.
“Hiya, kids! How’d you do?” said Dad. He and Kathy were sitting by the fire with — yup, none other than Margie. Dad looked super excited to see us. Kathy jumped up, too, and gave Jeremy a big smile, but was still avoiding my eyes. Ugh. I had conveniently forgotten about that situation for the past few hours. Now, who was being the baby?
Everybody made introductions. Margie, Drew, Liz, Aaron, Jeremy, Dad. My new wife, Kathy. It stung when he said it.
“Well, what do you say we call it a day?” said Dad. “We’re kinda beat.” He kissed Kathy on top of her head.
“Well, wait. What are you all doing tonight?” asked Liz. “I know Dina and Heidi and I would be up for going out if you wanna …?” She was looking right at Jeremy while she said it. Yow. This girl was direct. Jeremy, of course, just stared back blankly.
“I could go for an evening activity,” Drew offered.
And then Kathy said, “Hey, I saw they’re having karaoke around eight-thirty tonight where we’re staying. I don’t know if that’s your thing, but I’m sure you folks could come over. Judd here could give you directions to the inn.” She looked at Dad.
He nodded his head proudly. “Sure could,” he said.
“I love karaoke!” said Liz, practically jumping out of her skin. “I think we’re staying right near you, so that’ll be great!” She smiled up at Jeremy with her sparkle-dusted eyes. Jeremy still looked pretty unmoved. But hey — what was I expecting? This was the guy who only showed emotion about the NFL draft season and frozen pizza pockets.
“You in?” he said to Aaron.
“I’m not sure. Gotta check with the other guys, but maybe,” he said. Noncommittal, too. Usual Levy fare. And he still hadn’t even looked at me long enough to see if I had horns. Then I felt Drew’s hands on my shoulders.
“Well, I’m not much of a singer, but I love to make a fool out of myself,” he said behind me. Which was good because then I didn’t have to look at him. I didn’t have to say, What are you doing? Or, Do you do this with all the klutzes? Or, Why can’t you be more like Aaron — aloof, uninterested, and in bad need of a hairstyle? Or maybe, Have you ever read Catcher in the Rye? Agh! I needed to get back to the inn and call Phoebe now.
“Well, it’s pretty easy to get to,” said Dad. “It’s called Bishop Inn and it’s off of Route —”
“Yeah, Bishop Inn. I know where that is. I’ve been there before,” said Drew.
Liz looked at me and raised an eyebrow. What did that mean?
“Okay. Well then, eight-thirty!” she said.
“Yeah,” said Drew, and now he was definitely looking right at me. “I’ll be there.”
“Can I say something?” Jeremy had his mouth full of toothpaste and he looked like a rabid dog foaming at the mouth.
“Only if it’s nice,” I said, stepping away from the full-length mirror. I knew I should have closed the bathroom door when I was done in there.
“That’s the fifth sweater you’ve tried on, and they all look the same.”
“They do not!” I objected, even though I knew he was right. It was pointless. Everything I had to wear was either gray or black, except for the one dark green turtleneck sweater, but that made me look like a Christmas tree without the colored lights or tinsel.
“Just wear what you had on the first time,” said Jeremy, spitting into the sink. Of course he would say that. He had no idea what the first thing I tried on was. All of my sweaters lay in a heap on the bed.
I had no one to blame but myself. I remembered packing at home the week before, complaining the whole time. Mom was sitting in my desk chair with a cup of mint tea, her legs tucked up under her.
“Aren’t you going to take a skirt or two? Something nice in case you want to get dressed up?”
“I’ll have what I wore to the wedding,” I groaned. Which was a tight black skirt that came to my knees and a black velvet V-neck. I looked like I was going to a funeral. It was also 68 degrees in Orlando. That outfit was on the bed now, too.
“Listen, I’ll meet you down there,” said Jeremy from the bathroom.
“No!” I shot back. Jeremy had it easy, with deep-set eyes — just like Mom’s — and his thick, dark curls. Why did he get the good hair? Even when it was dirty, it made sense. He just put some water on his face and he was ready to go. Like now, he was wearing the same jeans and striped thermal top that he had on this morning, but it didn’t matter.
“Just give me two more minutes,” I pleaded. “Rearrange your freckles or something.”
“Two minutes. That’s it,” he said. I heard him flop down on the bed and turn on professional wrestling. At least he was easily distracted.
I put on the velvet V-neck and my low-rider jeans. Sexy? No. What had Phoebe said when we spoke on the phone before? Sassy?
Wait.
First she said, “Aaaaaaaagh! Sam, that is so exciting!”
“Yeah, I don’t know. He’s superhot. But he’s also super-cheesy. Like, did I tell you he called me ‘doll’? And he wears those nylon pants that swish all the time?”
“Sam, he’s a skier. They have to wear nylon. It’s in their contract or something. And he was in the Olympics,” she said.
“Just the trials,” I corrected.
“Whatever, Miss Judgy McJudgealot.”
“I don’t know, it’s just …”
“Sam, this is what we have been talking about. You need to get out there! See what guys are like. Real guys.”
“Yeah, and there’s this other guy named Aaron. But he doesn’t talk much. And he kind of hunches over and his shoulders are really bony,” I said.
“Wow. Door number one, please,” said Phoebe.
“Yeah, but he could be really sweet,” I protested.
“You can have him,” said Phoebe. “I’ll take Drew — oh, I wish I was there,” she sighed.
“I do, too. Hey, how was Bonnie Briar?”
“Boo. Nothing happened. There were too many people around. Rachel and I were on one of those saucer sleddy things, and Leo and Josh kept on crashing into us.”
“Leo?” I said. I didn’t mean it to come out quite so whimpery.
“Oh, come on, Sam. Please don’t tell me you are up in a winter wonderland with Super G Hotness and you are still thinking about Leo Strumm?”
“No, but —”
“Listen, girl. You put on something sassy and some jewelry and mascara and get down to that karaoke machine. What are you gonna sing?”
I hadn’t even thought about that yet. My heart was racing already.
“Don’t worry about it. Get a standard, like Madonna or something. And just close your eyes if you have to and belt it out. Oooh! I wish I could see you,” she squealed. This would definitely be more fun if Phoebe was here with me. Forty-five minutes later, here I was, sighing into the mirror again.
“You done?” called Jeremy
.
“Almost!”
The V-neck made me look really flat-chested. Ah, who was I kidding? I was pretty flat-chested. And pale. Mom always told me to put blush on, but I hated that. Instead, I pulled out my little tube of shimmery gel and squeezed out a blob. Then I rubbed some into my chest and above my eyes. Great. Now I looked like a sparkly ghost.
I searched my duffel for some jewelry. I knew there was a simple silver star I had tucked into the inside pocket.
“Time’s up!” Jeremy was in the doorway again.
“Here, Jer, can you help me?”
But when I turned toward him, he was already busy.
“Ew! Don’t pick your nose! That’s gross, Jeremy!”
“It’s not gross! It’s natural!”
Poor Liz. She had no idea what she was in for.
By the time we got downstairs, Karaoke Night was already in full swing. We followed the music through the dining area into another room, this one with a fireplace in the middle and those floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides. On the fourth side, there was a small platform, where Phil now stood.
“Stevie D. is up next. Calling to the stage Stevie D.,” announced Phil. Stevie D. was the Hawaiian-looking guy I had seen the other day. Only now he had a raccoon-eye tan from his ski goggles, and a big grin as he came up to grab the microphone.
“This one’s for you, Dara,” he said, and started in with Frank Sinatra’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” The crowd started humming underneath him.
The woman who must have been Dara sat two feet away, looking up at Stevie D. and mouthing all the words along with him.
I looked around. There were couches pushed to the edges of the room and little card tables set up with votive candles. Dad and Kathy were seated with another couple in the corner. I sincerely hoped they didn’t plan on staying long. There was a family of four next to them — two boys that looked to be between eight and maybe twelve. Both looking incredibly bored.
And in the center of it all was Drew. There were two seats between him and Liz. Then came Dina and Heidi, who was sitting really close to some new guy I had never met before. He had spiky hair, too, and a little goatee. Wait — wasn’t she all giggly about Drew just this afternoon? She did move fast. And I guess Aaron hadn’t made it. Which somehow didn’t surprise me really. What surprised me was that I was fine with that. My eyes were still caught on Drew. His hair was carefully tousled, his face glowing in the light of the tiny flame. He was wearing a dark sweater that outlined the shape of his broad shoulders, and he was holding a glass of something clear and chewing on an ice cube. I watched as the muscles in his jaw moved up and down.
“Hello, Darth Vader,” said Jeremy, elbowing me in the side.
I was taking deep, loud breaths through my mouth. I do that whenever I’m really nervous. I shut my mouth quickly. Get it together, Levy.
Liz looked up and waved us over, pointing to two empty seats in between her and Drew. By now, everyone was singing, “’Cause I’ve got you, under my skin!” Jeremy and I snuck over and slid into the chairs.
“Hey!” said Liz, grinning ear to ear.
“Hey!” I said back.
“Hey,” said Jeremy.
And then “Hey,” Drew whispered into my hair.
Stay cool, Levy. Stay cool.
“Let’s give it up for Stevie D.! Stevie D., all the way here from Maui,” said Phil.
Stevie took a bow and was greeted with a big kiss from Dara.
“And next up we have Illona. Illona from Little Rock, Arkansas. I’m sure you’ll all like this one she’s picked for you. Let’s hear it for Ben E. King’s ‘Stand By Me.’” Jeez, the selection here seemed like pretty old stuff. But I didn’t care. I wasn’t planning on singing. I was just concentrating on breathing through my nose right now and feeling Drew’s nearness.
After Illona went up, Dad and Kathy did a duet by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton — “Islands in the Stream.” Barf city. Especially because Kathy knew all the words by heart and was gazing up at Dad the whole time with this moony look in her eyes. But I was determined not to let her ruin my night. I shoved four pieces of gum in my mouth and tried to chomp out my tension, being careful to keep my mouth closed.
Then Liz shoved the book of songs at me. She had found a section called NEW ADDITIONS! at the back of the book. She pointed to a song by a Canadian singer named Hailey Burke — “Lost and Found.” I loved that song. It was on her second album that had just come out, and Phoebe and I both had it. When nobody was home, we just put it on repeat and danced and sang at the top of our lungs. But that was different than doing it here in front of everybody. Especially in front of Drew.
Liz’s eyes were shiny and wild. I looked at her, with her turquoise off-the-shoulder sweater, her blond hair tumbling down her back in soft waves, and gold hoops dangling from her ears. She had on matching turquoise eye shadow and her cheeks were glowing.
“Pleeeaase?” said Liz, coquettishly. “We’ll all be up there together, Sam.”
Heidi and Dina leaned in, too. “Come on, Sam! It’ll be fun!”
Dina had on a creamy-looking sweater poncho, and Heidi was in a clingy red sweater dress. These girls knew how to sass it up. And probably knew how to sing, too. I didn’t want to be the only lame-o who wasn’t singing. Mostly because Phoebe would kill me when I reported back to her later. I shrugged my shoulders. Liz took it as a yes.
“Yay! I’m putting you in,” she said, and sashayed her way up to Phil with a slip of paper that had our names on it. Dina and Heidi clapped and cheered, “Yay!”
Before I could protest, Dad and Kathy were standing over our table, both beaming.
Oh, no! Please don’t make me and Jeremy do a number with you. We are not the Von Trapp family. Please please please please please.
“Did you see what Kathy made me do up there?” said Dad, pulling her into his hip.
“I didn’t make you, Judd!” she giggled and squirmed. I wished I hadn’t bitten off all of my nails that morning with Margie. At least Margie was more interesting than Ricecake.
“I thought you sounded great up there, Mr. and Mrs. Levy,” said Dina carefully.
I was just about to jump out of my seat and yell, “No! That is not Mr. and Mrs. Levy!” but Dad must’ve sensed it because he blurted out really quickly, “All right, kids. Well, that’s enough fun for one day. Us old folks are headin’ upstairs. See you in the morning for another run at that mountain!” And then he swung around with Kathy still attached to his hip.
“Have fun!” said Kathy, tucking her hand in Dad’s back pocket as they walked away.
“Your mom’s really smiley,” said Drew.
Sorry, but that was too much.
“Not my mom,” I snapped.
“Whoa. O-kay,” he said, reaching for his glass. Jeremy just shook his head.
Liz came back with a devilish grin on her face. “We’re in!” she announced, smoothing out her corduroy miniskirt.
Some guy in a loose flannel shirt and jeans was up there now, singing a Billy Joel song. He was horribly off-key and he wouldn’t take his eyes off the screen. Poor dude. That was going to be me in just a few minutes. I wanted to catch laryngitis. Or maybe I could burn myself slightly on the candle …?
Then Phil took the mike. “Next up, we have Liz, Heidi, and —”
He didn’t even get to finish calling our names before the girls were up on their feet, skipping to the front of the room.
“Go get ’em, girl!” rumbled Drew, and then he squeezed my knee.
Liz got on the microphone. “Sam, to the front of the room. Sam, please report to the front of the room.”
Great. Just what I needed. More attention. Get up, Levy! I smushed my wad of gum into a napkin and walked to the front of the room with my head down. I tried to hide myself behind Dina, but she was a good three inches or so shorter than me. Story of my life.
The music started. First the violins. Then the piano. Then:
You were lost
Under a rock
Right next to me
Liz’s voice was firm and sweet. She swayed her hips from side to side. Damn, she was good. Dina and Heidi followed in line. I could hear Dina warbling a little, but she kept going. The drums kicked in underneath, then the piano. Heidi punched me on the arm. Well, when in Rome …
I’m learning, every day
How to saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
I wasn’t exactly smooth like the other girls, but I tried to just focus on the lyrics. I thought of Hailey in the video, singing as she walked through a wide-open field. Then I pictured myself and Phoebe spinning on her living room floor in our socks. I could do this. As long as I didn’t look out at all those faces. I closed my eyes and just let the music take over my body.
You’re beautiful, yes it’s true
And I’ll never let you go now that I’ve found you
I’ve found youuuuuuuuuu
And now I could feel my shoulders draw back, and the lights on my cheeks, my voice melting into Hailey’s and Liz’s and … I couldn’t believe it but I was doing it! If Phoebe could see me now!
When the song ended, Drew jumped to his feet, hooting and whistling. “Now, that’s what I’m talking about!” he yelled. I could feel my face turning crimson.
“Encore!” yelled the guy with the goatee, standing up, too.
“Thanks, folks. We’ll be here all night. Seriously, we love you,” said Liz, blowing a kiss to the audience. More applause. I didn’t know where or how Liz got her confidence, but it sure was awesome. I was starting to really like her. We made our way back to our seats. Drew was still standing up, clapping.
“Did we do okay?” asked Liz, looking right at Jeremy.
“Yeah, it was fun,” he said blandly. My brother, the romantic.
“You looked fine, ladies!” said Drew. I was too embarassed to look at him. Then he turned to the guy next to Heidi and said, “Hey, Trey. You wanna do this?”
“Sure.”
“Do what?” asked Liz.
“Well, Trey and I brought some stuff so we could go outside in the hot tub and party a little,” said Drew.