by Abby Sher
“Oh, nothing. Same old. You’re the one with news.” Phoebe sounded excited for me, but there was definitely a little edge in her voice. Uh-oh.
“How’s Grandma?” I asked.
“Okay, I guess. She called me Florence the whole time, and she can’t find her cockatoo.”
“And what’d you do last night?”
“Murphy’s. The usual crowd.”
“Any time with Paprika?”
“No, but I didn’t even see him.”
“Really? Why not?”
“Oh … I don’t know … It just wound up being a few of us watching movies. It was stupid.” She sounded distracted and there was this weird pause at the end of her sentence. But then, before I could cut in, she started again, cheery and bright. “Anyway, you gotta go. You’ve got a man waiting for you.”
“Yeah!” I said. I tried to sound upbeat, too.
“Call me later,” she said.
“Or you call me!” But she had already clicked OFF.
By the time we got to Sugar Peak, there was already a long line for the ski rentals. It was so hot in the chalet with all the furry collars and matching leg warmers. Dad and Kathy were going back out to some of the cross-country trails, and Jeremy and I got fitted and headed to the chairlift. I tried not to look too eager as I searched for Drew’s dirty-blond spikes and orange goggles. It was 10:30. He would be teaching his new class by now, right?
“Looking for someone?” I felt a hand on my shoulder. I gasped, turning around.
“Gotcha!” said Jeremy, his eyes on fire, his freckles laughing.
“Dumb butt,” I said, and punched him in the arm.
“Oh, come on. Can’t you take a joke?”
“Not funny,” I replied, pushing past him. The chairlift came, and we slid into our seats.
“Come on, Sam. You can’t take everything so seriously. Anyway, how was it?”
“Fine.” There was no way I was talking about this with Jeremy. “So, what’s up with you and Liz?”
“Oh, you know. Whatever,” he said.
“What’s that? Whatever. You left the hot tub together.”
“Sam, it’s none of your business.”
“Jeremy has a new girlfriend,” I sang. I know. I definitely regress about ten years when I’m around him sometimes.
“No I don’t,” he said, annoyed.
“But why not? She seems pretty cool and she was really into you — which, let me tell you, Jer — it takes a special breed of woman to want to be with you. It probably takes —”
“Listen, Sam. Just shut up, okay? I didn’t want to do anything with her because I — whatever. I just wasn’t interested.” And now his voice was more than annoyed. It was teetering on real anger.
“Okay, I get it,” I said.
“Listen,” he said, softer this time. “Just, don’t go blabbing about this to any of your friends like Phoebe or … Rachel, okay?” He looked me right in the eye. And I knew he was waiting for me to answer.
“Fine,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Promise?” he pushed.
“Yes, okay! Jeesh!” Wow, that was really good ammunition. Rachel was friends with this girl from the orchestra named Anna. I knew that Jeremy and she had hooked up once at a party. Rachel had told me. But when I asked him about it he, of course, wouldn’t tell me anything. I didn’t know that he was still interested. I have to say, even though I acted like he was bugging me, I was kind of impressed. Maybe Jeremy wasn’t such an unfeeling robot after all.
It didn’t take long for him to break my little reverie, though.
“Besides, Sam, we’re only here for a week. It’s stupid to get involved with someone.”
“Right,” I said.
“You know that, don’t you?” he asked.
“Yeah, whatever.”
“Sam, I’m talking about you.”
“What? Who said I was getting involved?”
“It’s all over your face.”
“No it’s not.”
“Yes it is.”
“Not it’s not!”
Ugh. How did he always turn it back to me? “Whatever,” he said. “Remember, we came here for Dad and to ski.”
“Right.” My stomach felt even more twisted than before. Because I guess part of me thought Jeremy had a good point. I mean, we were only here for a week. What did I expect, anyway? To meet the man of my dreams? To fall in love? And was Drew really the one? He said things like, “That’s what I’m talking about,” and “hot mama.” And he didn’t read books. Not that I was in any position to judge. Before last night, the most action I had gotten was from a down pillow. I thought of Drew’s lips tracing a path down my neck. I felt my breath get quick and shallow. And I was glad we hadn’t gone any further last night.
We pushed off the chair at the top. I had forgotten what a thrill it was to jump off. Jeremy was totally unimpressed that I came to a perfect T-stop, but I didn’t need his opinion any more this morning. There were colorful jackets and pom-pom hats zipping down the sides of the mountain in every direction. No sign of Drew, though. Where was that area that he took us to yesterday?
“Hey, so I was gonna check out the Pine Bluffs trail today. Aaron says it’s got some cool inclines,” said Jeremy.
Might as well, Levy. It beat going back to the Junior Slope alone. Where was the Junior Slope anyway? I could picture myself foraging for nuts and berries in the woods after taking a wrong turn.
Pine Bluffs looked really challenging. Lots of turns and twists, even some little jumps. I tried to remember what Drew had taught me about leaning into one leg and then another. I tried to think about how he had me bend my knees and stay low to the ground. But I have to admit, I was mostly thinking about his hands on my waist. And then on my neck and in my hair.
“This look okay to you?” asked Jeremy.
“Uh-huh,” I said, but I was still thinking about those hands.
“Okay, then. See you at the bottom, nerd,” said Jeremy, and he pushed off, snaking his way along the path.
I looked around me. We were pretty high up. Above the tree line. The air felt thin and sharp. C’mon Levy. You can do this. You’re strong. Lean into it. Concentrate. Leave the behind — agh! That was too ridiculous.
I did pretty well. Got about a third of the way down before I fell, but I knew how to brace myself. The rest of the way, it was a series of short runs and some scooting on my butt.
Jeremy was waiting for me at the bottom of the trail.
“And, bringing up the rear for the Turtle team, is Samantha Levy!”
“Thank you! Thank you very much!” I said in my best Elvis impersonation.
“Again?” Jeremy asked.
“Sure.”
We did Pine Bluffs another three more times before Jeremy decided he was hungry and we should go to the chalet for some lunch.
Lunch. I felt sick and excited at the same time. Drew would be taking his lunch break, too, now, right?
The chalet was packed again, of course. And now there was the smell of hamburgers and pizza. Mmmm. Even with a nervous stomach, I had worked up an appetite. Jeremy waved me over to his place in line, but I was busy looking for something else. If only some of these fluffy coats would move.
I saw his blond hair first. He was over at the table by the hot chocolate bar, sitting with what I guessed was his class from that morning — a middle-aged couple, a man with gray hair and glasses, and two girls and a guy about my age. One of the girls was wearing a lavender turtleneck sweater and had long, honey-colored braids. She was leaning across the table and was talking with her hands, and Drew was tipping his head back and laughing.
My heart jumped. Was I supposed to play it cool and just eat with Jeremy and see if Drew noticed me? Or did I need to say something? Maybe just walk over there and say something casual like:
Hey, last night was really special and I think you’re a great kisser and I don’t want you to think that just because I was too freaked out to have sex that I’m
not interested because I am very interested and as a matter of fact maybe I am ready to have sex but I just have to talk to my friend Phoebe some more or maybe I should call my mom but she might be with Jon who has a gross ponytail. So I guess, yeah, let’s just do it, right? But maybe we could talk before, during, and afterward so I’m not so scared. Oh, and hey, you want one of my French fries?
Yeah, that would do the trick, Levy.
We paid for our food, and then Jeremy spotted Dad and Kathy at a table all the way in the back of the room by the bathrooms. I groaned.
“Come on. Play nice,” Jeremy instructed. We made our way over and sat down.
“How was it, you two?” gushed Kathy.
“Oh, great,” said Jeremy. “What about you?”
“Really nice,” said Dad.
“Beautiful! Magnificent! Fantabulous!” Kathy exclaimed.
Ugh. I wanted to tell her I was allergic to adjectives. I really had decided in the car that morning that I was going to try and ignore her. But she sure was making it hard.
“Did you love it? Was it awesome?” she continued. This lady just didn’t give up.
“Yeah, it was fun,” said Jeremy. Then he turned to me and mouthed, “Nice.”
“Yeah, fun,” I echoed, biting into my sandwich.
That was all Kathy needed.
“Yay! Where’d you go? What’d you see?” she chirped. I’d let Jeremy handle that one. I had work to do. The three of them started chatting away about the tremendous sights and breathtaking heights while I shoved my fries into my mouth and scanned the crowd for Drew’s blond hair.
There he was. Still with Honey Braids in the lavender. Breathe and chew, Levy.
Breathe and chew.
But it was pointless. I soon got the hiccups from inhaling my food too fast.
“Oh, Sam. Come on. Just go over and say something already.” Jeremy’s mouth was, of course, full of American cheese.
“Go over where?” asked Kathy.
None of your business, I thought. But I just pretended not to hear and punched Jeremy in the leg.
“You’re a wimp,” he muttered.
Time to prove him wrong.
I took a slow sip of Diet Coke and stood up.
“Okay, I’ll be right back,” I announced.
“Where is she going?” I heard Dad say. But I didn’t wait to hear Jeremy’s answer. I was on a mission. I could do this.
Most of the group had finished their meals and were just watching Honey Braids. She was still talking, her hands waving wildly in the air.
“And all of a sudden, this bear was in our tent. And we were like, aaaaaaaaaah!” she recounted with a syrupy Southern twang.
“Whoa!” said Drew, leaning back in his chair.
I stepped up to the edge of the table. “Um, Drew?”
“Yeah? Oh, hey, Sam!” Was he excited to see me? I couldn’t tell.
“Hey. I just wanted to say … hep!”
“What?”
“Sorry, I have the hiccups. Hep! I just wanted to say … hey.”
“Hey,” he said again. He gave me a slight smile, but didn’t say anything else.
I obviously hadn’t thought this through too far. Was that it?
Quick! Think, Levy, think. Use the noggin.
I sucked in my breath. “Jeremy and I did the Pine Bluffs trail this morning. Hep!”
“Really? How did that go?” He nodded his head like he was impressed. At least, that’s what I hoped it meant.
“Good! I mean, really awesome. Hep!”
“That’s what I’m talking about.” He gave me a high five. Not exactly romantic, but at least it was physical contact, right?
“Hey listen, Sam. I’m glad you found us. I have to get back to class, but a bunch of us were going to go to the Fondue Pot tonight. This place in town. If you want to come, they have these big pots in the middle of the table with cheese and chocolate. It’s crazy good. And they have a special on hot toddies Tuesday nights.”
“Mmmm,” said Honey Braids, patting her stomach.
“What do you think?” Drew’s eyes narrowed on me now, and his voice was quiet and close, like it was just for us to hear.
“Sure!” I said, maybe a little too fast. “Hep!”
“Sweet. I’ll pick you up at the inn around 6:30. And bring your brother, too, if you want.” He winked at me and turned back to the table. “All right, folks. Who’s staying with me for the afternoon? Let’s hit it.”
Wait. Was I just invited out on a date with my brother? And was Honey Braids coming, too? But I couldn’t think about that now. I had to think positive and remember the way Drew’s eyes looked like dazzling blue marbles and his lips came together, smooth and shiny and the way that — hep! Ugh. Still had those hiccups.
I made my way back to our lunch table in the back.
“Hey, guess who found us,” Jeremy said, barely moving his lips. Liz was standing next to him in her white furry jacket. She had a new, long scarf in pink and red, and her cheeks were the same colors, warm and rosy.
“Heard you did PB!” she said.
“Huh?”
“Pine Bluffs,” explained Jeremy.
“Oh, yeah,” I said.
“Wow! Would you be up for doing it again with me this afternoon? Heidi and Dina were lame-o’s and stayed back at our hotel.” She looked from me to Jeremy, so hopeful. I felt a little bad for her. I knew what it was like to want to be liked.
“Sure,” I said, and hooked my arm through hers.
No answer.
I speed-dialed again. Straight to voice mail.
Where could she be? I needed to check in with Phoebe before Drew picked me up. I was outside on the front steps of the inn, stamping my feet to keep warm. Under my jacket all I had on was a clingy black cardigan and jeans. I know, yawn. But it was the only thing I could come up with. I also blow-dried my hair upside down and did the electric socket dance. That’s when I run around shaking my head and arms as fast as I can like I’ve just been electrocuted. It’s the only way I know how to get my hair to look like it has some body to it. It never stays bouncy for very long, but it’s still fun to dance around in my underwear.
And now I really needed some Phoebe advice. What if Drew had gone home and decided he didn’t want to kiss geeks with long ears anymore? Honey Braids had looked much hipper than me. Or what if he did still want to kiss me, and do everything else, too?
I speed-dialed Phoebe again. Nothing.
I heard the front door open behind me and then a dog raced across the front lawn. I love dogs. We used to have a mutt named Simon when I was little — part terrier, part golden retriever. This one was black and tan and looked like it was some sort of mix, but I couldn’t tell, maybe Labrador, maybe husky. Anyway, he was really beautiful. And fast.
“Hey,” came a voice behind me. It was what’s-his-face — Eric.
“Hey.”
“How did skiing go today?” he asked.
“Good. We did the Pine Bluffs trail,” I said.
“Nice! That’s tricky.”
“Yeah.”
Eric threw a stick out into the snow. We both watched as the dog tore across the lawn to retrieve it, then brought it back to Eric’s feet. He threw it out again.
“Hey, listen. I just wanted to say thank you for sticking up for me this morning in front of that lady.”
“Sure, whatever.” I was thinking of reminding him that he was the one who lectured me about my temper just a few days ago, but I let it go. New Year’s Resolution: no more grudges. Except for Kathy. Okay, fewer grudges. I had a few more days before New Year’s Eve. Agh! Would I still be a virgin next year?
“So, are you, um … going out?” Eric asked.
“Yeah,” I bit my lip to keep from smiling too goofily. “Any minute now, actually.”
“With your friends from last night?”
“Yeah, some of them.”
“Drew?” Wait, how did he know Drew?
“As a matter of fact, yes
.”
“Sounds like fun. Hot Toddy Tuesdays?”
“Yesss,” I said slowly. What was this, twenty questions — the unfun edition?
“Listen, Sam. This is none of my business, and I shouldn’t be butting in but — well, I don’t want you to take this the wrong way. But Drew is kind of … well, he goes out with a lot of the vacationers, and uh …”
He kicked at a small chunk of ice on the walk.
“What are you saying?” I said. My mouth felt dry and thick.
“Well, I mean, it’s none of my business —”
“Yeah, you said that already.” Now I was getting angry.
“But I’ve just seen him … oh, never mind.”
What was with this guy? Who did he think he was? And what did he know about Drew? He had no idea what Drew was like! I’d bet Eric had never even slept with someone. What a jerk! And then I thought about Drew that afternoon with Honey Braids. I remembered her patting her belly. Mmmm. I wasn’t about to tell Eric that she was probably coming out tonight, too. Whatever. She was just one of his students, right? I wasn’t about to get jealous after one night of kissing. We weren’t even dating yet, were we? Agh! For the second time, this strange guy had rendered me completely speechless, and I was pissed.
“Well, yeah, that’s it.” He whistled and the dog came bounding over. “I just wanted to warn you because … I don’t know, you were really nice to me this morning and …” He puffed out his cheeks. “Now I feel like an ass.”
“Oh, really? Well, that’s probably because you just acted like an ass,” I said. His forehead pulled into a frown. But I kept going. “Listen, I’m kinda sick of your little lessons on family values and dating. I’m not about to marry this guy, I’m just going out to have hot toddies and fondue and I don’t need you to tell me whether that’s a good idea or not! And if you think —”
“Sam?”
Drew! I turned around. His blond hair was rumpled and his cheeks were windburned. I wanted to run into his arms and have him scoop me up into the air. But then again, knowing me, I’d probably knock us both over.
“Eric, right?” said Drew.
“Yeah. Hey,” said Eric, throwing the stick out again.