by Sandy Green
I hurried past them and smashed the elevator button. The door slid open. We entered and leaned against the walls.
“Aren’t Phillies hats red?” Candace asked.
It was unnerving to have them both stare at my head. I dropped my gaze to the floor and counted the tile squares.
“Yeah, but blue’s my favorite color. My dad and brothers watch the Phillies all the time. I wanted the 2009 World Series patch on the side of it, but it didn’t come on the light blue hat.”
Wow. Dira was a great dancer and a Phillies Phanatic. Maybe she didn’t have a choice with two brothers and a dad.
The elevator squealed to a stop on the fourteenth floor. Blake, Jupiter, and some other kids piled in.
Blake’s gaze rested on my head. “Cool hat. Are you a fan?”
I nodded, staring into his eyes and took a deep breath. The same aftershave he wore when he came to my room. Yum. “Yeah, ever since they won the World Series in 2009.”
Jupiter wiped his nose on his hand and snickered. “That would’ve been the Yankees.” He adjusted his two Chester Park University baseball caps. One blue and one yellow.
I bopped the side of my head. “Played. I meant played in the World Series.” I huffed a laugh. “Exciting game.”
“I didn’t watch it.” Blake folded his arms across his chest. “I like basketball.”
Dira and Candace exchanged confused glances. I shrank under the hat. By the time we emerged on the ground floor, I was sure I was a blue hat with legs.
The smell of mashed potatoes and mystery meat beckoned us to the cafeteria. Shelly emerged from the line with Amy, who wore a green, short-brimmed hat like an upside down bucket. Amy’s straw-like hair stuck out from the brim.
“What’s with the cap?” Shelly reached for my head.
I swatted her hand away, shrugged and pointed to Amy. “What’s with her hat?”
Shelly giggled. “I like it. Have you told your mom your good news?”
I stared hard at her.
Amy frowned. “My family was going to move last year, but we didn’t.”
“Wow.” Dira stared at Amy. “That was random.”
Shelly brightened at the boys. “There you are. I’ve saved seats for you. Don’t forget about tonight.” She towed them away, making sure we watched.
Dira shook her head. “What’s Shelly got going on tonight?”
“She’s having a hot tub party, and we’re crashing it.” Candace rubbed her hands together. “Want to come?”
Dira picked up a tray. “Sounds like fun, but I’m going to read and wait up for Nicki. Don’t want to miss any juicy details of her date.”
Part of me wanted to stay with Dira and read, or even play my flute. Shelly might be able to get away with being in the hot tub after hours, like how the staff let her get away with her own cell phone. They wouldn’t be so lenient with me if I were caught.
Shelly butted in front of the line with her group.
We slid our trays on the rails of the cafeteria line. “Still don’t know who Nicki went out with?” Candace asked.
“I guess we could take a head count.” Dira stood on her toes and peered over the line at the students sitting in the cafeteria. “See which boy is missing.”
“You know the dance camp isn’t the only thing at the university.” Candace speared a carrot. “There’s a computer camp, too.”
Dira stared off. “I’m not sure she goes for the geeky types.”
“From the little I know about her, I’m not sure that matters.” Candace poked her in the ribs, and they both laughed.
Shelly’s table was by the window, and she’d surrounded herself with the guys and Amy. I mindlessly piled plates of food on my tray and followed Dira and Candace to a small table near them.
Amy glanced over her shoulder, her short-cropped hair poking out at all angles from under her green bucket. She bent her moon face close to Shelly’s, who swiveled her head in our direction. Shelly’s dangly earrings swayed like mini chandeliers. I was sure they were talking about me. They snickered. My personal air conditioner turned on high, and I shivered.
Shelly’s baggy purse hung low on the back of her chair, all patchworky and pink. If I brushed by it, would I be able to pull out her cell phone? Only if my arms were four feet long. They’re long and dangly, but I wished I was Flexi-Girl and could stretch them across the floor, up Shelly’s chair and into her bag. I’d have her cell phone and wouldn’t have to worry about crashing her hot tub party. Seemed like a great idea before. Felt like a big mistake now.
Blake salted his mashed potatoes and concentrated on chewing.
I flicked the rim of my hat. Why had I said I liked baseball? I didn’t know anything about it. How could I be interested in it, or anything else, but dance? There was no time. I swirled the iced tea in my glass. The cubes jangled like Shelly’s earrings. I was lost in my own thought movie.
“Uh, oh.” Candace elbowed me.
I blinked. “What?”
Candace nodded toward the empty table. Empty except for Shelly’s messy tray. “The hot tubbers have left.”
Chapter Seventeen
I swiped my mouth with a napkin. “I’m ready to go, are you?”
Candace nodded. “Can we walk you to your room, Dira?”
“I’m not finished.” Dira pointed to my untouched salad. “You gonna eat that?”
“Here.” I slid her my plate. “See you later.”
Candace stood and picked up her tray. “We’ll let you know how it goes. Take notes on Nicki.”
They giggled, and Candace and I hurried off to the elevator.
We hid our bathing suits under the same shorts and shirts we wore to dinner. Candace pulled her hair up in a fluffy bun. We stuffed towels into my backpack because we were pretty sure what we were about to do was illegal and didn’t want to advertise it. Shelly’s physical therapist might have told her she could use the hot tub. I doubted she meant for Shelly to invite a bunch of people to party in it.
Candace glanced around. “Do you know where the pool is?”
I adjusted Dira’s hat on my head. “We just need to follow the scent of chlorine.”
Candace hit the lobby button on the elevator. “Let’s start here.”
My heart trilled. Everything was working according to plan. We’d see Blake, spoil Shelly’s private party and I’d borrow her cell phone. I patted my backpack.
“Weren’t you supposed to be meeting Blake for rehearsal this evening?”
“Not after he was lured away by Shelly.” I scratched my head under the hat.
Candace’s smile fell from her lips. “I’m sorry. I thought he was better than that. It’ll be interesting to see how he reacts.”
“It doesn’t matter.” The elevator bell dinged, and we emerged on the lobby level where the cafeteria was closing for the evening.
Besides, I had a more urgent mission. Get Shelly’s cell phone. The thing was, even if I managed to get her cell phone, she could borrow someone else’s. Nicki said a couple of boys had them. Then what? Sneak into everybody’s dorm room and confiscate their phones? Leave unsigned messages to Mrs. Sykes about who had a phone and let her do the dirty work? How far was I willing to go so I could have a few weeks to figure out what to tell Mom about my solo?
The guy at the desk in the lobby gave us directions. Candace led us behind the cafeteria and down a long corridor. We passed a recreation hall where a TV blared to an empty room. The walls were painted the hideous blue and yellow of the college’s colors. Spirited as a T-shirt, but nightmarish in the small room.
We turned left after another set of elevators and the strong aroma of bleach hit us in the face as moist air wrapped around us.
I inhaled. “I could find this place blindfolded.”
“Reminds me of swim practice in the summer.” Candace waved her hand in front of her nose. “We had to get up early and the water was so cold.”
I pushed the door open to the women’s locker room. Rows of benches
and lockers lined the room. We slipped off our shorts and shirts and stuffed them in an unused locker with my backpack.
Candace patted her belly. “I shouldn’t have eaten so much.”
I slapped a towel over my shoulder. “Ready?”
She giggled. “I can’t wait to see her face. We should act all surprised.”
Voices echoed as we approached the exit door to the pool.
“People must be swimming. Is the pool open?”
I shrugged and set my fingers on the door, swinging it open. A diving area was closest to the locker rooms. The L-shaped pool churned with swimmers.
Candace pointed to the far side. “There’s a door on the other side. Maybe the hot tub is in there.”
We slapped our way across the pool deck through the puddles and stood in front of a door marked Physical Therapy on its glass window.
Shelly, the queen, held court in a royal purple bikini the size of a couple of tissues. She and hatless Amy faced us, while three guys faced them. Jupiter’s unmistakable red hair poked out from his two caps. The other two boys’ dark heads barely made it above the rim of the bath. Shelly’s pink bag bunched on a chair against a wall. The roar of the hot tub motor ground away their voices.
I turned the knob, sucking in my stomach so hard my ribs hurt. We stole in and hung around some chairs. I shivered even though the air was as humid as a rain forest.
“That’s so messed up.” Jupiter’s words knocked around the hard surfaces of the room and physical therapy equipment.
“Seriously.” Amy nodded. “Like, yeah.”
Jupiter stretched his arms along the back of the hot tub. “Most of the time when I’m dating a girl, I’m focusing on other girls.”
“Why?” Shelly closed her eyes and slid into the water until the back of her head rested on the lip.
He shrugged. “Maybe I’m dating the wrong girl.”
“Who was the last girl you dated?” Amy paddled her hands.
“I don’t remember.” Jupiter laughed. “I think she lives on the street behind me.”
As we crept closer, Amy raised her gaze. She dropped her jaw, jabbing Shelly in the ribs. Shelly’s face hardened. Her long bangs dangled on either side of her face from her upswept hair.
“Is there room for us?” Candace asked sweetly.
My stare locked on Shelly’s dark eyes and thin nose. She raised her head. Silence.
Jupiter adjusted his double caps on his head and scooted over. “There’s always room for more. Especially girls.”
Laughter erupted from the guys, and they punched each other as Candace and I tiptoed into the hot, bubbling water of the narrow tub.
Jupiter sat up straight. “Let the Phillies fan in, Dan.”
“Danilo,” he corrected.
I made a face at Jupiter and maneuvered between Shelly and Danilo, a Filipino-American boy picked to dance a modern solo.
“What are you doing here?” Amy squeaked at us from the other side of Shelly. Mascara smudged her eyes.
Candace slid farther into the water between Amy and Jupiter until her chin was submerged. “You’re right, Shelly. This is such a great idea. You’re not only a beautiful dancer, you’re so smart, too.”
Shelly opened her mouth to give us a piece of her mind, as if she could afford to spare it. She was such a victim to praise she shrugged and let the comment pass.
“I’d be glad to give you a massage, Candy. After all, this is the physical therapy room.” Jupiter offered his hands.
“Thanks, but this is all I need.” Candace sighed. She must be feeling good because she hated being called Candy. Like being called Kitty made me cringe.
My whole body fought the relaxing effect of the water. It reminded me of when I had anesthesia for my tonsillectomy. A disembodied voice gave me instructions to count backward from one hundred. I got to ninety-nine before letting go and drifting off to la-la land.
In the hot tub, I struggled to concentrate. It was hard not to let my mind wander in the watery cocoon. I forced myself to watch the white foam in the choppy waves.
Why was Blake so quiet? I wanted to drag my eyes to him sitting between Danilo and Jupiter. Maybe he didn’t want to be there and regretted standing me up — and, of course, Megan and Lindy, our own two Irish munchkins.
Shelly read my thoughts. “Don’t you and Blake have your little rehearsal?”
I thought so. “I guess it wasn’t mandator—” I gestured to Blake soaking in the steamy water.
Only it wasn’t Blake.
Chapter Eighteen
“Oh.” Oh, no.
Riley turned his doe eyes to me. I pulled the baseball cap farther down my forehead. How could I have mistaken him for Blake? Riley was twice as tall and weighed half as much as Blake. It was the brown hair. Water condensed from the steam and dripped off his ringlets.
That would mean — I glanced at the clock on the wall. Seven fifty-five. Was it too late to bolt out of the hot tub and get to the studio where Blake was undoubtedly having a jiggy time with Lindy and Megan? Rehearsal started at half past seven. Megan confirmed the time at my repertory class with her finger manipulations.
Candace glanced at Riley and tilted her head. I shrugged.
“Danilo?” Shelly waved her hand in the general direction of her bag on the metal chair by the wall. “Bring me my purse over there on the chair. I don’t want to get up.”
He rose from the water, clutching the waist of his Hawaiian blue and brown swim trunks and stepped out of the sunken tub.
“Just push the chair over so I can reach it. I don’t want to get my bag wet.” Shelly pointed to me. “I’m sorry, what were you saying about your rehearsal? Which ballet is it for? Oh, right, you’re not dancing in a ballet. It’s some Irish thing? Did you write your mom, yet?”
I blinked, as the hot tub boiled me alive.
Amy shifted her sleepy, downturned eyes from me to Riley and back. A smile started on the right side of her mouth and spread like a wave across her wide face and lips. Had she figured out my intentions of soaking in this chlorinated stew?
“I know why she’s here.” Amy paddled the water.
Danilo dragged the chaise to Shelly. Metal scraped against concrete and scratched out Amy’s voice.
“What?” Shelly shouted to Amy.
Amy jabbed her finger at me. “Her.”
Shelly reached for her bag. “Closer, Danilo. I can’t reach the chair. I want it next to the hot tub.”
“Kit. I know why—” More poking from Amy. I’d like to squash her finger in a book. “It’s about Blake.”
“Hold on. I can’t hear you.” Shelly patted the place where she wanted the chair. “Here, Danilo. Not too close to the edge.”
He grunted and dragged the chair to the tub.
Jupiter clasped his freckled hands over his ears and sang to drown out the uproar. “La, la, la, la.”
Riley submerged himself, and Candace tilted her head back and laughed. My skin crawled.
Danilo stopped scooting the chair and plopped back in the water. Candace sighed as Riley reemerged from the deep, shaking his head like a dog and flinging water everywhere. Everyone screeched again.
The water must have had some weirdness in it. When the shrieking died down, the timer for the hot tub’s motors turned off, and the water sizzled to a stop. Silence. Like Amy had stabbed her bony fingers in my ears.
Shelly rose from the water and stood on the submerged bench. “This hot tub party isn’t working out. We were supposed to be having fun, and it’s way too noisy in here.”
Panic. It was ten past eight. Too late to get to Irish dance rehearsal. I had to salvage the evening and get Shelly to let me use her cell phone.
Jupiter’s feet bobbed in the center of the tub. “Sit down, Shelly, unless you’re going to turn the bubbles back on.”
“No way.” She crossed her arms in front of herself.
Jupiter was on his feet and out of the tub, clutching at the waist of his swim trunks. “Where’
s the timer?’
Shelly hesitated and then jerked her thumb toward a red switch. “Over there.”
He headed for the wall. “I’ll get it. You make yourself comfortable.”
She slithered back to the underwater seat as the roar of a submerged motorcycle engine started up. Bubbles resumed percolating through the hot tub as Jupiter eased between Candace and Amy. Would Amy forget her flash of brilliant deduction earlier about one of my reasons to crash the hot tub party was to break up any attraction Shelly had for Blake?
“My fingers are all pruney.” Amy turned her hands over. Case closed.
I had to ask Shelly if I could borrow her cell phone but didn’t want to draw too much attention to the question. Too bad I hadn’t planned anything with Candace, who was busy relaxing.
I needed an excuse to get to Shelly’s phone and tried the indirect approach.
Slouching on the bench, I played the drama queen and sighed. “I wish I could text my friends back home.”
Shelly waved me away. “You have no friends at home. You complain about that all the time.”
Amy stared hard at Jupiter. “When I’m with my friends, I’m texting all the time and people ask me who I’m texting, and I say no one.”
Jupiter studied Candace as her eyes drifted closed.
I adjusted Dira’s cap on my head. Time to put my plan into action. “Actually, it’s my cousin’s birthday. He’s nineteen. It would be great to send him a text.” Ha, Shelly wouldn’t know I have no cousins on Mom’s side. Who knew about my father’s side? I didn’t. Mom made sure. I could have a hundred cousins and one of them was bound to have a birthday soon. Besides, the prospect of my having an older cousin would appeal to her. Especially if he were male.
Bait taken.
Shelly examined my face, perhaps weighing the chances of me sharing the same gene pool with a cute cousin. I pretended to be entranced by my toes as I let them float to the surface.
Danilo splashed Jupiter. “Jupe, why do you have such a weird name?”
Jupiter tore his gaze from Candace. “Both my parents are astronomers. My sister’s name is Venus.”
Danilo nodded. “Cool.”