chapter fifty-one
Friday, June 6 Senior Year
I’m wet.
Soaking wet. Rushing water pounds my hair, my face, and my mouth. I’m in the fountain. Am I drowning? Did I die?
Wait. The fountain tastes like shampoo. I blink open my eyes.
I’m in a shower. My hair is full of suds.
Could it be?
It must be.
I’m in my house, in my lemon-fresh shower, getting ready for prom.
chapter fifty-two
Friday, September 23 Freshman Year
I take the test. I don’t ace it—far from it—but I get a whole bunch of answers right. I’m guessing I’ll get a B.
Not an A, but still. I got it on my own. Well, not entirely on my own; Bryan’s tutoring definitely helped.
I look everywhere around school for Bryan but don’t see him. I reply to his text.
It went gr8! Thank you soooo much 4 ur help. Ur the best. Can’t make lunch. Something important 2 do. Can I get a rain check for after school?
After I hit send, I turn my phone off. I think I’ve earned a break.
I know I’m supposed to be at golf, but life is about choices, isn’t it?
I spot the three of them at our table in the cafeteria and march right over.
They stop talking when they see me.
“Hi,” I say, sliding into a seat. “I know you guys are mad and you have every right to be. I know I screwed up. But it’s not because I like Jerome. I don’t. I like Bryan.”
Joelle shakes her head. “But then why—”
“I told Bryan you didn’t like Jerome because I didn’t think he was good enough for you. But that was wrong. I don’t get to choose who you go out with. It’s your decision, not mine. I’m sorry. Really sorry. Will you forgive me?”
She nods. Slowly, but she nods. “Of course. So you don’t think he’s good enough for me, huh?” Joelle asks. “What do you think of Kellerman? He’s kind of cute.”
“He is definitely cute,” I say. My shoulders relax.
Tash winks at me from across the table. “He is cute,” she says. “But does anyone find it odd that he’s worn sweatpants every day for the last three weeks?”
“I’m sure it’s just a stage,” Joelle says.
Under the table, Karin grabs my hand and squeezes.
chapter fifty-three
Friday, June 6 Senior Year
She finally picks up the phone at five. “Are you okay?” I ask. I’m standing in my room in my bathrobe. Since I found myself in the shower, I’ve known what I have to do. What I have to tell her.
“I’m fine. I just needed some time to think. Are you mad about the French test?”
I laugh. “Are you kidding me? You deserve an award!” I fill her in on what happened this afternoon—on how we almost lost everything. “You’re a genius for putting that phone away, Devi. We would have been expelled.”
“No way,” she says softly.
Eeeeeep!
“The battery is dying again?” she asks.
“It wasn’t charged all the way,” I explain. “And anyway, Frosh, I’ve been doing some thinking too. And I”—I take a deep breath—“I think it’s best for both of us if we let the battery go to battery heaven.”
She pauses. “Really?”
“Yeah. I can’t keep blaming you for my screwups. I have to face my, um, our life and that’s impossible to do when I’m always looking behind me.” It’s a hard thing to say even though I know it’s the truth. But the shock of being expelled and finding myself at Bella was too much. “And I have to give you the chance to live your life. Which is my life. And to make your own mistakes.”
“So does that mean that you won’t freak out if I want to drop some of my extracurriculars? I kind of blew off my golf meeting today. And I need to convince Tash to stay in the play without me. But I’ll stick with the yearbook and tutoring. Yearbook is fun, and I think I’ll be good at the teaching stuff.”
“Fair enough,” I say. “Although I will miss the golf skorts. Or more importantly, the bonding time with Dad. He looks so happy since he took it up again. But I guess I could ask him to hit some balls with me this weekend. Better late than never, no?”
“Sounds like fun. Maybe I’ll try it out too.”
“So.” I take another deep breath.
“This is it?” she asks in a small voice.
I swallow the lump in my throat. “I guess it is.”
“We’re gonna say good-bye? Forever? That’s so scary.”
“It shouldn’t be too bad. We’re the same person. You can always talk to yourself in the shower.”
She giggles. “But who am I going to rely on?”
I relied on Bryan. She relied on me. Who’s left? “You should call Maya,” I tell her. Yeah. Maya. Maya, who’d been right all along.
“And what should I do with the notebook? With all the advice? What about all the ways we were going to save the world?”
I open my desk drawer and see the green spiral notebook containing both our lists staring up at me.
“I think you should toss it,” I tell her.
“Really?” she asks.
“Yeah. Who knows what changing them could lead to? We don’t want to accidentally start a world war.”
“Okay,” she says.
I blink and the notebook is gone.
“Any final piece of advice?” she asks.
“Yes, actually.” Now I giggle. “Remember that Dolly jeans are made small, and that they won’t stretch. If you buy them, buy one size up.”
Beep!
“That’s my call-waiting,” she says.
Goose bumps cover my arms and I know who it is. “Bryan,” I say.
“Yeah.” She hesitates. “He’s on his way over. But I’ll tell him not to come. If you don’t think he should. Honestly, you do know him better than I do. And I know you said he’s going to cheat on me, but maybe he won’t this time. Isn’t it possible?”
I swallow hard. “I have to tell you something. He never cheated on me. I made that up so you wouldn’t go out with him. Really, we broke up because he was moving to Montreal to be with his dad, and he thought we should try being on our own.” I brace myself for her reaction.
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“It is?” I expected her to be furious with me.
“I mean, it’s not a relief that he broke up with you but I’m glad he wants to spend time with his dad. And, Ivy, well, isn’t it possible that now that I’m not going to focus only on him, we may not break up?” Her voice is bursting with hope. “Maybe now that I have other stuff going on—my friends, and yearbook and tutoring—maybe our relationship will be entirely different.” Now she even sounds like Maya. “Maybe it’ll last,” she continues. “Maybe we’ll try long distance. Or who knows, maybe we’ll end up at the same college together after all!”
I glance at the acceptance letter on my wall. It’s still NYU. And if what Bryan told me yesterday is still true, he’s still planning on moving to Montreal. And I’m going to New York City. And we’re still breaking up.
I open my mouth to tell her the truth. That it’s not going to work out. That they’re going to break up anyway. That it’s going to break her heart.
Breaking up sucks. Although talking to Bryan yesterday, well, it hurt, but it hurt less than it did two weeks ago. Maybe it’s not the end of the world?
I glance at the pictures on my nightstand. The pictures of Bryan are still in their frames. But now there are more frames. Bryan onstage playing the drums. Me, Karin, Tash, and Joelle at a concert. And me and Maya at what looks like a dorm party. When did that happen? I wonder—maybe the key is balance. Maybe it’s about living in the moment while still keeping your eye on the big picture—on all the pictures. And maybe it doesn’t matter if Bryan and Frosh—if Bryan and I—break up. The relationship still played an important part in my life—in shaping who I’ve become.
Not Ivy, the girl I wanted to be, but D
evi, the girl I am.
“So what do you think?” she asks.
Just because a relationship ends, it doesn’t mean it’s not worth having.
Eeeeeeep!
“Who knows?” I tell her. “Maybe this time things will be different.”
The phone dies in my hand.
I sit for a few moments, feeling the warmth of the phone in my palm. Then I put it down on the table.
I’m in a bit of a daze. No more Frosh. No more Ivy. No problem—I’m ready to be Devi.
I look around to get my bearings.
Next to my acceptance is a letter from the NYU Office of Financial Aid, congratulating me on my entrance scholarship.
Cool.
Maybe I was right. Maybe this time things will be different. I’ll have to wait and see.
The doorbell rings, and I get ready to face my future.
chapter fifty-four
Friday, September 23 Freshman Year
The doorbell rings, and I jump up to face my present.
“I’m coming!” I yell. I take the steps two at a time and throw open the door. “Hi!”
“Hi,” Bryan says. “Let’s go for a walk. I bet it’s one of the last nice days.”
“Didn’t you say that last week?”
His eyes twinkle. “I might have.”
I slip on my sandals. “Want to walk to Hedgemonds Park? It’s right around the corner.”
“Absolutely,” he says, taking my hand. “We can rank their swings.”
We hold hands along the way and then run for the swings.
As soon as we get there, we both start showing off, pushing higher and higher—until my sandal flies clear across the park.
He laughs and jumps off the swing to get it.
“Sandal found!” he hollers, and holds it out toward me Cinderella-style. I slow to a halt.
“What about Ivan?” he asks.
“Ivan and I are … over.”
He places his hands over mine, leans down, and kisses me.
His lips are soft and light and sweet, and everything else disappears except for the kiss and the moment. The perfect kiss in this perfect moment.
chapter fifty-five
Friday, June 6 Senior Year
The doorbell rings and I’m not even dressed yet.
But yay! Prom people are here! Excitement flutters down my back and to my toes. I wonder who it’s going to be. My friends? Tom? Harry? Bryan?
No matter who it is, I’m going to have a great night. I will take whatever comes and enjoy the moment.
Even if it’s Celia.
But I really hope it’s not her.
“Mom, Dad, can you get it?” I call. I pull on my beautiful silver dress from Raffles and my original heels. My original red heels. How about that? They look really cool with the dress. Who would have thought?
Now what jewelry should I wear?
I think of the bracelet I shoved into my purse. Even if he’s not here, I know it will look just right.
Bryan is waiting for me at the bottom of the steps. I catch my breath. He looks absolutely adorable—absolutely dimples—in his tux.
“Hi,” he says, pulling me into a hug. “You’re gorgeous.”
“Thanks,” I say, inhaling his scent. “You too.”
“You guys both look amazing,” Mom says. Meanwhile, I can’t believe how amazing she looks. Not as glamorous as Millionaire Mom, but her hair is in a bouncy ponytail, her skin is glowing, and she’s back to a size 6. “I can’t believe how quickly time has passed,” she continues. “It seems like just yesterday Bryan rang our doorbell and I gave him my apple brownies.”
“I do love those brownies,” Bryan says wistfully.
“Lucky for you I packed you guys a snack,” Mom says, and hands me a box. A box that’s labeled Banks’s Bakery.
Huh?
“Thanks, Mrs. Banks. You’re the best. Dev, everyone’s already in the limo. We should go. Mrs. Banks, do you and Mr. Banks want to take some pictures outside?” He glances at his watch—the silver watch I got him for graduation. But if I never returned the watch, then how …?
“Of course,” Mom says. “I think he’s just out back with Maxie. We were trying to keep her out of Devi’s hair.”
Maxie? We got a dog?
“Dad!” I holler. “We’re going outside.”
Bryan takes my hand and leads me out the door.
The driver is standing beside the car, wearing a suit and a black cap. Tall, dark, Italian, handsome. He looks familiar. Where do I know him from?
Oh. My. God. It’s Alfonzo! Oh, no, must hide him before my mom comes out! “Excuse me,” I say. “Um, this is going to be a while. You should just sit and wait in the car. No need to stand around.”
He gives me a smile and a wink before disappearing into the car.
Yeah, I know I’m done manipulating other people’s lives, but no need to tempt fate.
Karin and Stevey, Tash and Nick, and Joelle spill out of the limo.
They all look amazing. Joelle’s wearing the cool purple dress she made, Tash is drop-dead gorgeous in a slinky black dress, and Karin is stunning in a low-cut red taffeta number. While her nose has definitely been altered, her boobs and lips are still au naturel. Guess it’s my job to make sure they stay that way.
“So, I’m officially here on my own,” Joelle says, throwing her arms in the air. “I thought Kellerman was going to ask me for sure, but too late now.”
Tash lets go of Nick and puts her arm around Joelle. “It’s enough about Kellerman,” she chides. “You broke up with him two years ago. You need to move on.”
“No kidding! But you know it was the biggest mistake of my life!”
I giggle. I can’t help it. I guess Tash was right. She does like being the tortured artist after all.
“Here come your dad and Maxie,” Karin says, waving to the front of the house.
I turn to see my dad helping a little girl in a pink dress and high pigtails down the steps. We must be babysitting a neighbor’s kid—not that I recognize her. Not that I recognize my dad either. He’s beaming and tanned and wearing jeans and a T-shirt. No bathrobe in sight. Although he is wearing his Mickey Mouse slippers. I wonder what changed for him. He looks so happy. And when did my parents decide to open a bakery, anyway?
“Your little sister is adorable,” Joelle tells me.
My … what?
chapter fifty-six
Friday, May 23 Three and a half years later
“Maxie, be careful!” I say. I hold my almost-three-year-old sister tightly by the hand. She’s about thirty seconds from spilling her ice cream over everything. Guess who she got her klutziness from?
“Sorry,” I say into my cell. “Karin, you still there?”
I’m standing in the mall, by the circular fountain. I’d promised my parents I’d take Maxie to get a toy golf set this morning. She’s obsessed. My dad’s been working on her swing during his mornings with her, before his afternoons in the bakery.
Karin sighs into the phone. “I was saying that I can’t believe you guys broke up! It’s so depressing! I thought you two would get married for sure.”
“I know,” I admit. “We still love each other. It’s just that we’ve been together for almost four years! And with him going to Montreal and me going to New York City, we think it’s time to spread our wings. You know, test out life without the other.”
“But why? You like life with each other!”
“I know,” I say. “I just thought … I don’t know, I thought it would be good for us. Help us grow as people. And he agreed with me eventually. But we’re not breaking up this second. Only when he leaves. And I’m still planning on visiting him in Montreal.”
“But you’re still going to prom together?”
“Of course! I wouldn’t miss prom! Are you insane?”
“Are you sure it’s the right thing to do?” she asks.
“I hope it is. It feels like it is. But I don’t know.”
Luc
kily, I’m going to have a busy summer to distract me. Working at Bella, and spending as much time as possible with the girls before we all split up, packing for college, helping plan Maxie’s Little Mermaid–themed birthday party in July, and then meeting Maya for a week in Italy. And Mom and Dad are even closing the bakery for a week and we’re all going down to New York City to find Maya and me a two-bedroom apartment before she starts law school and I start college. We’re going to be roomies!
“It sounds like you know what you’re doing,” Karin says. “Time will tell, I guess.”
How true. I wish I could ask my college self … kidding! The weeks back in freshman year when I spoke to Ivy seem like forever ago. Sometimes they feel all hazy, like a dream.
“Are you almost done at the mall?” Karin asks. “We have a ton of parties to get to today. You only get one senior skip day.”
“We’re leaving in two minutes,” I promise.
Maxie pulls at my shirt. “Devi, I can’t—” Her ice cream is precariously perched on top of the cone. It is not looking safe. I watch as it starts to slip in slow motion.
“No!” I cry, and leap toward it with my hands out.
My cell phone soars into the fountain. Whoops.
I sigh. I try to reach for it but it’s too far in. Crapola.
“Stay here,” I warn her. I roll up my jeans, kick off my flip-flops, and climb in.
Maxie giggles hysterically.
“Funny, am I?”
“Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!” She continues giggling, her short brown pigtails bouncing from side to side.
“Here it is,” I say, picking it up and wiping it against my shirt.
I hit the power button, but it doesn’t work. Neither does the one, the two, the three, the four …
I hit send. It rings.
“Hello? Hello?” someone says.
“Hello?” I say. “Who is this?”
“It’s Devi,” the person says.
Omigod! It’s me! I’m calling myself as a freshman! Today’s the day! How could I forget!
Gimme a Call Page 20