The Date

by Brenda Scott Royce

  Copyright © 2019 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

  All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

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  241 First Avenue North

  Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA

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  Image credits: ND700/Shutterstock.com; VshenZ/Shutterstock.com.

  Main body text set in Janson Text LT Std 12/17.5. Typeface provided by Adobe Systems.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Royce, Brenda Scott, author.

  Title: The date / Brenda Scott Royce.

  Description: Minneapolis : Darby Creek, [2019] | Series: The do-over | Summary: After a disastous attempt to ask her crush, Evan, on a date, Maribel finds herself stuck on the last day of school, trying over and over to get it right.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018027162 (print) | LCCN 2018034934 (ebook) | ISBN 9781541541962 (eb pdf) | ISBN 9781541540330 (lb : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781541545496 (pb : alk. paper)

  Subjects: | CYAC: Dating (Social customs)—Fiction. | High schools—Fiction. | Schools—Ficti on.

  Classification: LCC PZ7.1.R82 (ebook) | LCC PZ7.1.R82 Dat 2019 (print) | DDC [Fic]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018027162

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  1-45238-36620-9/17/2018

  To J.W.

  1

  “Marvelous meat loaf?” Jenae read the day’s lunch special from the sign above the cafeteria entrance. Her tone made it clear she gave the meal zero chance of living up to its name. “It’s the last day of school. They could at least serve pizza!”

  Maribel shrugged. It didn’t matter what was on the menu. She couldn’t eat. Her stomach was a fluttery mess. She couldn’t even think straight. When she was younger, the approach of summer vacation filled her with excitement. This year was different. Rather than anticipating the fun-filled, homework-free days of summer, she was dreading the end of the school year.

  It was all because of Evan. She’d rather go to school year-round than wait two whole months to see him again.

  After paying for their food, they carried their trays to a table where their friends Nic, Aaron, and Annalise were already sitting.

  “You’re going tonight, right?” Annalise asked both girls, her voice squealy with excitement.

  Jenae nodded vigorously, but before Maribel could answer, Aaron chimed in. “Of course they’re going. They put so much work into this party.”

  As co-captains of the school’s environmental club, Maribel and Jenae had organized a beach cleanup the previous weekend. Along with a handful of other volunteers, they’d picked up nearly twenty pounds of litter from Casker’s Cove, the site of tonight’s beach bonfire. The event—celebrating the end of the school year—was going to be epic. Still, Maribel bit her lip and wrinkled her nose.

  “I’m not sure,” she said.

  Her friends turned and stared at her. Aaron’s eyes widened in surprise. “Are you kidding, Mari? You cleaned every last candy wrapper and bottle cap off the beach so it would be perfect for the party.”

  “That’s not the only reason,” she couldn’t help pointing out. “We want to keep trash off the beach, so it won’t pollute the lake and kill the fish and other marine life.”

  “Yeah, yeah, we know.” Nic pushed his glasses farther up on his nose. “You two want the whole world to hug the trees, kiss the fishes, and all that jazz. But let’s get real. You have to go to the bonfire. Everyone’s going to be there.”

  Without thinking, Mari turned and scanned the cafeteria. She spied Evan sitting with his friends at a table in the corner. She wondered if he would be at the bonfire.

  “Yeah.” Mari turned back to the group. “And everyone’s going to have a date. Except me.”

  Jenae flashed a sheepish grin in Aaron’s direction. The pair had started dating only recently, while Nic and Annalise had been a couple for most of the school year.

  “You’ll hang with us,” Jenae told Mari.

  Mari knew Jenae and the others would make sure she didn’t feel like a fifth wheel. Still, it would be better to have a date. Her eyes sought out Evan once again. She couldn’t help it. She’d spent months staring at him from across classrooms and cafeterias. She had tried to keep her crush a secret, but her friends caught on long ago.

  “Evan’s an idiot if he doesn’t want to go out with you,” Annalise said, and the others nodded in agreement.

  Mari shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t think I’m on his radar. Even though I put myself in his path whenever possible.” She blushed when she thought of all the times she hovered at the water fountain near his locker so that she could “accidentally” cross paths with him when he approached. “I’m invisible to him.”

  “You know . . .” Annalise leaned forward. “Girls don’t have to wait for guys to do the asking.”

  The rest of the group echoed Annalise’s comment. “Yeah,” Nic said. “We don’t live in medieval times.”

  “I know, but—” Mari hesitated. The thought of asking Evan to the party turned the fluttering in her stomach into a total tsunami. “What if I ask him out and he says no?”

  “He won’t.” Jenae rested a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “And if he does, well, at least you’ll have two months to get over it before school starts again.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Mari watched as Evan lifted a piece of not-so-marvelous meat loaf to his mouth. His marvelous mouth. A mouth she’d imagined kissing a million times.

  She looked back at her friends. They all flashed encouraging smiles in her direction. Aaron gave her two thumbs-up. He was the newest member of the group, and Mari didn’t know him as well as the others. But he was fun to be around, and Jenae said he was a good boyfriend. Seeing the two together made Mari a little envious, though she was happy for her friend.

  “Go for it,” Aaron said.

  Mari looked over her shoulder again. Evan had already finished his lunch and was exiting the cafeteria. She turned back to her friends. Then, gripping the edge of the cafeteria table for support, she announced, “Okay. I’ll do it.”

  2

  After lunch, on the way to class, Mari took her usual detour through the science wing, past Evan’s locker—number 718. She glanced around casually but didn’t see him nearby.

  She drifted over to the water fountain—her usual stall tactic when looking for Evan. Then she stopped short, remembering what day it was. Her school was notorious for end-of-year pranks. Last year, someone had rigged the water fountain so that water shot straight up into the face of whoever pressed the button. Selina Miller got blasted so badly that her makeup ran down her face in streaks that made her look like a sad clown. It was hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time.

  Though the pranksters probably wouldn’t repeat the same gag two years in a row, Mari didn’t want to take that chance. Instead she pretended to be interested in a handmade poster advertising the end-of-year bonfire party. She felt silly staring at the poster as though she was learning about the event for the very first time. But now that she’d decided to ask Evan out, she didn’t want to back down. And she’d rather do it here in the hallway than during math—their only mutual class. The hallway was bustling with activity, which meant probably no one would pay attention to her and Evan. And if things went badly, well, at least there were plenty
of exits nearby.

  She’d been staring at the poster for a long time, and there was still no sign of Evan. Just as she was about to give up, she heard his name. It was spoken in a high-pitched tone by one of two girls who were approaching the water fountain. Funny how Evan’s name seemed to float above the hubbub in the hallway and zing its way straight into her eardrums. It was like some part of her consciousness was constantly scanning the atmosphere for evidence of his existence.

  “Are you sure he’s going?” the shorter girl asked.

  “He told Troy he’d see him there.” The other girl swept her long blonde hair to one side before bending to drink. Apparently, the water fountain hadn’t been sabotaged after all. The taller girl stood and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I picked out the perfect top. It’s red with a scoop neck and peekaboo sleeves. But I can’t decide between my black jeans or a tulle skirt.”

  Mari ambled over to the water fountain. She stood behind the two girls, waiting her turn.

  “Chill, Chelsea,” the short girl said before stepping up to the fountain. “Whatever you wear, you’ll be the hottest thing at the bonfire.”

  The tall girl, Chelsea, let out an exaggerated sigh. “Besides Evan.”

  Mari felt a sudden, suffocating tightness in her chest. If someone like Chelsea was interested in Evan, did Mari even stand a chance?

  As Chelsea was stepping away from the fountain, she sneezed.

  Mari said, “Bless you,” and reached into her backpack, feeling around for a pack of tissues. “I’ve got tissues if you want one.”

  Chelsea waved her hand dismissively. “Um, no thanks.” The girls continued down the hall, their voices fading.

  Mari took her turn at the fountain, guzzling slowly. Finally, she couldn’t wait any longer. She had to get to P.E. class.

  She took one last glance over her shoulder. There he was. Evan. Standing at his locker. It was the perfect time for Mari to make a move. If she had the nerve.

  “It’s now or never,” Mari whispered to herself. Striding toward locker 718, she called out, “Evan.”

  He looked up. She took a step closer and was about to speak when Aaron, Jenae’s new boyfriend, appeared at her side. “Hiya,” he said, giving her a playful punch on the shoulder. Mari shot him a death glare and he blushed, suddenly realizing he’d interrupted the moment. “Later,” he said. Then he turned away and reached for the combination lock on his own locker.

  “Yeah?” Evan asked. His eyes met Mari’s, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. That small hint of a smile gave her the courage to continue.

  “I, um, I was wondering if—” she began.

  The rest of her words were drowned out by a thunderous noise as dozens—no hundreds—of golf balls tumbled out of Aaron’s locker. They hit the floor and bounced in all directions. Aaron went wide-eyed with shock; he clearly hadn’t known that someone had filled his locker with golf balls. Someone yelled, “Pranked!” and Evan doubled over in laughter.

  Mari was too stunned to speak. Besides, Evan’s attention was no longer on her. Like everyone else, he was distracted by the golf balls pouring from Aaron’s locker down the hallways. He said something, but Mari couldn’t hear his words over the shouts and laughter filling the halls. Teachers and students came out of nearby classrooms to see what had caused the commotion. Some kids grabbed on to each other to keep from tripping.

  The warning bell rang, and the crowd began to scatter. Mari stepped forward and the world seemed to suddenly tilt on its axis. She realized too late that her foot had landed on a golf ball. She fell backward, landing on her butt in the middle of the hallway.

  3

  Mari didn’t know which hurt more—her tailbone or her pride. Kids were crowded around, laughing at her. Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment. The worst part was that this had happened right in front of Evan!

  She glanced around, then frowned in confusion. Evan had been standing there a moment ago, but now he was nowhere in sight. He must have rushed off to his next class. Chelsea was among the students who lingered in the hall.

  Before today, she’d barely known who Chelsea was. They had no classes together and no mutual friends. But now that she knew that they both liked Evan, she could only think of Chelsea as a rival. So it was extra annoying to see her standing there laughing at Mari’s expense.

  In that moment, Mari decided not to be a victim. She refused to let Chelsea and the others see that their laughter bothered her. So she joined in. “It’s a great day for public humiliation,” she said, a fake smile plastered on her face.

  Last year, Mari had been part of the crowd that witnessed Selina Miller drinking from the booby-trapped water fountain. Now she regretted laughing at Selina.

  “You okay?” someone asked.

  Mari looked up to see Aaron standing over her, hand outstretched. She took his hand and pulled herself up. “I’m fine.” Actually, her shoulder was beginning to throb. She had a vague memory of banging it against the wall as she went down. But she said, “Thank you.” Then she hurried toward the gym, careful not to step on any more golf balls along the way.

  * * *

  Twenty minutes later, Mari was back in the science wing, but now it looked like a crime scene. A line of orange cones blocked the hallway. A school security officer had been posted at the entrance.

  The P.E. teacher had assigned Mari and two other students to gather all the golf balls. The prankster, whoever he or she was, had unintentionally donated to the school’s collection of athletic supplies.

  Mari held up a pair of empty mesh bags and told the guard, “Ms. McAllister sent us to pick up the golf balls.”

  The officer nodded and let them through the temporary blockade. “Check inside the classrooms and bathrooms too. They could have rolled anywhere.”

  Mari noticed that there were several other people in the hallway. The school nurse and the vice principal crouched over Mr. Motoyama, a science teacher. Mr. M sat with his back against the wall, an ice pack pressed to his forehead. A bloody handkerchief was on the ground next to him.

  Mari felt terrible. She liked Mr. M. He peppered his lectures with corny jokes. They weren’t very funny, but the way he chuckled at his own puns was endearing.

  “What happened?” she asked as they cautiously approached.

  “He slipped on a golf ball and hit his head on a locker door,” the vice principal explained. “He’ll probably need stitches. Whoever did this is going to be in serious trouble. Did any of you see what happened?”

  “I did,” said Mari. “The golf balls came out of Aaron Daniel’s locker, but he seemed totally shocked when it happened. I don’t think he had anything to do with it.”

  The vice principal nodded. “He claims he’s innocent. He’s in the principal’s office now. We’ll get to the bottom of it.”

  The three girls divided the task of rounding up golf balls. Mari volunteered to check the classrooms and restrooms in the science wing while Diane and Anjelia worked their way down opposite sides of the hallway. They’d only been given two mesh bags, which Mari handed to Diane and Anjelia since most of the balls were pooled in the hall.

  Mari still had her backpack with her and figured she could use it to carry the golf balls she gathered. Unzipping the backpack, she entered the first classroom.

  Crouching low, she looked under desks and behind wastebaskets, collecting more than a dozen golf balls and plopping them into her backpack.

  Even though the boys’ bathroom was empty, she felt weird as she tiptoed inside to pluck a golf ball from underneath the sink. This one glittered under the fluorescent lights. Holding it closer she saw it was imprinted with a logo in gold ink. It had faded, so she couldn’t tell what it was supposed to be. Some kind of bird, perhaps.

  She noticed the same faded logo on some of the other balls. As she worked, she wondered how someone could have filled Aaron’s locker with golf balls without his knowledge. He had truly seemed surprised, but she supposed it could have been an
act. For Jenae’s sake, she hoped that Aaron was innocent.

  When the period was almost over, the girls met up in the hall. Mr. Motoyama and the nurse were gone. The vice principal was watching the janitor clean the area where the science teacher fell. Always squeamish, Mari averted her eyes in case there were still any signs of blood.

  “We must have more than a hundred golf balls here,” Anjelia said. She held up her bag. “I found thirty-seven. I wonder how Aaron got them all into his locker.” With a sideways glance at Mari, she added, “Or, you know, whoever did it.”

  Mari shrugged one shoulder, feeling a stab of pain as she did so. “We should get back to P.E.”

  The vice principal turned toward the girls. “Is it true you were injured too?” he asked Mari.

  She shook her head. “I fell, but I’m okay. It was no big deal.”

  “Good to hear, but I still want you to get checked out by the school nurse.” He turned to Diana and Anjelia. “You two get back to class.”

  Diana promised to let the coach know Mari had been delayed, then she and Anjelia hurried toward the gymnasium.

  The vice principal’s cell phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, then told Mari, “After you’ve been checked out by the nurse, stop by Admin. There’s an incident report you’ll need to sign. I have to go talk to the cops.”

  The cops?

  Mari’s head was spinning. Why were the police involved? It was a simple school prank. Whoever was responsible didn’t intend for anyone to get hurt. Now she really hoped that Jenae’s boyfriend was not to blame.

  4

  Mari couldn’t lift her left arm above her head without wincing in pain. The school nurse gave her an ibuprofen and put the arm in a sling.

  “Looks like a mild sprain,” the nurse told her. “If the pain continues for more than a day, have your parents take you to your family doctor.”