He’s also managed to crush my crush on him.
31
Twelve Isn’t Ten
The following morning, Rae is waiting for me next to the bike rack. “Okay, you and me… we need some serious catch-up time. I’m scheduling a mandatory sleepover Saturday night after our double date.”
I bend over to fasten my U-lock. “Double date?”
“Don’t tell me you forgot! We’re having dinner with Harrison and his friend.”
“Right.”
She smirks. “Don’t soundsoooenthusiastic.”
“Sorry.”
“Did I mention he’s super hot?”
I smile. “You might’ve. I just hope he’ssuperinteresting.”
“That, I cannot guarantee.” She hooks one arm through mine, then pulls me up the flagstone path toward school. “But I’ll be there. If he’s a total snooze, we’ll just snub the boys and talk to each other.”
The glass doors slide open and let us into the loud, sunny hallway. Several people wave to Rae or call outheyas she walks by. I’m convinced my friend exerts a gravitational pull over people, just like Mona Stone.
“Is Laney coming to dinner?” I ask when I spot her.
Brad has her flattened against his locker, and he’s either whisperinginto her ear or licking her eardrum. Whatever he’s doing has got her smiling.
“She and Brad already had a thing,” Rae says.
I take it Laney’s still mad at me. At least she was kind enough to pretend to be otherwise engaged. Or maybe that’s Rae’s way of softening up Laney’s refusal.
As we pass by them, Rae flicks Brad’s shoulder. “Keep it PG, guys.”
He crooks his head and smiles at her.
Laney ducks out from the cage of his arms, cheeks aglow. “Hey, Rae, Angie. Wait up.”
I freeze, surprised she said hi to me. “You got my text?”
“Yeah. You’re forgiven.” She shoots me a smile that zaps away the dumbbells of guilt I’ve been toting around since last Thursday.
“See you later, babe.” Brad pinches Laney’s waist before sauntering into his classroom.
“How about we go to Party Central on Sunday to buy our Halloween costumes?” Rae suggests, excitement edging her tone.
The mention of Halloween makes my spine snap ramrod straight. It’s the deadline for Mona Stone’s contest. More than ever, I want to enter it… if simply to spite Tennessee.
He’s standing by his locker. Our gazes lock, loaded like two guns about to go off.
“Sounds good,” I say.
“Can I join?” Laney asks, tearing my attention from Ten.
“No, hon, you can’t.”
Laney’s pasty cheeks pinken.
