Chapter
1
By the end of tonight, I will be Andy Keating’s girlfriend.It’s all I can think about as I leap over piles of my dirty clothes and shimmy past the fairy gardens that fill my window ledge as “Take on Me” plays for the hundredth time. I land on a discarded dress—the third I tried on tonight—and go sliding across the laminate wood floor. I’m glad Andy can’t see me now... but I still do one more spin as the lead singer from a-ha hits the last high note. Usually I don’t listen to eighties music, but this isn’t just another song. This isoursong.
Crystal will be here any minute to pick me up. I need to finish my makeup, but it’s hard to think of anything but Andy and me dancing to this song at the smoothie shop. He pulled me out from behind the counter and spun me across the rainbow-colored tiles until we had to cling to each other so we didn’t collapse from laughing so hard. That was the moment I knew he was falling for me. And tonight, at his end-of-summer birthday party, I know he’s going to ask me to be his girlfriend. I’m so beyond myself with joy and nerves I have to reapply my eyelinerthree times because my hands keep shaking.
Five minutes later I clomp down the stairs in wedge heels. They’re higher than what I usually wear, but I’ll take the pinched toes. Andy is a basketball god and I’m going to need the extra inches for the first time he kisses me. Shivers go through me and I clutch the banister so I don’t somersault into the living room.
“Wow, you look beautiful,” Mom says as I appear. She’s curled in her favorite chair with a cup of Earl Grey, watching a BBC miniseries.
“Thanks.” I smooth my dress. I know this is a backyard party, but there’s no way in hell I’m dancing under the stars with Andy inshorts.
“You’re growing into such an amazing young woman. I hope you have a wonderful time tonight.” Her eyes are shining a little too brightly and she looks ready to wrap me in a teary hug.
The doorbell rings and I leap to get it. I find Crystal in the doorway, a panicked look on her face.
“Hey! Are you okay?”
“Ellie, omigod, I need your help.”
She steps into our cramped duplex and I take in the living room from her perspective, seeing the dingy wallpaper and stains on the carpet. This is the first time anyone from my new high school has been here. It’s not that I’m ashamed. I know how hard Mom has to work to afford this school district. Her promotion and move from Virginia to DC came with a big pay raise, but money goes fast here and we were lucky to find a decent apartment in this area. We’ve done our best with the space, but all the framed art and houseplants in the world can’t disguise the fact that this is nothing like the huge houses my classmates live in.
Crystal grabs my arm and pulls me farther into the living room, then points to her shoes. “They’re disintegrating.”
“What?”
“Disintegrating!”
She lifts her foot so I can see her platform heels. Sure enough, there’s a huge chunk missing from the sole.
“These are my favorite shoes! I’ve had them since the summer before junior year—I thought they were so nice. But they’re made of freaking foam! Can you believe it? Foam! I didn’t notice until I saw the pieces covering the floor mat of my car.” She flicks the shoe and another piece flies off and sails across the living room. It’s only then that Crystal sees my mom.
“Oh, uh, sorry about that, Mrs. Nichols.” She hobbles across the floor to pick up the chunk.
“No problem,” Mom replies with a smirk.
“Come into the kitchen,” I say. “Maybe we can, I don’t know, glue them back together?”
We sit down at the kitchen table and Crystal kicks off her shoes. I take a look, but she’s right: there’s no saving them. Bits of foam fall off wherever I touch them.
“Why didn’t you go back to your house when you noticed?”
“Traffic was horrible and I knew you were waiting for me. I didn’t want us to be late.” She shakes her head. “But I can’t walk into Andy’s wearing these! This is going to be my last party before I leave for my study abroad trip. Do you have any heels I can borrow?”
Ugh, her trip. I hate the reminder that soon she’ll be living in another country. She’s the only real friend I’ve made since moving here at the end of my junior year, and I’m not sure what I’ll dowithout her. But then, if I’m dating Andy, I won’t need to worry about that. He’s friends with everyone.
“No, I’m sorry.” I point down at my feet. “These are the only ones I have. Unless you want some silver strappy ones?”
She curls her lip. “No thanks. That sounds like a little much for a backyard party.” She eyes my shoes. “Damn, I was really hoping you’d have more like that. Those aresocute.”
She looks at my shoes the way I look at my mom’s famous chocolate cheesecake. I can almost see the drool sliding down her chin. Usually I’d hand them over without hesitation, but I chose these shoes with a specific purpose in mind. I bite my lip. On the other hand, they would look adorable with her romper. And she was really nice when I first arrived at school, inviting me to sit with her at lunch and showing me around. She even helped me get my summer job with her at the smoothie shop.
“Um, I guess you could take mine? I’m only wearing them because”—I lower my voice—“they might give me a few extra inches if Andy and I...” My cheeks flush and I stop talking.
Crystal’s eyes widen. “Wait, are you telling me you chose those shoes on the off chance that Andy wants to make out with you tonight?” She waggles her eyebrows. “Sounds like you’ve been having some fun daydreams lately.”
I grin. “They’re not just daydreams.”
