DupliKate by Cherry Cheva Page A

putting a slice of veggie pizza onto a paper plate and handing it to me. “Some of it’s mine, and I apologize once again for bailing on Friday. How was the shopping? Did you get me anything?”
    “Perhaps,” I said, looking around innocently. “Perhaps a supplement to a previously purchased gift or gifts.”
    He grinned. “Awesome. But actually, what I really, really want for Christmas—”
    “Do not say ‘threesome.’”
    “—is more time with my girlfriend.”
    “Awww, how sweet!” I said, before I realized the implications of the words threesome and girlfriend as they related to Rina being in my room that very second, and almost burst out laughing. My subsequent facial contortions drew a weird look from Paul.
    “Sorry,” I said, shaking my head and trying to will the giggles away. “I’m just, um, stressed out. By the way, do you care if I study while we eat?” I pulled some flash cards out of my back pocket.
    Paul’s hand, which had been on its way to his mouth with a slice of pizza, stopped in midair. “Seriously?” he asked, rolling his eyes.
    “I just want to take advantage of every minute.”
    Paul sighed. “What’s up with you lately? You used to manage your time so much better.”
    “Oh, gee,” I answered, bristling at his insultingly frustrated tone of voice, “I’m so sorry that I’m trying to get into Yale with you.”
    “Yeah, I know, but I didn’t think it would turn you into some sort of neurotic, study-all-the-time—”
    “I mean maybe you didn’t realize this, but I can’t magically get straight A’s just by being alive, unlike some people—”
    “Of course you can—you’ve been doing it for years.”
    “No,” I said flatly. “I haven’t.”
    Paul looked confused. “Huh?”
    “I said, I haven’t been—”
    The doorbell interrupted my oncoming rant. Paul raised an “are you expecting someone?” eyebrow. I shrugged, glad that what was about to turn into an argument had been headed off at the pass, and stood up. I went to the front door and looked out the window. Kyla and Anne were on my porch, and I could see Carmen’s car idling on the curb, with our other friends Tess and Laurin inside.
    “Oh. Hey guys,” I said, as I opened the door. “What’s going—”
    “Mandatory study break!” declared Kyla. She was wearing a corduroy mini and a puffy down vest over a black shirt that seemed to be made mostly of lace. I had no idea how she wasn’t freezing to death.
    “What?” I asked.
    “You heard the woman,” Anne said. Her blond hair was pulled back tightly as usual, and the tops of her ears were already reddening in the cold. “You fully said okay before, remember I texted you?” Oh. Ohhhh. Right. I dimly remembered scheduling hang time with the girls in my planner. I also remembered telling myself that I would cancel, but apparently I’d forgotten that part.
    “All right then,” said Kyla, promptly interpreting the realization on my face in her favor. “You remember. So get your ass in the car or the car will back over your ass.”
    Paul appeared behind me. “Ladies,” he said, pulling on his jacket and getting his car keys out of his pocket.
    “Man,” intoned Kyla, deepening her voice to match (or at least get closer to) his. Anne giggled, then her eyes flicked from Paul to me and back to Paul again. I got a weird feeling that she could feel the whisper of tension between us, so I was relieved when Paul pulled me into the kitchen, out of sight of the front door.
    “I thought you were supposed to ditch your friends before me,” he said, his voice barely audible.
    “I know, and I meant to, but I forgot to tell them,” I whispered back as quickly as I could. “I didn’t realize they were actually going to show up. I’m sorry. Like you said, I’m totally disorganized lately….”
    Paul sighed. “Well, whatever. You might as well go. Butcall me later.” He kissed me, then edged his way past the girls on the porch and jogged out to his