In the Middle of Nowhere by Julie Ann Knudsen Page B

kids call me Johnny.”
    Johnny stepped aside so Tessa and I could
enter. Rocky’s foyer was, for sure, bigger than my whole house over
on Juniper Drive. I looked around and saw kids milling about, boys
and girls. I recognized most of them from school and each of them
had some sort of drink in their hand.
    As Tessa and I started toward the back of the
house, Mr. Johnson stopped us. He tapped Tessa on the shoulder and
pointed to a wicker basket he was holding.
    “You know the drill,” he smiled.
    Tessa smiled back and dropped her car keys in
the basket before continuing on her search for Rocky.
    I pulled on her sweater. “Hey! How we gonna
get home?”
    Tessa stopped and lectured me. “Willow.
Chill. Don’t worry about that now. Let’s have some fun first.”
    I rolled my eyes and figured I had no other
choice but to stay with Tessa and follow her lead because I had no
idea about what I was supposed to do next.
    • • •
    After walking around for what seemed like an
hour, Tessa and I finally stumbled upon Rocky and his entourage
hanging out in a room with a pool table and arcade games. Tessa
pinched his very nice butt and he twirled around to greet us.
    “Hey, Tess! What’s up?” He kissed her cheek.
“Glad you could make it.”
    Tessa grabbed his hand and held onto it. “I
wouldn’t miss one of your kick-ass parties for the world.”
    Rocky looked at me as I hung behind Tessa
like a baby monkey clutching on to its mother’s back for dear
life.
    “Who’s your little friend?” he asked.
    I wasn’t sure if I liked that he said
“little.” Did it mean I looked young, too young to be there or was
it a compliment, like I was little, meaning skinny? I quickly
reasoned it was better than if he had asked her, who is your
“enormous” friend.
    Tessa turned to me. “Rocky, this is
Willow.”
    Rocky checked me out, from head to toe, and
nodded his approval. He stuck out his hand.
    “Nice to meet you, Willow.” His eyes sparkled
when he spoke and his smile lit up the whole room.
    I shook his hand, which was very big and
sweaty. “Nice to meet you and thank you for having me.” I sounded
like a dork.
    I couldn’t believe that I was not only
staring at “The God” for more than a few seconds, but that I was
actually exchanging words with him, too. I could feel my face
beginning to get hot. I closed my eyes and tried to think of
something sad so I wouldn’t embarrass myself in front of this
perfect human specimen. My dad’s face popped in my head and could
feel myself cooling off, but not for long.
    “So, where do you go to school?”
    Rocky Johnson was talking to me again.
    Before I could answer, Tessa jumped in. “To
our school, you big idiot,” she said as she punched Rocky in his
muscular shoulder.
    He grabbed his arm and pretended to be hurt.
“Ow, you little pisser. That hurt!”
    Tessa leaned into him. “If you play your
cards right, I’d be more than happy to hurt you even more
later.”
    Rocky threw his head back with laughter as
Tessa looked at me and smiled.
    I half-smiled back, feeling really
uncomfortable.
    Tessa scanned the room. “Hey, Rock? Where’s
the bar?”
    “Behind the kitchen. My parents just built an
addition especially for it.”
    Rocky looked at me. “Want me to get you
ladies a drink?”
    “No, thanks,” Tessa answered. “It’s cool. I’m
gonna head over there and check it out myself.”
    Tessa turned toward me.
    “Willow, why don’t you stay here and talk to
Rocky about how much you love our school and I’ll go and grab us
both a drink.”
    Tessa and Rocky stared at me. I felt
completely on the spot. There was no way I was going to let Tessa
walk away and leave me alone. With him.
    “No, that’s okay. I’ll come with you. I need
to use the bathroom anyway,” I lied.
    “Suit yourself,” Tessa said before turning
and walking toward the glass-paned, game room doors.
    Before I followed her, I turned to smile at
Rocky as if to say thanks, but he was already