goodnight.” Mother’s tone had sharpened.
“Yes, it is,” Colin said. “Goodnight.”
His footsteps sounded on the stairs going up. I couldn’t believe Mother had actually come onto him. Did she think he would respond to her advance? The idea thrust my stomach into a roll of disgust.
Mother’s door closed with a slam.
<> <> <>
When Eddy dropped Colin and me off at Chatham the next day, I was surprised to find Danicka Fiore and her skeletal peeps clinging to the curb. The minute our car pulled up, she snapped to attention, posing. Her friends mimicked her plastic stance.
Did Colin like über skinny girls? Covertly, I watched him out the corner of my eye and my stomach took a slug when his gaze lit on the frail bunch. I let out a snort, bringing his attention to me.
A wave of stupidity nearly drowned me. I wasn’t doing much to earn his respect. His eyes narrowed, studying me briefly, before Eddy opened the door. Colin waited for me to get out.
The second my feet hit the sidewalk, Danicka sauntered over, flipping her long, straight hair in a practiced, smooth move. “Hey, Ash.
What’s up?”
Danicka’s attempts to chat grated on my self esteem. I ignored her, something I’d never done before, deeming her attention god-like before now.
She continued talking behind me and I turned. “I’m Danicka.”
She and her friends surrounded Colin like starved cats around a bowl of cream. What a joke. But deep down, I figured he was like every other male. Why wouldn’t the sight of beautiful prep school girls in uniform be a turn on?
He smiled, his dimples flashing, and he gave Danicka a nod. No hello. Just a nod, before he said, “Excuse me,” and broke through them, his eyes on me.
My cheeks flushed with heat, and, inwardly, I cheered. How does that feel, Danicka?
Colin soon climbed the stairs beside me. I felt comforted, having him next to me, even though I shouldn’t have.
He opened one of the heavy wooden doors to school and I swooshed inside with the other girls. Colin got stuck holding the door open, a smile on his face for every lash-batting female who passed him.
Felicity joined me inside the school main entrance. “Wow, he’s holding the door open?”
“Yeah,” I snickered, “he’s a real Prince Charming. He totally brushed Danicka and the skeletons off though.”
“Snaps for him.” Felicity continued to glance over her shoulder.
“She’s not giving up.”
I stopped, and was bumped, nudged and nearly run over by girls on their way to class. Sure enough, Danicka stood poised in the open door, one leg artfully bent at the knee, her hands behind her arched back while she flirted with Colin.
A flash of fire shot up my spine. I gripped the straps of my book bag until I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore and started toward my first class. Another day of not being able to concentrate. Another day of Colin’s dimpled smile like a searchlight flashing in my head, over and over taking my thoughts from academics to him and his song. Another day of doodling the notes of his song in my margins.
Lunch came and Felicity and I stayed in the lunchroom. I kept my eye on the opening, wondering if Colin would come looking for me, but he remained stationed down by the main entrance of the school.
I confirmed with a peek.
“I have got to stop spying on him,” I blew out, after peering around the corner, spotting him sitting reading the New York Times in one of the main hall chairs.
Felicity giggled next to me, then stole a peek for herself. “I don’t know, Ash. He’s really hot. I can see why you’ve got a crush on him.”
Eyes wide, I glared at her. “I do not have a crush. He’s annoying, just like the rest of them.”
“Annoying like a luscious itch that has to be scratched,” Felicity swooned. “Crap, he’s looking. Oh, no. I think he saw me.”
Just what I didn’t need. I started down the hall at a half-jog, Felicity laughing at my heels. We
“Yes, it is,” Colin said. “Goodnight.”
His footsteps sounded on the stairs going up. I couldn’t believe Mother had actually come onto him. Did she think he would respond to her advance? The idea thrust my stomach into a roll of disgust.
Mother’s door closed with a slam.
<> <> <>
When Eddy dropped Colin and me off at Chatham the next day, I was surprised to find Danicka Fiore and her skeletal peeps clinging to the curb. The minute our car pulled up, she snapped to attention, posing. Her friends mimicked her plastic stance.
Did Colin like über skinny girls? Covertly, I watched him out the corner of my eye and my stomach took a slug when his gaze lit on the frail bunch. I let out a snort, bringing his attention to me.
A wave of stupidity nearly drowned me. I wasn’t doing much to earn his respect. His eyes narrowed, studying me briefly, before Eddy opened the door. Colin waited for me to get out.
The second my feet hit the sidewalk, Danicka sauntered over, flipping her long, straight hair in a practiced, smooth move. “Hey, Ash.
What’s up?”
Danicka’s attempts to chat grated on my self esteem. I ignored her, something I’d never done before, deeming her attention god-like before now.
She continued talking behind me and I turned. “I’m Danicka.”
She and her friends surrounded Colin like starved cats around a bowl of cream. What a joke. But deep down, I figured he was like every other male. Why wouldn’t the sight of beautiful prep school girls in uniform be a turn on?
He smiled, his dimples flashing, and he gave Danicka a nod. No hello. Just a nod, before he said, “Excuse me,” and broke through them, his eyes on me.
My cheeks flushed with heat, and, inwardly, I cheered. How does that feel, Danicka?
Colin soon climbed the stairs beside me. I felt comforted, having him next to me, even though I shouldn’t have.
He opened one of the heavy wooden doors to school and I swooshed inside with the other girls. Colin got stuck holding the door open, a smile on his face for every lash-batting female who passed him.
Felicity joined me inside the school main entrance. “Wow, he’s holding the door open?”
“Yeah,” I snickered, “he’s a real Prince Charming. He totally brushed Danicka and the skeletons off though.”
“Snaps for him.” Felicity continued to glance over her shoulder.
“She’s not giving up.”
I stopped, and was bumped, nudged and nearly run over by girls on their way to class. Sure enough, Danicka stood poised in the open door, one leg artfully bent at the knee, her hands behind her arched back while she flirted with Colin.
A flash of fire shot up my spine. I gripped the straps of my book bag until I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore and started toward my first class. Another day of not being able to concentrate. Another day of Colin’s dimpled smile like a searchlight flashing in my head, over and over taking my thoughts from academics to him and his song. Another day of doodling the notes of his song in my margins.
Lunch came and Felicity and I stayed in the lunchroom. I kept my eye on the opening, wondering if Colin would come looking for me, but he remained stationed down by the main entrance of the school.
I confirmed with a peek.
“I have got to stop spying on him,” I blew out, after peering around the corner, spotting him sitting reading the New York Times in one of the main hall chairs.
Felicity giggled next to me, then stole a peek for herself. “I don’t know, Ash. He’s really hot. I can see why you’ve got a crush on him.”
Eyes wide, I glared at her. “I do not have a crush. He’s annoying, just like the rest of them.”
“Annoying like a luscious itch that has to be scratched,” Felicity swooned. “Crap, he’s looking. Oh, no. I think he saw me.”
Just what I didn’t need. I started down the hall at a half-jog, Felicity laughing at my heels. We
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