Putting Boys on the Ledge by Stephanie Rowe

downfall of society. I took a deep breath and lowered my voice. "Mom, believe it or not, I am actually one of the more socially inept girls in my class. In spite of that, Heath actually likes me. In fact, he tried to kiss me last weekend and I ran away from him because I was so freaked out. And he still wants to take me out. So maybe he just thinks I'm interesting. Did that ever occur to you?"
    My mom sighed and wiped her hand on her apron. "Oh, Blue, that's not what I meant. Of course I think you're wonderful and interesting. I just want to make sure you're making the right decisions. I'm glad this boy sees you for who you are. Is he a vegetarian?"
    "A vegetarian?" Was she kidding? "I didn't ask him. That's not exactly first-date material."
    "Why not?"
    "Because there's no need to scare him off by letting him know how strange my family is. And I'm not a vegetarian, so it doesn't matter."
    Mom raised an eyebrow, but she let the remark about my strange family slide. "Fine. You can go out with him. But not on Friday night, and not unless I meet him first."
    "Mom!"
    "What?" She imitated my wail perfectly, and it made me as mad as it always did.
    "That's so uncool to have to meet you first."
    "I don't care. And Friday night you're going to the game."
    I folded my arms across my chest. "What if I say no?"
    Mom gave me that mom look. "I don't think you really want me to answer that question, do you?"
    Fine. She was right. "If you've ruined my social life and scarred me for life, I hope you're happy."
    "There are six other nights in the week. If this boy is interested in you, it shouldn't be too hard to find another one."
    Easy for her to say. She wasn't the one who'd already messed things up once with Heath.
    Twice?
    He'd never come back again.
    My life was ruined.
    * * *
    Friday night eight o'clock, my mood was even worse. I glared at the football players, wishing the earth would swallow them up and crush them all beneath mounds of gravel.
    "On the positive side, it's good Heath didn't call. That way you didn't have to tell him you couldn't go," Frances said.
    I couldn't believe he didn't call. "He probably called right after we left the house tonight."
    "If he waited until that late to call, then he doesn't deserve to have you home," Allie said.
    "I can't believe my mom made me leave my cell phone at home."
    "She does have a point," Natalie said. "The only people you're allowed to call are your family, and everyone is here."
    "That's not why she made me leave it at home." I couldn't believe what a bad mood I was in. "You told her you were guarding the phone in case Heath called. So she knew I'd given the number to him."
    Natalie poked me. "Don't get mad at me, Blue. I'm not the reason Heath didn't call, and it's not my fault you couldn't go out with him tonight."
    "It's your fault I couldn't bring my phone tonight. Heath probably left me six messages trying to find me. And now he'll think I don't like him." I folded my arms across my chest and tried to shoot poison daggers out of my eyes at the world.
    "It's not my fault," Natalie repeated. "And you're not being fair!"
    "I'm glad you don't have your phone," Allie said. "If he actually bothered to call tonight, then the only acceptable response is to not be home and to not answer your phone. If you'd brought it, I would have confiscated it anyway!"
    I couldn't deal with this discussion. "I'm going for popcorn. I'll be back." I didn't even offer to get anyone anything.
    Was I in a foul mood or what? Why hadn't Heath called? He'd totally said he'd call. I sat home every night this week, threatening everyone in my family to stay off the phone, and to no avail. He simply didn't call. Why not? I didn't understand it. Everything had seemed perfect at rehearsal. Was it because I hadn't let him kiss me? Had I blown it? It didn't matter now, did it? I'd bolted and I was stuck with it now.
    The only solution to make myself feel better?
    Eat.
    I skipped the popcorn stand and headed straight