it’s almost dark out. “Sorry,” I say. Mom’s face has that pinched look that means she’s annoyed. The last thing I want is to get yelled at in front of Evan.
“All right. Hop in,” she says. “We’ll talk about this at home.”
Relieved, I turn back to Evan. Despite the fact that we were just chatting like old friends a minute ago, I suddenly feel awkward around him again.
“Well, it was nice to run into you,” he says.
I nod.
“I’ll see you on Saturday?”
I nod again. Why won’t my tongue just work? I force myself to say something, anything. “Good luck,” I blurt out.
Evan looks surprised. “Thanks?” Then he smiles his little crooked smile, waves at my mom, and starts to jog away.
Only after I’m in Mom’s car do I realize something. Did Evan Riley just ask me out on a date? No, that’s impossible. Isn’t it?
Chapter 26
Marisol sits quietly in the corner in homeroom the next day, doodling in her sketch pad. She glances up at me a couple times but quickly looks away. I know she’s waiting for me to go over and apologize, and to tell her she’s right and that I should’ve never agreed to be Steve Mueller’s spy. But can’t she see that I have no choice? And there are things I want to hear Marisol apologize for too. If she isn’t going to make the first move, then I’m not either.
Instead, I take out my Dirt Diary and start pouring my heart out. What started out as a log of cleaning jobs has quickly morphed into a mishmash of crazy ideas and observations, essentially all the things I can’t tell anyone else. The thought makes me feel even more alone.
Needless to say, I’m in a foul mood when I leave homeroom and head off to English. But that all changes when I spot Steve Mueller in the hallway. He’s walking toward me, like he has a million times before, but this time he actually looks at me instead of looking through me. And even though he doesn’t say anything, he smiles at me as he passes by. Steve Mueller smiled at me! In public!
The giddiness only lasts for about an hour, until I see Marisol again in Chemistry class. She and Angela Bareli are huddled together like they have some serious BFF secrets to share. Looking at them makes my teeth clench.
As I head to gym class later in the day, I’m lost in a jumble of thoughts, so it takes me a second to realize that someone’s calling my name.
I turn to see Andrew Ivanoff waving at me, his pale hair shielding his eyes.
“Um, hi,” I say, going over to him.
“Um, hi,” he echoes.
Wow, aren’t we the chatty duo.
“Have you started filming yet?” I finally ask.
He shakes his head. “That’s why I wanted to speak with you. You’ve been so helpful. I was hoping…” He pauses and looks at his hands, like human speech has failed him.
“What’s the problem?”
“The zombies are ready, but I’m having trouble with the costumes for the people. I don’t know much about how kids our age dress.”
I take in Andrew’s outfit. Pressed khakis, striped button-down shirt, brown loafers. He’s pretty much dressed like my dad.
“I know the perfect person to help you,” I say, ready to tell him all about Marisol’s fashion skills. Then I remember that she and I aren’t speaking to each other. “Me. I can help you.”
“You can?” Andrew asks, clearly checking out my nondescript outfit.
“Okay, I may not be a fashion guru, but I know enough to make your movie people look like real people. If you want, I can help you brainstorm ideas on Saturday when my mom and I come by.”
He nods, and there’s even something like a smile on his face. “Thank you. You’re really nice,” he says. Then he walks away, and I can see that the back of his neck is flushed red.
As I go to change into my gym clothes, I realize that Andrew is wrong about me. It’s been days, maybe even weeks, since I’ve felt like a nice person.
Chapter 27
On Saturday, I’m actually excited to go to the Rileys’ house since it means
“All right. Hop in,” she says. “We’ll talk about this at home.”
Relieved, I turn back to Evan. Despite the fact that we were just chatting like old friends a minute ago, I suddenly feel awkward around him again.
“Well, it was nice to run into you,” he says.
I nod.
“I’ll see you on Saturday?”
I nod again. Why won’t my tongue just work? I force myself to say something, anything. “Good luck,” I blurt out.
Evan looks surprised. “Thanks?” Then he smiles his little crooked smile, waves at my mom, and starts to jog away.
Only after I’m in Mom’s car do I realize something. Did Evan Riley just ask me out on a date? No, that’s impossible. Isn’t it?
Chapter 26
Marisol sits quietly in the corner in homeroom the next day, doodling in her sketch pad. She glances up at me a couple times but quickly looks away. I know she’s waiting for me to go over and apologize, and to tell her she’s right and that I should’ve never agreed to be Steve Mueller’s spy. But can’t she see that I have no choice? And there are things I want to hear Marisol apologize for too. If she isn’t going to make the first move, then I’m not either.
Instead, I take out my Dirt Diary and start pouring my heart out. What started out as a log of cleaning jobs has quickly morphed into a mishmash of crazy ideas and observations, essentially all the things I can’t tell anyone else. The thought makes me feel even more alone.
Needless to say, I’m in a foul mood when I leave homeroom and head off to English. But that all changes when I spot Steve Mueller in the hallway. He’s walking toward me, like he has a million times before, but this time he actually looks at me instead of looking through me. And even though he doesn’t say anything, he smiles at me as he passes by. Steve Mueller smiled at me! In public!
The giddiness only lasts for about an hour, until I see Marisol again in Chemistry class. She and Angela Bareli are huddled together like they have some serious BFF secrets to share. Looking at them makes my teeth clench.
As I head to gym class later in the day, I’m lost in a jumble of thoughts, so it takes me a second to realize that someone’s calling my name.
I turn to see Andrew Ivanoff waving at me, his pale hair shielding his eyes.
“Um, hi,” I say, going over to him.
“Um, hi,” he echoes.
Wow, aren’t we the chatty duo.
“Have you started filming yet?” I finally ask.
He shakes his head. “That’s why I wanted to speak with you. You’ve been so helpful. I was hoping…” He pauses and looks at his hands, like human speech has failed him.
“What’s the problem?”
“The zombies are ready, but I’m having trouble with the costumes for the people. I don’t know much about how kids our age dress.”
I take in Andrew’s outfit. Pressed khakis, striped button-down shirt, brown loafers. He’s pretty much dressed like my dad.
“I know the perfect person to help you,” I say, ready to tell him all about Marisol’s fashion skills. Then I remember that she and I aren’t speaking to each other. “Me. I can help you.”
“You can?” Andrew asks, clearly checking out my nondescript outfit.
“Okay, I may not be a fashion guru, but I know enough to make your movie people look like real people. If you want, I can help you brainstorm ideas on Saturday when my mom and I come by.”
He nods, and there’s even something like a smile on his face. “Thank you. You’re really nice,” he says. Then he walks away, and I can see that the back of his neck is flushed red.
As I go to change into my gym clothes, I realize that Andrew is wrong about me. It’s been days, maybe even weeks, since I’ve felt like a nice person.
Chapter 27
On Saturday, I’m actually excited to go to the Rileys’ house since it means
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