Best Friends...Forever? (9 page)

 

We had a half-day of school because of conferences, so I came home, made a peanut butter and honey sandwich, and watched TV until Mom came home so we could go to the school.

"Ms. Ashcroft is always sending me e-mails about your being tardy, and now I'm running behind because of work so she'll think you inherited your lateness from me," she said. "Come on, walk faster."

"If she brings it up, I'm telling her I was ready and waiting for you," I said as I huffed and puffed to catch up.

We got to the eighth-grade wing and waited in line outside the classroom to talk to my teacher. Ashanti's parents waved to us from another line where they were standing. Our line moved up, and we got into the room where Ms. Ashcroft was talking to my father.

"Oh, there they are now," said Ms. Ashcroft.

Mom's mouth was open. "I didn't realize you were coming," she said, her eyes darting between the two of us. Dad stared at me, confused.

"I tried calling you at the office, and they kept putting me through to your voice mail," he said. "I'm sorry, I thought you got the message." Luckily, he didn't mention I was also supposed to tell her.

"Mrs. Albright, I was just telling him how wonderfully Landry is doing in her schoolwork." She pulled out the portfolio of work we had put together that morning in class. I had carefully weeded out any less-than-stellar quizzes and papers so, to the untrained eye, I would appear to be a brain. Poor Maggie had only one spelling quiz with an eighty percent on it in her portfolio. Mom asked about when the homework hotline was starting up again.

"Sometimes she needs help in math, and I don't remember how to…"

"Landry, you can always call me, and I can help you," my dad said. "Math was one of my best subjects. Well, math and gym anyway," he said, smiling.

Ms. Ashcroft laughed, and Mom managed a weak smile. My teacher said the homework hotline was running, but she still had not found a permanent math tutor. We walked outside the classroom, and my mom hissed that he should have tried harder to reach her. He didn't rat me out, though, and said, "I wanted to meet Landry's teachers, and I left you two messages."

Ashanti's dad came over to shake Dad's hand. I think Mrs. Russell realized Mom wasn't thrilled with my dad being there because she suggested that Mr. Russell, Dad, and I go to the cafeteria for ice cream while she and mom waited to talk to Miss Tamar.

Mr. Russell and Dad seemed to hit it off, so Ashanti and I asked if we could go to the book fair that was being held in the library.

"Sure, you two can't get into too much trouble in the library," Mr. Russell said.

"You know, reading is an excellent way for me to further my education," Ashanti said, smiling. "And the proceeds are going to support literacy."

Mr. Russell rolled his eyes at Dad. "I think I've got a future attorney here. That or the person they call in to shake down people to pay debts." He pulled out his wallet and gave Ashanti a twenty-dollar bill.

"Thanks. Although, if they have hardcovers, this will just cover one…"

He sighed, gave her an extra five, and told her to invest in paperbacks. I glanced over at Dad, who took his wallet out and handed me some money. It wasn't until we were down the hallway that I realized he had given me fifty dollars to spend on books. Best. Father. Ever.

Ashanti and I went to wander around the school. It was weird being there at night and seeing people wearing clothes that weren't part of the uniform.

"Kyle looks so weird in a golf shirt," Ashanti said. "Ready to hit the library, or do you want to get a soda first?"

I saw Arianna and India by the soda machines. Yeah, no thanks. I wanted books anyway, so we went to check out the book fair.

Ashanti and I bypassed the classics section the school was trying so hard to promote and went right for the YA paperbacks. The librarian had set up paper and pencils for us to write out a list of book titles we might want our parents to get us.

"There's a ton I want," Ashanti said. "Let's compare, and we can always trade books when we're done reading, too. That way we get twice as many."

I nodded even though I wasn't a huge fan of sharing books. I didn't mind sharing some books, but some were special, and I wanted to keep them to re-read over and over again. Tori still had one of my favorite Skylar Halston mysteries, and I had finally just broken down and bought it again. I hated when friends borrowed paperbacks and never gave them back. And writing my name in them did no good. That was a plus side of eBooks at least. They were mine to keep.

I saw they had the latest Skylar Halston special edition. There was just one copy left. I reached for it just as someone else put their hand on it. I pulled back. Peyton was standing there.

"Oh, um, you take it. I can get another copy," I said.

"No, whatever. It's fine."

"Seriously, take it." I picked it up and handed it to her.

She took it without saying anything and walked over to Devon. Peyton didn't even say "thank you." My eyes blurred as I fought back tears. I went back to the book table and picked out a couple of books. Hana was over by the classics and showing Ashanti the freshman required reading list for high school next year.

"Can you believe they're already sending this out?" Hana asked. "The whole idea of ninth grade is completely terrifying."

I nodded as Ashanti said, "Seriously? I can't wait."

It must be nice to feel super confident about starting all over in a new school. I couldn't imagine what that must feel like. Of course, Ashanti always seemed to fit in wherever she went. I never felt like I fit in anywhere. Sure, I had friends and stuff, but sometimes I felt like I had to go along with what other people liked and said or else they'd think I was weird or not want to hang around me.

Ashanti and I loaded up on books and went back to meet our dads. I hoped Mom would be okay with Dad here. Honestly, I didn't get why she got weird with him sometimes. One minute she'd act like she was thrilled to see him and the next, she'd be tense around him.

Mom and I drove home from parent's night together, and Dad met us at the house. The second set of conferences was the next day and Mom had lined hers up in the morning, so she said she was going to bed since she had to go to the office early to get a lot done before heading to the school. Dad didn't seem to know what to do.

"I'm going to make a milkshake and watch
Hot Videos Now,
"
I said, hoping he'd stay up with me so we could talk. Instead, he said he'd better go to bed so he could get up and be ready in the morning, too. I shrugged, went in front of the TV and sent Ashanti a message, and we texted back and forth during the video show. Ashanti told me her mother said the other moms were talking about my dad. She said they wondered who he was and thought he was cute. Gross! I asked who, and she said her mother didn't know who some of them were and that my mom had pretended not to notice. What was wrong with adults?

The next morning, Dad was at the kitchen table eating oatmeal when I walked in.

"Hey, kiddo. Want me to make you some?"

I nodded and he got up to get my breakfast started. I asked him why he wasn't at the conferences with Mom.

"I'm meeting her in a half-hour. She had some work to do," he said. "Your friend Ashanti seems nice. Her dad thinks the world of you."

"She's one of my best friends now."

"How's the soccer player?"

"Tori? She's fine. We still hang out."

He asked about Devon, and I shrugged. I said we still went to the movies and hung out but left out the part about her not speaking to me and the fact that she probably detested me due to some evil brainwashing from that jerk, India.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Just…some weirdness at school. I…have you ever told the truth about something because you felt someone would get their feelings hurt either way?"

He asked me what I meant, and I ended up spilling the whole story to him over oatmeal. He nodded and said, "Sounds like you couldn't win. Someone was going to get hurt, and Devon probably would have found out anyway."

"So what do I do now?"

"Well, if Devon is a true friend, then she'll realize you were trying to protect her."

"But what about Peyton? She won't even let me talk to her to explain."

"You're going to have to try again with her. And I think you should try talking to that India girl, too. I know you think she was just trying to get between you and Devon, but have you considered maybe she was just scared of being left out so she threw the blame on you?"

"Because she's a jerk? A stupid, jealous jerk?"

He laughed. "No, well…maybe, but I think she was acting more from fear. You should take that into consideration."

"I should forgive her for turning
my
friends against me?" I asked. Was he nuts? What was in his orange juice?

"Weren't you a little scared the day you accidentally mentioned Peyton's name when talking to Devon?"

"Yes, but that's different. I'm not an evil troll."

"Do you want to be forgiven?"

"Of course," I said.

"Then be understanding of where India was coming from, and tell both Peyton and Devon that you never meant any harm. If they all see that you are being genuine and honest, I think they will come around."

I nodded, but wondered if Grandma Albright had briefly joined a hippie commune as a teen and left out a pamphlet or something that my dad picked up as a child. If I went up to those girls all about forgiveness, love, and daisies, they would laugh in my face. Parents just didn't remember what it was like to be in middle school.

 

My parents were disgusting and baby-talking the rest of the weekend. Apparently, Dad had smoothed things over with Ms. Ashcroft about my "chronic tardiness" by going on and on about how my mom had her hands full raising me while he was in another state. He must have impressed my teacher, because Mom was so sweet to him all weekend. Then on Monday, Ms. Ashcroft told me what a "delight" my father was at the conferences.

"I heard she was one of the teachers fawning over your Dad," Thalia whispered. Great, so even she had heard my dad was the "hottie of parent night." Gross.

At lunch, Ericka asked me if I had heard from Vladi lately. I shook my head. "I got a text four days ago, but that's it."

"Four whole days? Wow. What did he say?" she asked.

I felt a little sick. Was that a long time to go without a text or e-mail? How was I supposed to know these kinds of things when he was only my first boyfriend?

"He just wrote, 'Hi, hope you're doing okay.'"

"That's it?"

No, I'm hiding the marriage proposal part. "Yup, that's all. Why?"

"That doesn't even give you a reason to write back," she said.

"Oh…well, I did. I wrote I was okay and asked how he was."

"Hmmm," she said, staring at her bologna sandwich.

What did I do wrong? I thought what I texted back was okay, but from the way she and Tori were exchanging glances, I felt like I had written back something super clingy and stalker-ish. "Hey hottie, stay away from all other girls forever. You are mine and not allowed to talk to any other girls EVER."

"I'm sure he's just busy," Tori said.

I glanced around the cafeteria. Devon was sitting with Hana and looking bored. Or was it lost? I met her eyes, and she blinked. She seemed a little sad, and then she glanced down at her hands. Maybe she
did
miss me. I decided my dad was right, and I would make a point to talk to her — just not in the cafeteria where there would be witnesses if she told me off in front of everyone.

I waited until later in the day when I saw Devon alone in the hallway. At first, I started to walk over to her but then India and Peyton ran up to her. Was I brave enough to approach them all together? I started to head in their direction, not sure if my feet would take me all the way, and then I saw India and Devon hold out the necklaces they had on. They were wearing the butterfly necklaces we all saw at the mall together. My mouth dropped open. They had gotten them without me? Peyton glanced in my direction and then averted her eyes. I walked away and didn't even know where I was going. I just had to get out of there.

"Landry?" Thalia called after me.

"I have to go," I said.

"Wait up! What's the matter?"

"Nothing. I…have to go to the bathroom."

"Oh, well, I'll walk with you," she said.

I didn't want anyone to see me cry, and I knew I was on the brink of it.

"No, I'll meet up with you later."

"Seriously? I can't go with you?" She put her hand on my arm.

"I just — just leave me alone," I said, pulling away.

I barely made it into the restroom before the tears started rolling down my face. My heart sunk as I felt betrayed by my old friends and, even worse, that I had probably hurt Thalia's feelings. Why was all this happening? All I had done was be honest. Why was I being punished for that? Should I have lied to cover India's tracks? But if Devon had found out the truth, wouldn't she be mad at me anyway? I didn't understand why India was getting off scot-free when she had done something wrong, and I was being held accountable for telling the truth. It wasn't fair.

"Landry? Are you in here?" Ashanti said.

"Yeah," I said.

"What's the matter? Thalia said you blew her off in the hall."

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

"Yeah, right. You wouldn't have been rude to her if you were fine."

"Maybe she was annoying me."

"Thalia admits that she borders on annoying on her best day. Oddly, it's part of her charm, but you still wouldn't have done that to her. So what's up?"

I bent down for some toilet paper to dry my face. Of course I had picked the one stall out of paper.

"Could you pass in some paper?" I asked.

"Because you're crying or…the other? Because I've got tissues if you need to blow your nose."

I sighed. "Tissue, please."

She passed me a handful of tissues under the stall. I wiped my eyes and opened the door. She was leaning against the sink with her arms crossed.

"What's up?" she asked.

"You're going to think this is dumb," I said.

"If it upsets you this much, then it's not dumb."

I sighed. "I saw Peyton, India, and Devon got these necklaces together and they were the same ones the four of us were looking at when we were at the mall. It just hurt me that they bought them, you know?"

She stared at the tile floor. "So you four were going to get necklaces together?"

"Yeah, they were these cool crystal butterfly ones. Like druzy crystal."

"Well, that's nice. That's just super. Matching necklaces. Maybe later you can all tattoo each other's names on your arms, too."

"Huh? Well, it doesn't matter now. They got them, and I was left out — again."

Ashanti's face tensed. "So you're just hanging out with me because you're other friends excluded you again?"

"No! Ashanti — I…"

"You know what? Save it. You don't know who your real friends are," she said, storming past me.

Oh crap. I had told the other girls at the time I was going to save up to get Ashanti a necklace, too. And maybe Thalia as well. Great, not only were India, Devon, and Peyton mad at me, but I had managed to hurt Thalia and Ashanti, too. I went back to class and wrote Ashanti a note.

 

Ashanti-

I was planning to save up my money to get you a butterfly necklace for your birthday. I would never have left you out. You are one of my best friends. Please don
'
t be mad

—
Landry

 

I asked Kyle to pass it to her, and he started to open it to read it.

"Kyle, stop it. Just give it to her," I whispered.

He rolled his eyes and leaned over his desk and poked Ashanti in the arm with my folded-up note. She glanced down at his hand, stopped for a minute, then took it and unfolded it under her desk. I saw her pick up a pen and scrawl something across the paper and fold it back up. Then she stuck her hand under her arm, leaned back, and dropped the note onto Kyle's desk. Kyle flipped the note over to me. I opened it.

 

Landry-

You know how Sierra in Soap Opera Hotties
is always
calling all these different people her
"
best
"
friends
,
and you said,
"
I don
'
t think she
knows what the word
"
best
"
actua
lly means?
"
I
'
m starting to think you don
'
t either.

 

My eyes blurred with tears. I had managed to hurt my best friend. Everyone who had been there for me when I needed them most: Ashanti, Thalia, Peyton, Devon — even India had been a better friend to me than Ericka, well, until she sold me out. Could the day get any worse?