Crush Alert (8 page)

W
here’s the Kgirl running off to?” Avery asked as she dropped her backpack by the front door.

“She had to go home and I needed to talk to you. This is very important. Let’s go upstairs.” Charlotte started up the stairs.

“What’s going on, Char? It’s not more bad news about Marty, I hope,” Avery asked as she hurriedly scrambled after Charlotte.

“No—it’s not that. Although the little guy is still not himself.” Charlotte sighed over her shoulder as she made her way up to her bedroom.

“Whoa, that’s some makeup job, Char,” Avery said, getting a closer look at Charlotte’s face. “I hope you didn’t call me over to talk to me about
that
! I’m not wearing makeup to the dance, no matter what anyone says. I hate the way it feels on my skin,” she complained.

Charlotte shook her head no and plopped down onto her bed. Marty was curled up in a pathetic doggy blob at
the foot of the bed. He managed to give a small wag of his short little tail when he saw Avery.

“Awww!” Avery knelt down and reached into her pocket. “Poor little dude. I stopped and bought you some treats.” She offered one to Marty, who snarfed it down as he whined pitifully.

Avery dumped two pocketfuls of dog treats on the bed. “The little dude is a lot worse that I thought. You sure he’s okay?”

Charlotte leaned over to scratch his belly. “I don’t know. It’s like he knows everything is going wrong.”

Avery stared expectantly. “What’s going wrong? What are you trying to tell me?”

“Your mom left my dad a phone message last night,” Charlotte said.

Avery shrugged. “So?” She offered Marty another treat, which he promptly gobbled up despite his droopy state.

“Geesh, Charlotte. I don’t think Marty has lost his appetite. He’s going after these treats like an alligator.” As if he understood what Avery was saying, the little dude rolled over on his side and stared at both girls with sad doggy eyes. The effect was so comical that both girls began a fit of giggling. With that, Marty jumped up and ran under Charlotte’s bed.

“I think Marty needs a doggy shrink,” a stunned Avery remarked. “He’s never acted like that before.”

“All three of us might need a shrink when I finish telling you about your mom and my dad.” Charlotte looked at Avery pointedly.

“This sounds serious,” Avery said, a little frightened.

“If you think your dad and my mom going on a date for dinner to Le Bistro Français at eight o’clock Friday night is serious, then it is!
Super
serious,” Charlotte added for emphasis.

Avery’s eyes widened. “Wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me your dad’s meeting my mom at that fancy restaurant?”

“In a word, yes.” Charlotte took one of Avery’s dog treats, reached down, and fed it to a waiting Marty.

Avery’s eyes grew even wider. “The one where it’s kind of dark and they have candles and guys walking around playing violins and stuff?”

“That’s the one,” answered Charlotte as she flopped back on her pillow. “It was bad enough when we caught my dad and Lissie McMillan sharing a candlelit dinner on our trip to Montana…and it turned out they were just friends.”

“Yeah, that was weird,” Avery agreed. “But this is even weirder. My mom and Mr. Ramsey,” she mumbled as she plopped down on the floor. She tried to coax a wounded Marty with more treats to come out from his hiding place.

“What if my dad and your mom get
married
?” Charlotte put her hands over her face, trying to push away all the distressing thoughts that surfaced.

“Wow!” Avery said, fiddling with a hair elastic that she found on the floor. “That would be so weird.”

Charlotte looked at her, exasperated. “Is ‘weird’ all you can say?”

Avery turned to look at her. Her mouth opened. Shut. Opened again. “They…they’re going…on a…a date,” Avery stuttered. “My mom’s dating your dad and she didn’t even tell me.”

Charlotte sat up a little, resting on her elbows. Pushing away the thought that she might have to call Mrs. Madden “Mom.”

“Yeah, my dad didn’t tell me, either. That really bothers me.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. I mean…not your dad…not telling me…my mom…” a very confused Avery rambled. “Gosh, this is so weird.”

“If you say ‘weird’ one more time, I am going to put…makeup on you,” threatened Charlotte.

“No way!” Avery yelled.

Marty yelped quietly. “See, even Marty doesn’t like that idea!” Avery said, and fed him another treat. Marty sat up a little and delicately snatched two more treats from Avery’s hand.

Charlotte folded her arms. “Well, I think we’ve established the fact that your mom and my dad going out is totally strange. The real question is: What are we going to do? I mean, do we tell them that we know?”

Avery popped up, her eyes wide. “No way, dude! I’m not going to talk to my mom about this. I mean…she’s my mom! I can’t tell her who to go out with. Remember when I was visiting my dad in Colorado and he was dating Andie?”

She looked up at Charlotte with a devilish grin, “At least you’re not Crazie Kazie.” Kazie was Andie’s daughter,
and she and Avery were definitely not on the same page. Avery couldn’t imagine having to deal with Kazie as a sister! Avery jumped up, realizing something important. “Wait! If they get married, we’ll be related!”

Charlotte sat up straight and gasped. “We’d be sisters!”

Avery jumped up and threw her arms around Charlotte. “A sister! That would be so cool. Scott and Tim would love it too.”

“Yeah!” Charlotte said, a grin spreading across her face, “I’ve always wanted a sister too. It’s kind of lonely being an only child. Never anyone to talk to, and no one to listen to you talk about all your problems. Hey! Maybe this won’t be so bad after all….”

Avery pulled away from her. Her animated face suddenly grew serious—something Avery rarely was. “Wait a minute. We can’t tell the rest of the BSG yet. I mean, with Maeve’s parents getting a divorce and us not knowing everything.”

Charlotte nodded. “I agree. Let’s make a pact. Hold your right hand up, palm facing me.”

“Why?’

“Just do it, Avery,” Charlotte said with a serious tone to her voice.

“Okay. Okay. Chill!” Avery raised her right hand, palm facing Charlotte. Then Charlotte raised her right hand and faced her.

“Repeat after me,” said Charlotte. “I promise.”

Avery made a face but repeated. “I promise.”

“That I will not…”

Avery rolled her eyes. Oaths were cheesy, but this was for a good cause. “That I will not…”

“Reveal to anyone that our parents are dating,” said Charlotte.

Avery echoed Charlotte’s words, and the two girls sat staring at Marty. He’d eaten the last of Avery’s treats and was lying on his back, whining softly.

“What would happen to Marty if my mom moved in?” Avery said, concerned. “She’s allergic.”

Charlotte didn’t know what to say to that, but Marty did. He suddenly gave a huge doggy burp.

“Eeew!” Charlotte held her nose. “I think we fed him too many treats!” She stood up and opened the door. “Speaking of treats, I’ve got a chocolate bar in my desk drawer up in the Tower. Want to go up?”

The two of them climbed up the Tower stairs. And while Avery munched on her half of the caramel milk chocolate bar, Charlotte pulled up her e-mail at her writing desk.

“Wait a sec, Ave. I have to e-mail Sophie. Then let’s take Marty to the park? Maybe all those treats gave him some energy.”

Avery nodded, happy with her chocolate and a burping Marty.

While Charlotte wrote, she rubbed the sleeve of her mom’s vintage denim jacket, the one Katani always said was so retro chic. From her desk she could see out the window toward the Boston Public Gardens and, beyond that, the Atlantic Ocean.

She began typing as Avery lay on the floor next to Marty.

A Doggy Shrink

February wasn’t the greatest time of year in Amory
Park, but the warm weather spell had all sorts of people out jogging, pushing strollers, or chatting on cell phones as they walked their dogs.

“I brought Happy Lucky Thingy from the Tower,” said Avery, fishing the toy out of her pocket and tossing it toward a picnic bench.

Charlotte gasped. “Avery! You can’t just throw Happy Lucky Thingy around! He’s a thingy, not a ball!”

Avery laughed and crouched down beside Marty. “Go get it, Marty. Go get it, boy!”

But Marty only stood next to them, his head bent low, his ears drooping, and his tail sagging. He whined a bit, a mournful sound as pitiful as a baby crying.

“Hey, isn’t that Ms. Pink and La Fanny?” Avery picked up Happy Lucky Thingy and pointed down the path past the bench.

Marty perked up suddenly, and gave a little yip.

“Yeah, and that’s her new boyfriend, Zak, with the rottweiler.” Charlotte waved, but the couple didn’t seem to see. “Isabel and I saw them just the other day.”

“Come on, little dude!” Avery tugged Marty’s leash. “Let’s go say hi to your girlfriend!”

Marty sat down suddenly, and his mournful whining deepened into a growl. Charlotte watched Ms. Pink’s brightly colored hair disappear behind a pine tree.

“What is wrong with you, Marty man?” Avery tugged the leash, and the dog flopped down on his stomach, paws digging in the dirt as Avery dragged him forward. She was strong, but Marty was obviously determined not to go anywhere.

“Bizarre,” Charlotte said. “He won’t go. They’re gone now, anyway.”

“I think Marty might be depressed,” Avery said sadly as they trudged out of the park, the little pup trotting beside them on his leash.

“Is that even possible?” Charlotte asked.

“Who knows?” Avery knelt down to give Marty a hug before taking off down her street. “I’m going straight home to do some research!”

C
harlotte couldn’t help smiling as she surveyed herself in the mirror. Her favorite purple sweater brought out the color of Katani’s sparkly lilac eye shadow, and her new jeans hung perfectly on her slender frame. She pronounced Katani’s style makeover a major success.

As she made one final twirl she thought,
I’m ready to ask Nick to the dance today
—even though her heart hammered in her chest, her knees wobbled, and she didn’t know if she’d be able to eat a single bite of anything at Brookline’s famous bakery.

Just then, she heard a knock on her bedroom door.

“Come in, Dad,” Charlotte said, smoothing down her hair—still warm from the curling iron—with nervous fingers.

Dad poked his head in and whistled. “Wow, sweetie! You’re dressed up. What’s the occasion?”

Charlotte pushed back a sliver of hurt. Her dad was keeping the important news about his date from her, but
he wanted to hear about her life. Charlotte didn’t feel like she could share right now. “Uh…Dad, there’s no special occasion. I just wanted to look nice this morning.”

Mr. Ramsey held up his hands and smiled. “Well, you look beautiful…as always. Come on into the kitchen. I’ll fix you some breakfast.”

Charlotte danced over and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Sorry, Dad. I’m going to Montoya’s this morning. Thanks, anyway.”

“Well, give my best to the BSG.” Her Dad smiled, gave her a little wave, and walked back to the kitchen.

Charlotte rushed downstairs and out the door. She felt a tad guilty that she had let her dad believe that she was dressing up for no reason, but she was so excited about seeing Nick that she had to concentrate on keeping herself from skipping down the sidewalk.

Be cool; be confident
, she told herself. Just like Katani said. Except Charlotte wasn’t really the calm, cool, collected type. She was the nervous, klutzy type, and anything could happen on an important morning like this.
Just breathe
, she whispered to herself as she began to race down Beacon Street to her destiny!

Ten minutes later a breathless Charlotte arrived at Montoya’s, exhausted from running.
So much for breathing
. She sighed as she stood at the bakery’s entrance trying to collect her jumbled up thoughts…and build up her courage.

Hi, Nick. What are your plans for this Friday?
she practiced in her head, going through the dialogue Katani had helped her prepare.

But the mouthwatering smells of freshly baked cinnamon rolls and cappuccino drifting in the air distracted Charlotte, and prompted a growl from her hungry stomach.
A nice croissant with some hot chocolate would be delicious right now, but first I need to find Nick
.

Scanning the busy bakery, Charlotte saw bleary-eyed college kids sipping lattes, businesspeople in suits, moms with babies in strollers, standing in line for cappuccinos. But where was Nick?

Charlotte decided to take a seat at the BSG’s favorite table and wait for him. It would give her some time to prepare herself to do what she had never done before—ask a boy, and not just any ordinary boy, but a very special boy, to a special dance.

Pulling a notebook from her school bag, and one of her favorite purple pens, she began to jot down her thoughts. Charlotte loved to write. For her, writing was sometimes easier than talking. This was one of those times.

Hi, Nick
…She chuckled.
Good beginning.
She looked up, hoping no one had heard her laugh. She didn’t want anyone to think she was talking to herself.
Your mom makes the best croissants—would you like a bite? Well, how about that Valentine’s Day Dance? Everybody’s talking about it. Would you like to go with me? Please say yes so I don’t have to feel like a complete goof.
She added a smiley face for good measure.

Just then Charlotte felt eyes looking over her shoulder. She quickly closed the notebook and turned around. It was Fabiana, Nick’s sister. Charlotte suppressed a gasp. Had Fabiana seen her note?

“Hey, Charlotte. How’s it going? Would you like
something to eat?” Fabiana asked coolly, like she hadn’t seen anything at all.

Charlotte smiled up at her and managed to spit out, “Things are okay…. I’m just waiting for Nick.”

Nick’s sister was one of the most popular girls at the high school, and a star in all the school musicals. When she sang “Tonight” in
West Side Story
, the whole audience stood up and applauded in the middle of the musical. Of course Maeve practically worshipped the ground Fabiana walked on.

While she collected some empty coffee mugs from a nearby table, Fabiana asked, “Did Nick know you were coming? ’Cause he said he was going to meet Chelsea this morning, and he already left.”

Did he know I was coming…meeting with Chelsea…
Charlotte froze.
Act normal, don’t lose it.
She bobbed her head up and down. Her mouth formed an
Oh
, but she wasn’t sure if she actually said anything.

Fabiana looked at her with alarm. “Are you okay, Charlotte?”

Charlotte forced herself to speak, but her voice came out all rusty and cracked. “Um…I’m…fine. I…I needed help with some homework….” Charlotte couldn’t go on. A lump the size of Nebraska had formed in her throat.

“I’m sure he’s waiting for you at school,” Fabiana said as she rested a hand on Charlotte’s shoulder.

Charlotte quickly stood up and, before Fabiana could say anything else, she fled the bakery, her book bag banging against her side.

Misery to the Max

When Charlotte arrived at school she saw them: Nick and Chelsea. They were laughing and smiling at each other as they stood in the hallway. Nick was interviewing the Trentini twins while Chelsea was adjusting the lens on the camera. Suddenly, Nick and Chelsea began howling as the Trentini goofballs posed like super athletes for the camera.

Charlotte felt like an elephant had trampled her heart.
How could Nick do this to me?
she thought wildly.
He’s supposed to be my friend! And Chelsea, too!

She quickly walked past them, her head down.

Nick looked up and saw Charlotte briskly moving past him.

“Sorry. Gotta go,” he said to Chelsea, and raced after Charlotte. But it was too late. She had already disappeared into the crowded hallway. And even though she heard him call out to her, she wouldn’t look back. Not today.

Cornered

I wonder why Nick took off like that,
Chelsea thought as she aimed her camera at a group of girls holding pictures of celebrities they absolutely loved.
Weird.

She shrugged and snapped the picture. The girls laughed and waved at Chelsea as they trooped down the hallway.
I have to find more examples of “Love Is in the Air,”
Chelsea thought.
Something that represents how fantastic it is to love something or…someone.

She felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around.

“Trevor!” she said, feeling her whole face light up.
Chelsea, chill on the over eager stuff
, she scolded herself. But it was hard not to smile at Trevor.
He’s so cute and nice and sweet and…

“Hi, Chelsea. What’s up?”

He stood with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. His black T-shirt looked so good with his blond hair! Did he have any idea how adorable he was?

“Oh, nothing,” she said. “Just taking pictures for my
Sentinel
project.”

Trevor nodded and stared at her with sparkling eyes. “Oh, yeah. Cool.”

He looks at me as if he is completely interested in every single word that comes out of my mouth. Does he do that to everyone he talks to?

And he’s still talking to me. Pay attention!

“We should hang out together sometime. What kinds of things do you like to do?” Trevor asked.

Chelsea’s knees began to wobble She shrugged, trying to look cool. “Oh…anything. Movies, the mall, museums—stuff like that.”

“Do you like skating?” he asked.

“Sure,” said Chelsea.

She was really trying to be more physically active, hoping to become healthier. Ever since she’d started eating a more balanced diet, she’d found she had more energy to do stuff like bike riding and skating. And, to her surprise, she’d discovered she actually loved being active. It made her feel happy and positive about herself—which was just what Jody, her favorite camp counselor from Lake Rescue, had told her would happen.

“Hey, Chelsea,” said a voice behind her.

Chelsea’s shoulders hunched up to her ears. It was Joline Kaminsky.

“Hey, Chelsea,” said another sickly sweet voice.

Great,
thought Chelsea.
The double whammy. QOM times two.

“Uh…hi, Joline, Anna.”

The Queens of Mean moved closer to Chelsea and Trevor. All Chelsea could think of was two lionesses moving in on their prey. Both of them flashed huge tooth-whitened smiles at Trevor as they flipped their perfect hair over their shoulders.

Could their skirts possibly get any shorter
? Chelsea thought, eyeing the girls’ matching red skirts and white baby tees. They reminded her of the set of twins on the new gum commercial everyone was imitating lately.

“Hi, Trevor,” the Queens of Mean chorused, then turned their stalking eyes back toward Chelsea.

“Chelsea, you look great,” Joline gushed, her voice incredibly fake. “I can’t believe how much weight you’ve lost!”

There it is—the sneak attack
. Chelsea felt her face grow hot.

“Yeah,” Anna said with fake admiration. “You’ve totally slimmed down.”

Joline stifled a smirk behind her hand. “I guess it’s great not having to go into the plus-size stores anymore.”

Chelsea simply turned on her heel and raced away, pushing her way through the crowd of kids on their way to homeroom.
Yes, let’s all laugh at the fat girl! It’s so much
fun!
There was no way she was going to stick around for that. She brushed a tear from her eyes. But crying wasn’t what she really wanted to do. She wanted to scream at Anna and Joline to
find your own friends!

Frowning as Chelsea took off, Trevor began to walk away, but not before throwing a dismissive look to the Queens of Mean. “What’s your problem, dudes? Chelsea’s a nice kid.”

Anna and Joline watched him go, their faces flushed with embarrassment. “He is so erased off my list of top-ten hot guys,” Joline said.

Anna bit her lip and twirled a lock of hair around her finger. “Totally.”

Recipe for Heartbreak

Ten O’Clock Study Hall: Montoya’s Bakery Recipe for a Disastrous Non-Date

Comfort and Fruit Salad

The BSG sat around the cafeteria table, trying to console their friend. But it wasn’t working.

“And then I found him already at school, laughing and talking with Chelsea. He was helping her take pictures and they were having the best time,” a wistful Charlotte described as she picked at her fruit salad. She had totally lost her appetite.

“I just don’t understand it.” She looked up at her friends. “I thought…I thought he liked me. What happened? Did I read Nick all wrong? I read in a magazine that you can tell if a boy is crushing on you just by reading the signals he sends you.”

Avery looked totally confused. “What do you mean…signals? Like in baseball? Charlotte allowed herself a tiny chuckle. It ended in a hiccup.

Katani glared at Avery. “Clue yourself in, girl! You know the kind of signals she means. Boys teasing you, walking beside you in the hall.”

“Sorry,” Avery mumbled, and took a bite of her ham sandwich.

Charlotte sent Avery a watery smile. “No, that’s okay. I needed to laugh right now.”

Isabel patted Charlotte’s hand. “I’m sure you read his signals just fine. There has to be a logical explanation for all this. Nick has liked you as long as I have been here.”

Katani leaned forward on her elbows. “This is a lesson for all of us. A girl has to be able to stand on her own two feet. You know—be strong and confident. It’s SSGP Rule number one!”

“Uh, Katani, now
I
am really confused. What does SSGP mean? Inquiring minds really do want to know,” Maeve asked.

Katani looked around at her BSG and performed a little dance in her seat. “Super Star Girl Power!” she sang in her off-key voice.

“You know, ladies,” she continued, “we gotta be like in the old Destiny’s Child song: ‘Independent Women.’ That should be every girl’s anthem.”

“I love that one!” said Avery.

At that, she stood up and began to sing the song as she flailed about. This was Avery’s attempt at dancing.

“Avery, sit!” Isabel grabbed Avery’s shirt and pulled her back down. “You’re totally embarrassing us!”

“What?” Avery asked innocently. “What happened to SSGP?”

Katani grimaced. “I don’t think that applies to dancing like a chicken in the middle of the cafeteria.”

Isabel leaned her elbows on the table and propped her chin in her hands. “Well, my
abuelita
always says you really do have to make your own happiness. Having a boyfriend is fine and dandy, but you need to be able to find happiness on your own. It’s what makes you a beautiful woman.”