Fangirl (15 page)

@PeterMaxxNow
wow, there you are! I was starting to wonder if I had the wrong address. . . . lol

@MusicLuvr
no, just had some dramaz. I'm alive. It's me. PS I can't believe you write “LOL” hahaha

@PeterMaxxNow
what's wrong with LOL?

@MusicLuvr
nothing. If you are . . . like in your thirties

@PeterMaxxNow
I'm an old soul, what can I say . . .

@MusicLuvr
BTW, how do I know you are . . . YOU?

@PeterMaxxNow
you're right. You don't know if it is ME. Good point. Fair enough.

@MusicLuvr
what 2 do, what 2 do . . . LOL

If he was going to get to know this girl, the 140-character constraint of direct-messaging on Twitter wouldn't cut it.

@PeterMaxxNow
text me + I can prove it.

Peter sent her his phone number.

@MusicLuvr
but I don't have a phone.

@PeterMaxxNow
whaaaa? What human being doesn't have a phone?

@MusicLuvr
well, I have one. Just lost it.

@PeterMaxxNow
do you have IM?

@MusicLuvr
duh. Obv.

@PeterMaxxNow
screen name?

@MusicLuvr
josiebrant

@PeterMaxxNow
brb

Josie opened up her IM and waited. Not even thirty seconds later, a message popped up on her screen from Peter—or someone claiming to be him. She was 99 percent sure it was him, but she wasn't about to take that for granted just yet.

PETERMAXX:
hi josie brant. Hahaha. Just learned ur last name

JOSIEBRANT:
yeah, that's me. Now how do I know it's you?

PETERMAXX:
take a look.

Attached to
Peter's IM message was a photo. Josie clicked on it and there was a pic of Peter holding a piece of paper on which he scrawled in black marker, “Hi, Josie Brant. I'm Peter.”

Josie squealed. It really was Peter Maxx! And he looked hotter than ever. A two-day scruff of beard and a baseball cap fitted on backward. He wore a plain white T-shirt and was sticking out his tongue playfully.

“Josie, are you okay in there?” her mom shouted through the door, concerned.

“Yes, Mom. I'm fine.”

“I thought you were sleeping.”

“I woke up, just doing some homework now.”

But what she was really doing felt nothing like work.

“Promise me you'll eat something. You haven't eaten since we got home on Friday night.”

“Okay, Mom, I will in a bit.”

JOSIEBRANT:
ok ok. I believe u now

PETERMAXX:
I could be an imposter

JOSIEBRANT:
true. But I doubt it

PETERMAXX:
so howz ur Sunday?

JOSIEBRANT:
u don't wanna know

PETERMAXX:
yes I do.

JOSIEBRANT:
no, u don't

PETERMAXX:
I do

JOSIEBRANT:
well, my dad's a total freaktard

PETERMAXX:
hahaha I can relate

JOSIEBRANT:
why r u talking to me? Like shuldnt u be hanging out with famous ppl or something

PETERMAXX:
hahahahaha no. I don't like famous people

JOSIEBRANT:
well, I don't know any so I cant say.

PETERMAXX:
u know me!

JOSIEBRANT:
trueski hahahaha

PETERMAXX:
I liked meeting you btw

JOSIEBRANT:
same

PETERMAXX:
u have a nice smile

JOSIEBRANT:
same

PETERMAXX:
congrats on the contest. Luv ur song.

JOSIEBRANT:
tks. Sorry about my friend. She didn't even tell me

PETERMAXX:
NP

PETERMAXX:
embarrassing u. that's what friends r for huh?

JOSIEBRANT:
uggh

JOSIEBRANT:
so u just wanted to congrats me?

PETERMAXX:
no. well yea. Honestly, IDK. I just thought u were nice and wanted to congratulate u and say hey

JOSIEBRANT:
well thank u. cant lie. Im sorta freakin out rt now.

PETERMAXX:
hahah. Don't. plz.

JOSIEBRANT:
imposs

PETERMAXX:
if it makes u feel any better im freaking out now too.

JOSIEBRANT:
?

PETERMAXX:
because I never chat with fans like this. I mean, not that ur just a fan.

JOSIEBRANT:
well, I AM a fan. But im not crazy, in case ur wondering

PETERMAXX:
haha. I know. Btw, I like ur school. Ppl were nice there

JOSIEBRANT:
its ok. Last day is tmrow. Then summer vacay! Yay!!

PETERMAXX:
nice.

Josie couldn't believe how easy it was to chat with Peter. Everything she had assumed was true about Peter—that he was down-to-Earth, kind, friendly, and really did appreciate his fans—was true. And the computer was an equalizing power. In real life, she barely could put two words together in front of him, but sitting in her bedroom, talking through the keyboard, she felt bolder, more confident. It didn't seem like she was chatting with a pop star. Just a friend. A really
hot
friend. The only guy she had ever rapid-fire chatted so easily with was Christopher, who began IM'ing her in the middle of her chat with Peter.

C
HRISTOPHER
1:
JOSIE ARE YOU OK??? I saw the news. It's everywhere about ur dad.

JOSIEBRANT:
Im ok. Sorry. Craziness

C
HRISTOPHER
1: ive been texting you. Just glad ur ok. I put together a little OLDIES cheer-you-up playlist.

Christopher sent her some links to a new music site he recently discovered that displayed the lyrics sheet and played the song.

JOSIEBRANT:
awww sooo sweet of u. will def listen later, my amigo. cops took my phone, dyyyyying w/out it. Ill call ya later. U R the best

C
HRISTOPHER
1:
kk. Im obv here for you if you need ANYTHING. xo

Josie didn't want to kill Peter's chat buzz, but she couldn't help herself.

JOSIEBRANT:
so does sandy know ur chatting w me. Wouldn't she be jealz?

PETERMAXX:
she definitely would be jealy. But we broke up.

If it weren't so uncool to do so, Josie would have written “OMG” a million times. But she didn't. The last thing she wanted to seem like was desperate.

JOSIEBRANT:
sorry to hear that. I hate when people feed me jealy sandwiches.

PETERMAXX:
NP. it's for the best. cant believe im telling u all this btw. . . !

JOSIEBRANT:
why r u?

PETERMAXX:
this pbly sounds weird but I trust u.

JOSIEBRANT:
well, im glad you are. FYI: I AM a trustworthy person.

PETERMAXX:
good. Had that feeling. Now I have a quesht for you . . .

JOSIEBRANT:
okayyyy . . .

PETERMAXX:
how old are you?

JOSIEBRANT:
gonna be 15 in 3 weeks.

PETERMAXX:
so then . . . if my math is correct that makes you 14! hahaha!!!

JOSIEBRANT:
technically yes.

PETERMAXX:
well, my dad says “age is just a number.”

JOSIEBRANT:
so true Mr. 16!! haha

PETERMAXX:
true Mrs. “Almost 15”

JOSIEBRANT:
LMFAO

PETERMAXX:
so, like, we are off the record, right??

JOSIEBRANT:
YES

PETERMAXX:
phew. Good. U can keep this chat our little secret?

JOSIEBRANT:
duh

PETERMAXX:
not tell any1 we r friends . . . i mean, chat buddies . . . ?

JOSIEBRANT:
duh, secret pals.

PETERMAXX:
:)

PETERMAXX:
ugh. My dad's buggin. Dinnertime. so when u find a phone u can text me ok? I'm not on the laptop very much.

JOSIEBRANT:
YES! perf

PETERMAXX:
Sweet. Gnite, josiebrant.

JOSIEBRANT:
Gnite, petermaxx.

Josie stood up and looked down at her trembling hands. She walked over to the mirror and saw those nervous red splotches all over her face. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run and tell her mom—tell the world!—what just happened. She wished she could Tweet her fifty-nine followers the news. #Winning!

Instead she made a phone call.

“Hello?”

“Ash. It's Josie.”

“Oh my god, Josie. Where are you? Everyone has been freaking out! Did you see the news? It is everywhere. Like everywhere and stuff. The rumor was that you were in jail. What's this phone number?”

“I'm home,” Josie whispered. “Cops took my cell. I am totally freaking out right now.”

“What's gonna happen? Are you in trouble?”