My Life Undecided (31 page)

When he pul s away, the grin has ful y formed, lighting him up from the inside. “I hope that answers your question.”

I nod, unable to speak as my feet find the floor again and my heart adjusts to its new, accelerated tempo.

Behind us, the entire booth erupts in applause. Even some of the surrounding tables join in on the ovation. My face turns al shades of red. I

laugh and hide my face in Brian’s shoulder.

“C’mon,” he says, placing his hand on the smal of my back and grabbing his jacket from the top of the booth. “Let’s go outside.”

We walk close together as we step out of the diner. Brian drapes his jacket over my shoulders and pul s it tightly around me.

“You look amazing, by the way,” he says, admiring my outfit.

I take a step back and do a little twirl. “You like?”

He laughs and pul s me to him. Urgently. Ardently. I fal helpless into his arms and rest my head against his warm chest. “So,” he says,

amusement dancing along the edge of his tone. “It looks like Heimlich got the girl in the end. Who would have thought?”

It takes me a moment to realize what he’s just said. And once I do, a gasp escapes my lips, echoing across the parking lot, and I leap

backward. “WHAT?”

He shrugs, like it’s just an everyday conversation. One we’ve had a mil ion times. “I mean, I know Rhett Butler seemed like the front-runner for

a while there, but I had high hopes for Heimlich. I knew it was only a matter of time before you came around.”

I stare up at him, my mouth hanging open, my eyes as wide as the flapjacks they serve inside. “You knew?”

He shoves his hands in his pockets and flashes me that sheepish grin that I’ve come to love.

“For how long?” I demand.

“A while,” he admits softly. “Around the time of the first posting.”

“The first posting!” I echo in shock. My head is reeling as I think back to every blog post I ever wrote. Every pol I ever submitted. Every vote I

ever counted. “But how did you find it?”

“Someone left it open on one of the library computers. I’m assuming it was you, although I didn’t know that at the time. Anyway, it looked

interesting, so I started reading it. And fol owing it. By the second posting, I had a pretty good idea who wrote it. I mean, come on. The Grapes of

Wrath? The field trip to the Bodies exhibit? Rugby tryouts? I saw the bruise. You told me where you got it. But it wasn’t until ‘Heimlich’ asked BB to

join the debate team that I knew for sure.”

My mind stil can’t seem to wrap itself around this new development. The whole time. He knew this whole time. And he didn’t say anything!

“Although,” he continues with a teasing smirk, “you weren’t always entirely truthful, were you?”

“Huh?”

His eyes never stop sparkling. “We al voted for you to come to the diner with me that night.”

“Oh, that.” I laugh uneasily, remembering that fateful trip to the 7-Eleven and my little fib to cover it up. “Wel , that was—” But another

astonishing realization stops me mid-sentence. “Wait a minute. You voted too?!”

“Of course!” he exclaims. “That was the best part. I had to voice my opinion about whether or not you should go out with some other guy.

Especial y to a hot new downtown club. I have to tel you, it was a huge relief when I saw how many people agreed with me.”

“But aren’t you mad?” I ask. “I mean, that the only reason I said yes to you, that I even spent any time with you, was because a bunch of

strangers told me I should.”

He seems to find humor in this question as he adjusts his jacket tighter around my chest. “How could I be mad at something that brought you

to me?”

The cold air mists my eyes. Or maybe the glisten of tears has nothing to do with the weather. I move toward Brian and sink back into him.

But he grabs my shoulders and holds me at arm’s length. His face suddenly very serious. Very stil .

“Speaking of which. What about the blog?”

“Wh-what do you mean?” I stutter.

“Your last posting,” he reminds me. “Heimlich vs. Rhett Butler. The ultimate showdown. I saw the results before I came here tonight. I saw that

—”

But I don’t let him finish. I already know everything I need to know. There’s nothing else to say. So I kiss him. Long and hard and lustful y.

“I don’t know what the results are,” I tel him, our lips stil mil imeters apart. “I never looked.”

It’s evident he wasn’t expecting this response. “Why not?”

“Because I don’t care.” I rise up to my tiptoes and rest my forehead against his. My eyes slowly close. “I choose you, Brian. Because I can.

Because it’s my choice. And because I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that it’s the right one.”

My Life (No Longer) Undecided

EPI-BLOGUE

Posted on:
Saturday, January 1st at 11:22 am by BB4Life

Hi, everyone! Missed me? Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written. I figured there were probably some loose ends that I should tie

up. I’m sure you’re wondering what happened to me and Heimlich and Rhett Butler and even Her Royal Heinous. So I’l fil you in.

Rhett Butler is dating this new girl who just moved here from Kansas. They met on the night of the big winter formal. But don’t worry,

I’m not sad. Actual y, I think it’s great. They make a real y cute couple. Her brother is going to be in some upcoming reality show so

maybe they’l even come to our town to shoot something. Of course, I can’t tel you what reality show it is, but if you just happen to be

surfing channels one day and catch sight of a total hottie with a Southern accent, keep in mind that it just might actual y be Rhett

Butler.

And Her Royal Heinous? Wel , let’s just say she’s not real y “royalty” anymore. The “heinous” part is stil true enough but it turns out al

that money her dad has been making? Not real y his money. He’s been stealing it from his clients. Can you believe that? I certainly

can. Like father, like daughter, right?

Apparently there was a huge bust right in the middle of her sweet-sixteen birthday party last month and her dad was taken away in

handcuffs. Everything in their house was confiscated, including Her Royal Heinous’s brand-new car (which was an early sixteenth

birthday present) and her entire designer wardrobe. Tough break.

And me? Wel , I’ve discovered that I actual y do have a knack for community service. So I’ve decided to hang around at the nursing

home even after my required court-ordered hours are up. We’ve added a new activity to the schedule. It’s cal ed You Choose the

Story hour and I’m in charge of it. Basical y it’s like reading hour at the library…with an interactive twist.

Heimlich and I are doing great, too! We’re preparing for the state qualifying debate tournament next month and I’m real y nervous

about it. I almost lost him to the wrestling team, but it turns out I’m not the only one who’s learned to take responsibility for my life…

and my choices.

So that’s about it. You probably won’t be hearing from me for a while…or ever, real y. But I wanted to let you know how grateful I am

that you decided to take this journey with me. Every day is a choice.

And I’m glad you chose me. Because without al of you, who knows where I’d be right now. So thanks for reading this. Thanks for

caring. I promise I’l never forget you.

Your faithful friend,

BB

Also by Jessica Brody

The Karma Club

Acknowledgments

Although writing can be a very “lonely business,” as a writer, I never feel “alone.” And that’s probably because I’m surrounded by such an amazing,

generous, loving, and supportive group of people. First of al , thank you to Michael and Laura Brody. I do believe that you choose your parents and I

couldn’t have made a wiser choice. Charlie, thanks for sticking around for yet another book (and consequently another tumultuous “act 2”). I’m

getting better, right? Right? You’re my rock and my sounding board and my plastic guitar hero. I love you. Thank you to Terra for letting me be such

a bossy older sister and putting up with my occasional moodiness. And thank you to George, Vicki, Jennifer, and Addison for accepting me into

your family with such open arms.

Janine O’Mal ey, my lovely, adorable, funny, talented, and (most important) gentle editor, thanks for guiding me through yet another book and

reading it on your vacation! Our lunches are always the best part about coming to New York. To al the wonderful people at Farrar Straus Giroux

Books for Young Readers and Macmil an Children’s Publishing Group, my journey with you has been nothing but extraordinary.

I’d like to thank my awesome team of agents, Elizabeth Fisher and everyone at Levine Greenberg, for your undying support and enthusiasm

for my novels, and Bil Contardi for introducing my characters to the world of film and television.

I also want to thank Deepak Chopra, Gotham Chopra, Carolyn Rangel, Felicia Rangel, and al the magnificent people at the Chopra Center

for your support of my career and my novels. I have never met a more kindhearted family of generous souls.

Thanks to Christina Diaz, for keeping me sane and keeping my life afloat. Without you, I’d surely drown. And because I forgot to thank her

two books ago, I need to thank Jen Marr—you know why! And of course, as always, thank you to Alyson Noël for inspiring me in ways you’l never

know…I stil say, I predicted everything!

To my fabulous group of friends who keep showing up at my book signings time and time again…without complaint. El a, Leslie, Lauren,

Jacey, Dan, Shalini, Kristin, Al ison, Tina, Hilary, Stacey, Dom, Angie, Hol y, Mike, Alicia, Brad, Katherine, Jerry, Jessen, and Lindsay. I am so

blessed to have you guys in my life.

To the awesome people who work at the Champagne Bakery in West L.A., thanks for letting me stake out my office-away-from-office there

and al owing me to stay for hours on end while I wrote this novel. And thanks to Mike Bachman, the master of titles, for summing it up so bril iantly in

three words.

A huge thanks (and hug) to Lisa Nevolo, who has brought nothing but good things since she walked into my life! And to Danny Malakhov,

Stephanie Friedman, Savannah Outen, Josh Golden, Cathy Golden, Nikki Boyer, and Jonathan George.

Al the people who contributed to The Karma Club book trailer, I am forever indebted to you. Hol y Karrol Clark, you are producer of the year!

Your positive energy is infectious and good things always seem to happen when you’re around. Jason Fitzpatrick, my wonderful y talented, creative,

and patient cinematographer, editor, and co-director. Terra Brody, fashion expert, style icon, and costume designer. Christine Schul, makeup

genius and overal awesome human being. The hardworking crew, Steve Proctor and Adrian Ranieri, the rock-star music producers and

songwriters, Tommy Fields, Matthew Clark, Mike Harold, and Ted Perlman, and the remarkable and beautiful cast: Madisen Hil , Megan Yelaney,

Gina Cecutti, Leah Clark, Lyle Drucker, Nico Nevolo, Jaira Valenti, Savannah Polisar, and Deepak Chopra. Your talent is beyond measure.

Thanks to al the wonderful booksel ers who continue to stock my books and welcome me into their stores, especial y John Schatzel and Lori

Christian.

And last but never ever, ever least, a warm and devoted thank-you to my readers—of al ages. It’s because of you that I’m able to live my

dream day in and day out and for that I am eternal y grateful. You keep reading and I’l keep writing. Deal?

Deal.

A few fun facts about Jessica Brody’s own life undecided:

Jessica was born in Los Angeles, moved to Colorado when she was twelve, moved back to California after col ege, and now indecisively

splits her time between both states.

Jessica graduated from Smith Col ege in Massachusetts with a degree in Economics and French because she was convinced she wanted to

be an “important businesswoman.” After a brief stint as a strategic analyst for MGM Studios, she abandoned her business background to

become a ful -time writer. Now she uses her mad spreadsheet skil s to build complicated outlines for her books.

Appropriately, when writing this book, Jessica couldn’t decide on a title. So she pol ed fifty of her closest friends to final y come up with My

Life Undecided.

Copyright © 2011 by Jessica Brody

Al rights reserved

macteenbooks.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Brody, Jessica.

My life undecided / Jessica Brody.—1st ed.

p. cm.

Summary: Fifteen-year-old Brooklyn has been making bad decisions since, at age two, she became famous for fal ing down a mine shaft,

and so she starts a blog to let others make every decision for her, while her community-service hours are devoted to a woman who insists

Brooklyn read her “Choose the Story” books.

ISBN: 978-1-4299-4099-3

[1. Decision-making—Fiction. 2. Conduct of life—Fiction. 3. Blogs—Fiction. 4. Books and reading—Fiction. 5. Family problems—Fiction.

6. High schools—Fiction. 7. Schools—Fiction.] I. Title.

PZ7.B786157My 2011

[Fic]—dc22

2009051277