My Secret Boyfriend (2 page)

“Change? What do you want to change into?” Her mother was standing at the sink shaping hamburger patties. “Dad’s grilling outside tonight. Would you please slice some tomatoes onto a platter?”

“Change into a real girl instead of a skinny tomboy.”

Mrs. Starling chuckled. “Jordan, you’re a very lovely young girl.”

Jordan grimaced. “How can you say that? I’m as flat as a board.
I
could wear postage stamps for a bra and no one would know the difference!”

“You’re going to be grown up soon enough. Just enjoy being what you are right now.”

“Mom!’ Jordan said in an exasperated tone.

Mrs. Starling eyed her critically. “You really are very attractive, honey. Tall, willowy. . . most girls would kill for legs as long as yours.”

Jordan turned a full profile toward her mother. “No chest, no bottom, no curves.”

Just then, Jamey skidded into the kitchen. He glanced between his mother and sister. “Gee, Jordan,” he said with a mischievous grin. “When you stand sideways like that, you look just like my snake!”

“Get out of here!” Jordan shrieked, tossing a wadded dish towel after him as he ran out of the kitchen. “See!” She whirled back to her mother. “Even a ten-year-old can see the difference!”

“Jordan, you know how Jamey likes to tease you. Don’t let him get under your skin.”

After supper, Jordan retreated to her room to study, but she couldn’t concentrate. The lie she’d told about meeting a special guy on her vacation kept nagging at her. Why did she say such a thing? Being jealous of Jennifer was no excuse. Jordan dug out her diary, a beautiful book bound in red leather with ivory-colored pages. She flipped it open and poured out her feelings in black ink. Afterward, she felt better. At least her diary knew the truth.

She locked the book, buried it deep in a drawer, and tried to study. But all she thought about was how she was going to avoid Jennifer for the remainder of eighth grade.

Jordan made it four days. On Saturday night, Carmen Rodriguez had a back-to-school pool party at her sprawling house. At first Jordan decided not to go since she was certain she’d be the only girl there without a guy. But Laurie begged her, and once she arrived, she realized that most of the kids had come by themselves. Besides, Carmen always had fun parties, and Jordan hated to miss one.

When Jordan arrived, the first thing she did was search for Jennifer, but she wasn’t there yet. Good, Jordan thought.
Maybe she won’t come at all
. Jordan stood with Laurie on the patio. Wade was in the water with a group of guys. The pool sparkled with underwater lights, and colored lanterns lined the edge of the yard. Music blared over an outdoor speaker system. A table was filled with pizza, chips, colas, and bowls of fruit.

“Scott Lewis is sort of cute,” Laurie said to Jordan as she crunched on a small wedge of watermelon.

“Trying to fix me up?”

“Never. Besides, I’ve waited patiently all week to hear about this boy you met during your vacation. Now’s a perfect time.”

Jordan’s heartbeat sped up. What was she going to say? A commotion from the back porch interrupted her racing thoughts. Jennifer had arrived with Glen. Jordan groaned.
Don’t let her come this way
. . . she pleaded silently, but it was too late. Jennifer was headed right toward her.

“Well, hi, Jordan. Hey, Laurie.” Jennifer looked cute in a red bathing suit.

“Hi, yourself,” Jordan mumbled. She tugged at the leg of her suit, wishing she had a T-shirt or something to put on.

“I thought you’d be here with someone special,” Jennifer said.

“Why should she when she has a boyfriend someplace else?” Laurie’s words made Jordan cringe.

“Ah, yes. I almost forgot. The one you met in the mountains. What did you say his name was?”

“I didn’t.”

“And where is he from?” Jennifer’s eyes looked mischievous, almost mean.

“I didn’t say.”

“Well, he does exist, doesn’t he?”

“Of course he exists,” Jordan heard herself say. “What did you think? That I made him up?” She couldn’t believe the words falling from her lips. She wanted to stop them, but it was as if her tongue had a separate brain.

“Don’t be silly.” Jennifer giggled. “I’m just curious.”

Laurie looked at Jennifer with a look that would have frozen a bonfire. “I’m sure Jordan will tell us all about her vacation and the guy she met when she feels like it.”

Jordan felt trapped. How could she avoid disappointing her best friend and yet shut up Jennifer at the same time? Then Jordan remembered the photo that had arrived in the letter from Mrs. Elliot. “If you must know, his name is Ryan Elliot and he lives in Washington, D.C. He was staying in a cabin near ours with his family.”

“Neat,” Laurie offered with an encouraging nod.

Jennifer sniffed. “Washington, huh? Too bad for you that he lives so far away. . .”

Jordan knew Jennifer didn’t really believe her. She tried not to care. “It was just a summer thing,” she said. “I’ll never see him again, so why talk about it?”

“Are we going to stand here and talk all night?” Glen asked.

“Of course not,” Jennifer said. She smiled a fake smile, and looked sweetly at Glen. A sour taste rose in the back of Jordan’s mouth.

“That girl drives me crazy!” Laurie said when Jennifer and Glen had headed indoors.

“Just forget her,” Jordan said.

“But the way she acted about Ryan! I mean, she acts as if she doesn’t believe you. As if you invented him. Boy, she makes me
so
mad!”

Jordan’s stomach felt tense. What would Laurie and Wade think of her if they knew the truth? Jordan cleared her throat. “I think I’ll go for a swim and cool off.” She headed for the pool and dived over the side. The water felt wonderful. She swam several laps, avoiding a throng of other swimmers.

What was she going to do now? She’d told them about Ryan, a boy she hadn’t seen since she was a baby. She plunged beneath the water again and kicked her way to the smooth bottom. Then she pushed up and broke the surface. At the same time the photograph of Ryan surfaced in her thoughts. If Jennifer saw the photo, that would shut her up.

Jordan smiled as a plan began to formulate while she swam. Ryan Elliot lived 1,200 miles away. He would never know if she used his photo to get her out of a bind. What harm could it do to show Jennifer his picture?

“I’ll take it up here in my bedroom,” Mrs. Strling called from the top of the stairs.

Jamey waited until his mother’s voice came on the line, then clattered the receiver down. Jordan snapped, “Do you have to be so loud about it?”

“Well, excuse me. I forgot there was a genius at work.”

“Buzz off.”

Jamey stuck out his tongue, then skipped from the room. This was the third long distance call this month and it wasn’t her Dad calling, either. Jordan wondered who could be calling her mother so often. But she didn’t think about it long. She was finally alone in the kitchen. Nervously she licked her lips and eyed the message basket on her mother’s desk. One basket held bills, receipts, and memos. The other held letters and other projects her mother had to do.

Jordan knew that somewhere in the bottom of one of the baskets lay Mrs. Elliot’s letter. And in the letter was the picture of Ryan. Jordan hadn’t had a chance to look for it until just this minute.

She stole across the floor and fingered the stack of papers. Buried in the middle, she found the pink envelope. Gingerly, Jordan fished it out. Her hands shook and her mouth went dry.
I’m not stealing it
, she told herself. After all, Mrs. Elliot had sent the picture for the whole family. And naturally, Jordan had no intention of reading the letter.

She opened the envelope and looked inside. The photo was wedged between several sheets of stationery. Quickly she slipped it out and rested it in her palm. Then she put the envelope back, went to the breakfast bar, and hid the picture in a textbook. Then she scooped up her notebook, papers, and books and carried everything up to her room. She shut the door, then collapsed on her bed.

She’d done it! She’d gotten the photograph. Carefully Jordan flipped through the book until she found Ryan’s picture. She held it beneath her desk lamp and looked at it carefully. Ryan Elliot was even more good-looking than Glen Lockwood, she thought.

She got her purse and carefully slid the picture into a clear plastic holder in her wallet. Then she smiled to herself. Phase one of her plan had gone off without a hitch. Now it was time to begin phase two.

“Jordan, congratulations on being chosen for editor.” Carmen’s friendly words caused Jordan to glance up from her position at the card catalog in the school library.

“Thanks. You’ll be working with Laurie and me, won’t you?”

“You bet. And don’t forget . . . so will Jennifer,” Carmen said with a smug giggle. Jennifer had been surprised that Jordan had been chosen over her as editor of the school paper. Mrs. Rose had made the announcement the day before.

“How could I forget?” Jordan said. “Jennifer keeps giving me dirty looks.” Jordan’s smile was broad. “But I can take it.”

Actually Jordan was more interested in Jennifer at that moment than in Carmen’s warm wishes. Jennifer was seated on the far side of the library. From her position at the card catalog, Jordan could see her every move. Pretending she was interested in the index cards she was holding, Jordan nonchalantly glanced toward the table where her own books and papers were heaped. To the casual observer, it was just a pile of study materials. But to Jordan, it was a carefully laid trap.

On top of the pile lay her wallet, flipped open to the photograph of Ryan. All someone had to do was walk past the table and look down. A frown knitted Jordan’s brow. Why didn’t Jennifer move? Suddenly Jennifer glanced up, and Jordan quickly buried her nose in the cards. Then Jordan looked back and saw Jennifer stand, stretch, and amble through the maze of study tables.

When she reached Jordan’s books, Jennifer paused and glanced in both directions before looking down. Jordan had her! Like a fish in a net! Jordan walked up from behind and said, “Can I help you, Jennifer?”

Jennifer whirled around. “I—I—uh . . . I saw your wallet laying here and I was afraid someone might steal it.”

With exaggerated slowness, Jordan picked up the billfold. “You’re right. How careless of me.” Jordan paused, help up the photo section, and asked, “Did I ever show you this picture of Ryan?”

“No,” Jennifer said stiffly.

“Maybe I forgot. Anyway, here he is.” She dangled the picture under Jennifer’s nose. “He’s cute, huh? Oh, well, what does it matter? He’s so far away, we’ll never see each other again. But it’s fun to dream, isn’t it?”

Jennifer’s smile looked forced. “Maybe he’ll write,” Jennifer said.

“Maybe,” Jordan said as she shut her wallet and put it away. “But after all, it was just one of those crazy summer romances. Perhaps you’ll have one next year and you’ll understand what I mean.” Jennifer’s cheeks turned red, but she said nothing. “I’ve got to run,” Jordan added, picking up her stuff. “See you at the newspaper staff meeting tomorrow.”

“Sure. See you.”

Jordan left Jennifer standing, and scurried out the door. She’d done it! She’d actually proven that Ryan existed. She ignored all her white lies that had gone into creating her “romance” with him. Now she could return the photo to her mother’s letter. Now everybody could get on with the school year and forget about Jordan Starling’s big summer romance. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was finally over.

Still, she did have the photo in her wallet. And Laurie and Carmen hadn’t seen it. Maybe she’d let them sneak a peek before she returned it. After all, they were her friends.

Jordan hurried down the hall to look for them. She’d show them the picture, then let the whole episode die down. And she’d never,
ever
tell another fib again as long as she lived!

As editor of the school paper, Jordan found herself busier than ever.
The Martin Tattler
was published once a month. Stories had to be gathered and written and then rewritten and edited. After final approval by Mrs. Rose, the newspaper had to be pasted up and approved, then sent to be copied. Being editor was a big job, but Jordan enjoyed it, especially the pasteup part. As editor, she directed the staff, telling them what jobs they had to do. She tried to be fair and not act too bossy, but it was fun knowing she was in charge.

Jordan gathered her staff to put the final touches on the September edition in Mrs. Rose’s room. She reread the interview she’d done with Glen Lockwood, chuckling to herself as she remembered the day she’d done the interview. She’d taken notes while Jennifer had seethed silently in the background. Actually, the interview had proven to be a real eye-opener to her. For all his good looks, Glen wasn’t very fascinating. He was boring! All he could talk about was football. She’d had a hard time writing an interesting story about him.

As Halloween approached, Jordan thought her mother’s mind seemed to be elsewhere. And her mom spent many hours on the phone. Mr. Starling left for the Orient for three weeks and promised to bring lots of gifts back for Christmas. But her father’s parting words to her mother at the airport when they drove him to catch his flight left Jordan even more confused. He had aid, “Do what you think is best about that other situation, honey. I know how important she is to you.” Jordan thought about what he said, then shrugged it off. Grown-ups sometimes said strange things that didn’t make sense.

The Sunday before Halloween, the skies turned gray and the air held a frosty chill. Jordan snuggled on the couch in the family room and watched the Cowboys play football on TV. Jamey lay on the floor, a bowl of popcorn within reach.

The newspaper was ready to be copied— ahead of schedule—Jordan thought happily to herself. Her research was finished on her English paper and it wasn’t due until the following Friday. And the Cowboys were killing their opponents.

Jordan was reaching for a handful of popcorn when her mother walked briskly into the room and snapped off the TV set.

Jamey bolted upright. “Hey! We were watching.”

“You can turn it back on in a minute,” Mrs. Starling said. “But first I want to talk to both of you.”

Impatiently Jordan searched her memory for any rules she might have broken. She drew a blank. She’d even picked up the heap of dirty clothes from her closet floor that very morning. It must be something Jamey had done.

“I’m sure you’re aware of how much time I’ve been spending on the phone lately,” her mother began.

Jamey nodded. “You’re on it more than Jordan. And she’s
always
gabbing.”

Jordan made a face at him. “Okay, so you’ve been talking a lot. Who to?”

“I’ve been talking to Beth Elliot.” At the mention of the name, Jordan sat up straighter and swallowed. Mrs. Starling continued. “Poor Beth’s going through some very bad times. I’m sorry to say that her marriage has broken up.”

Jordan didn’t know what to say. Her mother sighed. “Beth isn’t doing very well, and I think she needs to get out of Washington.” An uneasy tingling started in Jordan’s stomach. “So I’ve asked her and Ryan to come to Dallas. And to stay here with us for as long as it takes for her to get herself together.”