The Real Me (12 page)

"Oh, Kevin. I'd love to! B but I have to help clean up the gym then."

"So? I'll help you. I'm not planning a late night after the prom, anyway."

"Then it's a date."

"Good," Kevin said. "Now, come here."

I snuggled closer to Kevin. He pushed back the hood of my parka, and kissed me. It was my fourth kiss in two days. Some day, I supposed, I would stop counting.

"Aaaa!" Something cold and wet nibbled at my toes.

"What is it?" Kevin asked. "What's wrong?"

I looked at my feet. "Oh," I said sheepishly. "It's just the tide coming in. My feet are getting wet."

"Whew!" Kevin pretended to wipe his forehead. "I don't have to fight off any creatures from the deep."

I laughed, splashed a handful of water at him, and ran toward the Snack Shack.

Kevin chased after me.

I reached the Snack Shack first. I huddled on the bench, holding the bucket of shells in front of me for protection against retaliation.

"You're a fast runner." Kevin puffed as he caught up to me. "How did you get in such good shape?"

"I walk a lot," I said. "And it's easier to run in sand in bare feet than with shoes on."

Kevin sat down and pulled off his shoes. "There must be at least a pound of sand in here. I ought to dump it on you!"

I held the bucket over my head. "Don't you dare!"

"Okay, okay!" Kevin laughed as he emptied his shoes--not on me--and put them back on. He leaned back and looked out at the beach. "I wish we could spend the entire summer right here."

"Me, too," I said. "We'd make a totally excellent pair of beach bums. But it's getting late. I'd better head home."

"I'll walk you." It was half statement, half question.

"If you think you can keep up with me."

"Humph." Kevin grabbed the bucket of shells. "Not only will I keep up with you, I'll carry this. What are all these shells for, anyway?"

"Uh, for the prom. Decorations for the prom."

"Oh." Kevin took my hand and held it tight. "Well, they're heavy enough!"

Kevin walked me to my door and blew me a kiss as he left.

I went in and, shivering, I undressed in the bathroom. Something fell out of my pocket onto the floor. It was the piece of blue glass.

After taking a hot shower, I was curled up on my bed, wrapped in my pink robe, when Erwina called.

"Hi. I just wanted to congratulate you on your successful debut."

"My what?"

"At my party last night."

"Oh, that." I rolled onto my stomach. "I'm still trying to sort it all out."

"It was nice to see you having a good time instead of doing your usual shrinking violet routine."

"I did have a good time. Thanks for everything." I didn't want to talk about my, uh, experiences at the party. "So, tell me about your summer job."

"There's not much to tell. I start the day after school gets out. I'll be filing, answering phones, stuff like that. What about you? Are you going to work for your father?"

"Next year. He always hires a senior for the summer and even I don't get special privileges in regard to that. I'll think of something."

"Better hurry," Erwina said. "Summer's not that far away. For that matter, neither is the prom. Uh, do you have a date?"

"No. But I've decided to ask someone."

"Anyone I know?" Erwina asked with a laugh.

"Yes. Good old' Walt."

Chapter
Twelve

"Hold it a second, Walt. I want to talk to you about something." I wanted to ask Walt before we got to school.

"We can walk and talk at the same time," Walt said. "You know, now is not the time to slack off on our exercise program."

"Please. It's important."

Walt stopped and leaned against a maple tree. "All right. What's so important?"

I hesitated. What was I so nervous about? It was only Walt, after all. I took a deep breath. "Would you go to the prom with me?"

Walt burst out laughing.

I looked down at my feet, then up at Walt. He was doubled over. "Would you please stop laughing. A simple 'no' would suffice."

"I'm sorry." Walt gasped. "I wasn't laughing at you."

"It was a pretty good imitation," I said. Maybe I would have been better off staying in my shell, after all.

"Mattie, I'd thought about asking you. But I never quite got up the nerve."

"Nerve? But we've been friends forever."

"That's just it. I was afraid it might ruin our friendship."

"That's silly--"

"And I thought you were interested in … someone else. I'm glad you're not--I wouldn't want to see you get hurt."

"You don't have to worry about me," I said, trying not to sound guilty. "You still haven't answered my question, you know."

"Oh. Right. Well, the answer is, drum roll, please …Yes!"

Walt walked with his arm around me the rest of the way to school.

At lunch I slid into my seat next to Erwina, waiting for the inevitable question.

"Well?"

"He said yes."

"Ah, ha!" Erwina said triumphantly.

"Ah, ha, what?"

"I knew all along that you and Walt would go to the prom together. Remember, when you first started working together, and walking to school together?"

"I have a date with Kevin for brunch the morning after."

"Oh?" Erwina's eyebrows shot up to her hairline.

I filled her in on all the glorious details of my afternoon at the beach with Kevin.

"You mean to tell me Kevin wanted to ask you out, but he's so inexperienced with girls that he couldn't figure out a way to dump Nicole?"

"Something like that." It had sounded so reasonable when Kevin explained it.

"I don't know," Erwina said. "Sounds weird to me. It's hard to believe a guy as great-looking as Kevin could be so duh about stuff like that."

"Only because you've never been shy a day in your life!" I said. "Looks and gender have nothing to do with being shy and uncertain and doubtful and--"

"Okay, okay." Erwina held up her hands. "It's probably just a coincidence that he asked you out when summer and Craig are just around the corner. Anyone with two ears knows that the day after the prom is when Craig arrives in town."

"Excuse me." I refused to listen to any more of Erwina's editorials. "I'm going to the lav." I left my tray and half eaten food on the table.

I banged the lavatory door against the wall as I charged inside. Nicole Sandhurst stood in front of the sink combing her hair. She placed her comb on the edge of the sink and turned to face me. "Back off, Mason."

"What?"

"Stay away from Kevin. He's mine."

"Oh," I said sweetly. "Do you have a receipt?" Maybe it was because I was angry, but for some reason, Nicole didn't scare me.

"You know …." Nicole looked me over from head to toe. "You can lose weight and change your hair, but inside you're still just you."

"That's right," I said, startled to find myself agreeing with Nicole. "I am still me. And I'm glad--because I like myself."

Nicole rolled her eyes.

"Sorry if you have a problem with that."

Nicole frowned.

I shrugged and turned on the water to wash my hands. I wasn't going to let Nicole run me out of the lavatory.

Nicole grabbed her comb, stuffed it in her handbag, and darted out into the hall.

"Good riddance," I whispered to the mirror.

Suddenly Erwina's reflection appeared beside mine. She waved. "Hi."

"Hi." I finished rinsing my hands and tore off a paper towel.

"I'm sorry for the way I rambled on at lunch," Erwina said. "You know Kevin better than I do. Forgive me? Please?"

"Oh, you're forgiven." I paused, then said, "I know you have only my best interests at heart. But don't worry. I think I know what I'm doing. And if I don't, well, nothing ventured, etc., etc."

"Great. Hey, before you rushed off there was something I was going to tell you. Mr. Bailey is retiring to
California
next week to be near his son."

"Mr. Bailey? So, who's going to run the Snack Shack this summer? He's done it ever since I can remember."

"Who indeed?"

"Well … who?"

Erwina stared straight at me.

"Me? Of course! Me! I'll go to the Town Hall right after school. I wonder who I talk to?"

"My mother suggested you talk to Miss Tallerday."

"Your mother? Of course. She always knows everything!" I hugged Erwina. "Thank her for me."

"Sure."

After school I stuck a note in Walt's locker, ran to the Town Hall, and filled out an application for the job as manager of the Snack Shack. When I got home, Parmesan was pacing back and forth in front of the house. "Oh, poor thing." I rubbed Parmesan's chin. "You must be starving."

Parmesan rubbed against my legs all the way to the kitchen. I put some dry cat food in Parmesan's dish and gave her a bowl of fresh water.

My phone rang.

"Hi, Mattie. It's Walt. I missed you on the way home this afternoon."

"Didn't you get my note?"

"Yes. But I still missed you."

"Oh. Well, I'll see you in the morning."

"That seems so far away."

"It does?" I checked the kitchen clock. "It's only fifteen hours from now."

"That seems like a long time to me."

"Um, Walt, I've got to start dinner soon. Did you want something?"

"Besides hearing your voice, I wanted to ask you something."

"Well?"

"I've got to rent a tux for the prom soon. Is there any particular color you'd like me to get?"

"I hadn't really thought about it."

"I don't want to clash with your dress."

"I don't have a dress yet."

"Well, then, I'll stick to basic black--ha, ha. That should go with anything."

"Whatever you want."

"Fine. See you in the morning."

"Bye." I hung up. A dress! I hadn't even thought about a dress. There wouldn't be time for another trip into
New Haven
. Maybe I could find something in
Madison
. There was that little dress shop next to the movie theater.

My mother picked me up after school the next day and took me to
Madison
. There were still several dresses in my size, which was ten or twelve depending on the dress. I thought about how Nicole would look in her sexy, slinky red dress. But, remembering how I felt wearing the low cut blouse to Erwina's party, I decided not to get anything too daring. Besides, Mom wouldn't go for it anyway.

After trying on several dresses and not finding anything I really liked, I started to get discouraged. Then there was a tap on my dressing room door.

"Miss Mason?" It was the sales clerk. "I have a dress you might want to try. It was in the back room being repaired. It just was missing a hook, but that's been replaced and it really is a lovely dress."

I could just imagine what it looked like. But I didn't want to hurt the woman's feelings. I opened the door a crack and stuck out my arm. "Thanks. I'll try it on."

It was a pale lavender taffeta dress with silky trim at the top and at the hem. I slipped it on. The lavender emphasized my green eyes. The fitted bodice actually made my waist look smaller. The effect was romantic and understated at the same time. Not so long ago I'd thought of myself as too big. Now I felt elegant. It was a nice feeling.

"How is it?" The sales clerk called through the door.

"Perfect," I said. "I'll take it." I wondered how I'd look dancing with Kevin.

On Friday I got a call from Miss Tallerday. My reference letters had all been glowing--would I stop by in a few days to pick up the record books and order forms I would need, and could I start work at the Snack Shack the first weekend after school got out?

I calmly said yes, then danced around the room after I hung up. I announced to Parmesan, "I have the job!"

Saturday afternoon Walt and I worked on the finishing touches for the prom decorations. We went over our checklist for what we hoped would be the last time. The prom was only a week away.

The cookies were all baked and frozen, and the ingredients for the punch were in our refrigerator. The decorations were nearly done. We had only to finish gluing the shells on the crowns for the king and queen of the prom.

"I'm done." Walt held up the queen's crown.

"Since you're finished with that, why don't you take a break and come back this evening to help pack up the decorations. That way we'll be able to set up faster next week."