I gulp the water from the drinking fountain. What is it about math class that makes me so thirsty? Maybe it’s my fear of never understanding the square root of a negative number. I take one more swallow, then start to bolt to my next class.
Bam! I plow right into somebody. Yikes! It’s Brent.
“You okay?” Brent’s brows draw together in concern. He holds my shoulders as if he’s afraid I’m going to fall over.
I stare into his seriously gorgeous blue eyes. “I, uh, I’m fine. More than fine.” Oops. I said that last part out loud. “Are you okay?” I drink in the tenderness of his gaze.
“I’m fine.” Brent’s hands remain on my shoulders. “I just wanted to make sure that you’re all right.”
“I am. Totally. I’m okay. I’m more than—” I catch myself this time. I touch his arm, just barely, but I touch it. A ripple of excitement runs through me.
“Good.” Brent smiles and gives my shoulders a little squeeze before he drops his arms to his sides. “See you around.”
I nod. “S-see you.” I watch Brent walk down the hall until I hear the warning bell and realize I’ve got to run to get to my next class on time. But before I take a step, I feel a tap on my shoulder. It’s Claire.
“Hi,” she says. “I’d like to see you after school. In the To Be Frank-lin office.”
Yikes! She saw me and Brent. She’s making an appointment to kill me. “Uh, well, uh.” I try to think of an excuse not to go.
“See you after school.” Claire smiles. Is it a real smile, or an I’m going to do you in where no one can see smile? She turns and leaves before I can double-talk my way out of it.
I run like crazy, partly to make it to class on time, partly to put as much distance between me and Claire as possible. As I run, I’m already preparing my defense. It was nothing. Claire just misunderstood what was happening. Yeah, that’s it. It was all just a misunderstanding.
I can hardly concentrate in my classes. Instead of hearing the teacher, I keep imagining what Claire is going to say or do to me. (This is the downside of an active imagination.) I mean, she saw us with his hands on my shoulders and my hand touching his arm. Claire might be one of those people who is all sweet and nice on the outside, but intense and vindictive on the inside. I’m lucky I don’t get called on in class, because I have no idea what any of the questions are.
At lunch I can hardly eat, but no one notices, because Randi is going on and on about how great Kurt is, knowing that Justin is at the next table well within hearing distance. In fact, at one point I could almost swear I see Justin’s ears swivel just like a cat’s. Lucky for him, Madison doesn’t notice his ear condition, because she’s blabbing on about prom, at least that’s what I can tell from the few snatches of her monologue I catch whenever Randi pauses to take a breath.
Colt and I skip our study session, because he has to run some errands for his Dad. I go for a walk to try to burn off my stress. I make it through my afternoon classes by forcing myself to listen and take notes, although I’m not sure any of the notes make sense. I stop at my locker to get all the stuff I need for a quick getaway after my talk with Claire, in case I’m still alive to make a getaway. Randi’s walking home with Kurt, Tanya’s somehow fitting in a prolonged goodbye with Todd before she walks to the library with Del and Nina’s stopping by Duke’s room for some more “extra direction.” I think other people in the play are going to be there, too, if I heard Nina right, so at least I don’t have to feel guilty about not having the energy to worry about any possible sinister motives on Duke’s part.
I take a deep breath and walk slowly and with dread to the To Be Frank-lin office. Claire is there, sitting in a chair. “Hi, Becca.” Just like last time, she gestures for me to sit on the sofa.
“H-hi.” I sit, and try to remember to breathe. I cling tightly to my book bag, as if maybe it can protect me.
“So,” Claire says, “how are you doing?”
Other than being terrified? “Um, I’m fine. Er, how are you?”
“I’m doing great.” Claire smiles her perfect-teeth smile. “I’ve been accepted at Georgetown, my top school.”
“Oh?” She called me in here to tell me that? Or is she just softening me up before she moves in for the kill? “Oh. That’s nice. Um, congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Claire flicks her ultra-glossy hair over her shoulder. “I’ve been wondering, do you still not have a boyfriend?”
Ack! Warning bells clang in my brain. She’s trying to find out if I’m after Brent! What can I say? What can I do? Making up a boyfriend, even an out-of-town one is too complicated. I brace myself and say, “Um, no.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Claire’s smooth, perfect skin glows with delight. Is she just trying to lull me into thinking everything is okay?
I don’t know what to say except, “Oh?”
“You see,” Claire says, “I am going to go to Georgetown.”
“That’s, um, great.” Maybe this is a test. I’m not sure what kind, but I guess I’ll find out.
“Brent’s been accepted to a lot of schools.” Claire pauses, then says, “Including the university here in Franklin. That’s where he’s decided to go. It’s a great school, but I want to expand my horizons.”
“I see.” I don’t exactly see what point she’s trying to make, but now my heart is torn between being thrilled that Brent will be here next year and Claire won’t, and worrying Claire plans on doing something to keep me out of the picture!
“Brent is smart, he’s sweet, he’s really a great guy.” Claire bites her lip and looks away for a second, then stares straight at me. “But I’ve, uh, outgrown the relationship.”
She leaves her words just hanging out there. What should I say? What should I do? I mean, I’m assuming this means she’s going to break off with Brent, but she hasn’t said that. Yet. I stick with my favorite one-syllable response. “Oh?”
“You seem to be a very sweet, caring person, someone who is smart and dependable.”
“Me?” I point to myself. What Claire said is flattering, I guess, but she makes me sound like a Girl Scout or something, not that there’s anything wrong with Girl Scouts.
“Yes, you.” Claire folds her hands in a pose of tranquility. “That’s why I want to turn over the responsibility to you.”
“Responsibility?” Now what? Is she talking about me being editor of the school paper? That’s not something I ever thought about, plus I think you have to be at least a junior.
“I’m going to stay with Brent through prom and graduation.” Claire bends her head and studies her hands for a moment. “After that, I’d love it if you would take over.”
“Take over?” Take over what? I am so confused.
“Yes. I’d like you to be Brent’s next girlfriend.”
My jaw hits my toenails. Claire is giving Brent to me? I must be dreaming! I don’t even have the presence of mind to say oh.
“You’re perfect for him. You’re young enough that you’ll be around for him for at least the next three years, and, from what I’ve seen, I think you’ll be very nurturing. You’re someone who can watch over him.”
My head is totally spinning. I don’t know exactly what Claire means about all that “watching over him” stuff. But she is obviously serious about her breaking up with him and appointing me to be his next girlfriend!
“Brent can’t know this has been planned,” Claire says in a low voice. “I think you should talk to him as much as possible between now and graduation. Then you’ll be close enough so that you can call him on some pretext the day after graduation. He can pour out his heart to you about our breakup, and, well, you can console him.”
I’m still speechless, but I find myself nodding.
“So, you’re okay with this?” Claire raises an eyebrow questioningly.
Okay with this? Are you kidding? For months I’ve been dreaming about you being out of the picture and me having a chance with Brent! And now you are gifting him to me? I’m thrilled beyond belief! Of course, I don’t say any of that. I try to keep my voice steady and not sound too eager as I do say, “Y-yes, I’m okay with it. Brent seems to be a great guy.”
“He really is a sweetheart.” Claire gives me a thoughtful smile. “And I feel so much better about breaking off with him knowing you will be there to comfort and look out for him.”
I’m thinking (hoping?) that Brent won’t be as upset by the breakup as Claire seems to think he will be. Or maybe she just feels guilty and thinks she has to cushion even tiniest blow to Brent’s ego. Not that he has a big ego or anything. “I’ll be there for him, you can totally be sure of that.”
Claire reaches over, takes my hands in hers and gives them a squeeze. “I knew I could count on you.”
She lets go of my hands and stands up, so I stand up.
“Remember,” Claire says, “find reasons to talk to Brent, so he won’t be suspicious when you call him the day after graduation.”
“I will.” I would really like to pinch myself to make sure this is not a dream, but I don’t want Claire to think I’m weird or something and suddenly change her mind.
“Thank you.” Claire’s eyes positively shine with pleasure. “Well, um, see you.”
“Yeah. Sure. See you.” I turn and leave, half stunned by what just happened and half ready to do cartwheels down the hall in celebration—if I could actually do a decent cartwheel.