THE REST OF THE NIGHT WAS SPENT IN TRUE sleepover fashion. We had pizza delivered, watched a couple of movies, and put face masks on each other. Clare had just gotten a new pineapple enzyme mask that we all wanted to try.
“We smell like the beach,” I said, laughing. The clear goop on my face made my skin tingle.
“I’ll happily take smelling like a picnic basket if it means tiny pores,” Lexa said.
“Ditto,” Khloe said.
My phone chimed, and I reached over to grab it off Clare’s bed. It was late, and all my friends were here—who was BBMing me?
I opened BBM and saw Drew lit up.
How’s ur nite?
I typed back.
Lauren:
Great! @ Clare’s 4 a sleepover.
Drew:
U watching chick flicks & talking abt guys?
Lauren:
LOL. Maybe.
Drew:
I’ll let u go. U guys wanna trail ride w me 2mrw?
Lauren:
Lemme ask & I’ll let u know!
I tossed my phone down and turned around. Khloe, Clare, and Lexa were staring at me with expectant looks on their faces.
“What?” I asked, giggling.
“Oh, this will take so much longer if you play the innocent act,” Khloe said. “What’s Drew up to?”
Anytime his name was mentioned, I couldn’t help but blush. It was the most annoying reaction, but I couldn’t stop it. Maybe the pineapple mask concealed some of it. . . .
“He was seeing what I was doing,” I said.
“Aw!” the girls said simultaneously.
“It was so not a big deal,” I said. “But he did ask if we wanted to trail ride with him tomorrow.”
“First, it was a big deal,” Khloe said. “He messaged you on Friday night! He could have been playing Xbox or doing whatever boys do, and he stopped to say ‘hi’ to you. He was thinking about you.”
“So romantic,” Clare said with a happy sigh. “Drew Adams like-likes our LT.”
I tried not to give too much weight to Clare’s words, but I wanted them to be true. I knew that Drew liked me and I liked him. A lot. But I didn’t want to jump into anything too fast.
“What about the second part?” I asked, pulling my pjs out of my bag. “You guys up for a trail ride tomorrow?”
“YES!”
Everyone’s near shout almost knocked me off my toes, where I was digging through my overnight bag.
“I think I have your answers,” I said, grinning. “And we’re going to be lucky if the entire floor didn’t hear that.”
We all changed into our pajamas, and I crawled into my sleeping bag.
“I’ll write Drew tomorrow morning and say that we’re up for it,” I said. “Whisper’s getting shod in the morning, and then she’ll be all set.”
“I’m going to be at the stable most of the day tomorrow,” Clare said. She pulled back the covers on her bed. “So I’m game for whenever.”
Easy, quiet talk continued until each girl fell asleep. I was the last one awake, and I pulled my sleeping bag top over my head as I turned on my phone. I didn’t want the backlight to wake anyone.
I read through my conversation with Drew. Smiling, I typed a message.
Lauren:
I hope ur phone’s off & this doesn’t wake u if ur asleep. Wanted 2 say we’d all love 2 trail ride 2mrw. Whenever ur free, let me know. C u then.
I sent the message and opened Chatter. I read a few updates from my friends.
AnaArtiste: No hmwk this wkend! Get 2 work with new oil
paints.
There was a short convo between Brielle and Taylor.
BrielleisaBeauty: @TFrost: The movie was amaze!
TFrost: @BrielleisaBeauty: Way better than I thought it would b.
BrielleisaBeauty: @TFrost: Totally. C u tmrw.
I read the message again. The message didn’t say whether any of our other friends from Yates had gone, too. It sounded as if it had been just Brielle and Taylor. But did I care? Should I care? I was kind of seeing someone else, and Taylor and I weren’t together anymore.
Then I saw another message.
AnaArtiste: @BrielleisaBeauty @TFrost: Loved the movie!!
I wanted to smack myself. Ana had been there too. I had to stop jumping to conclusions. Besides, I had written one-on-one exchanges with Drew and hadn’t thought about Taylor seeing them and reading into it.
I clicked on my profile and typed a new status update.
LaurBell: Sleepover @CutieClare’s w @DramaRama & @Lexaaa was so fun. Every1’s asleep now. Night! Zzzz...
I updated my status, poked my head out of my sleeping bag, and fell asleep with my phone in hand.