“YAY! YOU’RE HERE!” KHLOE SAID, OPENING our door. Lexa and Jill, sleeping bags and overnight satchels in hand, arrived first.
“Thanks for inviting us,” Lex said.
Jill put her hot-pink sleeping bag with black stars out of the way next to the wall. “Yeah, thanks so much. Every time I thought my brains were going to explode during class, I pictured tonight.”
“Same,” I said. “Now I’ve officially survived my first week at Canterwood.”
Lexa high-fived me. “You’re definitely a Canterwood student now. Enjoy every second of this weekend because it’s like the teachers make it their personal mission to give us as much work as possible. They think they let us ‘take it easy’ the first week.”
Jill groaned, taking off her glasses to rub her eyes. “Please don’t even say the words ‘teachers’ or ‘work.’”
The three of us laughed until someone knocked on the door. Lexa’s eyes met mine. She didn’t get along with Riley, but tried to for Khloe’s sake.
I opened the door this time. “Hey,” I said, smiling at Clare and Riley. Both girls were dressed like the rest of us—in loungy pants and T-shirts.
“Hi,” Clare said. “TGIF!”
“Seriously,” I said. “C’mon in.”
Riley didn’t say a word as she stepped through the doorway. I sighed to myself. I wasn’t going to let her drag down the night. Khloe and I had made a pact to include her in everything and not to engage her if she tried to start an argument.
Clare said hi to the other girls and put her stuff with everyone else’s. Riley’s eyes went over every inch of our room.
“Nice color choices,” Riley said.
Everyone paused. Did I hear her right? I waited for a “but . . .” to follow. Riley didn’t say anything else.
“Thanks,” Khloe said. “Lauren and I used our favorite colors and, luckily, they matched.”
We all traded a bit more small talk and everyone seemed to relax by the minute. Even Riley. I wondered if she’d been nervous about the sleepover.
“Want to change into pj’s and decide what to do first?” I asked.
Everyone agreed and we took turns changing in the bathroom. We ended up sitting or lying in different places in the room. Riley and Clare were on their stomachs on Khloe’s bed, Lexa and I sprawled on our sides on the rug, and Jill and Khloe sat on my bed.
“I love our pajamas,” I said. “We look like we could be in a commercial or something.”
“So true,” Jill said. She ran a hand through her brown hair, giving it volume and making a face as if she was looking into a camera.
We all giggled. Our pj’s really were cool—everyone had colorful pants or shorts paired with tank tops. I’d chosen a hot-pink tank with white stitching and white shorts. Khloe had dressed in her favorite color. She wore a spaghetti strap yellow tank top with white polka dots and matching shorts with ruffled hems.
I was glad Khloe and I had stocked up on various sodas. Almost everyone was drinking something different. Clare sipped grape, Riley had diet root beer, Jill and Lexa drank Sprites, I had cherry Diet Pepsi, and Khloe had already finished her Mountain Dew. I’d offered everyone a choice of a different crazy straw and even Riley couldn’t help but smile when she’d picked a red swirly one.
“So, you actually think Hailey is going out with Jason?” Clare asked.
“Yes!” Jill said, nodding so hard she shook the bed. “They’re totally keeping it on the DL ’cause Hailey is only dating Jason to get back at Brad.”
“Oh, stop,” Riley interjected, but not in a mean way. We’d been gossiping and giggling for a while. Khloe had set bowls of M&M’s, popcorn, chips, and pretzels on the coffee table though the food had been forgotten when the talking had started. The TV was on low in the background, set on our agreed-upon favorite reality TV network—Watch!—but no one was paying attention.
“It’s true,” Lex said. She pulled her curls into a high ponytail. “I heard Hailey in the bathroom the other day. She told Kacie that Jason wasn’t even a six, but he was perfect because he’s Brad’s biggest competition on the basketball team.”
“Ouch,” I said. “That’s harsh.”
I’d been having so much fun listening to everyone and learning the scandals at school.
“No kidding,” Khloe said. “Jayllex told me that Brad’s so jealous, he’s going to blow it at the next game if he doesn’t cool it.”
I got up, realizing I’d forgotten some of the candy. I dug through a box in my closet and found the bags of Japanese candy that I’d ordered online for tonight. Becca, crazy about manga and anime, had spent a lot of free time watching Japanese cartoons over the summer. She’d discovered a store full of Asian candy when we’d made a trip back to New York City and, thankfully for Becs, the store had a website. She’d used a lot of her allowance on the candy and had gotten me hooked.
I set the bags on the table and everyone stopped talking, staring at the bags. I’d gotten Meiji Yan Yan sticks with strawberry crème and chocolate hazelnut dip, Hello Kitty sour gummies, and an assortment of Haribo fruit-flavored gummies.
“What kind of candy is that?” Riley asked, her nose wrinkled but her eyes curious.
“It’s Japanese candy,” I explained. “My sister got me addicted to it over the summer.”
Clare got off the bed and knelt by the coffee table. She picked up a packet of strawberry Pocky Sticks and turned them over in her hands. “Oooh. These look good.”
“Where’d you get it?” Lexa asked. Like Clare, she got beside the table.
“I ordered it online. My mom took my sister and me back to Brooklyn this summer to visit our friends and we went into Manhattan. Becca found this candy shop and almost bought everything in the store.”
“You used to live in Brooklyn?” Jill asked. She straightened her glasses. “What was it like?”
Khloe ripped open a bag of Hello Kitty sours. Lexa took a couple and tossed one to Riley. I opened my favorite and Becca’s—Kasugai kiwi gummies. I loved that the candies even had kiwi seeds inside.
“I loved Brooklyn,” I said. “It was eclectic and laid-back. I liked that I had access to the city, but didn’t live in Manhattan. It’s fun to visit, but too busy for me.”
“Manhattan’s just like Canterwood,” Riley said. “You have to keep up or you’ll get run over.”
No one said anything to that. We munched on candy and watched TV. Riley’s phone rang. An odd look flashed on her face. Riley fumbled for her BlackBerry, silencing the ringer. Everyone else’s phones were away, but Riley had kept hers out. She was probably waiting for things to get boring so she could text or play on her phone.
Riley stood, smoothing her white tank with a glittery black heart. “Be back in a sec.” She took her phone, skirted around the coffee table and went out into the hallway, closing the door behind her.
“Okaaay,” Lexa said. “She can’t talk in here?”
Clare picked up a peach candy. “I think it’s an ex or someone from home. She always leaves our room, too, when she gets calls like that.”
“You’re her friend and she won’t even tell you?” Jill asked.
“Nope. I asked once and, believe me, I’ll never ask again,” Clare said.
The door opened and Riley stepped back inside. Her cheeks were a little flushed. Clare was probably right— maybe Riley had been talking to an ex. Or a secret boyfriend back home.
The rest of us pretended like we’d been absorbed in TV while Riley had been on the phone.
“Want to order pizza?” I asked.
“And watch a movie when it comes?” Khloe added.
Everyone nodded. Khloe dialed The Slice and placed our order.
Riley looked at us with a gleam in her brown eyes. “This is a sleepover. We have to play truth or dare!”
That sounded dangerous. Playing truth or dare would be fun with the other girls, but not with Riley. Somehow, she was going to ask the wrong question or dare someone to do something awful.
“Um . . . ,” I said, looking at Khloe for help.
She looked back, wide-eyed. “Yeah, maybe we—”
“I’ll start,” Riley said, cutting Khloe off and not waiting for an answer if anyone else wanted to play.
“Fine, but we have to keep the dares contained to the room,” Khloe said, her voice firm. “We’ll never be allowed to have another sleepover again if Christina finds out we left.”
“Deal,” Clare said. The rest of us nodded. Except for Riley.
“Riley?” Khloe asked.
Riley waved her hand. “Yeah, deal. Whatever.” Riley took her time looking at each of us. “Lexa,” she finally said. “Truth or dare?”
“Truth,” Lexa said.
“Who was your first kiss?” Riley asked.
Lexa traced the pink stripe that ran down her pant leg. She stared at Riley, her head up. “I haven’t kissed a boy yet.”
Riley smirked then frowned. “That was so rude of me. I’m so sorry for you, Lex. It’s not fun to be, like, the only girl in our grade not to have been kissed.”
“I’m totally cool with it, Riley,” Lexa said, almost spitting out Riley’s name. “I’m not going to kiss any random guy just to say I’ve been kissed.”
“Your turn, Lex,” Jill interjected.
Lexa glared at Riley. I was sure she’d pick Riley and retaliate. “Khloe,” Lexa said.
Major relief. I should have known that Lexa was more mature than Riley.
“Dare,” Khloe said, grinning.
Lexa thought for a moment. “Got it. Take a picture of yourself in a silly pose, scroll through your address book with your eyes closed, stop, and send it to the name you land on.”
“Do it, do it!” I said, laughing.
“Omigod,” Khloe said. “What if I send it to a guy or something?”
Lexa giggled. “Let’s hope not.”
Khloe, being a good sport, grabbed her phone. She turned it around and pointed the camera at her face. She stuck out her tongue, crossed her eyes, and the flash went off.
Everyone, even Riley, laughed.
“Now scroll,” Lexa said.
Khloe held the phone away from her, closed her eyes, and scanned her address book. She thrust the phone at Jill. “Tell me who it is! I can’t look.”
Jill stared at Khloe’s screen. “This. Is. So. Perfect!” She handed it back to Khloe and all of our eyes followed the phone.
Through squinted eyes, Khloe peeked. “Nooo!” Her face reddened and she slapped a hand over her forehead.
“Who is it?” Lexa asked.
“Tell!” I said.
Khloe lowered her head. “It’s . . . Zack.”
“Zack, as in the Zack that you and Lex were freaking out over when he talked to me on Monday?” I asked.
“Yes,” Khloe mumbled. She held the phone facedown.
“Why do you have Zack’s number?” Riley asked.
“Because we’re science partners,” Khloe said.
“Doesn’t matter!” Clare said. “Send it.”
“Guys . . .” Khloe made puppy eyes at us.
“We’re waiting,” Lexa said, smiling.
Khloe rolled her eyes then pressed a couple of buttons on her phone. “Zack’s going to think I’m so weird for sending him this. It’ll ruin my reputation forever with boys here and I won’t ever go on a date, I’ll end up going to senior prom alone and—”
“Senior prom?” I asked, giggling. “If we have to, we’ll worry about getting you a date for seventh grade, okay?”
Khloe held out the phone, a check mark next to the photo and Zack’s name. “There. Thanks, Lex.” She tossed a Hello Kitty gummy at her friend.
“My turn,” Khloe said. “Lauren. Truth or dare?”
“Truth,” I said, eating a pretzel stick.
“If your ex came to campus, would you date him or keep your options open?” Khloe asked.
“Ex?” Clare asked. “I didn’t know you had an ex! Why you did you break up? I so need details!”
Khloe glanced at me. “We’re playing truth or dare, Clare, not spill your guts. Ask Laur later.”
I’d thank Khloe later for saving me from retelling my Taylor story.
“If he came to Canterwood,” I said. “I don’t know what I’d do, honestly. It’s only my first week here and I’m not looking for guys, but there are definitely some hot ones.”
“Okay,” Khloe said. She tugged at the end of her French braid. “Your turn.”
“Riley,” I said.
Riley tossed a few M&M’s into her mouth. “Dare.”
Exactly what I’d been hoping for. Clare may have been too scared to ask about Riley’s mystery caller, but I wasn’t. I thought about the day I’d heard her in the stable and how there wasn’t any other possible question to ask.
“Show us the last call on your phone,” I said. “The one who just called. I want to know who your mystery person is.”
Riley’s hand went to her phone, clutching it. She locked eyes with me—like she could scare me into taking it back.
“Riles!” Clare said. “Omigod, I thought you had a secret boyfriend, but now I’m totally sure!”
“Clare,” Riley’s tone was warning.
“Is he someone we both liked and that’s why you didn’t tell me?” Clare continued.
“Show us, Riley,” Jill said. “The game was your idea.”
With a cool look, Riley played with her phone and handed it to me.
“There,” she said.
“Toby,” I read aloud, handing her back the phone.
“Toby?” Jill said as she, Lexa, Clare, and Khloe looked at each other.
“I can’t think of one guy in our class named Toby,” Khloe said. “Oooh, is he older? Like, in eighth grade or high school?”
Riley pressed her lips together. I’d never seen her like this. Something was off. Why wouldn’t she say who it was?
Clare elbowed her best friend. “I’m your BFF. Tell me. We all promise,” Clare looked at each of us. “not to tell anyone outside of this room.”
“It’s okay, Riley,” I said, using the patronizing tone she’d perfected. “You don’t have to share anything. I mean, there must be a good reason why you want to keep Toby a secret.”
“Yeah,” Lexa said. “If he is your secret boyfriend—”
“He’s not my boyfriend!” Riley yelled.
We stared at her, afraid to move. I don’t think anyone was breathing. Riley’s outburst had silenced the room. Even the TV seemed quieter.
“Never mind,” Clare said quietly. “You don’t have to tell.”
“No, you all want to know so bad,” Riley’s voice hovered a notch below yelling. “I’ll tell you exactly who Toby is. I love Toby so much.”
So he was her . . .
“Toby is my little brother. He has Down syndrome. Those secret phone calls to my ‘boyfriend’ were to my parents about my brother. Or my brother calling me.”
Oh, my God. This was all my fault.
“Riley, I’m so sorry,” I said. “You don’t have to say anything else. We never should have pushed you. I’m sorry I asked the question.”
A tear ran down Riley’s face and she swiped it away with her hand. “You know who’s sorry, Lauren?I am. You know who should be the one apologizing? I should. To my brother.”
Clare eased next to Riley and, tentatively, put an arm across her shoulders. Riley didn’t shrug Clare off.
“When I left my old school to come to Canterwood, I also left Toby,” Riley continued. It was as if she couldn’t stop talking. Like she needed to tell someone. Like the secret had been too much to hide alone. I empathized with her more than she knew.
“Last year, my mom called and said Toby was being teased by some kids in his class,” Riley said, more tears falling. “It was my fault. I’d always been there to protect him from those stupid kids who didn’t understand. I told Mom that I wanted to come home, but she said no. Toby wouldn’t want me to.”
“I bet your mom was right,” Khloe said, her voice soft. The rest of us nodded.
“I went home last summer and spent tons of time with Toby. We went to the arcade, bowled, and I took him to the water park. I don’t care if it sounds lame, but he’s fun to be with and he’s my friend, too.”
“It’s not lame,” I said. “My sister is one of my best friends. Toby sounds like a special kid.”
Riley smiled. “He is. He has friends at school, gets awesome grades, and loves baseball. This year, he entered fifth grade. At first, my mom kept telling me that everything was fine with him. My dad said the same thing. And Toby . . . he was so cheerful and happy just to talk to me every time I called.”
No one interrupted. Riley needed this. I was embarrassed that I’d eavesdropped on her at the stable. The conversation had obviously been about Toby.
“Finally, my mom told me the truth. She said the teasing had escalated. Toby came home crying more than once. That wouldn’t have happened if I’d been there. If I still lived at home, I’d be at the same school as Toby and even if I hadn’t been there when those jerks teased him, I would have been there to comfort him.”
Riley sniffled and Clare handed her another tissue.
“You’re a good big sister,” Jill said. “He’ll always see you as his protector. I bet Toby wouldn’t want you to give up your dream. I can’t imagine how you must feel, being here and knowing what he’s going through.”
“You’re talking to him,” Lexa said. “You guys should Skype—I bet he’d loved that.”
Lexa’s suggestion made Riley smile. “He would. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that.”
I hesitated, wondering if I should ask. “How is Toby? Is everything okay?”
Riley nodded. “Everything’s great, actually. I always assume something’s wrong when he calls, but he wanted to tell me that he was having a sleepover tonight with two boys in his class.”
“That’s awesome,” I said.
“So cool,” Lexa said. “Did you tell him that his big sis was at a sleepover, too?”
“I did,” Riley said. “I told him we were going to watch a girly movie and he said ‘eww’ and laughed a lot.”
Someone knocked at the door and Khloe jumped up to open it.
“Pizza, anyone?” Christina asked, holding our delivery.
“Thank you,” Khloe said. “Want a slice?”
“You know what? Sure,” Christina said. “That’s really sweet.”
Christina picked out a piece of pepperoni pizza and a napkin. “Have fun, girls,” she said as she left.
I passed out purple paper plates and matching napkins. We all took slices of pizza and no one made a move to start the movie. Instead, we fell into a conversation about our families. Jill lightened the mood by sharing a hilarious story about a family vacay gone seriously wrong when her dad, deciding to go GPS free, had driven one hundred miles in the wrong direction on a trip to the Smokey Mountains. Khloe talked about her twin sisters and how they always pulled the switching act on her.
By 2:00 a.m., the game of truth or dare seemed long forgotten. Colorful sleeping bags were spread all over the floor and we were losing the fight to stay awake.
Riley, Clare, and Jill were already snuggled into their sleeping bags.
“G’night,” Khloe said to Lexa.
“Night, guys,” Lexa whispered, her voice heavy with sleep.
I slipped under my cool covers and Khloe hit the light, bathing the room in darkness.