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ღ Finding Cinderella-29 ღ

-Tristan-

I spent the whole morning determined that everything would go fine over the rest of the day.

Not only would it be the highlight of my day, but also my start to shape things up for the better, but I guess I could never keep plans without something happen ing or some other person being a huge killjoy (aka. Mr. Cross).

Three periods I'd used up contemplating whether I should cancel it or not, becau se if I canceled it, everything would blow up. I didn't want to get Kylie's hope s down, especially when she kept nagging me about it during English and all the way until lunch break.

"You're not getting out of this, T," she said, pointing two fingers at her eyes and then at mine. "The bet, remember that."

"Kylie, you've repeated that for the nth time already," I said with a snicker. " Are you really that excited?" But I couldn't blame her - she'd been wanting to s ink her teeth into her favorite pudding more than a killer whale wants to despic ably consume a baby walrus, I'd tell you that.

"Well, I'm just giving you a reminder because you might ditch me again, like you did a long while back."

"Oh, you mean what happened that summer at the beach? When we both had a contest to see who could swim the fastest?" I grinned at the memory.

"Yes, that one!"

"Wow. That happened, like, five years ago, and you still can't get over it?" I c ouldn't believe my ears. After all that time, I hadn't thought she'd still recal l that. I rubbed my head, saying, "Gee, thanks for reminding me how much I sucke d at swimming back then."

She cracked up loud enough for people look at her like she'd just lost her mind.

"Oh yeah! Speaking of which, I remember you could barely dog paddle in the water ," she said between gasps. "And - and also that time when a huge wave knocked yo u down, and you started screaming, 'Help! I'm dying! I'm dying!' That was hilari ous, T!" She slapped my back, still in hysterics. "If I had a video of that, I b et it would be a hit on YouTube!"

"That's so funny I forgot to laugh," I deadpanned. That was the only problem wit h her remembering my preteen years - she'd always make fun of them and spread st ories around to others whenever she wanted. "I nearly lost my life in that incid ent, you know that?"

"Jeez, the water level was the same as the one in the kiddie pools. How can you drown in that?"

"Stop it already, Kyles, I'm trying to forget that traumatic event. And I know h ow to swim now, so ease up, okay?"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say."

"Anyway, listen - uh, I think I might be a little late after school, 'cause I've got something to do," I faltered. "So...let's just meet up at Crest? Swear I wo n't go anywhere." I gave her an apologetic smile.

"Crest? Like, the one we went to some time ago?" She obviously didn't know I had detention. "Then I'll invite Lacey, Julianne, her little siblings because I kno w they love that place, and hmm, maybe a couple of my classmates from PE, and on e from Calculus, and-"

"What!" I exclaimed. Was she planning to bring the whole community to this? This was supposed to be the only the two of us, like a date, not some class reunion or something, for Pete's sake. But I guess the word date hadn't even crossed he r mind.

"Huh?" she asked.

"You can't bring them! What are you even thinking?"

"So only Lacey and Julianne, then."

"No, I mean-" I gulped. "I only have enough cash for two people."

She frowned. "Jeez, it's just cheap snack, that's all. What else do you wanna pa y for? Besides, they say the more, the merrier!"

Mental face-palm.

 

"No."

"Why?"

"Don't even ask."

"Why?"

"It's no, Kylie. No."

"Why?"

"Do you have words to say other than why?"

Her mocking grin widened. "No, why?"

With an exasperated sigh, I finally gave up because I knew this would take ages. "Fine, suit yourself. Bring whoever you want, I don't care."

She snapped her fingers with success. "That's the answer I was looking for."

I rubbed my forehead. Kylie always loved to pick arguments with me for no good r eason because she knew she'd win. Her crazy, witty, and dense nature was already killing me, but I couldn't do anything about it.

Great, there's no opportunity for me to be alone with her.

Laughing, Kylie began to step away from me. "See you later, sucker!" And she wen t back to her usual table.

She didn't know I was a complete sucker for her.

-Kylie-

As I spun away from him, I put my hand on my irregularly beating chest and let o ut a huge sigh of relief.

Change of plans success!

I'd finally convinced him to let the two girls join us. Did he even realize what people would think of us? We were already teenagers, not grade-schoolers, and p eople would think the worst if they saw just the two of us together. Now having another two people join us would mean less awkwardness and fewer catastrophes la ter.

I slid into an empty seat in front of Lacey and Julianne and gave them a huge sm ile. "So, guys, what do you think of hanging out at Crest after school?"

Lacey looked up from her chicken salad. "Where's that?"

"Have you seen that antique-looking coffee shop at Hazy Embers?"

"Oh, that. Okay, sounds good to me," she answered and continued chewing.

"I think this is the first time I've heard you being enthusiastic about going ou t. I know you always go straight home and sulk in your room," Julianne remarked.

I shrugged casually. "Well, I just wanted to have some fun with you guys. You kn ow, for high school memories and all that jazz?"

"That sounds nostalgic," Lacey remarked.

"No. She's just saying that because she doesn't want to be alone with Tristan," Julianne said matter-of-factly.

I thought I'd almost died from her unconcerned words.

Lacey peered at me as if I'd just dropped a bomb. "So it's actually a date? That 's totally adorable!" she cried in the high-pitched, singsong whisper she'd been saving for life's most exciting moments. "Why didn't you tell me about that? No w I'm taking back what I said. I'm so not coming with you, Kylie."

"A d-date with him? Are you serious? No way in a million years would that happen . Even if he's the last man on Earth, it's still hell no. Definitely no way," I cried. "Both of you know that I won a bet against him and he's supposed to-hey, what's with that look?"

Both of them exchanged glances, and I frowned. Julianne pulled a grin while Lace y still looked somewhat oblivious.

"What?"

Julianne laughed. "Oh, Kylie, you know Lacey and I are just kidding around. Cour se we'll go with you. I haven't had the chance to go to that place in quite a lo ng time, anyway, so I guess it's time for a break from school and all." She wigg led her eyebrows.

"But what about their-" uttered Lacey, but she was cut off when the table jerked . "Err - okay."

"Ah, thank goodness. I'm so glad you finally agreed, guys," I said, almost cryin g tears of joy. I'd been only a step away from failure, but thankfully, Julianne understood, though her words could make me pass out sometimes.

Someone cleared her throat loudly, and we three turned to the source. Clad in Br oadway Heights' violet and white cheerleader uniform, Ronnie stood beside the ta ble, and with a tray in her hands, I knew what she was about to ask.

"Um, I know this might surprise you girls, along with a bunch of other people on campus, since I rarely do this kind of stuff," she said rapidly. "But do you mi nd if I sit with you three just this once?"

I exchanged glances with the other two. Julianne looked away while slurping her juice, and Lacey blinked a couple of times before she shrugged, probably conside ring the request.

I glanced at Fiona's table but quickly looked away when I caught her cold eyes s taring in my direction. Ronnie had unofficially become her nemesis, and about ha lf of the student population might have had the same feelings. Letting her sit w ith us would be like signing an agreement for war, but seeing the miserable look on her face, I felt bad for her and blurted out, "Sure. We really don't mind."

"Finally, gosh, thanks. You're so nice." Relief whooshed across her face as she sat in the space beside me, and I presumed she was afraid to have another person reject her.

"No problem."

We stayed in silence for a while. Lacey busied herself with the rest of her sala d, while Julianne was still pretending she didn't see the newcomer. The usual at mosphere was changing, and it was mostly because of Ronnie and her debonair chee rleader presence.

Tossed salad and a Diet Coke was the only food on her tray, and I wondered where the rest of her lunch was.

"Do you want some?" Ronnie offered, and I shook my head. My tray was nearly full of junk food. She continued eating her lunch in a very selective way. Pick. Wat ch. Munch. Pick. Watch. Munch.

Minutes later, Lacey burped aloud, breaking the silence, and she quickly shut he r mouth. "Oh, sorry," she mumbled, flushing. That was what she'd always do at ho me - Mom would always scold her for such a gesture, and I supposed she was still in the process of getting over it.

Ronnie snorted. "Don't worry about it, girl. I swear I can do much louder than t hat. Real talk."

Lacey's eyes went wide in awe. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. I thought I had it the worst! Oh, by the way, I love your earrings."

"Thanks, they're Arabella. I love your dress."

 

"Thank you. Forever 21."

"I know, right? I have that one in my closet."

Seeing them exchanging compliments on their branded clothes and accessories, I g azed down at my own and wondered what I would say if I ever had a conversation l ike that with someone. I think it would be like, "Thanks. I got this from a yard sale."

Crap, I was almost eighteen and needed to earn a life already.

"Okay, now don't blink because I'm about to show you something. And tell me who has it worse between us two." Ronnie signaled for us to wait, and eventually she let out a very strong belch, one that sounded like a mixture of a fat man snori ng and Godzilla roaring. Jesus, how was she able to do that? And she did the who le thing while pulling a scary face!

The rest of us cracked up. Julianne snorted out Coke through her nose as she sud denly went into hysterics, and I roared with laughter at her reaction.

"That's so amazeballs!" Lacey managed to say between knee-slapping guffaws; her eyes were close to tears.

Ronnie continued to let out her alien-like talent, trying not to make herself la ugh.

"That's it, call the exorcist!" Julianne cried, almost dying as her hands waved for Ronnie to stop.

"See?" Ronnie said coolly as if that was what she always did in her daily life. "But my best don't even come close to that one. I do some pretty horrible ones a fter a fizzy drink or two - they're so bad, even my girlfriends are like, 'oh my gosh, girl, we swear we can hear you several streets away'." She rolled her eye s. "Though I know they're just exaggerating."

"Gee, I bet you've won way too many burping contests already," Julianne teased, or at least I thought she was teasing.

"Like, yeah," Ronnie said in a duh tone. "Did you see the contest last year?"

"Was there a contest?"

"Uh-huh. It was Max McAllister versus Gary Stewart versus Nancy Adams versus Pet er Parker versus me. Even if it was just for fun, it was like a huge gathering, since a lot of people had seen this of thing around here. You probably had to be there, but I'm telling you, it was super funny! And people were, like, cheering for me."

"Wow, that's... like a huge burping feast," I said. So I guess people had offici ally witnessed the weird side of this school. Now I wondered how the place had s melled like after.

"Wait - Peter? You know him?" Julianne asked incredulously, and when Ronnie nodd ed slightly, she nearly lunged at her. "Oh! Oh! Tell me more about it!" And ther e she was, going insane over her crush again - her reactions included gasping, s quealing, and fierce head shaking as if she were in the midst of a seizure.

Lastly, Lacey joined the chat, and they babbled about everything from celebrity crushes and their worst hair experiences to their plans for the upcoming prom ne xt month. I simply sat there, feeling a little out-of-place, but Ronnie would oc casionally ask me about Tristan, which was a subject I always drew away from.

I couldn't do anything but smile. The vibe was changing, and it was good to see them talking almost naturally. Who would've thought that the cheerleader, whom w e first thought of as a mean girl, would actually have fun with us?

There's certainly more to a person than meets the eye.

***

As I grabbed Tristan's notes and slammed the locker shut, I saw Erik passing by, who looked so gothic with his all-black getup.

"Hey," he greeted me. "Heading to class now?"

 

"Yeah." My chest was increasing its beating every second.

He scrutinized me with a smile. "You seem pretty nervous, huh?"

"Very much so." I grinned helplessly, since that was the only thing I could do. "I mean, who wouldn't be? Cross is about to give one of the worst tests of the y ear, and I don't know if I'll survive this one. My brain automatically shuts its elf down whenever I see a math problem."

"You should buy a switch for it, then."

"That's a huge help to me, Erik," I said sarcastically. "Thanks."

He laughed. "But really, I know you can do it, Kylie. Just chill out."

I took a deep breath and sighed. "Yes, I can do this." I clenched my fists again st my chest, trying to feel determined. I really hoped what I'd said would come true. I'd studied Tristan's notes, like, almost every period, and I'd paid so mu ch attention to them that I'd barely been able to concentrate in any lectures. M aybe that would help me somehow.

"Yeah, that's the spirit."

Something suddenly popped into my head, and I said, "Hey, do you wanna come with us after school to Crest?"

I had almost forgotten about him. He was also a friend, so he should have been i nvited, too.

"Uh, I'd like to, but I don't think I can make it." He shook his head. "Got stuf f to do after school, and unfortunately, I can't get away from it."

"Oh, I understand. It's cool, though," I said, trying not to sound disappointed.

"But I will next time, I promise." He raised his hands, grinning. "Look, I'm eve n using both of my hands to make a pact."

Snorting, I rolled my eyes. "Okay, okay, I get it."

"So who's coming with you, anyway?"

"Well, it's just Lacey, Julianne, and Tristan..." I trailed off as I came to a s udden realization. Tristan didn't want Erik to be around, and if Erik did agree to come with us, it would most likely result in another heated dispute between t hem.

I should have been thinking more carefully.

"Then I guess you'll have a great time with them." Erik's smile still didn't fad e. "Oh yeah, speaking of your sister, I bet you still keep a tight leash on her, huh?"

"No..." I paused. "Not really..." I said hesitantly, rubbing my head.

"I know you, Kylie - you always scare off any guy who tries to approach her, eve n the nicest ones."

"Well, my sister may have the face and body of a Victoria's Secret model, but I' ll tell you, she still has the attitude and the mind of a little kid. I don't wa nt her running around with some unknown guy because she's so outgoing."

"Gee, Kylie, give her a break. She's sixteen, mature enough to recognize a nice, decent guy when she sees one, and you also know she's not the type to run aroun d with some random dude."

"But she's had so little experience..." I protested in a small voice. I even mig ht not have that much experience myself, but I knew teenage boys could be pretty reckless these days. I was simply trying to guard my sister from those asshats.

"How can she have any experience when you don't even want her to hang out with a guy unless you personally know his whole family tree?" Erik said with a shrug.

Ouch. That one was pretty sharp. But he had a point, anyway.

"Hmm, I'll think about it," I said at last.

"I'll hold you to that, Kylie." He started to jog away when we reached my room. "Good luck!"

After all this time, that guy was still shrouded in mystery to me, I'd tell you that.