A Non-Blonde Cheerleader in Love (15 page)

“Merry Christmas, Jersey,” he said with a grin.

If someone could package
that
and sell it this time of year, they could make a fortune. I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a big, fat kiss. Daniel almost fell backward in surprise.

“Sorry,” I said, giggling. “I’ve been wanting to do that all day.”

“Me too,” he said. “Nanny and Pop Pop’s is cool and all, but it’s a lot less interesting when you’ve got Annisa Gobrowski waiting for you at home.”

Oh. My. God. Had he been planning that speech all the way up here? And wait, who cared? He kissed me again and I almost melted.

“Annisa! Who was at the door?” my father called.

I sprang away from Daniel and hauled him inside. “It’s just Daniel! We’re gonna open our presents!”

“Okay! Tell him to come in for some dessert when you’re done!” my mother called out.

“Thanks, Mrs. G!” Daniel shouted back.

We walked into the living room, where Gabe was now sprawled out on the couch, his hand still covering his bare stomach. He had switched the TV over to
A Christmas Story
.

“Gabe!” I said through my teeth.

Gabe slid his eyes toward us without moving his head. “Hey, man,” he said. “Wh’sup?”

“Hey,” Daniel replied warily. Not that I could blame him. The last time he’d seen Gabe, the guy had been all Calvin Klein-ed out. “Uh . . . I think you have some mashed potato in your ’stache.”

I narrowed my eyes. Sure enough, there was a white blob on the edge of Gabe’s facial fuzz. Where was a good death ray when you needed one?

“Really?” Gabe said. He touched his fingers to his mustache, then licked them. Licked them! Why not just tell Daniel we were both raised in a barnyard?

“That your bike out there, man?” Daniel asked.

“Yeah. Sweet, isn’t it?” Gabe asked. “Wanna go for a spin?”

“Oh, thanks, but no way,” Daniel said. “Those things are death traps.”

“Ha! He gets double dessert!” my father shouted from the kitchen.

“Thanks a lot, dude,” Gabe said derisively.

“Gabe, do you think you could give us a few minutes?” I asked.

“Why do you get the living room?” he asked, propping himself up, with some effort, onto his elbows.

Uh, because you’re disgusting and embarrassing and should be locked up behind closed doors somewhere, reading Emily Post?

“Because we want to open our presents by the tree,” I said.

He let out a loud belch. God, I missed the metrosexual Gabe. He never would have let his bodily functions run amok like this.

“Presents?” Gabe pushed himself up and squared off with Daniel. His T-shirt finally fell down to cover his pale skin, thank God. “What’d you get my sister, dude? That better not be a ring.”

Daniel’s face nearly burned right off. Which would have been a tragedy of Shakespearian proportions.

“Gabe! Just get out already!” I demanded.

Gabe narrowed his eyes at Daniel before ever so slowly backing toward the door. “I’m watching you, man,” he said. He made a V with his fingers and pointed them from his eyes to Daniel’s. That was when I had to shove him out of the room. He almost toppled the sideboard in the hallway, but it was totally worth it.

“Ooof!” Gabe shouted.

“What was that?” my mother called.

“I’m all right! We’re all good!” Gabe said before finally,
finally
stumbling for the stairs.

“So! Where were we?” I said, turning to Daniel.

“Is he gonna be okay?” Daniel asked.

I waved my hand toward the hallway. “Don’t worry about him. Bikers have thick skins.” I picked up Daniel’s present from under the tree and sat down on the couch, pulling my feet up under me. Daniel cleared his throat and sat down as well, adjusting the pillows behind him. In the dim glow of the Christmas tree he was even more handsome than ever. My heart fluttered at his nearness. This was already the best Christmas ever.

“So? Who goes first?” I asked.

“Let me,” Daniel said. “I actually have two things for you to open.”

Two things? Two things? But I only got him one!

“Don’t worry. It’s nothing big,” Daniel said, seeing my pallor. He pulled an envelope out of his back pocket and handed it over.
Crap. A card? I didn’t get him a card!
“Go ahead,” he said.

My excitement slightly rocked by guilt, I slipped my finger under the flap and opened the envelope. A small piece of paper fluttered out into my lap.

It was a handmade coupon—one free “get out of bikini car-washing” pass.

“Oh, very funny,” I said, whacking Daniel’s shoulder.

“You like it?” he asked with glee.

He was gloating. That much was obvious. The little jerk.

But I was willing to let it go because it was, you know, Christmas. Plus, he was my boyfriend. The operative syllable being “boy.” Even the perfect ones can be jerks sometimes.

“I love it,” I said sarcastically, holding it to my heart. “I never wanted anything more.”

Daniel snickered, pleased with himself.

“But I can’t accept it,” I said. “I was part of the bet. I have to keep up my end.”

Daniel tilted his head. “All right, but I should warn you. Terrell and Joe are planning on going off-roading next weekend.”

Jerks,
the little devil on my shoulder said.

But I grinned beatifically. “No problem whatsoever.” I held his present out to him. “Your turn.”

That second present better not be a joke gift too, or I can’t be responsible for my actions,
I thought.

Daniel smiled and turned the package over. He started with the ribbon, actually untying the knot with his short fingernails. Then he removed it slowly and placed it on the couch next to him before examining the paper, like he was looking for the best way in.

Just rip it!
I thought.
Come on, man! It’s Christmas!

Daniel smiled up at me and I erased the consternation from my face. He popped the tape off with his finger and unfolded the wrapping paper.

How does he
do
this?
I wondered. Present unwrapping at the Healy house must have taken hours. I was amazed that they had time to drive to Boca and back.

Finally,
finally,
Daniel got to the last piece of tape. “Holy . . . I can’t believe you did this!” Daniel said, turning the box of CDs over in his hands. “This is too much.”

“Eh, I got a good deal,” I said, giddy. “You like it?”

“Like it? I love it,” he said, reaching over and giving me a hug. “I can’t wait to listen to these.”

“We can put one in right now!” I suggested, standing up.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Daniel said, reaching for my arm. “Don’t you want your present first?”

Oh, right. I had forgotten about that. Sort of. Okay, not at all.

“Here. Sit,” Daniel said.

I did, and he handed the small box over. My face was warm with pleasure as I imagined what might be inside. For a split second. Then I tore into it like a doggie on a beef bone.

“Wow. You really don’t waste any time,” Daniel said.

“Nuh-uh,” I told him, tossing the shredded paper aside. I lifted the lid off the box and there, sitting against a white cotton square, was a silver charm bracelet with a single heart charm. My own heart gave an extra-hard thump.

“Daniel! It’s beautiful!” I said.

“Check it out,” he said, sliding closer to me. He lifted the bracelet out of the box and into the light. I squinted and saw that on one side of the heart, my initials had been engraved in a swirly script, AG. Daniel turned the delicate heart over, revealing his initials on the other side, DH.

“Oh! That’s so sweet! I love it!” I said, tears prickling at my eyes.

Daniel smiled. “Wanna put it on?”

“Definitely,” I said, holding out my arm.

It took Daniel a couple of tries, but eventually he worked the tiny clasp and attached the cool silver to my wrist.

“I’ll wear it every day,” I said, admiring the bracelet against the light of the tree.

Daniel blushed. “You don’t have to do that.”

“No! I want to. It’s beautiful. I love it,” I said.

“I love you,” Daniel replied.

Instantly the world stopped spinning. All the furniture in the room fell over and the Christmas tree crashed to the ground. All I could hear was the kids on the TV taunting, “You’ll shoot your eye out! You’ll shoot your eye out!”

“You . . . wh . . . what?” I said.

Daniel looked me in the eye. His expression was super-intensely serious. He whispered, “I love you, Annisa.”

Slowly a smile spread its way across my face. Daniel smiled back. “I love you too,” I said.

Christmas totally rocks.

9

“All right, everyone, hands in,” Coach Holmes called out.

It was Wednesday night of our winter break and we were in the middle of the annual district holiday tournament, being held at our rival school, West Wind High. Eight teams from the district were competing in the tournament and it was just the first round.

We all gathered into a huddle, all twenty of us plus Coaches Holmes and Rincon, who had driven up to watch us in action. Everyone put their hands together in the center of the circle. At halftime, our team was down by fifteen points against Clearwater High. But even so, our little circle was infused with electricity. This was it. Our entire athletic division was about to see us in action for the first time.

My bare arm rubbed up against Daniel’s and I had to steel myself to keep a visible shiver from running down my side. He grinned quickly at me, knowing exactly how I felt. Ever since we’d said “I love you” to each other, we hadn’t been able to stop saying it, and every time he so much as brushed my hand with his, I felt everything inside of me sizzle.

“Gobrowski! You with me?” Coach Holmes asked.

Snagged!

“Yes, Coach,” I said firmly, prickling with embarrassment under my uniform.

“Good. Now this is our first time trying this cheer at a game,” she said, looking around at each of us. “I want you to visualize those stunts, especially that throw,” she said, staring right at me. I gulped. We had only executed the basket toss with layout once successfully. Once. “Confidence, poise, safety. Got me?”

We all nodded. I had never seen everyone look so determined. Guess that was what happened when every cheerleader from all the local schools was there to watch us soar or crash.

Soar. Definitely soar.

“Good. Now get out there and let’s show these people what we can do,” she said. “On three. One, two, three!”

“Whaddup, Sand
Dune
!” we all shouted, throwing our arms in the air.

The Sand Dune High section of the crowd went wild as we took the floor. I jogged into position, my heart pounding erratically, and caught a glimpse of the West Wind High cheerleaders gathered near the door. They all had serious pusses on as they eyed us and talked to each other behind their hands. Jealous much, ladies? Well, they were going to be a lot more jealous in a minute when they saw the extension of my elevation.