Art Geeks and Prom Queens (17 page)

The next morning Kristi, Kayla, Jen Jen, and I are dressed in cute, cotton good-girl pj’s and we’re drinking fresh-squeezed orange juice and eating the blueberry pancakes my mom made. And we’re telling her how great the party was.

Or rather, they’re telling her. My head is pounding so bad I’m surprised blood isn’t pouring out of my eyeballs. I guess I don’t have the same tolerance for bodily abuse as my friends.

I also lack the keen organizational skills of Kristi. A half hour before my mom was due back, she kicked out all but a few chosen people who she made help with the cleanup. But we didn’t overclean. We didn’t want it to look
suspiciously clean.
Oh, no, with Kristi’s guidance, we removed only the really severe evidence, and kept the stuff that depicted wholesome fun. And by the time my mom walked in the front door the house was looking pretty decent and most of the guests were gone.

“So, I noticed a lot of cute boys last night,” my mom singsongs, as she joins us at the table clutching her coffee mug.

Everybody giggles on cue. Well, everyone but me, because it hurts to laugh.

“Do any of you have a boyfriend?” she asks.

Kristi shakes her head. “No. That would just interfere with our other activities. I mean, we go on group dates and stuff like that, but
nothing serious. We just don’t have time for that right now.” She smiles at my mom, and Kayla and Jen Jen nod in agreement.

“Wow. You girls are so disciplined and together. I was nothing like that at your age,” she says wistfully.

“Weren’t you modeling in Paris?” Jen Jen asks, reaching for her orange juice.

“I was just fourteen when I left home, and I certainly didn’t have the good sense that you girls do. I’m afraid I got a little caught up in it all.” She shakes her head at the memory.

“Did you meet a lot of famous people?” Kristi asks, rearranging the food on her plate so it looks like she’s eating.

“Oh, yes, plenty.” Then she takes a sip of her coffee and goes, “You know, talking to you girls, makes me feel so much better about Rio.”

I look up, startled.

“What do you mean?” Kristi asks.

“Well, she probably didn’t mention it because she’s so modest, but we’re setting up a test shoot with Mario Saldana. I’m getting her that for her birthday.”

Everyone is looking at me in shock. But no one’s as shocked as me.

“I thought the shopping spree at Fashion Island was my gift,” I say.

“No, honey, you
needed
those clothes. A gift is supposed to be something you don’t necessarily
need.
”

“Is it also supposed to be something you don’t necessarily
want?
” I ask.

“Oh, Rio, we’ll discuss this later,” she says, frowning at me and getting up from the table.

Kristi, Kayla, and Jen Jen left shortly after breakfast as they all had to get ready to go to church. Yeah, that’s right,
church.

But before they left Kristi asked, “Do you really want to be a model?”

And I said, “No. My
mom
really wants me to be a model.”

Then Kayla goes, “Rio, you should totally do it.”

And Jen Jen goes, “Totally. You’re definitely tall enough, and pretty enough.”

And then they smiled at me—but just the two of them.

Kristi just stared.

On Monday I rode to school with Kayla and Jen Jen because Kristi had a tooth-whitening appointment with her dentist. And like the minute we got out of the car JC was all over me acting like we’re boyfriend and girlfriend or something, which is kind of weird ‘cause I thought the whole point of hooking up was so you could ignore each other afterward and not act all committed.

So when I find him waiting for me at my locker after English, I’m thinking I really need to have a talk with him and explain how I just want to be friends. But then he puts his arm around me and goes, “Where to?”

And I go, “I have Art now.”

And he goes, “I’ll walk you.”

Then right when I’m about to say, “No, don’t walk me,” I change my mind. I let him walk me to class, with his arm around me the whole time. And I even let him kiss me right in front of the door, for as long as it takes for Jas to walk up and say, “Uh, excuse me.”

Then we break apart and JC goes, “Sorry, bro.”

And I giggle, and wipe my mouth, and go, “See you at lunch, JC!” loud enough for Jas to hear.

Then I walk inside the classroom and sit at my desk. And when I glance over at Jas (just to see his reaction), his eyes are so full of disapproval that it really pisses me off. Because it wasn’t that long ago when I was forced to sit in the backseat and watch Monique’s hands go on a scavenger hunt in Jas’s pants! And it’s not like he tried to stop it or anything. So excuse me for trying to have a little fun of my own. I mean, what gives him the right to judge me?

I’m JC’s girlfriend. Don’t ask me why or how, because I’m still not sure what happened. It seems that in a world of random hook ups meant to go nowhere, I ended up with a boyfriend. And since I’ve never had a boyfriend before I decided to just ride it out for the experience.

And even though JC isn’t really my type (I mean he kinda has that all-American Nick Lachey look when I mostly go for that dark, smoldering Johnny Depp thing), everyone else thinks he’s completely hot.

So I guess I should feel lucky.

But our conversations aren’t exactly thrilling. I mean, we really don’t have much to talk about (unless you count the day we discovered we use the same hair products), and it seems like all he wants to do is make out, watch sports, play sports, and talk about sports he’s watched and played. Which, quite frankly, gets a little boring.

And even though the making out part isn’t so bad, I totally draw the line at “real” sex because no way am I doing
that
with
him.
I mean, it’s not like he doesn’t try (like every single time we’re alone), but I refuse to give in. I’m holding out for love.

Still, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like the attention I get from being his girlfriend.

Because I do.

It just feels really great to be part of something that everyone
wishes they were part of. It’s like VIP status all the time. It’s like the ultimate backstage pass.

On the outside we’re like the perfect couple. I mean, the whole school thinks we’re adorable, and JC is constantly talking about how great we look together. And just the other day Jen Jen said we were single-handedly making a totally archaic idea like going steady cool again. And Kayla said that if we’re still together in late spring we’ll definitely get voted “Cutest Junior Class Couple.”

But Kristi just rolled her eyes.

And even though it really bugged me when she did that, there’s this part of me that totally agreed. Not to be mean, but JC isn’t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer. It’s like, earlier, when I was making my point about smart guys and prom queens—well now I feel like I’m caught in this weird reversal where
I’m
the brainiac and
he’s
the prom queen, like
I’m
Nick and he’s Jessica, like
I’m
Exhibit D. And it’s really starting to bug me.

But my days are so full now with all of the important school activities, that I had no choice but to drop out of the art show. I mean, I just don’t have time for that anymore with all the clubs, games, and parties I have to attend.

So one day I just walked right up to Ms. Tate’s desk and told her that I was sorry, but I just didn’t have time to help out, but that of course I would still hand in my assignment. She gave me kind of a sad look, but whatever.

Then I walked over to another table and took a seat. I don’t know why I didn’t think I could do that before, because it was so easy. So now I don’t have to look at Jas and Mason unless I accidentally look at the other side of the room. And believe me, I only made that mistake once.

In addition to everything else, my relationship with my mom is way better. We go shopping more, and instead of fighting her all the time, now I listen to her advice on clothes and stuff. And because of it, Jen Jen said that if I keep it up, then for sure I’ll get voted “Best Dressed” when we’re seniors.

It’s weird too because a lot of girls at school, including Jen Jen and Kayla, have started to dress like me. They even copy my hair, bleaching
theirs blond and wearing it all long and wavy, and for Kayla that means extra highlights and getting up even earlier to use a curling iron. At first it really annoyed me, but then my mom said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” So I should be flattered.

And I am.

But it still kind of bugs me.

I guess you could say that my life is going really, really great. I hardly ever think about Paige and Hud, or that stupid crush I had on Jas. I mean, why would I? That seems like such a long time ago, like it happened to another person or something.

Looking back, it all just seems so juvenile.

After school, I’m being a dutiful girlfriend, and sitting in the bleachers pretending like I’m watching JC’s basketball practice (but really I’m just zoning-out), and when Tyler (who is like
the
mega-hot senior guy) runs by, he smiles and winks at me.

And it gets me thinking:
Hmmmmmm.

Then Kristi turns and punches me in the arm and goes, “Did he just wink at you?”

“He most certainly did.” I smile.

“Well, doesn’t he know you’re dating JC?”

I just shrug.

She continues staring at me with narrowed eyes.

But I ignore her.

After practice we all go back to Kristi’s and lay out by the pool (even though it’s only March and it’s still snowing in New York). I’m all shiny with oil and lying faceup on this beige padded lounge chair, and I just want to close my eyes, relax, and enjoy the last half hour of sun.

But then JC comes over and goes, “Hey, come swim with me.”

“Not now,” I say, keeping my eyes firmly shut, hoping he’ll go away.

But he ignores that, and starts pulling on my foot, “Come on. The pool’s heated,” he says.

“You’re blocking my rays and disturbing my peace.” I open one eye and look at him. But when I see his hurt expression, I smile to soften the blow.

Well, that was a mistake. Because he leans down, picks me up off my towel, and throws me smack into the deep end. Then he jumps in after me. And while we’re both underwater he starts groping me. And when I open my eyes and look at him, hair standing on end, eyes stinging from chlorine, I can’t help thinking how bored I am, and how I’d much rather be with Tyler. I mean, I’m really getting tired of our dumb conversations and the way he hangs all over me.

So when my head pops out of the water right after his, I kiss him quickly on the cheek and swim away as fast as I can. But he catches right up to me. And just as I’m grabbing onto the edge, he forces me to turn around so he can kiss me for real. When he’s done, he looks right at me and says, “I love you.”

But I don’t say anything. I just duck back underwater and swim to the other side without once taking a breath.

Later, we’re up in Kristi’s room, and it’s just the girls since she made the guys leave before her mom and stepdad came home. I’m lying on the chaise next to her window when I go, “You guys, JC told me he loved me.”

Kayla’s eyes go wide. “When?”

“In the pool.”

And Jen Jen goes, “Oh, my god, that is so totally sweet.”

I just shrug and look at the ceiling.

Kristi looks at me closely. “Well, what did you say?”

Then I tell them how I didn’t respond.

Kayla and Jen Jen just look at me with their mouths hanging open, but Kristi goes, “It was probably the beer talking. He tossed one back when you were changing. I wouldn’t worry about it. I’m sure he doesn’t really love you.”

And when we look at each other, part of me hopes she’s right. But the other part is kind of pissed at her response.