Jealousy (8 page)

Khloe's voice was soft and soothing as she told me how much fun it had been to plan my party and how thrilled she was that I'd had fun. Her voice, making me feel comforted, helped me drift off to sleep before I'd even turned off my light.

IT WAS JUST AFTER TEN WHEN I ROLLED
over and squinted at my clock. The shower was on, and I heard Khloe running lines for her lead role as Belle in
Beauty and the Beast
.

I sat up, a smile on my face as I thought about the fact that it was Saturday, Khloe would probably want to trail ride, and . . .

Flashes of last night flickered before my eyes like an old movie projector had appeared on our wall.

Masks.

Dresses.

Halloween decorations.

Laughter.

Music.

Taylor.

The Kiss.

Fighting.

Drew.

Dancing.

Cupcakes.

Ana.

Brielle.

I shook my head, trying to stop the visions.

Taylor was here. On campus. It hadn't been a dream. He had really been at my party last night, and I
really
had to get some answers today. Brielle and Ana owed me.

I picked up my phone and turned it on. There were two voice mails and two BBMs.

I checked BBM first.

Ana:

I can't even begin to say how sorry I am. Telling u that over BBM is lame. Check ur voice mail. xx A

Becca:

Little sister! (OK,
teenage sister
) How was last nite? Did Khloe throw u an amaze party? She better have or I'll have 2 talk 2 her @ Parents' Weekend. Call me!!

I pressed the button for voice mail and put my phone
on speaker. The automated voice announced the first new message.

“Lauren, hi. It's Ana. It's about nine a.m. and I just got your BBMs from last night.” There was a long pause. “Okay, I didn't just get them. I read them about an hour ago and waited this long to call. I was scared because I know how mad you must be. I'm not blaming you at all—I deserve it. I think . . . I think you really need to talk to Taylor and Brielle. The phone's going to cut me off, but I'm here if you want to call, IM, BBM, Skype—anything. I love—”

“Next new message,” cut in the robotic voice.

“Heeey! LT!” Brielle's bubbly voice filled the room. She talked faster than Ana, so she'd probably be able to fit more into her message. Hopefully, an explanation. “OMG, I'm SO sorry about last night! I read your message, went to check on my parents, and started to dial you. My Dad's freaky batlike hearing must have heard me dial or something! He came into my room and saw me with my phone.” Brielle sighed. “He went through the whole ‘you can't talk on the phone after ten' blah-blah-blah speech, and he took my BlackBerry. I tried to tell him that it was you and very important. I mean, hello, it was your birthday, but nope. Anyway, let's totes talk! I'm home all day. Love you, bestie!”

I hung up, plugging in my almost-dead phone to charge. The bathroom door opened, releasing a cloud of steam and pumpkin-spice-scented body wash—one of the fall beauty products Khloe and I had bought and shared.

“Hey,” Khloe said. She wore her thick hot-pink terry-cloth robe and matching slippers. Her long blond hair was up, turban-style, in a teal towel.

“You been up long?” I asked. I walked over and picked up the bag of birthday cards that I hadn't had a chance to open last night.

“I just got up and hopped in the shower. I didn't wake you, did I?”

“Not at all. How was shower rehearsal?” I grinned at her.

Khloe opened her dresser drawer and pulled out clothes. “It was perfect, thank you very much. I know all of my lines, and I get more and more excited every day. I can't wait for opening night.”

“Me either. You're going to do great.”

Khloe smiled her thanks and changed into jeans and a gray cable-knit sweater and started detangling her hair.

“I had messages on my phone,” I said. “Brielle and Ana.”

Khloe sat on her desk chair, swiveling it toward me. “Everything okay?”

I nodded. “It was exactly what I thought last night. Bri got caught with her phone, and her dad took it. Ana called and left a super-apologetic message and said she wanted to talk. I really can't be too mad at them for this. They're my best friends—I know they must have thought that Taylor coming to my party was the ultimate surprise. I can't blame them for what Taylor decided to do when he got here.”

Khloe rubbed a few drops of Ojon Serum on her hands and massaged it into her hair. “You're right about that. I bet things will clear up even more once you talk to them.”

“I'm sure. I'll get in touch with them later. Right now I just want a break from the whole thing.”

Bing!

I picked up my phone and saw a new BBM.

Taylor:

Hey, Laur. U still want 2 talk 2day? I'm free whenever.

“Okay, the break will have to wait a while. Taylor,” I explained. “He still wants to meet today. I was thinking about asking him to meet me at the stable. He could see Whisper, and after we talk, I wondered if you'd be into a trail ride.”

“That's only the best weekend idea ever,” Khlo said. “You want me to see if Cole and anyone else wants to come? Or are you in the mood for KK and LT time?”

I smiled. “The second option, if that's cool with you.”

“Definitely.”

“I'm going to text Taylor and see if he wants to meet in half an hour. I'll message you after?”

“That's perf,” Khloe said.

I pulled back my covers. “Ohhh, wait. I forgot—we have to clean up the ballroom. There are still decorations on the walls and tables and chairs to put away.”

Khloe shook her head. “Did you really think I'd let you clean up after your own party? Puh-lease.”

“Who did?”

“The guys. Zack, Garret, a bunch of their friends, Drew, and Cole were on cleanup duty. They already texted me that the ballroom is back in pre-party shape.”

“Aw, that was sweet of them. You really thought of everything, Khlo.”

Khloe grinned, then stuck out her tongue. “Stop seeming so surprised.” She started clipping her hair into sections to blow-dry, and I picked up my phone. I opened BBM.

Lauren:

U up 4 mtg @ the stable? I'm going trail riding w Khloe after u and I talk.

Taylor is writing a message
appeared seconds later.

Taylor:

Sounds good. I'm excited 2 c Whisper.
When?

Lauren:

30 mins? Do u know how 2 get there?

Taylor:

Yeah, I actually passed it when I arrived.

Lauren:

OK. BBM me if u get lost or something. Wisp's stall is near end of aisle on left. C u in a bit!

I exited out of my convo with Taylor and clicked on Becca's name.

Lauren:

Khloe threw the BEST party ever!! Srsly, wait till u c the pix when I upload them 2 FaceSpace. I had an amazing bday . . . and a VERY unexpected surprise. Will fill u in ltr—promise! Love u & miss u! xoxo

While Khloe dried her hair, I grabbed a single-serving bottle of OJ from our mini-fridge and a raspberry breakfast bar. While I ate, I opened some of my birthday cards. The number of cards was overwhelming. Everyone had done exactly what I had wished for. The cards either held cash for me to donate to my fave horse charity or had a printed screen shot of their donation.

I pulled a card in a sparkly light-blue envelope from the pile. Immediately I recognized the handwriting.

Taylor's.

I opened the envelope, and inside was a printed receipt for his donation.
One hundred dollars.

“Oh my God,” I whispered to myself. Taylor's family was comfortable enough to make such a donation, but I knew Taylor hadn't asked them for the money. He'd spent his allowance—a
big
part of it—on me.

The card was gorgeous—black with light-blue swirls and a scripty “Happy Birthday!” font.

I read his message.

Lauren,

Happy Birthday! I can't believe you're older than ME! Not fair!
I'll catch up with you soon, though. If you're reading this card and things worked out the way I hoped they would, then I'm a student at Canterwood too. I'll always be only minutes away if you need anything. You deserve to have a killer thirteenth birthday, and I hope all of your wishes come true.