Authors: Nia Stephens

Like This And Like That (11 page)

BOOK: Like This And Like That

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So you think Dan might turn out to be
the one
? Keep reading!

Chapter 8

Going for the Gold

“W
here's your partner in crime?” Gemma's father asked a few nights later as he peeked into her room. “By now you two would have had this room littered with tons of clothes bought with my hard-earned money,” he joked.

Gemma pulled out a short denim skirt and held it up. Maria had ditched her for Manny today, so Gemma had to choose an outfit by herself. Normally that wasn't an issue, but Dan was so put-together she was super insecure. Maybe her dad could help. After all, he was a guy. “How does this look?” she asked.

Her dad scrunched up his face like he just ate a rotten egg. “Where's the rest of it? Is that what you kids are wearing todayâheadbands disguised as skirts?”

“Daaaad,” Gemma complained. “It's not that short.”

“If you say so,” her father commented. “But there are stripes on the American flag thicker than that skirt.”

“Ha-ha.” She was in no mood for her dad's jokes today. This outfit presented challenges. Since Dan was taking her ice-skating, it had to be cute but practical. Now that she looked at it in the mirror, though, she realized her short skirt was hardly practical. How cute would she be if she fell back into Dan's arms on her skates and her hooha was on display? She threw the skirt back into the closet.

“What about these?” Her father picked up a pair of jeans she hadn't worn since the tenth grade. Comfortable they were, stylish they were not. She only wore those things when she volunteered to wash her dad's Mercedes.

“I don't wear those anymore,” Gemma said, regretting she had bothered to ask for his advice. Her dad peered down at the clothes strewn over her bed, picked through the pile, and pulled out a pair of jeans and a top that didn't look half bad. Actually, it looked pretty good.

“What about this?” he asked.

“I think that will work, Dad,” Gemma said. “Thanks.”

“This makes the third time that he's looked better than me,” Gemma mumbled as she scuttled across the ice, clinging to the railing. What was she thinking, allowing her dad to make a fashion decision? She must have been rendered temporarily insane due to the pressure of living up to Dan's standards. Though he seemed to always like how she looked, she reminded herself. She was the one making all the fuss. But then, she wasn't as naturally stylish as Dan seemed to be.

She made it another few inches before she stopped, sighed and considered giving up. “I'm athletic. I'm fit. Why can't I get the hang of this?” she muttered, watching Dan glide like a pro across the ice. Today he wore yet another pair of perfectly pressed khakis and a wool sweater with a knitted scarf and cap to match. “Laguna Beach or not, what black guy wears that?” she said. He must have quite a clothing allowance.

“Who are you talking to, lady?” a little kid asked as he whizzed by. He was half her size but totally owned the ice. He darted, he wove, and then he executed a perfect spin, finishing up by skating right at her. She clutched the handrail and tried to back up. He came to a sharp sudden stop in a spray of ice.

Okay, kid, we get that you had a million lessons
, she thought.
And if I could let go of this rail I'd strangle you.
She glanced toward Dan, who was now on the opposite side of the rink waving at her.

Gemma gritted her teeth and waved back. Dan seemed to be great at everythingâincluding skating. Sports was supposed to be
her
specialty. Maybe she should have suggested a game of basketball instead of this stupid skating idea of his. Well, she was here now, and she wasn't going to be shown up by an obnoxious show-off kid. She was determined to get the hang of this.

Slowly she lifted her hand from the railing and pushed off with one foot. She was doing it! She was actually skating! Okay, she wasn't going very fast, but at least she was doing it. Slowly, in a teetery-tottery way, she found herself in the center of the rink.

This isn't so bad
, she thought. She was going to skate across to Dan. She focused on him and pushed with her right foot. This time her left foot planted itself right where it was, refusing to cooperate. She hobbled a bit, wildly flailing her arms about as she tried to contain the fall. When she finally steadied herself the little pro skater brat zipped around her. Splat! She was down. Hard.

“Hey, you all right?” Dan asked, skating up to her. He held his hand out to help her up. She had to work really hard not to flop down again, or bring him down with her. She was completely embarrassed that a prepubescent little know-it-all had floored her.

When she was upright, she said, “Yeah. I'm fine. I guess that's what I get for not taking those lessons my mother offered when I was eight.”

Dan's arms rested on her hips and for a moment their eyes remained locked. Gemma could feel her heart beating faster. Was this the moment? He smiled at her and she held her face up to his whenâwham! Speedy Gonzales on skates whizzed by and she lost her balance again.

“Maybe you want to take a break?” Dan suggested, helping her back up.

“Sounds good.” She figured snuggling together off the ice over cups of hot chocolate would be a sweet thing to do.

“I've been taking lessons since I was five,” Dan explained. “So don't feel bad. It takes time to get used to it. Why don't I show you? Just watch me.” He skated off, leaving Gemma open-mouthed and wobbling in the middle of the rink.

She'd had enough.

“Hey, kid, come here,” she called, flagging down Speedy. “I'll give you a dollar if you can get me off the ice.”

“Make it two,” the kid haggled.

“Criminal,” Gemma muttered. But she had no choice. It was either pay the little hustler or risk getting knocked on her butt again. “For two, you take me all the way over to the lounge,” she negotiated.

The kid nodded in agreement. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out two crisp one-dollar bills and waved them over his head. “All the way to the lounge,” she reminded him.

The kid snatched the money, inspected it and then grabbed her hand and helped her make it across the ice. Gemma looked back at Dan, who was still smiling at her, demonstrating a slow, steady gliding technique.

When the kid dropped her off at a bench, Gemma took one last look at Dan, who was now practicing a fancy spin. Did he remember she was even here? He must have gotten bored showing her how to skate back and forth.

Miserable, Gemma pulled out her cell phone and dialed.

Maria answered on the first ring. “Hey,
chica
. How's it going?”

“Terribly,” Gemma admitted. She'd had such high hopes for this afternoon. Who knew she'd be such a total klutz on the ice?

“What happened? Did Dan dump your ass and pick up a dude yet?”

“He might as well have,” Gemma told her.

“What?” Maria screamed into the phone. “I was kidding. What the heck is going on over there? He really picked up another guy? See, I told you!”

“No. I didn't say that,” Gemma said, glancing up to make sure Dan wasn't nearby. Now he and Gemma's little extortionist buddy were having a race. “I said he might as well have.”

“What's happening?”

“Maria, you should see this guy skate. He's a pro and has been taking lessons since he was a kid. I'm really starting to believe this guy
is
gay. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with that but hello, I'm trying to find a guy interested in
me
, not my brother.”

“You don't have a brother.”

Gemma sighed, frustrated with her friend. “You know what I mean. Do you want me to break it down for you? Fine. I'll break it down. Danâthe guy that I have had three
potentially
romantic dates with and has never bothered to kiss me onceâis gay. You were right all along. Dan. Is. Gay,” Gemma declared.

No sooner had the words escaped her lips than she sensed a person standing behind her. With the way things had been going, she was pretty sure she knew who that person was.
Can I disappear right now?
she thought. She shut her eyes a moment, then opened them. Nope, still here. Cautiously she turned around and there he was. Dan was standing behind her with his mouth hanging open.

She felt as if she were moving in slow motion. She brought the phone back up to her ear. “I need to call you back.” She clicked off and slipped the phone back into her pocket. From his expression, she knew Dan had heard every word.

“So I'm gay, huh?” Dan said. “And who are you telling that I'm gay?”

If only she knew how to faint.

Before she could answer, he asked, “And what makes you think that in the first place?”

Gemma's mind raced. The best excuse she could come up with on such short notice was that she had meant gay as in happy, not anything sexual. Realizing no one in their right mind would believe that, she decided to come clean. She might as well face it head-on.

“You know all about art and foreign film,” Gemma said. “Your style of dress is impeccable. Not once have I seen you in anything less than stellar. Your legs look smoother than mine! There is not one hair out of place on your head. You're perfect.”

Dan shook his head in disbelief. “You mean to tell me that because I take care of myself, I dress nicely, and have an interest in cultureâthat means I'm gay? Tell me this. What's wrong with a guy who takes pride in himself? Because I would love to know.”

Gemma thought a moment, realizing he was absolutely right. She sounded like a raving lunatic, going on about how clean and neatly dressed he was. She didn't know how to respond. But there was still something that troubled her, the issue that had set her to thinking this way. “What about the whole no kissing thing?”

“Ohhh,
that's
what makes me gay. I didn't kiss you? I apologize for not groping you and throwing my tongue down your throat.”

Her heart sank as her face turned crimson and a flash of heat slowly rose to her ears.

“I like to get to know a girl,” he said. “Especially one I'm seriously interested in. It shows her respect.”

Gemma's heart was beating so fast and hard she was sure the entire rink could hear it. She wanted to kick her own ass for allowing Maria's ranting to get to her.

“That's the reason you didn't kiss me?” she asked meekly.

Instead of answering, Dan hobbled over to her on his skates, pulled her into him and kissed her. His hands felt strong and powerful on her back, and the kiss moved quickly from an intense pressure on her lips to a deep, passionate exploration with his tongue. He slowly brought the kiss back to gentle nibbles on her lips, then released her. He backed away a few inches.

“Still think I'm gay?” Dan asked.

She shook her head, unable to speak. She had felt that kiss to her very bones. She lowered herself unsteadily to the bench.

“You know,” Dan said, his face serious. “I really thought this could go somewhere. But I have no time for girls who worry about what everyone else thinks, or buy into stupid stereotypes.”

Gemma nodded. She had said almost those exact words to Maria herself. Why had she let herself get so caught up in questioning Dan's motives?

“See ya, Gemma,” Dan said. “I'm sure you can get your friend Maria to drive you home.”

The End

So you think Gemma is right not to go out with Dan? Then read on.

Chapter 8

The Dark Horse

“S
o you're really not going to go out with him?” Maria asked over the phone.

After Dan left for the gallery, Gemma spent the rest of the party hanging with Maria and Manny, playing volleyball and Frisbee, and trying to keep from getting thrown in the ocean. It had been fun, and she had a feeling she wouldn't have had as good a time if Dan had stayed. That's what made her final decision.

Gemma threw LeBron a piece of salami. LeBron caught it in midair and returned to his corner of Gemma's bedroom to enjoy his snack. “It's not really that I think he's gay,” she said. “It's just that I don't think we have that much in common. And I'm tired of freaking out about my clothes. It's hard to date a guy who always looks better than you do!”

“I still think he's gay,” Maria declared. “The whole ice-skating thing was a dead giveaway. I'm sorry but brothas don't skate.”

“I guess we'll never find out now, will we?”

“You do owe him some props,” Maria said. “He did you a favor.”

“How's that?”

“He took you to that beach shindig thing and got your mom off your case!”

“True that,” Gemma said, laughing.

“So we gonna go out?” Maria asked.

“Definitely. I need to get out of this room. Besides, if my parents think I have no plans they'll put me to work doing chores or something.”

“So where to?”

Gemma frowned. “What about Six Flags?”

“Too crowded and too hot,” Maria complained. “I knowâand it was Dan who gave me the idea. How about the art museum?”

“The one Dan and I went to?” Gemma asked, stunned that Maria would want to visit a museum.

“Sure, I can be so-phis-ti-cated,” Maria said pointedly. “Besides, our parents will be thrilled, it's air-conditioned and they have seats to sit your lazy butt down on.”

“Well, I never did get around to seeing much art,” Gemma confessed. “Just don't let me fall into the fountain!”

“I promise,” Maria said.

“Give me a minute to call Dan.”

“Oh. That could take a while.”

“He's having all these problems with the gallery. He's probably there dealing with the show. I can just leave him a message.”

“Go the coward route?”

“Look, I want to get it over with. Besides, a message will save him some embarrassment. No one likes to be rejected.”

“Call me when you're done,” Maria said, then clicked off.

Gemma dialed, and while the phone rang she considered possible messages to leave.

“Hello?” Dan answered.

In a panic, Gemma hung up the phone. She hadn't expected him to pick up! She stared at her bedroom wall, silently praying he was the one guy on this planet that didn't have caller ID. When her phone rang, she knew she was busted.

“You called?” Dan asked when she picked up.

“Uhâ”

“Why did you hang up?”

Gemma looked over in the corner at LeBron, still gnawing away at his salami. “My dog accidentally hit the receiver. I was going to call right back,” she lied.

“Oh. So what's up?”

This was it. This was the moment of truth. All she had to do was say the four little words that would set her free:
I'm not feeling you
. That's all she had to say. Do it and get it over with. Her throat was as dry and scratchy as a dried-out Brillo pad. She could not speak. If this were Nick Simmons, she would have no problem telling him to kiss her posterior but this was Dan. He was a nice guy, just not the guy for her.

“Dan, Iâ” She took a deep breath and decided to just blurt it out. She was going to be as honest as possibleâminus the part where her best friend suspected he was gay, of course.

“Dan, I'm calling because ... because ...”
Why weren't the words coming out?

“Oh, before you tell me what it is you have to say,” he began, “I just wanted to remind you to dress in layers when we go ice-skating. You're cold when you start, but you warm up pretty quickly.”

Gemma sighed, realizing she had to do this right now. “Dan, I don't think we're a good match for each other.” There. She said it.

His end of the phone was silent.

“It's not you,” Gemma said. “It's me.” The minute the words escaped her lips, she cringed. “Really, Dan. I'd love it if we could still be friends.”
D'oh
. She smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. The more she talked, the worse it became.

“Okay,” he finally said. “Stay cool.” He hung up.

Gemma could tell that he was hurt, but it had to be done.

“You went the friends route?” Maria asked when they arrived at the art museum.

Gemma nodded. “Yeah, and as if that was not bad enough, I gave him the ol'
it's not you, it's me
line.”

Maria flinched. “Oooh, that had to hurt. Could you not think of something better to say? You couldn't have told him you were moving to Cambodia to do some missionary work?”

Gemma shrugged. “I didn't expect to have to actually talk to him. I was just going to leave a message.”

Gemma paid their admission and Maria picked up a map and a brochure for the museum.

“Why didn't you just tell him you thought he was gay too while you were at it?” Maria commented.

“
I
wasn't the one who thought he was gay,” Gemma protested.

“You know you thought something was up. Don't put all of this on me.”

“I did not. That was all you.”

“Whatever,” Maria said. “The point is, it's done.”

Gemma sighed and shook her head. “I guess so.”

As they began observing the sculpture exhibits, Maria asked, “Did I happen to mention that I have some gossip? Take your mind off this?” Somehow Maria always managed to get the news first. “Your boy, Nick, was suspended from the football team indefinitely.”

“You lie!” Gemma exclaimed. One of the museum patrons gave the girls an irritated look and they moved on to the next sculpture. “What for?”

“He was suspended for drinking,” Maria told her. “At Corey Thompson's pool party. Apparently the police raided the party and most kids fled, but dumb-ass was passed-out drunk and got arrested for underage drinking. He just got a slap on the wrist because this was his first offense.”

“You mean first time he got caught,” Gemma corrected. It wasn't that she liked to see another person down and out, but Nick was such a jerk.

As they walked the long corridors, Gemma pointed to the paintings that Dan had shown her on their date and told Maria what she remembered about them.

“And this is where I fell,” Gemma said when they came to the nude rising out of the fountain.

“You shouldn't have to worry about that todayâunless you want to kiss
me
?” Maria said, puckering up.

“Laugh while you can. The next time something embarrassing happens to you, I will so throw it in your face,” Gemma said, smacking her friend on the shoulder.

“Hey, isn't that your buddy from bio class?” Maria asked. Gemma followed the direction of Maria's pointing finger. Seth Cole was studying one of the paintings. He held a pencil and a sketch pad.

Seth was an artist? Who knew?

“Oh, yeah. That's Seth. I'll be right back.” Gemma walked over to him.

Seth was concentrating so hard that he didn't notice Gemma peeking over his shoulder. He was drawing one of the paintings and it looked pretty darn good, too. “That's really good,” she said, startling him. He dropped his pencil and pad. “Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that.”

“That's okay.” He stooped to retrieve his pad and pencil, then stood and grinned at her. “So, what are you doing here?”

“Just came here with Maria.” Gemma tipped her head toward Maria, who was now chatting with a cute security guard. “What about you?”

“I come here every weekend.” Then he leaned in and whispered, “I'll let you in on a little secret. Between dissecting frogs and creating chemical compounds, I like to sketch.”

“Seriously?” Gemma asked, impressed.

“Nah. Actually, it's my art project for class,” he said, laughing.

Why had she never noticed what a great smile he had? As she stood there, the weirdest idea popped into her head. She should ask him out.
Whoa! Where did that come from?
The desire materialized out of thin air. Maybe it was seeing him outside of school that piqued her curiosity.

“Down the hall there is this amazing statue,” Seth began. “It's the one ofâ”

“You mean the one of the naked lady looking like a goddess-in-waiting?” Gemma asked, remembering Dan's description.

“Huh?”

“Never mind,” Gemma said. “I know exactly which one you are referring to. Let me guessâit's your favorite.”

“Actually, no,” Seth said. “My favorite is the tiny moat running around it. I like the intricate carvings all along the edge. Have you seen it?”

Gemma exploded with laughter.

With a perplexed expression, Seth asked, “What's so funny?”

“Actually,” she said, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, “I've seen that piece
really
close up.”

“Do you want to check it out?” he asked.

“No, I think I'll leave that one alone.”

Seth shrugged. “Your call.”

“Hey, Seth? Do you want to hang out with me sometime?” Gemma blurted. She wasn't sure who was more surprisedâshe or Seth. He was someone she had never considered dating, but the reason she had tried the website was to break out of her usual mold. She decided from now on, cautious, only-go-for-it-on-the-court Gemma was gone. New Gemma was going to have a hey-you-never-know attitude and just go for it
.

Seth grinned as he nodded. “I thought you'd never ask.”

The End

BOOK: Like This And Like That

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Read Book Download Book

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