Chapter 5

“For what?” Zachary and I ask in one voice, making the girl sigh and get to her feet.

“He’s unbelievable! Don’t laugh, but can you imagine, he regrets how he treated me at the party.”

“For kissing you?” I guess. “Oh, Ambi, don’t listen to him! What a coward!”

“No, Ashley,” Amber protests, waving a hand. “I thought that at first too. But it turns out that’s exactly what he doesn’t regret. He’s ashamed that after the kiss, he got flustered and left right away, leaving me alone with idiot Hugh and Renton.”

Now that is news. Completely unexpected and nothing like Brody. At least, not the Bruce I know. But he has already managed to surprise all of us, so after a moment I admit:

“You know, Ambi, I think I understand him.”

“And I think tomorrow our school will have one more hero,” Zachary suggests wearily, and we both nod.

“All right, team,” Zack gives in. “So be it. Everyone is waiting for the game and Halloween report right now, so a little intrigue around Brody won’t hurt us if we want the issue to fly.”

“Only, Ambi, add that Bruce is cute to the article,” I suggest.

“Why?”

“So you won’t regret not having enough courage the first time!”

***

I come home in Dad’s car after staying at school two hours later than usual. Upstairs, I change into my robe, unpack my backpack, let my hair down to free my head from the annoying elastic, and go downstairs.

When I enter the kitchen, no one is there. But when I turn on the coffee maker and open the fridge, Kate comes in from the hall.

Well, look at that. She’s wearing a robe too, the same as mine. A gift from her mother last Christmas. And she’s let her blond hair down after practice too. She looks tired and gloomy, but asking each other how we’re doing, like saying hello, isn’t something we do, so I silently set food from the fridge on the counter, planning to make myself a hot sandwich with my coffee.

I would keep ignoring her, but Kate stops on the other side of the kitchen island and glares at me.

“If you want to say something, say it,” I note evenly, unable to stand the stare of her blue eyes any longer. “You don’t need to stare holes through me.”

“Think you got one over on me, you damn Simba? Figured out how to get revenge, huh?”

I’m not even surprised by her words. There’s always been a draft blowing through Patricia’s daughter’s head, but I’m not responsible for shutting the doors in there.

“Is there something to get revenge for?” I ask back, pouring myself coffee. “You’re an innocent little angel, Miss Poison Ivy. Why would I need revenge on you?”

“Don’t play dumb! Just admit you and Palmer deliberately planned it together to humiliate me in front of everyone at Fever!”

So typical of her, thinking about no one but herself. She doesn’t even remember her boyfriend, though she carefully covered the hickey on his neck.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. The rest is none of your business.”

“You shameless liar!” Kate flares, coming closer to the island. “Everyone has already seen that dirty video!”

I had just sat down on a stool, but I immediately stand to snap back at her:

“It’s not dirty! Don’t you dare talk about it like that!”

“I’m talking about me and Sean, not your vulgar striptease with Palmer. Was it your friends’ idea to throw eggs at us? Do you know how much my dress cost, hick? And now they’ve ruined it!”

What? Okay. Once. Just once, for Pat’s sake, I’ll try to be patient with her spoiled daughter and answer like a human being, even though she doesn’t deserve it.

“Listen, Catherine,” I say calmly, forcing myself to cool down. “Two months ago, what you and Sean did hurt me. That’s true, and it’s stupid to deny it. But I decided that if he chose you, then our relationship meant nothing to him, and I calmed down. Now I’m even grateful to you. If not for you, I would have wasted part of my life on a person who sooner or later would have betrayed me anyway. And I never would have gotten to know Matthew Palmer. You can believe me or not, but you mean so little to me that I don’t think about you at all. And I certainly don’t set anything up. Just go on ignoring me, and I’ll go on ignoring you. Your Boring-Ass Highness! You did what you did. So why, now that you don’t need Renton anymore and you’re miserable, are you blaming me?!”

“Have I mentioned I can’t stand you?”

“You have.”

“I wish I’d never had a stepsister. Arrogant little upstart!”

“Right back at you, Doll. And I’m not a hick!”

“Palmer is going to dump you!”

“Heard that already. Half the school is saying it. Do you have any other predictions? Try to come up with something original.”

Kate has no other predictions. Following my lead, she makes herself coffee and a sandwich too, then sits down at the table. That’s how we spend half an hour in the kitchen, shooting angry sideways looks at each other, until our parents come home.

That evening, as promised, locked in my room, I call Matthew. The minutes until eleven stretch like elastic, but he answers me right away and says:

“Hi, Miss Smile!”