Access Denied (and other eighth grade error messages) (11 page)

“WE’RE ACTUALLY DOUBLE-DATING!” JILLY SQUEALED and grabbed my arm as she met me at the bus stop the next morning. “This is
going to be so fun!”

“If my mom doesn’t ruin it,” I said. “And what about my clothes? My zits? My potential bad breath and lack of kissing skills?”
And what would we talk about? It didn’t matter that Blake and I had had a perfectly normal and fun conversation on Saturday.
This was a DATE with a capital D and I’d never been on one.

Jilly laughed. “You’ll look fantastic and be fantastic and charm him just like you did at my house.” She sighed as the bus
pulled up. “As for the kissing part, there aren’t going to be a lot of opportunities at the bowling alley. Unfortunately.”

Of course. A bright crowded bowling alley. A decent spin on the ball. No kissing so no chance of failing miserably. Perfect.

By the time we got to school, I was totally excited with just a touch of nervousness around the edges. I found myself holding
my head higher, walking with a little swing to my hips. Could people tell I was going out with a ninth grader?

As I made my way down the hall, I saw Reede talking to Mr. F. He laughed and handed her a Tootsie Pop before pushing his trash
can away. Stupid, but I felt a little jealous.

*   *   *

I stayed after school to talk to Ms. Fehrmann, my language arts teacher, about an assignment so I had time to kill while I
waited for the activities bus. The halls were nearly empty as I headed for my locker. When I rounded the corner, I saw Reede
putting on makeup. Did she ever do anything else?

“So, you were totally into the Hottie with the Hair last year,” she said, opening her mouth wide as she brushed on mascara.
“And you really pissed off some people.”

So Serena had told her about the YOHE. I waited for my big reaction. Anger. Embarrassment. Fear. But nothing came.

“It was last winter,” I said. “I don’t know why Serena still cares. I don’t.” “She was kidding about it,” Reede said, then
cocked her head. “Did you really wear a sandwich board? Man, you’ve got
guts,
girl.”

I smiled. “Guts or stupidity, we’re still not sure.”

Reede smiled and turned to check her face and hair one more time before moving aside so I could get my books. “And I’m glad
I’m not the only one who kissed her pillow before kissing the real thing.”

My eyes bugged out.
“You?”

Reede laughed. “Yes, me.”

I couldn’t believe it. Sophisticated Reede Harper kissing her pillow? Let’s put
that
out on the MBMS website.

She pulled out her black bag and her other makeup case slipped out and hit the floor, spilling a lipstick and two cigarettes.

My heart stuttered. Having cigarettes was a huge rule breaker. And smoking them on school grounds could get you suspended.
I felt my breath come faster, as if I was the one who had the cigarettes.

“Whoops,” Reede said, snatching them up. “Wouldn’t want anyone seeing those babies.” She zipped the bag halfway, then stopped.
“Want one?”

Huh? Did I look like I smoked? “No, thanks.”

She shrugged. “See you tomorrow.”

I watched her go, my mind racing. Reede Harper smoked. Reede Harper kissed her pillow. Reede Harper didn’t think I was a dork,
even though she now knew about my blog—knew I had called Mark a Hot Tamale and that I was a corn cob in the Thanksgiving play
last year.

Huh.

Taking a deep breath, I turned and looked at myself in her mirror.
Did
I look like someone who smoked? I put my pencil between my fingers and held it near my mouth.

“What are you doing?”

Mark’s voice startled me and I dropped the pencil.

“I didn’t know you stayed after school today,” I said, picking up the pencil.

“I had to talk to my algebra teacher.” He wrinkled his brow. “It looked like you were pretending to smoke.”

I snorted, hoping it sounded more convincing to him than it did to me. “Yeah, right. I was pretending to smoke.”

“Well, you have been known to kiss your pillow.”

“Shut up.” I smacked him. “Why are you so annoying?”

Mark laughed and made a face, just as a set of arms wrapped around his waist from behind.

“I’ve been looking for you,” Kara said. She leaned around him, frowning before forcing herself to smile. “Hey, Erin.”

“Hey, Kara.” I pulled the rest of my books out of my locker and shut the door. “Gotta go or I’ll miss the bus.”

“See ya,” Mark called. I lifted my hand in a wave but didn’t look back. No doubt they were lip-locked together, no pillows
necessary. But hey, maybe that would be me with Blake Thornton, ninth grade cutie. I smiled. It was weird how a part of me
was terrified to kiss him and part of me really wanted to.

The thought made me tingle all over.