Dex (13 page)

The girl nodded until her glasses slid down her nose and fell onto the floor.

Alicia started to record as the girl retrieved her glasses and put them back on. There was time before lunch was over and she decided to use every minute to tell Dex’s story as completely as possible. There would be plenty of tape left for individual interviews later.

“Here you go,” Dex said, letting go of the newly signed sweatshirt sleeve.

A line was forming.

“Um, me next, waste-case,” yelled a kid wearing a wrestling team shirt, pushing away a kid in a suit who was clearly next in line.

“Guys, no problem,” Dex explained. “I have a few minutes before I have to go to class.” He took out his own marker, never noticing Sarah coming over to them.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Sarah asked Liza, watching Alicia filming.

“Oh. Hi. Alicia is doing a documentary about Dex for her film school.”

“Really? That’s kind of cool.”

A few girls bumped into Sarah as they tried to get to Dex.

“These girls are crazy,” Sarah mocked. “You’d think Dex was Zac Efron or something.”

“In this school, he’s the closest thing we’ve got,” Liza said.

Kyle was standing next to Dex, helping him keep the autograph line moving when he suddenly felt someone staring at them. “Tracey Waters is looking at us,” he whispered. “Man she’s hot. Uh-oh-I wonder if she found out that Liza hit her with my corndog.”

Tracey stopped mid-hall flanked by Tye and Aimee, her ladies-in-waiting. They were all dressed in form-fitting lilac shirts and tight jeans, wearing enough make-up to look like a coven of Barbie dolls.

Tracey left the girls to begin a well-choreographed sashay down the hall, her eyes fixed on Dex. She began flirting the moment she caught his attention.

“So Dex, I’ve heard about this little show of yours. Very attractive. All of a sudden I’m feeling totally like, interested. You are too, right?”

Dex was about to respond, but Tracey interrupted him.

“I knew it. You don’t have to say anything. We don’t have to be like normal boring people. You’re my new all, baby,” she whispered, leaning in to kiss him.

Dex was too shocked to stop her and their lips met.

“Yo Dex!” Liza barked.

But Dex and Tracey remained lip-locked. Tracey’s arms were wrapped around Dex so tight he couldn’t move.

“I think he’s busy,” Kyle groaned. “I’m busy hating him.”

Liza maneuvered Kyle so he was standing right beside the couple. As Kyle continued to gawk, Liza gave him a firm smack on the back, making him burp loudly.

“Oh-my-God. I’m gonna puke!” Tracey screeched,
pushing Dex away. She clopped back to her crew on her high heels holding one hand over her mouth. She looked left then right, clapped her hands once and they all walked away.

Liza, Sarah, and Kyle stared at Dex, who was too stunned to respond to anyone.

“Amazing...I’ve got to return a book,” Sarah snarled, then darted away.

Alicia checked the time and immediately stopped filming. “I’m going to be late for class. See you guys later,” she said, hurrying down the now empty hall.

Kyle gave Dex a medium-sized whack on the back.

“Thanks Kyle. I couldn’t move.”

The bell rang and Dex, Kyle, and Liza started walking to class.

“Crap! I left my history book in my locker,” Kyle blurted, stopping in his tracks.

“Again?” Liza mocked.

“Tell me about it,” Kyle groaned. “I’ll catch up with you guys later.” He turned around and walked back the other way.

“Where’d Sarah go?” Dex asked.

“The library. I think. Why?” Liza answered. “No reason.”

“Dex, you’re not her boyfriend.”

“I know. But she’s free now.”

“She’s not even that nice to you.”

“I know.”

“You like her anyway.”

“Yeah.”

“Men are pathetic.”

Liza shook her head and went into her social studies class, knowing exactly where Dex was going.

The whole time Dex was on his way to the library he thought about what he would say to Sarah. He could tell her how sorry he was that Hunter turned out to be a creep. That would be easy enough, easier than telling her he wanted her to be his girlfriend. On the other hand, he could avoid talking about Hunter altogether and just tell her how weird it was to have everyone asking him for his autograph.

The doors of the library were right in front of him, and Dex still hadn’t made up his mind. Nonetheless, he took a deep breath and walked in quietly past the reference desk and saw no one sitting at any of the tables. Maybe Sarah was upstairs? He could only hope she hadn’t left the library before he had the chance to see her.

He felt his pulse quicken as he searched through each row of study cubicles. Although the library was almost empty, he couldn’t find her anywhere. If she wasn’t there he would go to her house after school. Yeah, just show up uninvited without any reason to be there. That would go over real well. Mom, what’s this dork doing here? But was that really what she thought of him? He didn’t know.

He was about to give up when he saw Sarah shift in her seat in the last stall at the end of the last row. In the whole library, she couldn’t have picked a better place to hide.

“Hey. I saw you in the hallway before,” Dex said, then cleared his throat.

“So?”

“Do you think Tracey’s into me?” Dex asked.

What?!? It was obvious that he had officially lost his mind.  Did he really just ask the girl he loved if another girl liked him? Any moron would know that was the stupidest thing on the planet he could’ve asked. At that point, why didn’t he just ask her how she was dealing with her broken heart?

“How should I know?” she snapped.

“You’re friends. I thought maybe she told you.”

Now there’s a plan. Say something idiotic and continue to open your mouth and make it worse. Was there a reason he wanted Sarah to hate him?

“Well, she didn’t,” Sarah barked. “Why? Do you like her?”

“I dunno.”

He would have been better off tripping over his book bag and breaking his legs before he ever set foot in the library. When would the stupid pills he must’ve taken wear off?

“I have to study,” Sarah said.

“Okay.”

Finally, a word that didn’t need editing. But how could he leave without knowing where he stood?
“Sarah?”

“What now!?”

“I was thinking.”

“Could have fooled me.”

Dex’s heart was beating like mad. He had to just say it:

“Will you….go out with me?”

CHAPTER eight
teen

Preston was sitting at his desk, his face buried in the latest copy of
Food & Wine
magazine, when Ezra blasted through the door without knocking.

“It’s time for one of our little talks, Presto,” Ezra snarled, grabbing the magazine out of Preston’s hands and sitting on the corner of his desk.

Preston stiffened and clenched his fists. He considered taking a swing at Ezra’s jaw, but stopped himself when he decided he had nothing to worry about. He was, as always, doing a great job. Buford told him just last week that aside from that one nasty scent card that made Preston faint, all the others had been fine.  Ezra must have run out of bran flakes or something to put him in this foul mood. Preston unclenched his fists, reminding himself that until he had the power to control the network and send Ezra packing, it was best to make nice.

“I know,” Preston said nodding, “the idea of having my face on the air fresheners was a bit much. I told production to forget it, so don’t worry, it’s all taken care of.”

“I’m worried alright, but it’s not about that,” Ezra said, looking squarely at Preston. “Your fresheners are fine, at least for the time being, but, your ratings stink!”

“That’s impossible,” Preston argued. “We all know I’m the finest chef in the line-up.” He stood up and crossed over to a small stainless refrigerator and took out a bottle of water.

“Not according to this!” Ezra growled, holding up the newest ratings sheet under Preston’s nose.

“I’m sure things will pick up,” Preston said, swatting the paper away. “My new food line is about to hit the market, and the fresheners are steps away from distribution.”

“That’s fine, but it’s also fluff.” Ezra crossed his arms, “If you keep slipping, you won’t have a show or any Eatz money for your projects.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Preston sat back down in his seat as if it were a throne.

“You know what would be a great idea?!” Ezra exclaimed, ignoring him.

“My own line of cookware?”

“No.”

Ezra got up and reached into his jacket pocket. “Start watching
him
,” he said, tossing a wallet-sized promo picture of Dex onto Preston’s desk.

“The kid?” Preston questioned. “Whatever for?”

“
Dex
,” Ezra asserted, “has something special. He’s been at the top of the ratings since he started.” Ezra went to the door. “Definitely watch him. With a little luck, maybe you can learn something.”

Ezra walked out slamming the door behind him. Preston was seething.

“You little punk,” Preston grimaced, pounding his fist on the picture of Dex. “I’ll watch you alright. I’ll be watching you at every turn. Then I’ll finish you off before you even see it coming!” He slammed his fist down on the picture again sending the neighboring canister of gummy worms onto the floor.

Yvette bolted into the office.

“What’s wrong, Pressykins?” She looked at the floor. “Uh-oh. What happened?” She got on her hands and knees to clean up.

“That little moron is trying to ruin me!” Preston shouted, watching as Yvette gathered the candy. “He’s turned Ezra against me. But he’s crazy if he thinks he’s going to work his way into my shoes.”

“That won’t happen silly. He’s way too small. They’d slip right off!”

Preston cringed. He had little patience for Yvette’s stupidity, but for now she would be helpful. Soon enough he would be in control of the network, he promised himself, and she too would be history.

“I heard he’s having a bunch of kids from his school come for a live lunch special in the studio,” Yvette relayed, still on all fours collecting candy and dumping it into the trash.

Preston paced around her.

“Hmm. Live lunch for a bunch of hungry, judgmental children,” Preston snickered. “This sounds promising. I’m sure the little dirtbag will need help.”

Yvette stood up to throw out the last of the worms. “But you don’t really want to help him?” she paused, “Right?”

Preston rolled his eyes at her. “Can you get a hold of the prep list and menu?”

“Pressykins,” she whispered, now massaging his neck. “I can get you anything you need.”