He's With Me (8 page)

were actually true!

“I have to get to tennis,” she blurted, and took off at a sprint for the courts.

Jake would have to handle the rest of the morning’s interrogation without her.

Riley was warming up outside the fence by jogging in place. He had showed

up on Wednesday in jean shorts that were clearly just jeans he’d cut the legs off

of, but now he was wearing real shorts.

“Hey, Lexie,” he said. “Remember how we were talking about
Lost

yesterday?” She vaguely remembered saying something about liking the show,

but she wouldn’t have called it a whole conversation. He rattled on without

waiting for her to answer. “Well, they’re having a marathon tonight on TV, and I

thought maybe we could watch it together, so you can explain it to me and

maybe I’ll see how good it is. Whatcha think? We could order pizza.”

“Oh, that sounds like fun, Riley,” Lexie said. “But I’m going out with Jake

tonight. Sorry.” She was half sorry and half not. She loved watching
Lost
, but it sounded a bit intimidating, just her and Riley hanging out.

“Awww,” Riley said. “Sure you doing want to ditch him? This is the only

night the marathon will be on!”

“I can’t do that,” Lexie said. “But I can loan you the DVDs of Season One, if

you want.”

“I’d rather watch it with you,” Riley said. “What are you doing with Jake

tonight, anyway?”

“We’re going to the movies in town,” Lexie said.

Riley looked like he was going to try again to convince her, but just then

Sally came up, linked her arm through Lexie’s and tugged her away, whispering

about plans for that night.

It wasn’t until later, during lunch, that something occurred to Lexie. Had

Riley been asking her on a date? TV and pizza wasn’t a typical date...and he knew

about Jake...but some people would call that a date. It was certainly the first time

a boy had asked her to do something with just him.

What would she have said if she weren’t pretend dating Jake? Would she

want to date Riley?
But I don’t like him that way
, Lexie thought.
Do I? He doesn’t
make me all fizzy inside the way Jake does. He makes me nervous...but maybe

that’s what it’s supposed to feel like, meeting a new guy you like
.

She didn’t want to date anyone but Jake. But if Jake didn’t want to date her

– and Riley did – maybe she should try it, for the experience.
I shouldn’t be the

only girl in high school who’s never been kissed
. The thought of kissing Riley gave her butterflies in her stomach.

Well, it doesn’t matter, anyway
, she told herself firmly.
He thinks I’m dating
Jake. And now that I’ve turned him down once, I doubt he’ll ask again.
She glanced sideways at his shaggy mane of hair and his large hands. On her other side, Jake

leaned forward to grab a napkin. His arm touched hers, and then stayed there, his

skin brushing hers, for the rest of lunch.

Riley kept looking at her and trying to make her laugh. He ever stole a

couple of her carrot sticks. And every time she looked up, Lexie found Bree glaring

at her. Bree had been flirting with Riley all week, but he didn’t seem to have

noticed. She’d even been ignoring Jake in favour of Riley, but all Riley’s attention

was fixed on Lexie. This surprised her as much as it did Bree. If he spend one day

at Carlisle High, he’d realize the difference in their social status, and then surely

he’d lose interest in Lexie immediately.

She sort of wished he would. She didn’t like the way Bree looked at her –

as if Lexie had stolen
two
of Bree’s boys, and now she would have to pay...one way or another.

She was able to push Riley and Bree out of her mind as she biked home

with Jake. Their date was only a few hours away! Ever a pretend date was worlds

more exciting than sitting at home with her parents and Colin for another Friday

night, especially with her brother’s ongoing weirdness.

“I’ll be back at six,” Jake said, pausing in the driveway. “With my tuxedo

pressed and shoes shined.”

“I should hope so,” Lexie said. “My ball gown wouldn’t go with anything

else.”

He grinned and saluted as she wheeled her bike into the garage.

“Hello?” she called as she went into the house. “Colin?”

“He’s at the library,” Mrs. Willis said, popping out of the den. “How was

your day? Is the tennis getting more fun?”

Lexie shrugged. “Not really. But I think I’m getting better at pool volleyball.”

She’d actually gotten a couple of serves over the net. Jake had whooped and

hollered, ad Riley had applauded from the sidelines. Even Sally had given her a

thumbs-up.

Lexie’s mother hovered for a minute, as if she were waiting for something

to happen.

“Mom?” Lexie said. “Are you okay?”

“Of course I am,” Mrs. Willis said. “Don’t you want to go upstairs and drop

off your things?”

Lexie glanced down at her shoulder bag and tennis racket. “Yeah, okay. I

thought I’d get a glass of water first.”

“I’ll get it,” Mrs. Willis said, bolting for the kitchen. “You go upstairs.”

“Mom, you’re being bizarre!” Lexie called after her. Shaking her head, she

headed up the stairs and dropped her stuff inside her room.

Hanging from the hook on the outside of her closet was a dress. It was a

shimmering burnt orange colour, like autumn leaves, with a V-neck, a dropped

waist, and thin ribbons of darker red around the waist and the knee-length hem.

Lexie touched it in awe. The fabric was soft and shiny but not clingy.

“Do you like it?” her mother asked from the doorway.

“Wow, Mom,” Lexie said. “I mean – wow.”

“I hope it fits,” Mrs. Willis said, sitting down on Lexie’s bed.

“Let’s find out,” Lexie said, slipping it off the hanger. It rustled like autumn

leaves, too, as she slid it on. Her mom came over to help her zip up the back. It fit

perfectly.

“How do you do that?” Lexie said, spinning in front of the mirror. “It’s

amazing.”

“Well, I just thought you should have something special for your first date,”

Mrs. Willis said, and then clapped her hands over her mouth. “Oh! I wasn’t going

to say anything!”

“That’s okay,” Lexie said. She wanted to tell her mom the truth, but

wouldn’t her mom be disappointed that she’d gone to so much trouble for a fake

date?

“I’ve been hoping you’d tell me about it yourself,” Mrs. Willis said.

“Well, we’re trying not to make it a big deal,” Lexie said, feeling awkward.

“I understand,” her mom said, getting up and heading to the door. “I just

want you to know – I’ve always thought you and Jake would make a perfect

couple.” She beamed at Lexie as she shut the door behind her.

Yeah, me too,
Lexie thought.
Now somebody tell Jake that
.

Chapter 7

The first thing Lexie did was call Sally to tell her that her outfit had changed,

which it turned out Sally had been planning as well. Then Lexie showered, blow-

dried her hair, put on her necklace and her vanilla-scented perfume that she

almost never wore, painted her toenails dark red, and dressed. At six o’clock, she

was sitting on the edge of a chair in the den, trying not to wrinkle her dress, even

though her mother said the fabric was supposed to be wrinkle-proof.

“I told you that you didn’t have to dress up so much,” Colin said from his

prone position on the couch. “Jake will think it’s weird.”

“No, he won’t,” Lexie snapped. Of course, this was what she’d been

worrying about for the last two hours. But it was too late now.

The doorbell rang, and she leaped up to answer it before her mother could

get there.

It was Sally. She squealed the instant she saw Lexie.

“Oh my goodness! You look fantastic!”

“Come in,” Lexie said, blushing. “Jake’s not here yet.”

“What a hero your boyfriend is,” Sally said. “My loser said he’d meet us

there. Which means by the way, that he’ll have already bought his ticket, and I’ll

have to buy my own. Ian’s a little unclear on some of the basic principles of

dating.”

Lexie hadn’t thought about that. Would Jake be paying for her? Maybe he’d

have to, for appearance, and then she could pay him back later.

“Hi, Colin,” Sally said as they entered the den. “Hey, did I see you at the

drugstore yesterday?”

“No,” he said quickly.

“I thought it was you,” Sally said, “but I couldn’t figure out why anyone

would be buying notebooks and a protractor in the summertime, so maybe I was

wrong.”

Lexie gave Colin a puzzled look, but he didn’t meet her eyes.

The doorbell rang again, and this time it was Jake. He looked freshly

showered and his short-sleeved gray button-down made his eyes look all smoky

and dark. He was holding a short, dark red rose.

“Holy smokes,” he said. “You – that – you – uh... I like your dress.”

Lexie felt like she must be turning the world’s brightest shade of red.

“Hi, Jake,” she managed.

“This is for you,” he said, handing her the rose. As she took it, their fingers

brushed, and suddenly he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. It was soft

and quick, like a butterfly bumping against her face. Guessing that that meant

Sally was behind her, Lexie glanced around, but they were alone in the hallway.

So...why did he - ?

“Jake!” Colin called from the den. “Stop loitering and come in here!”

“Thank you,” Lexie whispered, shutting the door behind Jake as he stamped

his feet on the welcome mat. He looked quizzical, and she held up the flower.

“Oh my God,” Sally said, poking her head in. “Did you get her that, Jake?

That’s unbelievable. Do you know how many times Ian has gotten me flowers?

Zero
. He’s such a troglodyte. That was the Word of the Day today; isn’t it cool?

Man, look how perfect that rose is! You guys are too cute for words. Lexie, let’s go

find something to put it in.” She fastened her hand around Lexie’s wrist and

dragged her into the kitchen. Jake went into the den and Lexie could hear the

murmur of his voice and Colin’s.

“How much does that guy adore you?” Sally said, pulling open cabinets. “I

know Amy Sorrento a little from field hockey and I don’t think he ever got her

flowers. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t being up the ex-girlfriend, should I? Don’t worry, he

never looked at her the way he looks at you. Oh here, this should work.” She

fished out a small glass vase and helped Lexie fill it with water.

Lexie set the rose in the vase and gently touched the petals. It
was
perfect.

Why couldn’t this all be real?

They said good-bye to Colin and set off walking. Sally chattered most of the

way, so Lexie didn’t have to worry about what to say to Jake. Normally it was easy

to talk to him, but this was different. This was a date. Sort of.

Ian Montgomery was standing in front of the movie theatre, rocking on his

heels. Unlike Jake, he was just wearing a T-shirt and ripped jeans, and he looked

like he hadn’t showered in a couple of days. He also didn’t compliment Sally,

although Lexie thought she looked totally cute in her dark green sundress. And

Sally had been right: He’d already bought his ticket, so she had to buy her own.

Jake closed his hand over Lexie’s as she tried to pull money out of her purse.

“No, no,” he said. “Let me do the boyfriend thing.” He grinned and she

smiled back.

“
Ahem
,” Sally said. “The
boyfriend
thing, you say? You mean, taking your girlfriend to the movies, bringing her flowers, telling her she looks nice? Are there

boyfriends who actually
do
that?”

“Hey, I’m here, aren’t I?” Ian said grumpily. “Even though this movie looks

super lame. You should be happy enough about that.”

“Oh, I am,” Sally said, taking his hand. “I feel so
blessed
to be
honored
with your
presence
, I can’t even handle it.”

Lexie giggled, but Ian huffed out a breath of air like he didn’t get that she

was joking.

Inside, there was a confusing moment as they figured out where to sit. But

Lexie wound up between Jake and Sally, with Ian on the other side of Sally. Then

Jake offered to go get popcorn, and Ian asked him to get some for him, too. When

Jake came back, he was also carrying a large soda and a box of Junior Mints for

Lexie.

“You like these, right?” he said to her as he sat down.

“They’re my favorite, thank you,” she said. On her other side, Sally sighed

loudly, but Ian missed her meaningful look.

“I figured we could split the soda,” Jake said, “but, um they were nearly out

of straws, so I only took one. Is that gross? Do you mind?”

“No, that’s okay,” Lexie said. As she took a sip she realized it was Cherry

Coke, the kind she liked. Jake was a perfect pretend boyfriend. He should take

notes for the next time he really dated someone. She looked down at her hands,

suddenly feeling sad. She didn’t want him to date anyone else. She didn’t want to

go back to being just Lexie while someone else got to be Jake’s girlfriend. And

then Sally would pity her, and Bree would be so smug.

The lights went down and Jake leaned over. “Are you all right?” he