Populazzi (25 page)

From the way he said it, I had a feeling he already knew the truth.

"It's not really my scene," I admitted. I waited for him to start asking questions, but he didn't. He hopped up to sit on the washing machine.

"So tell me about yourself, Cara Leonard." He eyed the six cups of snacks I'd put on the dryer. "Hungry?"

I blushed and shook my head, so Eddie started snacking on the chips. He watched me, apparently waiting for me to start talking.

It was funny: I'd spent the past couple weeks dying for a guy to show even the slightest curiosity about who I really was. Now I was sitting with a Penultimate who was asking me to talk ... and I had no idea what to say.

"Um ... maybe we could take turns. You could tell me about yourself, too."

"Sure. You first."

"Ummm..."

Why were only the most random and bizarre things popping into my head?

"Okay ... I won't eat Hershey's Miniatures because I met the walk-around ones at Hersheypark when I was little and can't stand to see them hunted for food."

"That's ... weird."

What I really needed was the human version of an electric dog collar. Whenever I was about to say something stupid, it could shock me into silence.

"Your turn," I said.

"I regularly scarf Hershey's Miniatures. By the handful." "Oh."

"That was a joke, Cara," he said.

"Oh. Sorry." I forced a laugh.

"Okay, it wasn't like a laugh-out-loud joke. Are you always this nervous?"

"I'm not nervous," I said.

"Whatever. How about we make it easier. You said you want to know about me?"

I nodded.

"Okay, grab a cup of snacks and settle in. Here goes."

Eddie told me his whole story. He was the youngest of four, and his sister and brothers were all at least fifteen years older than him. He was the accident.

"When I was nine, my parents sat me down and said, 'Eddie, honey, we love you, but we're old. We're tired of parenting. You keep your grades above a C, you don't get any girls pregnant, we die happy. Everything else, you do what you want.'"

"They said that to you? Were you devastated?"

"Why? I thought they were pretty simple rules to live by."

"You didn't feel like they were rejecting you?"

Eddie squinched his face at me. The conversation had gone much better when I'd stayed out of it. Maybe I'd invent that human electric dog collar myself.

"Tell me more," I said.

He did. He said he played varsity football, basketball, and baseball and really wanted to get a sports scholarship to college. None of his siblings had gotten any financial aid for their education, and he wanted to give his parents a break.

"Oh, and I've already been married," he said.

"You ... what?"

It was his sister Suzanne's idea. It had happened when Eddie was three and Suzanne was eighteen. Suzanne's best friend had a little sister Eddie's age, and the two older kids thought it would be fun to throw a wedding. They arranged a huge ceremony and reception. Suzanne and her friends catered, decorated, hired a band ... More than a hundred guests came, including Eddie's other siblings, who flew in for the occasion. Eddie wore a tux, the bride a gown, and the ceremony was performed by Eddie's uncle, a true ordained minister.

"Everyone played it up. My mom cried; the girl and I fed each other cake; people made toasts. The party went on till way after my bedtime. I seriously thought I was legally married until I was twelve."

"That's crazy! Were you mad when you found out the truth?"

"Why would I be mad? It was funny."

I laughed. He may have been a Populazzi, but Eddie was really easy to talk to. Listen to, really. He had all kinds of stories, and we sat in his laundry room for ages as he told them to me. I was surprised when my cell alarm beeped—I'd been having so much fun, I hadn't even realized how much time had passed.

"My time's up?" Eddie asked.

"No, it's..." I hated to say it out loud. "I have to get back for curfew."

"No problem. I haven't heard any singing for a while, so I bet you're safe." He peeked into the living room. "Yeah, Nate's gone. You're cool."

"You practically spent your whole party hiding out with me," I said as we left the laundry room. "I'm so sorry."

"Why?"

I had no good answer for that.

"Besides," he said, "it's not the whole party. This thing's going on all night."

I wasn't sure if that was supposed to make me feel better or worse. I couldn't linger on it, though, because right in front of me was the most incredible thing I'd ever seen.

Claudia was still cuddled up on the love seat with Marsh—only now they were completely making out.

This was huge. This was huger than huge.

This was also a problem. We had to leave
now,
but there was no way in the universe I'd interrupt the biggest moment in Claudia's life.

Eddie understood. "I got it," he said. He walked over and punched Marsh on the arm. "Dude, she's gotta go."

Marsh and Claudia reluctantly pulled apart. "I'll walk you out," he told her. He took her hand and the four of us walked to my car. Neither Claudia nor I said anything, but we kept sneaking glances at each other, asking a million silent questions.

We split at the car, Eddie walking to the driver's side with me while Claudia and Marsh kissed.

"Thanks for keeping me company," I said.

"No worries. It was fun."

"For me, too. Thanks." I had just said thanks about two seconds ago. Maybe what I really needed was a thesaurus implanted in my brain. I climbed into the car as a breathless Claudia collapsed into the seat next to me. I was about to drive off when Eddie signaled for me to roll down the window.

"What's up?" I asked.

"See you at school Monday," he said—then leaned in and kissed me. On the lips. Nothing major, nothing wild, but a kiss. What did it mean?

Claudia grinned as we pulled away from the curb. "Looks like your next target on the Ladder has chosen you ... succubus."

"Okay, Miss I-Hook-Up-with-Populazzi! Tell me!"

"'This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, / May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.'" Claudia sighed.

"Nope. Won't cut it. I need details."

For the first time ever, Claudia couldn't find words. She tried—she opened her mouth like she was going to say something—but all that finally came out was a scream of delight.

"Tell me!"

"I know Marsh and I go to different schools and we don't live close to each other, but in a way I think that's perfect. It's so much more romantic. We have to pine for each other. And it keeps me a challenge: he'll work to win me over again every time we meet.
Especially
since he's competing against my ex-boyfriend Paris, who's dying to get back together."

"You named your fake ex-boyfriend Paris?"

"It felt appropriate."

"What would you have done if he knew
Romeo and Juliet
?"

"Chalked the name up to an incredible coincidence. And gone back to kissing him. Immediately."

"Okay," I said, "keep in mind this is crazy because I have no idea if Eddie's even into me ... but what if you started going out with Marsh and I started going out with Eddie? They're friends—the four of us would hang out together all the time."

"I love it! We'll be like the four lovers at the end of
Midsummer Night's Dream.
Can I be Hermia? I always wanted to be Hermia."

"You could come down every weekend and stay with me. We'd all go out Saturday nights, hang together on Sundays—"

"You have to stop. You're getting my hopes up and I don't want to be disappointed."

"Marsh'll hit me up in the halls for the inside scoop on all your favorite things so he can surprise you—"

"I'm serious, Cara, stop. I'll end up writing songs like Nate Wetherill."

"We could all go to prom together!"

"
SUC-SUC-SUCCUBUS,
" Claudia sang, "
MYROTTING HEART IS COVERED IN PUS...
"

I had to admit the song was catchy. I joined in.

"
SUC-SUC-SUCCUBUS,
" we sang at the top of our lungs, "
THE PUTRID CORPSE OF THE TWO OF US.
"

The night could not possibly have been any better.

It was fun to fantasize, but I didn't really think there was anything going on between Eddie and me. Sure, he'd kissed me, but it hadn't been a
real
kiss. We hadn't made out like Claudia and Marsh.

Not that I was against Eddie as my next Ladder target. I liked him. I just had absolutely no idea how to go after him. We didn't have classes together or hang with the same people. Other than in Claudia's and my double-date fantasies, our cou-pledom seemed impossible.

And of course there was the fact that my reputation as a soul-sucking succubus now preceded me wherever I went.

"Cara!"

I was on my way to my locker Monday morning when I heard Archer's voice. He was jogging to catch up to me. Far behind him, I saw Sue, Tom, and Doug. They looked annoyed. I didn't care. I was happy to see him.

"Hey!"

"Hey. How are things with your parents?" Between the weird finals schedule and my grounding, Archer and I hadn't seen each other since the last time we'd spoken.

"You pretty much saved my life. I mean, they're still crazy, but I'm dealing with it a lot bett—"

"Cara! I was looking for you."

It was Eddie Riegert, sporting what seemed to be his go-to outfit of choice, jeans and a T-shirt. Today's said
WHAT THE SMURF
?! just under one of the little blue creatures.

"You were?" I asked. I wondered if I had left something behind at his party, like a lip gloss that melted on his dryer and made a horrible mess that got him in trouble. I already felt guilty.

"Yeah. Come on."

He took my hand and led me down the hall.

"Wait," I said. "I was talking to—"

But even as I turned back toward Archer, I saw Sue grabbing
his
hand and pulling him in the other direction. Apparently neither one of us was in control of our social agenda. I gave him a helpless smile, then turned to see where Eddie was taking me.
Why
he was taking me, I didn't want to imagine—I was sure I'd get it wrong.

And yet ... he was holding my hand.

And he'd kissed me at his party.

But still...

I almost stopped in my tracks as I realized where Eddie and I were headed. It was a room at the end of the building called "The Heap."

It was an apt description. When the school had been built in the 1950s, the room had been a vision of wholesome teenage bliss. Photos on the walls showed it filled with straight- backed chairs and game tables outfitted for cards, backgammon, chess, checkers, dominoes, and even tiddlywinks.

Decades later, the gaming accessories were long gone, and somewhere along the way the school had given in to students' desires to immortalize themselves. The administrators had turned the other way as class after class added their own graffiti to the tables and chairs. It was actually a cool tradition. At Homecoming, the place swarmed with alumni looking for the marks they'd left ages ago.

In the fall The Heap had entertained a revolving door of different Cubby Crews, DangerZones, and even Happy Hopeless. In the winter the junior class Populazzi retreated inside from their oak tree and claimed The Heap as their own. Once they did, no one from another Tower tier dared venture inside. It was like the change in weather triggered a force field on the doorway and anyone who didn't belong would be vaporized on entry.

But now I was going in on the arm of a Populazzi. Did that mean I belonged? Could it really be that easy?

I was excited—but terrified. Eddie's party had been one thing; I'd gone in with Claudia, and there'd been enough people around that I could disappear when I'd needed to. The Heap was filled with
only
the Populazzi. I'd be under a microscope. If I messed up and embarrassed myself, the damage would be huge and permanent.

I was also nervous about Trista. I had gotten on her radar as a DangerZone. Would she accept me as a potential Populazzi? Eddie had pretty much called me on not being myself with Nate, but it didn't seem to bother him. Would it bother Trista? Would she think I was a total fake? If she did, would Eddie not be interested anymore? Did she have that kind of power?

I held my breath a little as I followed Eddie into The Heap.

"Cara!" Trista cried. She was on the floor leaning back against Brett Seward's legs, but she jumped up to hug me.

Hug
me.

She took my hand and led me to a chair, pulling me away from Eddie. He looked amused.

"I have been
dying
to talk to you," Trista said. "How does it feel to have the most dramatic social life in the whole school?"

Was she being sarcastic? No, I didn't think she was. She seemed genuine. And given the way Nate had been acting and whatever was suddenly going on with Eddie, it wasn't like she was exaggerating.

"Yeah, tell us. How does it feel to have saved Eddie from the priesthood?"

That came from Gemma Palano. She was sitting across the room and gave me a pointed stare that made my brain whimper.

Gemma was the most intimidating person at Chrysella, far more intimidating than even Trista. She looked like an exotic supermodel and could easily have been Supreme Populazzi, except high school wasn't her thing. She played on the pro tennis circuit and spent most of her time traveling the world for tournaments. Rumor had it she'd never gone out with anyone at school, but had tons of older men outside of Chrysella, and had dated her twenty-year-old trainer when she was only twelve.

Gemma never smiled. Unlike, oh,
me
—who automatically grinned like an idiot to all the people I met in the hopes that they'd like me. Gemma didn't care about that. She demanded other people prove they were worthy of
her.
I respected that ... but it also made me feel very small and inferior.

"
I'm
the one who saved him, Gems," Trista said. "It was my idea to have Eddie invite Cara and Nate to the party."