Secrets of My Hollywood Life #4: Paparazzi Princess (29 page)

"Oh no. I know that look," a guy next to me said.

I looked left, then right, and then realized the guy was talking to me. "What look?" I asked him before I actually turned to face him, which was probably good considering he was beyond cute. He had slightly curly short brown hair that fell in his blue eyes and he reminded me of a Jonas Brother -- tall, thin, and dark-haired. He was wearing red nylon shorts and a white T-shirt that was already muddy. I could make out the outline of his toned abs and muscles through the slightly sheer shirt and I quickly looked away and then couldn't help looking back again.

He gave me a sly grin, revealing a dimple in his right cheek. "The look that all the girls here get when they're falling for Hunter Thomas," he pointed out.

I inhaled sharply. "I'm not falling for Hunter." I folded my arms. "I was actually looking at the other team. I'm just trying to scope out our competition."

He laughed. "Whatever you say," he said. "I'm Cole, by the way, not that you'd notice when you're drooling over Hunter."

"I wasn't drooling," I said, feeling a swell of indignation. I had no idea my Hunter infatuation was so obvious. What if Hunter overheard Cole? I'd seriously pass out right there and they'd have to play over me. "I do not like him, okay?" I seethed.

Cole looked at me curiously. "Good," he said softly.

Wait. What? "Why? I mean, what do you care?" I asked.

Cole shrugged. "The truth is, a girl like you could do a lot better than Hunter."

"What makes you say that?" I had to know.

"Maybe I'm wrong, but you look normal. And nice." Cole said. He had an arrogant grin on his face that I wanted to wipe off. "Nice girls with potential acting careers have a lot more going for them than to spend their summer fawning over Hunter."

"I'm not an actress," I pointed out. I guess Cole had overheard our conversation too. "I'm anything but."

"You could be," Cole said. "People flipped for that commercial. I bet Hollywood came banging on your door."

"They did," I admitted without thinking. I usually didn't tell people that. "But I wasn't interested. I'm not. I really don't . . ." How could I explain it? "I'm not one for being the center of attention," I said. "I like to help people, and I like to get involved, but I don't really want to be the star." Wow. I had never really told a stranger that before.

Cole shook his head. "I get it," he said, "but I have a feeling that you're going to be one around here. Hunter is going to be all over that."

We both looked over at Hunter, who had finished talking to the girl from earlier and was now leaning on two short CITs, laughing. Why wasn't he starting the game already? I wanted all these awkward conversations over with. "Don't get me wrong," Cole added. "I like the guy. He's a decent friend to other dudes, usually, but to girls, well . . ."

I was starting to feel defensive of my crush. "He's friendly," I said.

Cole sighed. "He is friendly. Too friendly, and I feel it's my duty to warn you that he's also a major flirt and a serial dater. He loves hitting on CITs because he knows it will never go any further than that."

I looked at Hunter again. I didn't see anything particularly flirty about him, even if he was talking to two CITs. Cole moved closer to me then and I took a step back. Wow, his eyes really were unreal. They were as blue as the cloudless sky, and he had long eyelashes that I would have killed for.

"Don't fall for Hunter Thomas, okay?" Cole told me, sounding serious, instead of just teasing, like before.

Em already told me we couldn't date counselors and besides, I hadn't come to camp to find a boyfriend. "Don't worry, I won't," I assured him.

"Good." Cole looked satisfied. But why?

"Game on!" Hunter yelled, interrupting my thoughts.

I hadn't taken more than two steps to get into position when the unthinkable happened.

BOOM!

The dodgeball smacked me in the face, dizzying me. The next thing I knew, my flip-flops were slipping on mud. I tried to regain my balance, but like a movie in slow-motion I felt myself slide backward. I was falling into the muddy grass below me and I couldn't stop myself. I felt a sharp thud, then blinding pain in the back of my head. I closed my eyes before the dizziness could take over and groaned.

What a way to make a first impression.

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Sleepaway Girls

Coming May 2009