10
A
fter our PGP meeting, I sit in the dining room at the computer desk and boot up. I haven't logged into my Facebook page for weeks, because with Hi-Steppers and everything else, I haven't really had any spare time.
Just to prove it, my status still says: Gia is rocking new Tweety jewelry!
I look down at the charm bracelet that I never, ever take off and think of Ricky. We haven't talked in days. I mean we chat in the hallways and sometimes eat at the same lunch table, but we haven't had a Ricky/Gia powwow since before the state football championship.
I leave a note on his wall. Hey Ricky. Tweety says hi!
Totally lame. I know it, but I can't think of anything that I want to say to him that will be all out in the open to his other friends. I quickly scan the notes on his wall, and of course the majority of them are from girls. Some of them are random chicks who don't even go to Longfellow High.
My cell phone rings. “Talk to me,” I answer.
“Hey, Gia.”
“Oh, hey, Kevin.”
“Dang, you could be just a little bit excited to hear from me.”
I can't even lie. I was hoping that it was Ricky. Hearing Kevin's voice on the other end was a serious disappointment.
“I'm sorry, Kev. What's up?”
“I was just confirming that I'm picking you up Saturday morning at eight forty-five.”
“Kevin, the class starts at ten.”
“I want to be on time,” Kevin replies.
“Boo, Kevin. It's at Christ the King High School, and it's ten minutes away.”
“We want a good parking spot, and a good seat in the class.”
I can't even ask Kevin if he's serious, because I know he is. Kevin doesn't like being late for anything. He's never been late for school, for a class, band practiceânothing. His grandmother, Mother Witherspoon, even said he was born a day early.
“Kevin, if you ring my doorbell at eight forty-five in the morning, I'm going to be heated.”
Kevin laughs. “That's good, because it's cold outside.”
“Jokes?” I ask.
“Yep, and plenty more where that came from!”
As much as I don't want to, I crack up laughing at Kevin and his silly self. It's hard to have a conversation with Kevin and
not
end up laughing. This time is no different.
“So, Gia,” Kevin asks, “are you having a birthday party this year?”
“I haven't given it much thought. A party would be nice, I guess, but I'm more of a get-together kind of girl.”
“So, why don't we have a get-together over at Hope's house? It would be cool if Pastor Stokes let us use his recreation room.”
Umm, yeah. A birthday party at my uncle/pastor's house. Wonder how many of my school friends are gonna show up at that party bonanza? Not that I want to do anything off the chain, but I at least want people to show up.
“I don't know, Kev, maybe we could just ix nay the whole party idea.”
“But ...”
“Let's not talk about it anymore, okay?”
He must hear the finality in my tone, because he changes the subject. “Did you hear what Valerie did on Facebook?”
Okay, why does Kevin know the scoop? Whoever said that boys don't gossip is a liar. The boys I know keep up with the Longfellow drama, just like the girls. Sometimes even more than the girls, and they stay instigating.
I click over onto Valerie's page. “I saw the pictures earlier, but they've been removed.”
“Yep. Susan Chiang's mother tried to get Valerie to take them down and when she didn't, she contacted Facebook and asked them to take them down.”
“Well, that's good, but I don't think Valerie did it.”
Kevin laughs. “Why not? She's most definitely capable of evil.”
“I know, but I saw her in the PGP meeting tonight and she wasn't gloating one bit. Valerie always gloats over her victories against the lames.”
“Okay, Gia, I'll give you that. But if Valerie didn't do it, then who did?”
“Good question, Kev!”
A notification pops up on my Facebook page. I click over to my wall and see this message from Ricky: Tell Tweety I miss hanging out with him.
I swallow hard and ponder my next move. Is there something between the lines here? Is this a secret declaration of love? Or is he just talking about me, him, Kev, and Hope chilling at the rec center eating microwave popcorn and drinking cocoa.
I decide not to post another note on his wall, because I'm not sure what's up. I try to
always
know what's going on in my circle. This not-having-a-clue mess is for the birds.
Kevin asks, “Okay then, Gia, I've got pre-calc homework to finish. Did you do yours?”
“Sure did.”
“Well, you don't have to be so snooty about it.”
The giggle escapes before I have a chance to stop it. “What? Are you mad that I'm a better student than you, Kevy-kev?”
“I don't like you right now, Gia. Talk to you later.”
I press End on my cell phone. I'm about to log off the computer and find a good book to read when another notification pops up on my Facebook page. I click over to my wall and Ricky has left me another note. Somebody's about to be 17. Are we celebrating?
This I can respond to. I type: Are you throwing your BFF a par-tay?
I sit at the computer awaiting his response. Finally it pops up. Sure. I'll ask my parents.
Okay, this could end up being totally fresh. A birthday party for moi, thrown by Longfellow High's number-one hot boy.
I decide to tease Ricky a little bit. Why? Because it's what I doâespecially since he's been acting crazy lately. He deserves it.
I type: Do I need to bring a date?
I can see him now, sitting at his computer with his eyebrows pulled in, looking like a caveman! He's so expressive when he's mad.
This is what Ricky writes on my wall next:
:-|
I clutch my stomach and laugh out loud. Ricky gave me the tight-lipped smiley!
Since he's determined to steer our relationship away from girlfriend/boyfriend waters and back to the shallow end of the BFF pool, then I'm allowed to tease him incessantly. (Look it up! Ha!)
Tired of tormenting Ricky, I log off Facebook and turn off the computer.
“How was PGP?” Candy asks.
Why did I not know she was behind me, reading over my shoulder? Nosy heifer. “Don't sneak up on me.”
“You doing something you shouldn't be doing?” she asks.
“No. It's the principle of the matter. If we're going to be sisters, then sneaking is not allowed.”
Candy laughs. “But snitching is?”
Candy went straight to the throwback of me snitching on her about her sticky fingers issue. Let's hope it's her
former
sticky fingers issue. I sure hope she's cured of that mess. She can't roll with me and my crew if she's gonna be stealing. We don't roll like that.
“Sometimes snitching is for the greater good. Not the same as sneaking.”
“Whatev, Gia. Come in my room. I have something to tell you.”
We have to go behind closed doors for her to tell me her news? Hmmm ... sounds like some drama is afoot.
Once we're safely behind a locked door, she asks, “How was the meeting? What did I miss?”
“You missed out on Gwen and Aunt Elena's dating rules.”
Candy's eyes light up. “Does that mean we get to go out on dates?”
“They made sure to say that the decision to allow dating is up to each parent. So, naw, they haven't said anything about allowing us to date.”
“Bummer. Because I just got asked out.”
“Dish! Who is it? Is it that freshman football player you've been drooling over?”
“Julian Rogers? Um, no. He's stuck up, just because his father is the coach. I can't stand him anymore.”
Okay, let me translate. She tried to throw some holla in Julian's direction and got rejected. That equals him being stuck up.
“Then who asked you out?” I ask.
“Chase.”
My mouth drops open. “Chase and Sascha are together. I mean like, really together. Like one step away from getting married the day after graduation.”
“That's not what he said. He said that Sascha is starting to be a drag, and he's going to tell her he wants to start seeing other people.”
“A drag how?”
“She's super clingy and always talking about being in love and all that noise. Chase isn't on that right now.”
I bite my lip and put my thinking face on. “Chase doesn't seem like your type. He's kind of grungy.”
“Girl, he is hot to death. And he and his boys are starting a band in Chase's garage. He might want me to sing with them.”
Who is this girl?
“Does Valerie approve of him?”
Candy laughs. “Who cares what Valerie thinks? She's about to graduate in June. I was just cool with her while we were on Hi-Steppers. She's not really someone I want to keep hanging with.”
“What about Sascha, though? You're cool with her, and she's in PGP. She'll tell my mom about you stealing her boyfriend.”
“And what will Mama Gwen do about that?”
Do I have to school her on everything? Dang! “Mama Gwen will most certainly not want you dating Chase. She'll take one look at him and you'll be on lockdown to infinity.”
“I guess you're right. I'll just see Chase in secret then. Forget I told you about the whole thing. I'm going to bed.”
What in the world? How can I just un-hear something like this? I'm not wired that way. Once something gets in my head, it totally cannot get back out again.
“Listen, I'm tired of always having Gwen and LeRon in my mix because you're up to shadiness. Why can't you just be a model teen like me?”
“Because you're boring, Gia. I'm in high school now! I need to make some memories. Just think how memorable it will be if I get my first kiss from Chase!”
What would be memorable is the girl-fight that would most probably ensue. And since I don't promote teen violence, I cannot support this cause.
“Candy, if you start sneaking and seeing Chase, I'm telling Sascha.”
Candy rolls her eyes and turns toward the wall. “Bye, hater.”
My mind goes back to Chase's borderline abusive behavior at the state championship. Just because I didn't say anything when I saw it happen to Sascha, doesn't mean I'll keep quiet if it's my sister.
“Trust me on this one, Candy. Chase isn't as nice as he seems.”
“That's your hateriffic opinion.”
I shake my head. “Well, do what you want. Just don't tell me about it. Because if I know, I'm blabbing. I've told you up front, so don't get all twisted when I follow through.”
Candy turns to face me. “Ugh! I see now why Ricky won't kick it with you! You don't know how to have fun.”
Puh-lease! I put the capital F in fun. Shoot, I put the U and the N in too. She can bounce with that foolishness.
“Hurting someone else is not fun to me. Sorry, I don't know where you found your definition of fun. It sounds like you got it out of the Valerie Mean Girl's dictionary.”
Candy's eyes light up as if she's just remembered something. “Speaking of Valerie, she's got to have a meeting tomorrow at school with her parents, Susan, and Susan's parents.”
“How do you know about all this?” I ask.
“Valerie called me, asking if I knew who hacked her Facebook page. She swears she didn't post those pictures.”
“I knew it! I knew she didn't do it.”
“What? You believe her? I think she's lying. How do you know she didn't do it?”
“Because if Valerie had done it, she wouldn't be calling you to find out who hacked her page. She'd be calling you to figure out a plan on how to get out of trouble.”
“Gia, nobody hates Susan more than Valerie.”
I tap my chin, in thinking mode again. “You're right. And everyone knows this. But I think we should be thinking deeper here. What does Valerie really have to gain by posting those pictures of Susan?”
Candy pauses for a moment before replying. “I don't know. Revenge, maybe?”