Life in the No-Dating Zone (7 page)

Parents and little kids filtered out of the theater building into the glare of the noon sun. The morning session of Dramadary had ended. I still didn’t want to get out of the car with its blasting AC, cushy cloth seats, and a girl I wasn’t afraid of.

“Gray,” Claire said from the passenger seat. “Are you going to turn off the car? Or do I have to do some voodoo magic thing to get you to?”

“I’m thinking about it.”

She unbuckled her seat belt. “Stop thinking and turn it off. We need to go in before Lindsey’s drink melts.”

“Right.” I cut the engine. We got out and headed across the parking lot before I could change my mind. Heat blazed up from the pavement practically singing the hair off my arms and legs.

“Remember, this is the easiest one we thought of,” she said. “You won’t have to do much talking.”

“I know. I’m being stupid.”

Sadly, she didn’t disagree, just yanked the door open. “I’ll send a quick text.” She tapped away on her phone.

In the foyer, people milled around, and kids whined. What was wrong with me? I’d already talked to Lindsey successfully just a few days ago. And all Claire and I were doing was bringing her some weird lemonade-tea slushy drink. Supposedly her favorite.

So why did I want to go home and babysit my little brothers? Who wanted to break up fights with his siblings instead of talk to a gorgeous girl? I had to face it. I was a loser with a bizarre fantasy I might have a chance with Lindsey Taylor.

“She’s on her way,” Claire said. I must’ve looked like I was about to pass out because she squeezed my elbow. “C’mon, champ, you can do this.”

I switched the big cup from one hand to the other and wiped my newly free hand on my shorts. “Are you patronizing me?”

She grinned. “Completely.”

Claire Gardner was pretty cute when she smiled, but I still wanted to give her a shove. A friendly shove, but one she might remember. The impulse died when Lindsey appeared, winding her way through the crowd. A look of surprise crossed her face when she saw me, but she masked it quickly.

“Hey, guys,” she said. “What’s going on?”

“Gray and I ran into each other at Sonic,” Claire lied. “He suggested we get you something to drink, too. So, here we are!”

That last sentence was a little too enthusiastic. I’d noticed Claire did stuff like that when she was nervous. It made me feel a lot better about my own social awkwardness.

Lindsey looked from one of us to the other without saying anything. Even with her hair pulled back and no makeup on, she was still stunning. Claire brushed my elbow with hers. “Oh, right,” I said and shoved the drink toward Lindsey.

“Thanks,” she said. “Is it—”

“Yup,” Claire said.

“Lemonade iced tea,” Lindsey said, then smiled at me. Oh yeah, babysitting your brothers could go suck it. “Thanks so much, y’all. I can really use it after this morning.”

The irritated look on her face surprised words out of me. “Didn’t go well?”

She sipped her drink. “Ah. That’s good. It was fine, I guess.” She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Little kids aren’t really my thing.”

“Oh.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say with her face so near mine.

She straightened. “I really need to get back in there. We have to eat before the next group shows up.”

“Okay,” Claire said.

“Oh, hey,” Lindsey said, “the theater peeps and I are hanging out at the gazebo tonight if you want to come.”

“I have to work,” I said.

“Too bad,” she said. “Claire?”

“Don’t know. I might be able to.”

“Lindsey!” a girl called from across the room.

“Gotta go. Thanks for the drink,” she said and squeezed my forearm.

“No problem,” I said, but she was already weaving through the crowd.

“C’mon,” Claire said.

I followed her outside into the glaring sunshine.

“Not bad, sugar lump,” Claire said.

“Shut up.”

“No, really. It didn’t completely suck.”

This time I did shove her. Not hard, just enough to make her waver.

She just laughed. “Let’s get something to eat. Whataburger okay?”

“Perfect. I could use some cow.”

***

Claire held her Whataburger Jr. with one pinky sticking out. Did she realize she was doing it? Probably not. For such a forceful person, she was an amazingly delicate eater. No crumbs, no slurping sounds, no tomato sliding out of her burger. She’d even cut the little thing in half.

She put down her food and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “You’re sure you can get someone to watch your brothers tomorrow morning?”

“Yeah, I can take them next door. I mean, it won’t take long, right?”

“Shouldn’t. Lindsey’ll be at the grocery store around ten. It’s the one major chore she does for her parents. Probably because it gets her out of the house every week—even if she’s grounded.”

“So when do we go?”

“Ten thirty or so, just in case she’s really fast. I think she’s usually done by about a quarter till.”

Man, I hoped I wouldn’t freeze up and just stare at her. I sipped my drink, and then lied. “Sounds good.”

“Really? Because you sound like you need me to hold your hand.”

“Don’t be snarky.”

“But I like being snarky.”

I bit into my burger. “Do it some other time then.”

“Gross. Do you have to talk with food in your mouth?”

I swallowed. “Do you have to cut your hamburger into tiny little bites?”

“A half does not make tiny little bites. Is there something wrong with the way I eat?”

“Not if you’re in a five-star rest—”

“Hey, guys!”

Oh, no
. Amy Acton trailed by Nyssa Staphos. And now at our table. I forced a smile onto my face.

“Hi,” Claire said. “How’re y’all?”

“Good,” Amy said. “What’re y’all doing here?”

Claire looked over at me. But there was no way I was jumping into this conversation. She was doing just fine. She motioned to her food. “Having lunch?”

Nyssa let out a nervous laugh, but Amy pressed on. “I can see that. I meant I’ve never seen you here together before.”

Nice. Very subtle. Why didn’t she just say,
Are you two going out?

“That’s because it’s never happened before,” Claire said, perfectly calm, but I could tell her brain was whirring. The distant look in her eyes signaled a plan. But if it included winging it, I’d better get ready. “Gray, would you mind getting me some more Sprite?”

And there it was. She was sending me away from the table, which probably meant she was going to concoct some wild story and didn’t want me around to give it away. Fine with me. “Sure.” I grabbed her cup and headed for the soda refill station.

There was a woman filling her drink ahead of me, so I had a chance to look back at the table. Amy had plopped down on my side of the booth and Nyssa leaned closer to Claire, who was, as usual, gesturing as she talked. She could take somebody’s head off with those moves.

The woman in front of me left and I filled Claire’s half-empty cup with Sprite. I hoped her story was good. The last thing I needed was word to get around that Claire and I were dating or something.

“Number two-sixteen, two-sixteen,” the counter guy said.

And not so strangely, that reminded me of the time. I pulled out my phone. Almost one o’clock. I had to pick up my brothers from judo by one thirty and I had to take Claire home first. Time to end the girl gossip session.

When I reached the table, Amy stood up. “We’d better get our food. Talk to y’all later.”

Nyssa smiled at me as they turned to leave. “See ya.”

“Bye,” I said, then almost laughed because that was the only word I’d said to either of them. I sat and handed Claire her drink. “So?”

“You’ll be happy to know you still have a stalker.”

“
Really?
Really? That’s supposed to make me happy?”

Claire sipped her drink, the lips around her straw trying not to smile. “A stalker who thinks you have a secret crush.”

She was driving me insane. “What the heck did you tell them?”

“You and I are not dating.” She batted her eyelashes at me.

“Cute. What else?”

“That I didn’t know if you were interested in Nyssa, but I was pretty sure you had a secret crush.”

“Oh. That’s not so bad I guess. She should back off now, right?”

“Not if she thinks
she’s
the crush.”

For a second, I didn’t get what she’d said. Then it sank in and my voice came out in almost a hiss. “You told her I had a crush on her?”

“Not in so many words.”

“Then why do you think—”

“It was the way I said it. She’ll either think you have a crush on her or on someone else, but either way, she’s relieved. You and I aren’t dating, so she still has a chance.”

“So if she can get me interested before I get my
secret crush
interested, it’s a win-win?”

“Basically.”

“Girls are mind-boggling.”

Claire dropped her neatly folded trash into her food sack. “We try.”

I wrapped up the rest of my food to take home. “Let’s go. We need to discuss your favorite method of dying because I’m going to kill you. Just so you know.”

She grinned. “You’re welcome.”

I had a sudden urge to pin her to the floor and hold her down for the count. Anything to quit feeling like Claire always had the upper hand.

Twelve

Claire

This had better work. It was the first time I wouldn’t be there to help Gray if he failed while talking to Lindsey. But it had to happen sometime. He strode across the grocery store parking lot to where Lindsey was wheeling her cart. They both stopped. It looked like Lindsey was talking, but I couldn’t be sure.

I picked up my binoculars. Gray didn’t know I’d brought them and I wasn’t about to tell him. It would’ve made him more nervous than he already was. As I suspected, Lindsey talked and Gray nodded. He shifted from one foot to the other and had his thumbs in his belt loops. Better than fainting, I guess.

Come on, offer to help with the groceries.
Nothing.
Don’t just stand there! Say something!
Wait. Was that a mouth movement? Was he actually talking?
Good job, Gray, keep it up.
Lindsey motioned to her cart. I couldn’t read lips, but I imagined the conversation went something like this:

L: Gotta go. I need to get home before the ice cream melts.

G: Oh, right. Want any help?

L: With the groceries? Sure. C’mon, my car’s over this way.

But if Gray’s hormones kicked in, it might sound something like:

L: Gotta go. I need to get home before the ice cream melts.

G: If it’s around you, it’s already melted.

L: Oh, Gray, that’s so sweet.

Or not. I laughed out loud in the confines of Gray’s Toyota Corolla. Oops. They’d moved on to Lindsey’s mom’s SUV.
Pay attention, Claire.
He was helping her put the bags in the back. All right. Everything was going perfectly. He closed the hatch. Said something and took hold of her grocery cart. Oh, nice touch. Offer to take the cart to the return for her. She smiled and squeezed his forearm. Good. When Lindsey flirted, it always included touching.

They parted, with Lindsey going to the driver’s door and Gray pushing the cart away. I set the binoculars in my lap. Okay, another successful meeting. I had to figure out a way for them to spend more than just two minutes together at a time. And I only had about four more days before Adam came back.

At least, that’s how long he was supposed to be gone. Lindsey said he might have to stay away longer. Logic said I couldn’t get Lindsey interested in Gray in such a short amount of time—especially with him being so shy around her. But I was determined to try. Maybe it would set the foundation for something to happen once school started.

Gray sauntered toward the car like he was king of the world. Good. The more confidence he built up, the better. Hold on. I yanked up the binoculars. Amy and Nyssa had appeared almost out of nowhere and stopped him. As usual, he looked like a wild animal preparing to bolt.

C’mon. Just tell them you have to get home to take care of your brothers.
He shook his head, but Amy laughed and hooked her elbow through his. Nyssa took his other elbow, and then the three of them headed toward the grocery store. What the heck?

What were they up to?
Stupid question, Claire.
They were trying to get Gray to spend time with Nyssa. Had they actually followed us here this morning? If so, it’d probably been Amy’s idea. And if they had, then they knew Gray had picked me up and they’d probably seen his entire interaction with Lindsey. Which meant they’d realize she was his secret crush. Which also meant Nyssa would be even more encouraged, because Lindsey already had Adam.

But maybe they hadn’t followed us. Maybe it was all a coincidence. Right. How often did teenagers run into each other in the grocery store parking lot? Well, it didn’t matter now. They were here. I should probably go inside and rescue him. I wound the cord around the binoculars and dropped them in my purse. Maybe a text would be better. I yanked out my phone.

How’s it going?
I typed out. It seemed harmless enough that if the girls saw it—if he was stupid enough to let them see—they’d think I was just saying hi. With any luck, he’d use the text as an excuse to leave.

A minute went by. Then another. I scratched the back of my neck. Shifted in my seat. How much time should I give him to respond? If he didn’t answer my text, did it mean he had it under control and didn’t need to? Or could it mean the girls still had control of his arms? Ha. Gray’s problem, besides being shy, was he was too nice. He probably didn’t want to be rude to Amy and Nyssa.

I didn’t want to be rude either, but I also didn’t want them to walk all over him. I got out of the car. Claire to the rescue! I didn’t know what I was going to say. I’d just have to figure it out once I got there.

Thirteen