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  I drag out a breath. “Jackson wants you to go to the dance with him.”

  “Yeah, no kidding,” Cheri says. She sighs, “Look, do you want me to go with you or not?”

  Sparks explode through me. “Of course I do.”

  “Okay then,” she says. “Shut up about Valerie and help me make cookies.”

  CHAPTER 13

  I practically skipped home from Cheri’s. She’s going to the dance with me. That’s weird.

  I tossed and turned all night. Couldn’t sleep, cuz things felt different with us—Cheri and me. I mean, she seriously doesn’t go to things without Jackson—her world. Yet, she was going to a school dance with me. Wild.

  Man, I love the girl.

  Cheri’s always had guys lusting after her—popular guys, like Jackson. Still, somehow, she’s always come through for me. Always. Like tonight, saying she’ll go with me to the dance. I mean, maybe that’s not a big deal. Friends do things for friends. But a school dance—that’s something she’s never done for anyone else. It makes me feel special.

  On the night of the dance, it’s weird but I’m nervous. I swear, it takes me an hour to get ready. Even so, I’m early. I pace the floor, biting my nails. I still can’t believe it, Miss I-Don’t-Go-To-School-Events-Without-Jackson is going to the dance with me.

  When I show up at her house, she’s in a sexy dress looking incredible. All I want to do is stare. “Wow,” I murmur.

  Her gorgeous lips curve up and she has this gleam in her eyes. “You look mmm … nice,” she tells me. The way she stares makes me believe her. It makes my heart beat all wild and happy and fluttery. What’s going on?

  We don’t go straight to the dance. I take her out to dinner first—and it’s not to the pancake house. (That’s where we usually eat—Cheri loves crepes.) Instead I take her to a romantic little Italian Bistro.

  When the waitress flirts with me, I don’t get her number. Cheri won’t let me.

  “It’s a date, Irelan.”

  My lips part.

  I quickly put away my phone. Until this moment I hadn’t realized she was thinking of this as a date. I just assumed she was going with me to the dance as a favor. Still, I try to keep the truth in the back of my mind: Even if she’s calling it a date, it’s still a favor. She’s hung up on Jackson. And not into girls. I don’t want to let myself start thinking there’s more to this than there is. I don’t want to get hurt.

  The dance is fun. We goof around as usual and talk to friends, and I would be having an awesome time, except I keep seeing Valerie and Sabrina all over the place.

  Jackson is around too. He came with Jenny North. Yet he’s been giving Cheri dirty looks all night. I don’t understand what’s up with Cheri. Why she came with me instead of him.

  It’s weird. Weird I’m here with Cheri tonight, when Jackson wanted to be. I wonder what happened. Maybe they got in a fight and Cheri brought me here to make some kind of point. Only … that doesn’t sound like Cheri. Not at all. It sounds more like Valerie. Cheri is extremely cool. She doesn’t play stupid games.

  Valerie, on the other hand—that’s all she does. Plays games. Only a couple of days ago she’d begged me to forgive her, to give her another chance. She said she was miserable without me. Watching her slow dance with Sabrina, I feel sort of sick. She doesn’t look miserable.

  With a sympathetic grin, Cheri touches my arm. Maaan, she caught me. I probably had a wistful look on my face while watching Valerie.

  “You want to dance?” Cheri asks.

  We’re really going to do that?

  My heart explodes.

  I take her in my arms and we dance and it’s so perfect and romantic I could melt into a puddle. Seriously. Only, out of the corner of my eye, I see Valerie watching. She’s looking hurt. For a moment I feel bad—like it’s wrong for me to be having a good time in front of her. But I close my eyes and try to forget about Valerie. Instead I think about Cheri—about having her in her in my arms, and about how dear she is to me. What a good friend she is. How beautiful she is.

  When the dance is over, and it’s time to leave, I look into Cheri’s beautiful hypnotic eyes. Lost. Gone. “I wish this wasn’t over so soon. I had a good time.”

  Cheri stares at me, her warm brown eyes making my heart convulse. “Yeah, me too,” she says softly.

  When we get to my house, Valerie’s car is parked in my driveway. She gets out as soon as we pull up.

  “Dump the witch,” Cheri advises as she drops me off. I watch her drive away with a lump in my throat. I’d been hoping for … I don’t know. More, I guess. Too bad we’d decided to take her car. It’s a lot nicer—but if we’d taken mine, I would have dropped her off instead—and maybe not had to endure this moment, seeing her drive away with my heart.

  “Look, can we talk?” Valerie asks.

  I turn back to her. “About what?”

  “About us. About you and me.”

  I shake my head. “What’s the point? There is no you and me.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “Why? It’s the truth. Valerie, you lied to me and cheated on me. I’ve had enough.”

  She bites her lip. “Okay. I did cheat. I know that … and I’m sorry.” She looks at me, her big beautiful eyes full of remorse. “But that was the old me, Irelan. I’ve learned from my mistakes. I’m not like that—not anymore.”

  I shake my head. I used to fall for this stuff. “Valerie—it’s over.”

  She runs her hands through her hair in frustration, not used to this. Not getting her way. “Well, what about you? You lied too.”

  I squint at her. “What are you talking about?”

  “You said you guys were only friends—you and Cheri. You were always saying that. But I knew it wasn’t like that—I knew you wanted to be more.”

  I look away from her. What she’s saying, it’s kind of true. But the feelings I have for Cheri … they’re foolish. Like a fantasy. Because Cheri has guys like Jackson Crocker clawing each other to get to her.

  I can feel Valerie’s eyes studying me for a reaction. She growls, “And what happens as soon as we break up?” she asks. “You two get together so fast it makes my head spin.”

  I blink. She’s jealous. Ha! How ironic.

  I shake my head, almost laughing. “We aren’t together. We’re just friends.”

  “Yeah. Right.”

  This is stupid. “Valerie, we’re just friends.”

  “Look, I saw the way she was looking at you….”

  I drag my eyes back to her. “What are you talking about?”

  Valerie rolls her eyes. “Look, the girl dumped Jackson Crocker so she could go to the dance with you. You’re telling me she did that out of friendship?”

  I stare at her, my jaw hanging open. “She dumped Jackson?”

  “Yeah. Right after you asked her to the dance.”

  I bite my lip. That’s weird. It almost sounds like…. My heart gives a gigantic thump. “Valerie, I need to go.”

  I run all the way to Cheri’s. When I get there, she comes to the door still in her dress, but her shoes are off, and her silky hair is a little rumpled as though she’s been asleep.

  She yawns, though she looks shocked. “Irelan? What are you doing here?”

  Without taking the time to plan my words, I just blurt it out. “Valerie said you like me.”

  Cheri gives a little laugh. “Don’t be shy, Irelan—get to the point.”

  She leans against her open doorframe. “So, Valerie told you that, huh? I guess she’s not such an idiot after all.”

  Whoa. Tingles gush through my body—up and down. Still, I furrow my brow. “So, it’s true? You like me?”

  Cheri runs her hands through her hair. “Yeah, Irelan. I like you.”

  Whoa. More tingles. More and more. I’m about to pass-out. “But—why didn’t you ever say anything?”

  “What was I supposed to say?” She runs her hands through her beautiful silky hair again, distracting me, even though I
’m holding my breath waiting to hear her answer. “You’ve been kissing the school’s entire female population, and you go around talking about Valerie non-stop—it’s not like you’ve been available.”

  I bite my lip. I guess what she’s saying is true. For the past couple of months I’ve pretty much had a one-track mind, though my mouth has been everywhere. (I have ADHD.)

  We stare at each other, my heart ready to explode.

  “Can I come in for a while?” I finally ask. “I think I’m ready to write that love song.”

  Actually, I know I am.

  I’m going to call it “Cheri.”

  —my girlfriend.

  With this in mind, I back her against the wall and kiss her blind.

  I hear no complaints.

  Just angels.

  And the occasional moan.

  And my heartbeat.

  I mentioned the angels, right? Holy smokes.

  I may let her beat me at pool (and okay, everything else) (I can’t help myself—it makes her happy) but kissing?—the score is definitely in her favor. By miles. She’s a delight that’s making me thankful for every good deed I’ve ever done, ever, because I’m in heaven and have no idea what I did to deserve this, but man, I’m glad I did it.

  When we finally (reluctantly) come up for air she gives a cute little laugh. “So it is code.”

  I press my forehead against hers. “Not really. I do want to write a love song,” I raise my eyebrows, “—starring you: my girlfriend.”

  Her face ignites in the biggest smile I have ever seen, filling me with hearts and rainbows and puppies.

  “Well, lets get busy,” she whispers huskily.

  Gladly I do—I get busy on her mouth again.

  I guess maybe it is code.

  **********

  Hope you liked the story. Thanks for reading!

  Keep reading. There is another story after the following book info.

  The author’s two newest books are: Jane’s Air; and Please Love Me Back.

  Summary of Jane’s Air:

  Seventeen year-old Jane becomes an orphan and is pawned off by her aunt to work (and live) at the home (slash mansion) of the most handsome boy at Jane’s high school—Hunter Rochester. Hunter takes Jane’s breath away. But the handsome flirt is a mystery to Jane. Why did he persuade his mother to hire Jane to care for his little brother? And what other secrets is he keeping? (Jane has a secret of her own: she’s fallen hard for mysterious Hunter Rochester.)

  Jane’s Air is available now.

  Summary of PLEASE LOVE ME BACK:

  Seventeen year-old Shane Shade has it bad for his enemy’s girlfriend, Bethany. Maaaan. He’d rather bash his head through a window than deal with these feelings. Love?? Are you kidding me? What the—??

  **BETHANY: Shane Shade? He’s known as “The Shade” to his hockey teammates. But to me he’s known as the guy that beats up my boyfriend. Okay, not going to lie: He’s hot. But dangerous—on the ice and to my heart.

  So why can’t I stop thinking about him? Why?? Okay, okay I guess it’s because he’s helped me out a couple of thousand times. (Secretly, he’s astonishingly sweet.) But he’s trouble. Even he admits that. So, again I ask—WHY can’t I stop thinking about him? Why?!

  (Please Love Me Back is available now.)

  Right now the book is only a dollar. Or you can read it for free if you have Unlimited.

  ***

  Below is a peek at the first pages of Please Love Me Back.

  PLEASE LOVE ME BACK:

  ***Point of view: SHANE SHADE***

  I cage the pretty cheerleader against the nearest locker barely able to keep from sniffing into her delicious, tempting neck. But she thinks I’m a freak, so me shoving my face into the curve of her pretty neck probably won’t help my case, or change her opinion of me. So, with great effort, I resist. For a second. But then I go ahead and do it. Because, well, I wanna. Pretty bad. And it’s not like I’ll get another chance in this lifetime. Besides, face it: I don’t have anything to lose. The chick already avoids me, so it’s not like she can do anything worse, avoid me more. So, I breathe her in. Mmmm. Oh man.

  Heaven.

  She goes still from my face so close to her warm skin. Goosebumps skitter across her flesh, yet I feel her tremble.

  Okay, I probably shouldn’t like this so much—her trembling over me. But maaan, her scent. It drives me wild. It always does—always—but it’s even more mind-blowing up so intimately close than when I steal whiffs of her in creative writing class. So I do it again. Inhale her neck. (Like I said, I have nothing to lose—and oh man, paradise. Right here at Jefferson High School. Who would have thought?)

  She gasps and tries to get out of the little cage my arms have her in.

  “Sorry,” I laugh, because yeah, I’m being a freak, which I kind of enjoy being around her, since she obviously doesn’t think of me as some fine upstanding boyfriend-material kind of guy anyway, so I play with her. Like I said, what do I have to lose? Besides, if I don’t do it now—sniff her like a crazed lunatic—I’ll probably just do it some other time. I’m kind of like that. I mean, I’ve been tempted to do it all year anyway, and right now I have her conveniently caged, so I could do it to my heart’s content. Only, probably it’s some form of harassment or something. And it might actually scare her. Which, though it might seem like it, isn’t my intention.

  So while she tries squirming away from me I reluctantly remove my face from her neck’s tantalizing warmth and intoxicating aroma (pout). I do it with a sad sigh, then inform her matter-of-factly, “I didn’t actually pin you here to sniff you—it was just a pleasant opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” I inform her.

  “Well, why do you have me pinned here?”

  “Funny you should ask,” I tell her sardonically.

  The way she’s acting, it’s like she doesn’t even know me. Like she’s never noticed me before in her pretty life. But it’s just an act, I realize that as of just recently.

  When I actually first discovered this—that she’s quite aware of me—a tantalized thrill went through me. It goes through me again now as I stare into her big pretty eyes and finally get to my point. I ask her softly, “Why do I pin the cheerleader in your book?”

  Her jaw drops. Then she turns pink and tries to act like she doesn’t know what I’m talking about. She even uses those exact words. “I—I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she whispers, sounding like she might faint.

  “Right, Cheerleader,” then I let her go, my point proven, I suppose.

  I mean, I didn’t mean to give her a heart attack. But I think I just did.

  However, the chick keeps writing books about me.

  All these years she’s acted like I don’t exist.

  But the cute little cheerleader is a friggin’ stalker.

  ***

  *** Two Minutes Earlier ***

  BETHANY (The Cheerleader)—

  My boyfriend gives me one last lingering kiss before we go our separate ways in the school hallway. I dreamily watch him disappear into the crowded student traffic, then glance ahead of me since I’d been walking backwards in a dreamy haze, staring at my boyfriend instead of where I was going. But—whoa! My breath hitches as my eyes latch on to Shane Shade. He’s coming down the hallway in the opposite direction.

  Seeing him, my heart speeds up, just like it always does these days when I see him. It’s not just because he’s broodily handsome. It’s something more. Way more. Though I try to ignore it, since it’s disturbing. And, you know, I have a boyfriend. A perfect, wonderful boyfriend. A boyfriend that is total enemies with Shane Shade.

  Besides, Shane is trouble. Not just to my disturbed heart. He’s actually really, truly trouble. And troubled. So I avoid him at all costs. You know, especially because he’s my boyfriend’s enemy—but for all of those other reasons too.

  Still, my breath whooshes insanely just from unexpectedly seeing him, his dark hair in his gorgeous dark eyes, taller than anyone aro
und him. He’s down the hallway coming my direction from the opposite end of the corridor. My heart thumps wildly seeing him.

  Just ignore him, I instruct myself. It’s not like he’ll talk to you anyway.

  He never does. I’m not his type. I’m a cheerleader. He’s into wild party-girls. My good-girl image makes him sneer, probably. And the fact that I’m his enemy’s girlfriend probably makes him want to punch me.

  As I jag to the left to not walk directly in the tough boy’s path, he curiously follows my jag. What the—?? Now we’re still on the same path. This won’t do. Although he’s still down the hallway quite a ways, I jag to the right anyway. But then—

  So does he!

  My heart jolts as I realize he’s doing this on purpose. I’m trying to get out of the dude’s way, but he’s making sure I can’t.

  As he strolls straight towards me (no matter which side I choose, meandering that direction) I gulp and try to ignore it—ignore him. Since that’s what I’m used to doing—I ignore the guy at all costs. But today I can’t. As I try to squeak by him, he cages me against the row of lockers beside me.

  What. The. ?????

  ***

  ***BETHANY***

  Shane Shade pinned me against my locker—then proceeded to unhinge my world. Not that it wasn’t already completely shaken by him just pinning me, and sniffing me. I mean, What the—???

  Shane Shade is a tough guy, a “bad-boy.” Sooo not the type of guy to associate with a cheerleader of his own accord. I mean, besides to make fun of her for being a cheerleader. You know, for having school spirit and … smiling.

  Not to mention the fact I’m his enemy’s girlfriend. I know I keep stressing that point, but it’s a HUGE point. Whenever he sees me with Blake (my boyfriend) it’s like he’s ready to rip off everyone’s heads. Yet that’s the only time he ever even seems to notice my existence. At all. Whatsoever. When I’m with my boyfriend, his total enemy.

  So, it was to my total astonishment that he pinned me against the lockers. My heart exploded. What was going on?

  Before I could get a word out, he sniffed me. SNIFFED me!