Click Here (to find out how i survived seventh grade) (14 page)

“Crap,” Chris swore under his breath. He tossed the key chain over his shoulder and I heard it hit the backseat. Jamming the keys in the ignition, he started the car and backed quickly out of the parking space. I sat up and clicked my seat belt into place, gripping the door handle as Chris drove madly down the street, his jaw clenched as he stared out the windshield.

But I knew he wasn’t seeing the road. I knew he was seeing that kiss, playing it over and over in his mind. And I knew that no matter how fast he drove, he couldn’t get away from it.

Saturday, October 26

So, things have been weird and I haven’t felt like writing for a while. I’ve never, ever felt sorry for my brother in my entire life. He’s always been better, smarter, and funnier than me. But Thurs. night outside the library, I felt so sorry for him I thought I would cry. And I might have, except I was so afraid we were going to crash on the way home that I couldn’t. He was SO mad. He really likes Amanda Worthington and he saw her kissing this boy. What if I saw Mark kissing someone? I would DIE…absolutely DIE.

So, I’m bumming about him but then I had this great day with Rosie and Mark. We went with Ms. Moreno to the university to hook up with some Intranet people…got some ideas for our own Intranet. Way fun…met 2 of the people who will be leading a web camp this summer, so that was really cool. At lunch we laughed so hard that Rosie’s pop sprayed out her nose. It went all over her fries, so I shared mine with her. Hilarious…but then I kind of felt guilty cuz I was having so much fun without Jilly…as if she’s never done stuff without me. Geez.

Mark looked unbelievably cute today (when does he not?). The bangs over the eye are to die for…we teased each other about basketball. He told Rosie I was “really good for a girl.” We both smacked him. He laughed…said Rosie hates when he says that…she said that’s why he says it, then she hits him. The coolest thing of all was she said I was now part of the routine. I couldn’t believe it. I’m PART OF THE ROUTINE. Is that great or what???

I tried really hard not to stare at Mark. I couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to kiss him for 6 Mississippis.

Wonder if my pillow-kissing practice will pay off in a real kissing situation…wonder if I’ll ever know.

chapter 13

Howlingween

Now that we’re in seventh grade, Halloween is about parties, not trick-or-treating. Jilly and I went to an after-school costume party at the rec center on Halloween day. Whoever was in charge of decorating must have had kids under the age of five because they’d hung lame orange and black paper streamers across the ceiling, tacked cardboard witches and pumpkins to the walls, and left a cauldron of wispy dry ice in the corner.

But Jilly didn’t seem to mind. She waved to Frankenstein’s monster across the floor, then started dancing with some of her C Track friends when a good song came on. The DJ was dressed like a pirate, looking extra scruffy in the flash of strobe lights. He shouted encouragement whenever someone ventured onto the dance floor, dissing the boys who stood in clumps of two or three on the other side of the room.

“Come on, Erin!” Jilly tugged at my arm but I shook my head. These peds weren’t made for dancing and there was no way I was going out there. Jilly waved at me and joined her friends, shimmying and shaking to the beat.

I glanced around, trying to spot someone,
anyone
, I might know. I knew there were a lot of kids from MBMS, but they were hard to recognize in their costumes.

Jilly finally came off the dance floor and joined me. We stood off to the side as she caught her breath.

“Boo!” said a voice behind me, and I turned to see an ugly beast, its mouth dripping with blood pumped through a thin tube.

“Gross,” Jilly said, shaking her head. She’d dressed up as a pop star, complete with diamond-studded belly button, fake boobs, and tons of makeup. She looked about eighteen and boys were definitely giving her the eye.

“I’m Mark,” said the Beast, holding out a furry paw.

“Sacks?” I asked, grabbing his arm. “Sack o’ Potatoes, is that you in there?” I turned my head, nearly slicing Jilly’s cheek with one of my Pippy Longstocking hair wires.

“Erin! Watch it!” Jilly ducked and brushed a hand across her Pop Star Blush #3.

“It’s me,” Mark answered, but his head was turned toward Jilly. Why, oh why didn’t I dress up like a sexy rock star? Well, maybe because I’d rather have a virus attack my hard drive than have people staring at various parts of my body the way they were staring at Jilly. Besides, how many sexy rock stars have feet the size of a small guitar? Answer: none. So I stood there all stiff and awkward, looking at Mark looking at Jilly.

“Pippi!” Rosie pounced at me, baring her vampire fangs as she flung back her high-collared cape. She had painted her face white, with black circles around her eyes. “Watch,” she said, leaning toward me. She clenched her teeth. Blood oozed over her fangs and down her chin.

“Gross!” Jilly scrunched up her nose.

“What’s with the two of you and dripping blood?” I asked, laughing.

“Isn’t it great?” Rosie said. “You just bite into these things and it looks like blood.” She held out a handful of dark capsules.

“Don’t get too close,” Jilly said. “They’ll stain my costume.” She hitched up her breasts, and Mark the Beast was mesmerized.

“Quit drooling and get us a drink.” Rosie smacked Mark’s arm. “In a minute,” Mark said, still staring at Jilly. He pretended to adjust his mask, but I could see his eyes riveted through the eyeholes.

Time to take action.

“So, great costume,” I said, tugging his furry arm. “Let me see that blood thing.” I moved my hand in front of his eyes, pretending I couldn’t find the tube. This seemed to break his trance.

“Huh?” Mark asked. “Uh, yeah. Pretty cool, huh?”

“Hey, Erin. Great costume.”

I cocked my head at an alien who had appeared before us.

“It’s me, Tyler.”

“Tyler? Wow. It’s cool how that lights up.” I pointed to his mask, but I was watching Mark out of the corner of my eye. He was back to watching Jilly, who was watching some people dancing.

“Yeah,” Tyler said. “But the batteries keep bumping against my head. The thing holding them up broke off.” There was a shout and he looked over his shoulder. “Oops. It’s my turn at the race car game. See you later.”

An elbow dug into my ribs. Rosie’s lips brushed my ear. “He likes you,” she whispered.

“What?” I said, practically choking on my gum. “No way.”

“He does,” Rosie said. “Can’t you tell?”

“No,” I said. No boy had ever liked me. How in the world was I supposed to “tell”?

“What are you two talking about?” Jilly asked.

“Computer stuff,” I said. Jilly rolled her eyes. Then she looked at Tyler, who was huddled over a video game.

“He’s a little goofy,” Mark said to Jilly. There was a howl across the room and Mark lifted his head. “Gotta run, girls. The brothers are calling.” With a loud howl back, Mark was gone.

“And he’s not?” Jilly asked no one in particular. She shook her head. “We need high school boys, Erin.” I noticed she wasn’t including Rosie in the conversation.

“High school boys?” I said. “Don’t they shave and have underarm hair?” I looked at Rosie, but she had already backed away into the crowd.

“Well, at least they aren’t howling at their friends like they’re in some sort of wolf clan.”

My heart soared. “I think it’s called a pack,” I said to distract her even further.

“What?”

“A group of wolves,” I said. “It’s called a pack.”

“Oh, Erin. Who cares? The point is seventh-grade boys are immature. Come on, let’s go over by the punch bowl. Elvis has been staring at me all afternoon. I think he’s an eighth grader.”

I answered the door for trick-or-treaters that night while Mom and Dad ate Chinese food in the kitchen. Chris had gone out with some of his friends to a party. I fell asleep in front of the TV at nine and my dad got me off to bed. I woke up suddenly at 12:14, just as a car door slammed outside. Slipping out of bed, I tiptoed across my room and peered out the window.

Chris was standing next to his friend’s car, talking to two boys who sat on the hood. Slowly I cracked my window and pressed my ear against the screen.

“She’s not worth all this, Swift,” said one boy. “You’re a mess.” “No, I’m not,” Chris said.

“You made a fool of yourself, man,” said the other boy. “She’s got a boyfriend. Just forget about her.”

Chris waved them away and headed up the walk. He stumbled and my hand flew to my mouth, knocking over the lamp on my desk. Chris’s head whipped up and I stepped back from the window. Shoot. Had he seen me in the dark? I didn’t dare look out again, so I hurried to my bed and got under the covers, rolling over so my back was to my door. A few seconds later I heard the front door open and close, then heavy footsteps on the stairs. They clumped down the hall, then stopped. I held my breath and squeezed my eyes closed. The door squeaked opened.

“Erin.” His harsh whisper sent a shiver down my back. “Erin. I know you’re awake. I saw you.” Shuffling feet crossed the carpet. “Just stay out of my damn business.” His finger jabbed my shoulder, then his breath warmed my ear. “Got it?” The smell of beer wafted in front of me, and I tried hard not to wrinkle my nose. His mouth stayed close to my ear for, like, fifty years, then he finally straightened up. Giving me a shove, he clumped back across the room and closed the door tightly behind him.

My breath escaped. “Got it,” I whispered.

Friday, November 1