Relax, I'm A Ninja (11 page)

Dad continued his speech. “Protecting the Clan is of the utmost importance. Please guard yourselves and your identities with vigilance. If you notice anything strange in your sectors, do not hesitate to inform me directly. I have a vial of Spirit’s Grace for each of you and will keep you informed of any significant developments on the matter.”

Once he was finished, everyone broke into frantic whispers as we lined up to get our vials. I’d never seen so many ninjas with quivering lips and worried brows, but my dad
never
spoke so directly or gave so much information. This had to be really, really bad. He was genuinely worried for our safety, which meant that, as capable as we were, there were people out there who could kill us. I shuddered. I’d never thought much about my own mortality, but now I understood what it was like to fear for my life.

Amy grabbed my arm. “Okay, so maybe I’m scared about being a ninja now.”

“It’s okay to be scared.” I wrapped my arms around her. She only let go when we got to the front of the line.

We both took a vial from my dad, and I ignored the glare he gave us. What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t let Amy stand there scared all by herself. I wasn’t taking advantage of her. According to Marty, she was probably waiting for me to make a move.

I studied the white, iridescent liquid in my hand for a moment. The vial wasn’t bigger than my pinky finger, but it might save my life. I tucked it in my pocket, feeling a little safer.

We said our goodbyes to everyone, and Marty stayed behind to help Dad clean up. Amy and I hopped on a bus back to the dojo, sitting all the way at the back.

“You know, you’re like my best friend these days,” she said. My heart skipped when she glanced at me. How had I missed the fact that she was so incredible all these years? The quiet, pig-tailed eight-year-old had vanished, but she couldn’t have changed into the perfect girl overnight.

“Ditto.” I wanted to know if she liked me, but I was too chicken to ask.

She scooted closer. I wasn’t sure if I should reach out to her or not, so I just stayed there hoping she’d touch me again.

“You want to know a secret?” she asked.

“Sure.”

“Eddie’s a sweetheart, but he’s driving me nuts! He seems to think I like him or something.” She sighed. “I don’t think he’s picking up my signals.”

I smiled. “Eddie’s not so good with signals. You’ll have to tell him straight up.” I pictured her telling him to back off. Then maybe he would give up, and I wouldn’t be the worst friend in history for liking her so much.

“But that’s so mean! I don’t want to hurt his feelings.”  

I sighed.
So much for that.
“Maybe send stronger signals?”

“Well, that got your paladin killed. I don’t think he liked me flirting with you.”

I gulped. “You mean your character flirting with mine.”

She shrugged. “Potato, potahto.”

I had no words. Had she
admitted
to flirting with me? Yes, yes she had. It felt like I was floating on mush. My head spun; my heart raced.

Then out of nowhere she took my hand. I probably had the goofiest grin on my face as I absorbed the feel of her palm against mine. This wasn’t pretending for the cops or trying to pin me in practice.

Amy was holding my hand because she wanted to.

She leaned her head on my shoulder for a second and then pulled back. Forget my dad’s advice. Forget Eddie and his crush. Marty was probably right—they’d get over it eventually. I pulled her close, and she put her head back where it was and laughed.

“This is nice,” she said.

“Yeah.” That was the understatement of the year. The bus disappeared, along with all the people riding it. Nothing else existed as I stared at the top of her head. Suddenly it was the prettiest head I’d ever seen. And her delicate hand in mine was the most perfect in the world. Her porcelain skin was so white it seemed to glow, and I couldn’t remember why I ever thought tan was hot.

“Do we have to go to Eddie’s tonight for New Year’s? I’m kind of peopled out,” she said.

“I can take you home, say you’re sick.”

“No, not my house—I’m not
that
peopled out.”

“Are you saying you want to hang out with just me?” I was starting to understand Amy talk.

“Maybe.” Meaning yes.

“They might start thinking things if we’re both not there.”

“So? The competition ran late. We got sick. My mom made me stay home, and you passed out after competing all day. I can come up with more excuses if you want.” She stared into my eyes in her knowing way. I studied their pretty shape, their rich, dark color. “I get that you’re not ready to tell them, and that’s fine. But I’m not in the mood for pretending.”

I couldn’t argue. She was totally right. So what? Eddie needed stronger signals anyway. I was crazy for her, and I wasn’t in the mood for pretending either. “So, anime marathon?”

She smiled. “Perfect way to ring in the New Year, as long as we get pizza and ice cream, too.” She grabbed my hand and put it around her shoulder. I wasn’t totally sure, but we might have been official. At least to each other.

14

Amy and I spent the next four days together completely ignoring our friends. We hadn’t kissed or anything, since I wasn’t sure how serious she wanted it to get or how fast. I didn’t want to mess it up, because so far being in a relationship was better than any movie montage made it look.

But as the guys and I walked up to Amy’s front door for her birthday party, I hoped I could pretend I didn’t care about her. With both her friends and mine there, it would be the first true test.
Eddie tried to get the doorbell, but the giant bouquet he’d bought was in the way.

Todd rang it instead. He was dressed nicer than usual. He could almost pass for a cool kid. “Maybe you should have gotten the mega-bouquet. I don’t think that one is obvious enough.”  

“Shut up!” Eddie frowned.

Amy answered the door, and I tried not to laugh. It’s not that she didn’t look gorgeous, she just didn’t look like herself in that pink dress, complete with high heels. She glanced my way, silently telling me not to say a word or she’d beat me up.

“Hey, guys!”

“These are for you.” Eddie practically shoved the flowers in her face.

Only half her mouth smiled. “Thanks. Come in—we were just about to eat.”

This was the first time I’d been in Amy’s house, and I found it surprisingly comfortable. It was extravagant, but nothing was overdone. Fine paintings, but no gilded frames. Upscale furniture, but sleek and simple.

When we got to the kitchen, I set my gift on the table and looked at the pack of girls around the counter. They stared back, their conversation fading to whispers. A few months ago this scenario would have freaked me out, but their smiles and giggles didn’t bother me now. Stu, on the other hand, was one breath away from a panic attack.

Amy filled a vase at the sink. She leaned to one side, and I admired how her dress accented the curves she usually hid. When she picked up the vase and stuffed the flowers inside, I noticed how toned her arms had gotten from training. She smiled when she caught me staring.

“Look, your flowers match my cake, Eddie.” She set the vase by an appallingly fancy cake.

“Yeah, they do.” Eddie seemed to think it was a good thing.

“Okay, everyone!” A voice came from around the corner, followed by a very stylish Japanese woman in the highest heels I’d ever seen. Was she Amy’s mom? “Let’s get this party started!”

Amy rolled her eyes, and her mom glared back. She obviously wanted Amy to be that popular, fashionable girl, but Amy liked books, video games, and karate. They couldn’t have been more different. No wonder she avoided talking about home.

Amy put on some music, and we started on the food. It was comical how the lines were drawn. The girls sat on one couch in the living room, so the boys took the other. Amy sat in a chair between us. I ended up the farthest from Amy. Eddie was closest, staring at her as he stuffed a meatball in his mouth. All was silent as we ate and blanked on conversation topics. This was why nerds didn’t have co-ed parties.

“So quiet!” Amy’s mom came in from the kitchen. “How about you kids play a game? I can get a bottle.”

“Mom!” Amy blushed, and I’m pretty sure the rest of us did too. Nothing like an
adult
suggesting you play spin the bottle to make it the last thing anyone wanted to do. Was she going to pull out a keg to show us what a “cool” mom she was?

I had to help Amy save this. “Do you have Scrabble?”

“Oh, Scrabble, yeah! I love that game,” Eva said as she played with her long brown braid. Eva Gonzalez would have been attractive were it not for her serious unibrow. “You can be on my team, Todd.”

Todd beamed. “Okay.”

“I think we have it.” Amy’s mom went to get the game while we paired up. Stu got Maddie, and his hands shook as he sat by her. I prepared to catch him if he fainted. Eddie jumped at the chance to be with Amy, so I got stuck with Sarah Parkins, who was nice, but had an odor problem that no one had the guts to tell her about.

Once everything was set up, we had the birthday girl go first. She inspected the letters she and Eddie got.

“Ninja.” She glanced at me as she placed her squares. All my friends looked at Todd—except for Eddie, who looked at me because Amy did. I forced my hands to stay still, but my breath caught. How could she do that? It might have been subtle, but sometimes that was all it took for someone to get it. Eddie was already extra-observant lately because of all her flirting. I had to warn her about being so reckless.

“Alluring,” Maddie said.

Eddie grumbled about her using all their letters in one turn. Had he really not noticed? I couldn’t be sure.

“Good one!” Stu said. Maddie blushed.  

Maddie and Stu ended up winning. That girl was a living dictionary. Stu even loosened up enough to stay close to her when we went back to the kitchen for cake. We sang, and Amy put on her happy face. She even sang with us and pointed to herself when we said “to you.” I might have believed her act if she hadn’t told me it was one. Now it broke my heart. I knew a different Amy, like she knew a different me.

“Time for presents!” Amy’s mom said. We went back to the living room, and everyone piled their presents on Amy.

“Let’s see, which one first?” She tapped her fingers together.

“Mine!” Eddie handed her a small box.

“Okay.” She seemed apprehensive despite the smile. Eddie’s present looked suspiciously like a jewelry box. His parents were big-time programmers. Like, they helped start the internet or something. Amy ripped the wrapping paper and cracked open the black velvet box. “Oh, a necklace! Thanks, Eddie.”

“You like it?” Eddie twitched with excitement.

“I do, very elegant.” She took it out of the box to show everyone. The girls ooohed over the gold chain and what looked suspiciously like a diamond.

“I thought you could wear it to the Winter Ball…you know, if you want to come with me,” Eddie blurted out.

Amy’s mouth dropped open. Mine did too. By now I was planning to take her and forget about the “male code” crap. I was a ninja—I broke rules.

“Oh…ummm …”

“So, what do you think?” Eddie had asked her in front of
everyone.
 She’d look like a jerk if she said no. She glanced at me, and I tried to say without a word that it was okay.  

“Sure, that sounds fun. Dances with
friends
are always fun.” She took a deep breath and closed the box.

“Cool.” Eddie leaned back into the couch, a huge smile on his face.

Amy made sure to thank everyone for the things she’d never use. At least she laughed out loud at the gold skater shoes I brought from Marty. She saved mine for last, pulling off the paper so slowly it made my palms sweat. I wanted her to flash a real smile when she saw what was in the box. I relaxed when she squealed. “No way!”

I laughed. “They’re the real thing, too.”

“This is the best present ever!” She pulled the two sai out and gripped the leather hilts. “Are you gonna teach me how to use them?”

“Well, my dad will.” They were extremely practical weapons, great for disarming a swordsman.

“You use
weapons
in class?” Her mom sounded horrified, but I’d prepared a good excuse for giving Amy such an obviously risky present.

“Some tournaments have weapon divisions. My dad likes us to be well-rounded. I compete in sword and nunchaku. He decided Amy would do best in sai.”

“Thank you, Tosh!” She bounced over and wrapped her arms around my neck. I hugged her back, refusing to look in Eddie’s direction.

“No problem.” I forced myself not to hold her too long. Surely that wouldn’t go unnoticed.

Before she let go, she whispered in my ear. “Roof. After party.”

***

I left before everyone else. I was too excited for what might happen on the roof to stick around and make small talk. I told the guys my mom wanted me home early because I hadn’t done my chores yet. As I climbed the drainpipe on Amy’s house, I hoped we might kiss. That first kiss didn’t count, since it was more out of self-defense than anything.

Her roof was completely flat with a few lounge chairs grouped in one corner. I sat in a shadowed spot and listened to the noises of the city. The street below was relatively quiet. Only a few cars drove by as I waited. The cold breeze made the trees rustle. I swore I could hear the ocean waves. They seemed to permeate the city some nights, like they lived in every brick and road. A car honked out front—someone’s ride was there. The door opened downstairs.

“Can’t wait for the dance!” Eddie called.

“Sure, it’ll be fun,” Amy said. I tried not to be mad that I couldn’t go with her. Maybe I should have been straight-up with everyone, but it was too late now.

The girls followed five minutes later. They talked a lot more when we weren’t there.

“I think Stu likes you, Maddie!” Eva squealed.

“What? No…no way. Why would he like me?” she said. I held in a laugh. Stu would have said the same thing.