The Real Me (6 page)

George let loose with a whistle. "Yes. Tell us what you and Mattie have done, so far."

Walt raised his gavel threateningly.

George sank into his chair.

I rolled my eyes. Phil piled fruit and cheese onto a napkin. Carl speared three pieces of cheese with one toothpick. Ross put his arm around Erwina.

"As I was saying …." Walt pounded the gavel on the coffee table. Everyone sat at attention. "Mattie and I have already done some planning--found a punch recipe, cookie designs, planned a mural, and measured for the amount of crepe paper we'll need to create the effect of waves across the ceiling. You'll find the details in here." He passed out information sheets.

"Are we going to have to memorize this?" George mumbled, one cheek puffed out with a wad of cheese.

"This is not a test," Walt said patiently. "It's just to keep you up to date. There are recipes for those of you who will be baking, and a list of supplies for those of you who will be working on the decorations. What I need from you now are some suggestions. What else can we do to coordinate this prom with the Underwater Fantasy theme?"

"Hold it in the harbor," Erwina suggested.

"Wear bathing suits." Selena grinned.

Laura giggled.

"The sooner we get serious, the sooner this meeting will be over," Walt said. "Now, does anyone have any suggestions?"

"Well …." I said, then hesitated.

"You have a suggestion?" Walt asked almost desperately.

"We haven't discussed what we're going to do about the king and queen of the prom yet and--"

"Everyone knows Nicole will be queen." Carl sighed. He had the silly look on his face that most guys had at the mention of Nicole.

"And her date will automatically be king," Erwina chirped.

"We all know who that will be," said George, staring at me.

Did George know how I felt about Kevin? I plunged ahead, trying to ignore the tide of red I knew was washing over my face. "I was referring to their throne. We ought to do something dramatic."

"Those two big chairs they always use are probably in the basement," Carl said.

"Yeah." Phil wiped up the last of the dip with a carrot stick.

"Did you have something in mind?" Walt asked.

"Remember a couple years ago when the seniors used an old fashioned sleigh hitched to an antique deer statue for their Winter Cotillion?"

"I think I saw a picture of it," Selena said.

Laura shrugged.

"I remember," said Erwina. She was the only one of us to attend any formal dances as a freshman.

"What does a deer have to do with the ocean?" Phil asked.

"Nothing," I said. "What I had in mind was a seahorse drawn chariot."

The silence was deafening.

"Come on," I said. "Picture it. Two giant seahorses pulling a chariot. We've got a garden cart at home that could be decorated to look just like a chariot. And you could make the seahorses out of cardboard and crepe paper. We could pattern them after the ones on the wall of that seafood restaurant in Saybrook."

"The Surfside
Inn
!" Erwina exclaimed. She looked genuinely enthusiastic, so I guess our tiff or whatever at lunch was forgotten.

"Oh, yes!" said Selena. "I've seen them. One on each side of the door."

"Right!" Maybe my idea was beginning to catch on.

"You know, that's a good idea." Walt jabbed his index finger toward the ceiling.

"It is different," said George.

Carl yawned and Phil burped, but they both nodded in agreement with George.

"Not bad," Ross said.

"Mattie," Walt said. "Why don't you make some sketches of seahorses? With a pattern I could make them out of plywood, if I had some help." He riveted his attention on George and Carl and Phil.

"Okay, okay." George spoke for all three.

"Fine." Walt gaveled the table. "Meeting adjourned.

George patted Walt on the back, almost knocking him over. "Know what I like about you, Mattesky? You know how to take charge."

George and the others left, I stayed to help clean up. As Walt and I carted glasses and platters to the kitchen I caught him studying me. He probably noticed that I was thinner and was going to ask how much weight I'd lost so far. I admired my reflection in the toaster on the counter.

"You know, I'm really proud of you," Walt said.

"What do you mean?" I tried to keep a straight face.

"The way you spoke up in front of that group?"

"What?"

"I know how hard it is for you to talk around other people--especially those guys. Sorry I couldn't come up with a more serious group. But it's not easy getting anyone to work on the decoration committee--especially when everyone knows it means cleaning up, too."

"It was okay." Funny. I had been a little nervous, but not the way I usually was when I had to give a book report or something like that and felt as if I was going to faint. I'd had an idea I was excited about, and I had wanted to share it. I didn't even think about how I looked or sounded.

"Thanks for helping me clean up," Walt said. "And thanks for your suggestions about the prom. I think it's going to be fantastic, don't you?"

"Yes …." I pictured myself whirling around the dance floor in Kevin's arms. "I'm really looking forward to it."

Walt pushed a lock of hair off my face. "I'd like to see you in the chariot. You'd make a great queen."

His penetrating gaze made me quiver. "M-me?" I laughed nervously. "Everyone knows Nicole will be elected Queen."

"Oh. That's right. Nicole and Kevin. The royal couple."

"Nicole and Kevin." I couldn't help wincing. "Hey, um, where's my coat? I really have to, you know, get going."

"I'll get it." Walt headed down the hall to the closet.

Relieved to have a moment alone, I tried to compose myself. I had to stop daydreaming about Kevin--and do something about him. It wasn't as if I would be breaking up a great romance. That I was sure of.

Nicole liked the attention she got when she was paired with Kevin, and the convenience of having him with her for every occasion. That was all she ever seemed to want from any guy, as far as I had seen. And Kevin wasn't in love with Nicole. I was sure of that, too. He didn't look at her that way. He wasn't under her spell.

I wasn't sure why Kevin did go out with Nicole. But it couldn't be because he was in love with her. It just couldn't. I blotted out the typical guy reason, too. I didn't even want to think about that!

"Here's your coat." It was almost a grumble the way Walt said it.

"Thanks." I smiled warmly, hoping to get a smile in return. When I didn't, I said, "Are you mad at me or something?"

"No." Walt looked down and ground his foot into the carpet. "Not really. We've been friends since second grade, and I've never stayed angry with you, have I?"

"Well, there was that time I hit you on top of your head with my sand pail …."

"I wasn't all that upset." Walt grinned. "I just enjoyed all the attention I got from rolling around on the ground in agony. Besides, that was just an accident. It was an accident, wasn't it?"

"You know it was," I said, glad to see him smiling. I rubbed his head. "You're all better now, aren't you?"

"Yeah, just fine now."

The next morning he was as solicitous as ever during our walk to school. He tried to increase our pace a bit each week, because he wanted to make sure I was getting a good workout.

I thought it was kind of funny that Walt put so much effort into my exercise program, yet he never mentioned noticing that I was thinner. Maybe he saw me too much to notice the difference. Not that he'd ever accused me of being fat in the first place. In any case, he was dedicated and I wasn't about to complain. He helped me a lot with his encouragement.

When we arrived at school Walt left to talk to Coach Bartlett about a final count on the basketball equipment. I was glad to see him go. Dad had given me a copy of the Reporter and I wanted to show it to Kevin--alone. This time there was a picture of him. I spotted him in front of the lunchroom. But Nicole was with him. So I hesitated for a second, then mustered up my courage and marched over to them. Who knows when I'd catch Kevin without Nicole around, anyway.

"Hi, Nicole," I said, hoping to throw her off guard. "How are you?"

"Mattie, Hi!" Nicole flashed a frozen smile, taking her eyes off Kevin for only a nanosecond.

I pulled out my newspaper and held it up in front of Kevin. "I thought you might like to see this."

"The game!" Kevin grabbed the paper and eagerly read the story. The
New Haven
paper had had a glowing article about how the underdogs from Waterside had come out of nowhere and almost upset mighty
Springfield
. That, coupled with praise from almost everyone in town and a week to forget how much losing had hurt at the time, had made everyone anxious to see the Reporter's write-up. Kevin handed the paper to Nicole. "Look at this."

She glanced at the picture and said, "At least you made that basket."

I would have told off Nicole on the spot, but my tongue was in a knot. I never dreamed showing the paper to Kevin would end up with Nicole insulting him. I didn't know what else to do, so I grabbed the paper from Nicole and ran to my locker.

Walt was there. I busied myself taking off my coat and rearranging my books, so Walt would not see that I was on the verge of tears. I swallowed a couple of times to compose myself. As I turned to Walt, I noticed that he was on tiptoe, taking a notebook out of his book locker.

"You didn't jump to reach your locker!" I slapped my hand over my mouth. I was as bad as Nicole, except I hadn't meant to blurt it out like that.

"I didn't have to jump." The corners of Walt's mouth twitched from trying not to smile.

I didn't want to stare, but I couldn't help it. Walt's eyes were almost even with mine, he was almost as talk as I was. "You've grown!" I moaned to myself. Would I ever stop sticking my big, fat foot in my mouth?

"One of those infamous growth spurts." Walt grinned. "You won't be able to get away with knocking me over the head with your sand pail any more."

I sighed and snapped my fingers.

The warning bell rang.

"See you later, Shorty." Walt patted the top of my head.

I watched him walk down the hall until he disappeared into a swarm of students. "Well, what do you know?" I said out loud.

A pointy elbow jabbed my ribs. "I know you'll be late," George Turner said, "if you don't stop doing that imitation of a telephone pole."

I stuck out my tongue at George and hurried off before he could react. As I rounded the corner, I plowed right into Nicole Sandhurst.

 

Chapter
Seven

 

"Well, well," said Nicole. "You do get around get around, don't you, Mattie?"

My throat tightened. I tried to walk around Nicole, but she blocked my way.

"I'd like to talk to you." Nicole affected a caring smile.

"W-what about?" I squeaked.

"Kevin," Nicole said. "You're making yourself a pest with him."

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Was that her opinion? Or Kevin's? I didn't want to know. I did a U-turn and took the long way around to class. Stumbling into my seat just as the warning bell rang, I pretended to search for a pencil so no one could see my eyes glistening.

All morning I carefully avoided Kevin. Ordinarily, I passed him in the hall whenever I had a chance, but I steered clear of routes I knew he would take. I arrived as late as I could for the English class we shared, and was out the door again the moment class was over.

In my mind I was sure Nicole was just trying to scare me off--Nicole couldn't stand competition from anyone. Not even lowly Mattie Mason. One time, pre-Kevin, when a guy Nicole liked asked me about a homework assignment, she saw us talking and whisked him away before I could even answer his question.

In my heart, however, I feared that Nicole could be right. Maybe Kevin did think of me as a pest.

At lunch I hurried to get to the front of the line, because I knew Kevin couldn't get there right away. I sat at the table where Erwina and I always sat. For once I was early enough to save a seat for Erwina.

I picked at my food. I didn't have to worry about dieting--I wasn't hungry. I felt so exposed sitting at the empty table. Finally, Selena came and sat down. Then Erwina.

"Isn't it a totally gorgeous day?" said Erwina.

"Mmm." I mashed my peas with my fork.

"After we eat, let's go out in the courtyard."

"Okay …." I pushed the flattened peas under a lettuce leaf. Maybe in the courtyard I could have a private talk with Erwina.

We finished lunch--or at least Erwina did. I dumped most of mine in the garbage can.

"Wow, isn't it great out?" Erwina hugged herself.

"Yeah, it's nice." The sun was warm on my face, but there was a hard icy lump in my stomach.