�Ah. You look a little misguided yourself�I think you might be looking for cheerleading tryouts�they�re over there,� he replied mockingly.
�Oh, yeah, like, thanks. Man, I�m soooooo stupid!� I replied, just as Gracie would of done. Then, I added in a cooler, sarcastic voice: �What�s that you�re reading�See Spot Run?�
The boy just smiled and shook his head. �Well, I�ve ran out of cold, sarcastic remarks. I�m Dylan Scott.� I turned around, but I still wanted to talk to this Dylan Scott�something about him drew me to him�
I turned back around. �Jacqueline Hill.� My mother would expect me to say something witty and charming�but she wasn�t here, so I just stared at him. There was something in his brown eyes�longing. Suddenly, I wanted to leave.
�I�uh�have to go�,� I mumbled.
�Okay.� I stood up and took a few steps towards the door. �Wait, before you leave�do you want to do something�like, go out, tomorrow?� Dylan asked, following me.
�I don�t date public school guys,� I replied automatically.
�You don�t date any guys.�
�Excuse me?�
�I mean�I�ve never seen you with a guy,� he said quickly.
�Yeah, whatever. I�m not interested,� I responded, looking at him. �See ya.� I walked to the door, regretting my �no public school jerks� policy. I really liked Dylan�yeah, I know I�d just met him, but I was really into him. �Oh, no,� I groaned, seeing Gracie�s car still in the parking lot. I turned around and looked at Dylan mischievously, forgetting the frightening look in his eyes.
�Hey, do you want to go for a walk or something?� I asked, a small smile playing across my lips.
He seemed surprised at my sudden change of heart (as if I had one), but agreed. Knowing that Gracie would surely lose interest in me if she saw me with a guy like him, I held his hand as he guided me to his car. I smiled, knowing Gracie was probably going crazy. �D�ya mind if we go to the park�I like it there.� he asked when we were in the car. Gracie was staring stupidly at me. I smiled sadistically and waved.
�Sure,� I replied, getting my phone from my bag and dialing my number. Ana picked up.
�Hey, Ana, I�m going out for a while. I should be home before Dad gets back from work, okay?� I said, looking at Dylan. �But�uh, if I�m not, don�t wait for me�just save me something to eat, okay?�
�Sure, Jacqueline. Where are you going? Who are you with?�
�I�m going to the park�with a guy I met.�
�You should probably ask your parents before you go��
�It�s kinda too late, Ana, I�m almost there.�
�Okay, keep your phone on�don�t come in too late�I�ll call you if I need you.�
�Yup. Bye,� I said, hanging up.
�Who�s Ana?� Dylan asked, not taking his eyes off the road.
�My�uh, our, housemaid. It was my mother�s idea�she thinks that it�s below her to clean or cook.�
�Aha,� he said, obviously amused.
�Where exactly is this park?� I asked, changing the subject.
�Near my school. I go there a lot, just to think and stuff�it�s nice.�
Dylan dropped me off at the caf� to pick up my car, and I drove home, not tired at all and a little hungry. I didn�t come in through the front door- that door was strictly for show. Instead, I went through the screen door in the kitchen, finding the house dark and empty and a note on the refrigerator door.
Your parents were invited to a party, and Caleb
slept over a friend�s house. Rob called around 7.
He said you can call him back sometime tonight
if it�s before 11. There�s lasagna in the fridge.
Your parents want to meet your male friend.
Invite him to supper tomorrow, okay? See
you tomorrow--Ana
I�ve known Rob since I was four years old. He lived a few houses down, in a large house somewhat like mine. His mother was close friends with mine, and, as most mothers do, they pushed us together and we became fast friends. Because Saint Elizabeth�s is an all-girls school, we don�t go to school together�he goes to Saint Andrew�s, another local private school, and, like me, he�s in his last year.
I remember when the town had their dance last year, our mothers tried to get us to go together. There was only one little flaw in their plan, though. Rob was openly gay.
My parents strongly disapproved of Rob, but I didn�t care. I could relate to Rob better than all the girls in my school. We both basically friendless (except for each other) and neither of us had a boyfriend, or had any guys interested in us.
I picked up the phone and called Rob�s number.
�Hello?� he answered.
�Hi, Rob. It�s me, Jacqueline.�
�Oh, hey! Ana gave you my message then?�
�She just said you called.�
�Oh, okay. Hey, I was just wondering if you wanted to do something tomorrow. We haven�t really talked since last week.�
�Yeah, sure�can you meet me at Disillusioned after school?�
�Mm-hmm.�
�Hey, Rob, guess what?�
�What?�
�I met a guy.�
�Seriously? This is a major breakthrough!�
�Yeah�hey, I have to go�we�ll talk tomorrow, okay?�
�Sure thing! See ya!� Rob hung up, and, for the first time in months, I felt loved.
�Yeah,� I replied, smiling into my coffee. We were in Disillusioned, talking about Dylan. I was hoping Dylan would come in and I could introduce him to Rob, but so far, he hadn�t entered. �But you know what? I should thank Gracie�I think I really love him, Rob.�
�Who are you, and what have you done with my Jackie?� Rob teased. �I�ve never heard you say the �l� word. But I dunno, Box, you�ve just met him�� I smiled. Rob was the only person who I didn�t mind calling me Jackie�and Box�that was an old nickname from when I was a kid- I was kinda hyper, and my dad always called me �Jack-in-the-Box.� Rob soon shortened it to just �Box,� and it kinda stuck with me.
�Yeah, I guess you�re right�but I really like him�he makes me feel real or something.�
�Yeah, or something.� Rob replied, smirking. I heard the glass door open and looked up. I squeezed Rob�s hand and whispered:
�That�s him.�
"He�s hot,� Rob said to me quietly, smiling.
�Don�t touch him,� I warned, only half serious. Dylan saw me and I waved, motioning for him to come sit with us. �Don�t embarrass me,� I said through clenched teeth.
�Hi, Jacqueline�sorry, I don�t know your name,� Dylan said, looking at Rob.
�Rob Coleman,� Rob said, smiling widely and extending his hand. Dylan shook it slowly, looking at me.