“I'd know you’re not,” I say.

“How’s that? Everyone says I look really old for my age.”

“You might look older than you are, but you cuss too much. You sound like a kid who just learned how. Makes you sound like the eighth grader that you are.”

His studies my face. “Are you fucking with me?”

“Nope. I'm serious.”

He nods his head. Smiles at me, just like Riley does, and shakes his head. “I'm gonna like you. Since these douches haven't invited you yet, you come stay with us this summer. As long as you want. You can be my wingman.”

“Your wingman?”

“Yep, I have my arm around a hot older chick at the beach, all the other hotties are gonna want me. Proven fact. Girls always want what they can’t have.”

“Now that sounded very mature. And as long as it’s okay with Riley and Dawson, I'll be there. Nice to meet you. I have to get to dance. We’re having a pizza party with some of the alumni before the game.”

Riley says, “I’ll walk with you. I’ve got to get to the locker room too.”

On the way there, he asks me about tonight. “So Braxton is spending the night with me and Dallas. I’m worried about sneaking to your room.”

“It’s been three days, Riley. I think you’re right. It must not have been him.”

“But what if he was waiting for Homecoming? There are going to be a lot of people coming and going this weekend. It’s kind of a security nightmare. Caterers. Foodservice. Delivery trucks. Rental companies. Alumni. Families. If you didn’t belong here and wanted to get in, this would be when you’d try to do it.”

I sigh. “Shit. I didn’t think of that. You’re right. Maybe I just won’t sleep?”

“That won’t work. Maybe you could go stay with Dawson? No, I have a better idea. I’ll send Braxton to stay with him. It might mess up some of your fun, but it’s worth it, right?”

“Yeah, it is. Thanks, Riley. I know it’s a pain for you to have to get up every night, sneak out, and then sleep on my floor.”

“Your rug and I are having a hot affair.”

“I think I’m going to give you that rug when this is over.”

“If we get through Homecoming weekend then I think you’re safe.”

I can’t eat anything at the pizza party because I’m feeling a little sick.

Riley brought up an extremely good point about security this weekend.

It makes me worry about Katie. What if Vincent did come in my room? What if I screamed and she woke up? What would he do to her?

And what about this weekend? All these people here? What would he do? How would he try and take me? Would he cause a commotion like he did at my party?

Or would he try to catch me when I’m alone?

I’m deep in thought when I get a text from Aiden.

Aiden: Quick. Come outside.

Me: I don’t think I can.

Aiden: Make up an excuse. Trust me, it’s worth it.

I make up a lame excuse in my head, but don’t end up having to use it. I just slip out unnoticed.

Aiden is waiting for me outside the dance room.

He tells me to close my eyes.

Once we’re outside the doors, he puts his hands on top of my shoulders and turns me so that I’m facing another direction. Down toward the football field, I think.

He leans his face over my shoulder. His lips lightly touch my ear as he whispers, “Open.”

I open my eyes and see a brilliant sunset. It’s gorgeous. Today was cloudy, kind of dreary, the sky threatening rain. Now the bottoms of those puffy clouds are multiple shades of pink, gold, and blue all radiating out from a red ball of fire low in the sky.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.

“Yeah, I thought so too. I’m glad you like it.”

I turn away from the sunset to face Aiden. The view in this direction is just as brilliant. The colors of the sunset are bouncing off Aiden’s green eyes.

I turn back around and look at the sunset again, remembering what Aiden told me about his mom.

I say a quick thank you that I made it through another day. That I’m still here.

I start to get tears in my eyes.

Aiden has no idea how much seeing this sunset helped me. How it calmed me down from freaking out about Vincent.

For some reason, this sunset gives me hope that I’ll win.

Somehow, I have to win.

“Thank you. I was having a rough day. Showing me this sunset helped put it all in perspective.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

I shake my head. “Remember the stuff we talked about in the chapel?”

“Is your friend having more trouble?”

“Yeah, she had a scare, I guess you could say. Something weird happened recently and she thinks he might have discovered where she is. But he hasn’t come for her yet. Like, to get her. So she’s waiting. And waiting is scary.”

“I bet.”

“But the sun just set on another day of her being safe. So that’s a good thing.”

Aiden touches my arm. “I’m glad I could help.”

“You always help,” I say before I think better of it.

Aiden smiles at me and gives my arm a little squeeze. “What have I told you before?”

“When I need you, you’ll be there?”

“I mean it.”

“I know, it’s just that . . .”

“You have a boyfriend.”

“Yes.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m still here. Besides you helped me yesterday.”

“I did?”

“Yeah, in French. What you said about only caring about what the people you love think. It was something I needed to hear.”

I smile big. “Really, I actually helped you?”

“Yeah, you did.”

“Thanks. I, um, better get back in there.”

I walk towards the door to the field house, but glance back to look at Aiden bathed in the light of the setting sun, and I can’t help but wonder what he’s going to do for the person he loves.

Friday, October 7th

A little tail.

6:27am

Today is School Spirit Day. Everyone is dressed in lots of red and yellow. As I get in line for coffee and a muffin, I realize that our Cougar Kitty outfits really stand out. I’ve got on a black spandex tank and a flirty black dance skirt with a leopard tail attached to the back. I straightened my hair, teased it up big, added the ears headband, and then drew kitty whiskers on my face with black eyeliner.

Someone pulls on my tail and says, “Here, kitty, kitty.”

I turn around and see Dallas and Riley grinning at me. They are wearing their red football jerseys and each have a red E painted on their cheek.

Riley says, “I was hoping to get a little tail at Homecoming.”

Dallas laughs and adds, “That, or some pussy.”

“Oh my gosh, you guys. Grow up.”

Dallas gives me a once over. “I’m digging the outfits for today. You all dressed that way?”

“Yes, we are. Including Katie, your new obsession. I swear, if it weren’t for classes, I don’t think I’d have seen you this week.”

Dallas grins. “We’re having fun. It’s new.”

Whitney walks by, gives me a completely different kind of once over and says, “From glitter whores to kitty whores.”

I suck in a deep breath.

“Don’t let her bait you, baby,” Riley says. “She’s just jealous she doesn’t look as hot as you. For god’s sake, she’s wearing a turtleneck.”

I laugh. “And pearls.”

“What are the cheerleaders wearing today? Ariela gonna be dressed as a kitty too?”

“No, they’re wearing their sporty warm ups today.”

“Phew,” Riley says, while fake wiping his brow. “That’s good. I don’t think I could have resisted the temptation. No offense, but guys are going to be having some kitty fantasies today. I’m just saying.”

Catcalls.

Pep Rally

The dance team does a fun skit for the pep rally and, later, performs a dance.

There are lots of cheers, speeches, and honoring of alumni, but you can tell everyone is waiting for what is sure to be the highlight of the afternoon.

The Mr. Eastbrooke contest.

I helped Dawson get ready and his face looks pretty good. His cheer still kinda sucks, but I don’t think he cares. It sounds like it’s almost more of a popularity contest anyway.

Maggie and I roar with laughter when he sashays his way across the gym. He can’t zip up the cheerleading skirt that he’s wearing, so it’s gaping open in the back, and he’s completely stretching out Ariela’s cheerleading sweater with a hugely stuffed bra that his mom bought him. He says it’s the boobs that will win, not his cheer.

He sticks his fake chest out, puts his hand on his hip, puckers up his bright red lips, and blows kisses to the crowd. Everyone claps.

Then he does his cheer. “Be Aggressive . . .”

When he finishes the cheer, he attempts a cheerleading jump.

The jump is pretty good, but causes one of his fake boobs to fall out of the sweater.

Of course, everyone laughs and cheers about that.

The dean calls up the next candidate and so goes on the annihilation of all that is sacred to cheerleaders. It’s hilarious. I can see why everyone looks forward to the contest.

Aiden is up last. He looks a lot like Peyton, and if it weren’t for his manly build and the stubble on his face, he’d make a pretty girl. He’s got on a long blonde wig but, unlike all the other contestants who have worn cheerleader costumes, he’s wearing a version of the kitty costume I have on today.

All the way down to the tail.

Some of the guys make catcalls. Haha. Get it? Catcalls?

Anyway, people are whistling and yelling out his name.

I expect a cheerleader to walk out with him like Ariela walked out with Dawson, but instead, Peyton walks out. She brushes his hair down and then turns to speak to the crowd. “And our last contestant in the Mr. Eastbrooke contest is Aiden Arrington.” She shakes her head and smiles at her brother. “I hope you are ready for this!”

She points her arm over to Shark, who flips on loud dance music.

Oh. My. Gosh.

Is he going to dance?

He said he never would.

I watch Peyton go sit in the stands next to a man and woman who must be her parents. Both her face and Aiden’s look a lot their mother, but their dad is equally attractive. Actually, that’s not true. Aiden’s dad is hot. Aiden may have gotten his pretty face and green eyes from his mom, but everything else is all dad. The strong jawline, the color of stubble on his cheeks, the broad shoulders tapering down to a lean torso. Even the little freckle on his cheek.

Aiden picks up a pair of pompoms and starts doing one of our dance routines.

And although I shouldn’t be, I’m quite shocked at how good he is.

Like, he is a really good dancer. Not quite as good as Sander was, but clearly good enough to blow away the other contestants.

The crowd goes nuts, cheering, screaming.

Maggie keeps hitting me on the arm. “Oh my god, are you watching this?”

“I think everyone is watching this.”

“Who knew he could dance like that. I told you. I don’t think there’s anything that boy can’t do.”

He can’t speak French worth a shit, I think to myself.

“Why doesn’t he dance like that all the time?”

“I don’t know,” I reply.

“Oh my gosh! He just did the booty shake. Like, he did it pretty good. Gosh, he is sexy. Justin Timberlake better watch out. I wonder if he can sing too?”

“Have you always been such a big fan of his?”

“Everyone has always been a big fan of his. I don’t know. He’s always been hot but this year there’s just something more mature about him. He’s gotten totally sexy.”

“Hmm.”

By the time Aiden finishes, the entire gymnasium, including Maggie and me, are on our feet giving him a standing ovation.

Peyton runs out onto the court and gives her brother a big hug as the dean announces, “By unanimous decision, Aiden Arrington is this year’s Mr. Eastbrooke.”

The soccer team rushes onto the floor and jumps around him.

I glance over at Aiden’s mom. She’s in tears but beaming with pride. Which causes me to get tears in my eyes.

Because I know why he did it.

Why he risked making a fool of himself in front the whole school. He wanted to make his mom, the person he loves, happy.

I feel like I just watched him grow up a little.

They put the silly princess crown on his head and a red glittered sash around his chest.

“This concludes the pep rally, so everyone head out to the alumni tailgate,” the dean announces.

Everyone files out of the gymnasium, but I’m stuck in my spot.

I still have tears in my eyes as I watch Aiden in the crowd.

I find myself walking over to congratulate him.

There’s lots of girls giving him hugs and kisses on the cheek. Guys patting him on the back and giving him fist bumps. But he sees me sort of standing here waiting and moves out of the crowd toward me.

I can’t keep the tears out of my eyes.

I don’t know why what he did is affecting me so much. I think it’s the combination of seeing his mom. Knowing what she’s gone through. What their family has gone through. And probably a lot of me wishing my own mom could be here today. To see me perform. To beam with pride as I take the field at halftime as part of the Homecoming Court in a beautiful dress and shoes that I picked out completely by myself.