Part 14 (2/2)

This was torture. This should be outlawed by the UN. ”I guess.”

”That's why you need your phone back?”

”No!” Why did she have to be so impossible? ”Yes, him. But also Jade, Roxie, other people. If you want to punish me, fine. Do whatever you want to me; I don't care. But I have a life, you know, and I'm connected to it by my phone!”

”I don't like your tone of voice, young lady,” Mom said to me.

”Well, it's mutual!” I yelled.

”Go to your room,” she said, and turned back to her work again, dismissing me. I kicked her door as I left.

I had a bit of a tantrum in my room and then didn't clean up afterward. (So there! Not that anybody would care but me, and it was driving me nuts, but I left it a mess on principle.) When they made me go down for dinner, I did, but I didn't talk to anybody, just ate my dinner and cleared my plate. I went back up to my room and didn't budge from in front of my computer, even when I heard my phone doing its own little version of the Grammy Awards down the hall on Mom's desk. Phoebe knocked on my door a couple of times but I just couldn't deal with her.

It took a while, but finally Roxie got online so we could chat. As expected, she'd been trying to text me. I told her what had happened and realized only when she seemed confused that she thought my parents had already found out about our big day in the city by a call from the school, and were cool with it.

Why didn't u tell me the truth? she asked. she asked.

IDK, I responded. I responded. I should have. Felt like a loser, I guess. I should have. Felt like a loser, I guess.

U can tell me anything, u know that! Well, so that sucks. A month? She was as fast as I was: type, send, a good fast rhythm. She was as fast as I was: type, send, a good fast rhythm.

Yup, I whipped back. I whipped back.

Kiss up. Maybe they'll get past it.

Doubt it, I sent back. I sent back.

How'd they find out, then?

Jade, I think.

Jealous b.i.t.c.h, she wrote instantly. she wrote instantly.

I laughed out loud, then typed, Jealous? Of what Jealous? Of what?

Well, of me, for one thing.

Maybe.

Also of you, Roxie shot back. Roxie shot back.

Why wd she be jealous of me? Why wd anybody anybody be jealous of ME? be jealous of ME?

It took maybe ten seconds to get her response: Because you aren't following her around all tense anymore like you have been all year. Because you hooked up with Tyler Moss. Because you look great, now that you're not hiding under your hair so much and always frowning. Lots of reasons. Because you aren't following her around all tense anymore like you have been all year. Because you hooked up with Tyler Moss. Because you look great, now that you're not hiding under your hair so much and always frowning. Lots of reasons.

You're just saying that, I wrote back. I wrote back.

Just typing that. Not!

Before I could even respond, she sent: How long r they keeping ur phone?

IDK, I typed. I typed. R u gonna go 2 Susannah's party? R u gonna go 2 Susannah's party?

Not w/o u! Do u need Tyler's # to call him back?

Yes! I typed back. I typed back. Thanks! Thanks!

No prob-getting it.

What do u think he was calling me about?

How hot u r, she replied. she replied.

Hahaha, I typed. I typed.

After she gave me his number, I typed, Thanks. Not sure if I shd call him...

Hmmm, true, maybe make him wait a bit.

Yeah, I agreed. I agreed. But what about the woman from But what about the woman from zip zip?

I pressed Send before it hit me.

s.h.i.+t.

I hit Delete but it was too late.

I hit Delete ten more times, even knowing it wouldn't help.

All I could do was wait, and then up came her response: What woman from zip? zip?

So there it was, choice time. What to do? I could try innocent: huh? huh? Or muddleheaded: Or muddleheaded: Did I say Did I say zip? zip? I meant the trip, Tennis Europe, who called. Earlier. I meant the trip, Tennis Europe, who called. Earlier. I could go with distraction: I could go with distraction: Gotta go, my house just caught fire. Gotta go, my house just caught fire. Or half-truths: Or half-truths: Some woman from Some woman from zip zip called-I think I left my wallet when we went there. called-I think I left my wallet when we went there.

I decided on half-truth, and had actually typed it but stopped with my pointer in midair before hitting Send. I deleted it and started over: Please don't hate me. I somehow got a callback. I don't know why. Maybe I got the joke spot. I didn't want to tell you because, well, this is what you wanted, not me-I was just along for the ride and now I feel like I accidentally stole your spot. Not that I could. I am a jerk. I'm sorry.

I reread it three times, hovered over Send, and then just sent it.

For about three hours (okay, maybe it was more like three minutes, but I swear I could feel myself aging) I sat and stared at my unmoving computer screen through my fingers.

Finally, her response flashed up: Congratulations.

That was all. I quickly typed: Are u mad?

GTG, she typed back. she typed back. More l8r. More l8r.

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