Part 7 (1/2)

Simone scurry back

to her desk. Do you want to call me?

Her forwardness is both a little scary and a lot refres.h.i.+ng.

”You know, I really would.” We exchange appreciative smiles and cell phone numbers, as down the hall a door slams open, followed by scattered voices. One of them belongs to my mom. The others, I'm guessing, are Jenna's mother and her sister. Both of them look like her, except her sister lacks the abundant flesh that makes Jenna so attractive. She notices where

my eyes keep roaming.

My sister is a pageant girl, she says in

a low (luscious) voice. She also wants to

model, which is why

she thinks she needs her nose ”fixed.”

”I hope it's enough for her. Some people get addicted to the 'fixing.'” Some are never satisfied.

Jenna, However Appears more than satisfied with the way she looks, every move designed to draw the eye. My eyes, for sure. And I can't believe other guys wouldn't feel the same way. There is something extremely alluring about a girl who's completely at ease in her own skin.

And this one loves how she's put together.

Her sister, however, for all her beauty- focused goals, seems to hold something in reserve. She is closer to my age. But she is so not my type.

Not sure why I think Jenna is, but I can't wait to research.

Her mom tells her it's time to leave. I watch her exit, enthralled by the performance. She is one of a kind.

She Is On My Mind On the short drive to the All the Right Moves dance studio.

Usually, when I meet a girl, I make her wait a day or two before I ask her out.

For some reason, I'm driven to skip the whole coy charade and call Jenna right away. She answers on the third ring. ”Hey.

It's Andre. Are you free Sat.u.r.day night?”

Wow. You're direct. I like that, and I'd

like to say yes, but I

kind of had tentative plans for Sat.u.r.day.

That stings. And I'm late for my lesson.

”Okay. I'll try again.”

I go inside. The place is empty, except for Liana, who is on her own phone.

Warm up, she mouths,

nodding toward the open studio door.

I start my stretching, thinking about the magnetic smile that drew me immediately to the girl I can't seem to get off my mind. Liana comes in, and we begin a familiar routine. I've done these steps dozens of times, but I can't keep them in the right order. I can hear my dad saying how if he wants something, he won't let anyone tell him he can't have it. Andre!

scolds Liana. Where's your

head today? Did you forget how to count?

Focus, Andre, focus. One, two, three, four...

Somehow I make it through the rest of my lesson. Pay Liana the money I finagled from Mom. At last, I can call Jenna again. ”You know those tentative plans? Cancel them.”