Part 19 (1/2)

”One, no more h.o.m.ophobic comments or jokes, ever. If your friends make them, we speak up. I don't care if it looks suspicious. I won't be around that, and I won't tolerate it. It makes me feel too horrible. Same goes for racism or any other kind of prejudice.”

Leah nodded. I think she knew I had a point.

”Two,” I said. ”I won't disappear or go into hiding. If I'm going to be a part of your life, I want to be a part of your life. That includes spending time with your friends. If you like them, somehow I'll learn to like them. But I won't do the whole relations.h.i.+p-in-hiding thing. I'm not going to disappear into the shadows, not for you, not for anyone, ever again. Agreed?”

”Agreed.”

I thought for a second, but realized that I'd said everything I'd come to say.

”Well, then,” I said at last. ”I think we've effectively completed our negotiations.” I tapped my foot. ”Now if only we had some way to seal this agreement. Some way to consummate the arrangement.”

A smile tugged at Leah's lips. ”Yeah, some symbolic 126 gesture.”

I flitted closer to the bed. ”We could sign some kind of doc.u.ment.”

”Too formal,” said Leah. ”Besides, I don't have any clean paper.”

I sat down next to her on the bed. It squeaked. ”We could shake hands.”

”That's an idea,” she said. ”I like that it's physical. But I still don't think that's quite right.”

”Hmmm.” I turned to face her on the bed; the mattress sagged, so we were being drawn together. ”Well, what else could we do? How else do people seal these things?” I leaned closer still, until my lips were almost touching hers.

Then they touched.

We kissed.

Before we could get too far, however, Leah suddenly stiffened.

”What?” I said.

”I just realized! Dade, Alexis, and Savannah are on their way over here right now!”

In other words, the terms of our agreement were about to be put to their first test!

127.

CHAPTER NINE.

Dade, Savannah, and Alexis descended upon Leah's bedroom like a herd of elephants-well, bulimic elephants 128 wearing $150 perfumes. Leah's room was once again rem iniscent of a crowded elevator, one I suddenly wished I'd never set foot in. ”Hey, Min,” said Savannah. By this time, I'd washed off my zombie-goth makeup.

”Hey, guys,” I said. Leah's friends made me nervous, but I confess I wasn't getting any weirdness from them now, about my purple hair or being Asian or anything.

”What are you guys up to?” asked Leah.

”It's a Sat.u.r.day night,” said Dade. ”What else? Pore strips!”

”Pardon me?” I said.

Dade held up a plastic bag from a nearby drugstore. ”Pore strips! You know, those little sticky strips that you put on your face, let dry, and rip 'em off, so they suck out your blackheads?”

Leah looked chagrined. ”It's kind of a tradition with us.”

”Yeah,” said Alexis, ”and afterward, we tell ghost stories and eat cookie dough ice cream and braid each other's hair!”

”Either that or go out and get stoned,” said Savannah.

Everyone laughed. I did too. I concede that Leah's friends could sometimes be funny.

Dade hauled out four boxes of pore strips. The direc tions called for was.h.i.+ng our faces prior to application, so 129 that's what we did. Then everyone peeled the backs off and stuck the strips to their cheeks, noses, and foreheads. They smelled clean, like alcohol and paste.

”Now what?” I said.

”Now we wait for them to dry,” said Dade.

”And talk,” said Savannah. ”Usually we play Truth or Dare. Min, you're first.”

”Savannah!” said Dade. ”Don't be a b.i.t.c.h.” To me, she said, ”Savannah's just kidding. Well, about the Truth or Dare part, not about the talking part.”

I laughed. ”It's fine. You can ask whatever you want.” It was fine. Leah and I had an agreement. I was determined to be part of her life with her friends, and I wasn't going to tolerate their h.o.m.ophobia. Before this evening was over, I was going to find out if Leah could really accept that. ”I heard that Declan McDonnell is starring in that movie you guys are working on,” said Dade. ”Is that true?”

This was the actor playing Brad. Russel had mentioned that he'd once been on some television show, but I had no idea that anyone else actually knew who he was. ”Oh,” I said. ”Yes, it is.”

”G.o.d!” said Alexis. ”He's so hot!”

Savannah smacked Leah on the arm. ”Why didn't you 130 tell us! I would have done it if I'd known he was in it. Have you seen him?”

”Oh, sure,” said Leah. ”He's in most of the scenes. But we're not supposed to talk to him.”

”What's he like?” asked Savannah.

”I have no idea,” I admitted. ”I haven't really paid any attention.”

”You haven't ?” said Savannah. ”Why not?” ”I don't know,” I said lamely. ”I guess he's not really my type.”

”Like I said,” said Leah, trying to bail me out, ”we're not really supposed to talk to the stars.”

This was not going well. How was I supposed to spend time with Leah's friends if I couldn't find any common ground?

”What is your type?” Dade asked me.

”Huh?” I said.

”Guys. What kind of guys do you like?”

Leah looked at me. I think she wondered how I was going to answer this particular question. Still, I am bi; I could answer it more or less truthfully.

”Oh, you know,” I said with a shrug. ”Just guys. Are these supposed to itch?” I meant the strips plastered all over my face.

”Yeah,” said Leah. ”When it dries, the skin gets all tight.