Part 5 (1/2)

Saucer was a boy Serenity had met in the chat room several weeks ago. When he'd uploaded a picture of his face to her, the color of his skin made Serenity think of a milk chocolate bar, and his eyes-big and round-resembled a saucer. ”A chocolate-brown saucer,” she'd giggled to Cookie. And so that's what she called him.

She knew her parents would not like her talking to a boy-especially one that she met online. But Saucer was always saying lots of nice stuff to her, and he even wanted to take her shopping and buy her pretty things.

The screen name, iluvhotgurlz13, suddenly popped up on the screen. ”Ooh,” Serenity squealed, ”there he is!”

Cookie looked at the time showing on the bottom of the computer screen. ”Hurry up,” she said. ”You don't have much time!”

Serenity sat down and started typing.

Serenity2cute_13: Hey iluvhotgurlz13: Hey 2 cute :) how r u?

Serenity2cute_13: Fine :) iluvhotgurlz13: I bet u r lol. When r u gonna send me a pic?

Serenity2cute_13: idk soon, lol iluvhotgurlz13: U don't kno when?

Serenity looked at Cookie. ”What should I say?”

Before Cookie could answer, a message popped up.

iluvhotgurlz13: u should meet me at the mall ”Ooh!” Cookie squealed. Serenity's mouth opened wide.

Serenity2cute_13: lol, my mom's not gonna let me go 2 the mall iluvhotgurlz13: u cant go 2 the brookridge mall?

Serenity2cute_13: nope iluvhotgurlz13: what r u? a baby? lol Serenity2cute_13: I aint no baby iluvhotgurlz13: jus tell ur mom u going to the library or sumthin. We might end up there, lol Cookie stood next to Serenity, looking over her shoulder. ”Yeah, that's a good idea,” she said as she pulled her gum halfway out of her mouth and began twirling it around her finger. ”And tell him he can see what you look like when y'all meet.”

”I don't know,” Serenity said to Cookie with a worried look on her face.

”What? You scared?” Cookie asked.

”No,” Serenity said rolling her eyes.

”Then what?”

Serenity turned her attention back to the computer.

Serenity2cute_13: wen?

There was no activity on the screen.

”What happened?” Cookie asked.

Serenity looked at the bottom of the chat box and saw ”iluvhotgirlz13 is typing . . .”

”He's typing,” she said.

”Well, he better hurry up. My dad put a timer on this computer, and it's gonna go off at seven thirty.”

”Seven thirty?”

”Yep. So we ain't got much time. It's seven twenty-five now.”

The girls continued to wait for Saucer to finish typing. Cookie put the finger with the twirled gum on it into her mouth and pulled the gum off with her teeth. She looked at the time on the computer, and then glanced toward her bedroom door. ”Come on,” she started rotating her hand in a circular motion. Finally, he responded.

iluvhotgurlz13: The mall is gonna be crowded, lol. How bout u meet me across the street?

Serenity2cute_13: where?

iluvhotgurlz13: on the parking lot in front of that pizza restaurant that closed down Cookie looked at the clock on the computer. It read seven twenty-eight. ”The computer's gonna shut down,” she said.

Serenity quickly typed her response.

Serenity2cute_13: wen?

iluvhotgurlz13: Sunday ”You gotta get off,” Cookie said.

Serenity2cute_13: g2g Serenity signed out of the chat room. The two girls looked at each other and giggled.

”You gonna meet him for real?” Cookie asked as the timer began shutting down the computer.

”Maybe,” Serenity said. She began swirling around in the chair and almost knocked the lamp off the desk.

”Be careful, Serenity, dang!” Cookie said catching the lamp just as it began to fall.

”Sorry,” Serenity said as she got up from the computer and went into the bathroom to wash her face. A few minutes later, she returned with a youthful face void of all makeup. She put on her coat, and then walked over to where she'd left the fas.h.i.+on magazine and picked it up. ”Can I take this home with me?”

”I don't care,” Cookie said. ”But bring it back.”

”Thanks,” Serenity said, tripping on the edge of the rug as she opened the bedroom door to leave.

Cookie rolled her eyes. ”Girl, if you gon' be a fas.h.i.+on model you better stop all that trippin'. You gon' kill yourself before you even get started.”

”Whatever,” she said as they both went downstairs.

They entered the living room where Cookie's parents, Tony and Shari, were sitting next to each other on the love seat.

”Hey,” Shari said. ”What have you young ladies been up to on your day off?”

”Nothing,” Cookie replied. ”Just hanging out.”

”How was your day, Mrs. Wiles?” Serenity asked.

”It was okay. I had to work a little later than usual but it was fine.” Shari rose from the couch. ”Did you want to stay for dinner?”

”No, thank you,” Serenity said. ”I think my mom probably wants me home now.”

”Okay. Well, tell her I said hi.”