My Kind of Crazy - Robin Reul Page 0,68
really nice guy, Hank.”
Here it is: my chance to be with Amanda. Except everything’s different now. That’s not what I want anymore. “Why would you think that?”
“That you’re a nice guy?”
“No, that I did it.”
“Because that weird girl who lives across the street told me everything.”
“Peyton?” My heart races just saying her name, and I grip the door handle, ready to dash if Amanda knows where she is and how to find her. “When did you talk to her? Is she okay?”
“Jeez, excitable much? She left me a note. She was your witness, right? That’s what you said in your entry; that you had a witness. And even though she’s strange, what she said added up. It would’ve been nice if maybe she’d come forward sooner so I hadn’t made an ass out of myself picking the wrong guy, but better late than never, right?”
“When did she leave you the note?”
Amanda twists a strand of hair around her finger and shrugs. Clearly she didn’t expect me to focus on this part of the story. “Why are you, like, freaking out? Why does that matter?”
“It just does.”
“It was on my car window this morning. She said she wanted me to know the truth because you’re a great guy and deserve to be happy. She said she was telling me because she knew you wouldn’t, and she was trying to put everything back together the way it was supposed to be. She said you’d probably understand what that meant.” She tucks her hair behind her ear and narrows her eyes. “And what do you mean, is she okay? What’s wrong with her?”
If she left the note this morning, she must be all right. But why would she tell Amanda the truth? Doesn’t she get that I’m not interested in Amanda Carlisle, prom, or this stupid frickin’ contest anymore? Because even if our situation is all mixed up and insane right now, the one thing I know for sure in my gut is that we’re exactly the way we’re supposed to be when we’re together. I had hoped Peyton felt that too.
Amanda’s sitting there, waiting for me to answer. To say something. Anything at all. She prompts, “So it was you, right?”
I take a deep breath and look her right in the eye. I can’t believe I’m about to say what I’m about to say. But I do. “Look, Amanda. I’m really sorry. If you actually knew me, you’d know that I pretty much make a mess of everything. I don’t mean to; it just happens. It was stupid of me to think you’d want to go to prom with me in the first place, and when the mulch and the tree and everything caught on fire, I chickened the hell out. I’m not proud of that. The whole thing was a mistake. And I’ll pay you and your parents back for the damage. I promise.”
“I’m not here for money, Hank. You went to a lot of trouble to invite me to prom, and I want you to know I appreciate what you tried to do. It was very sweet and romantic. I’m here because I feel badly about the way it turned out, and I want to make it right. And besides, I think you’re really cute.”
I shake my head, my mind still on Peyton. “You don’t need to do that.”
“So are you saying you don’t want to take me to prom?” She looks a little hurt, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I savor that power for a few seconds before letting her down easy.
“I can’t.”
She raises her eyebrows in surprise. “Wow.” She was most definitely not expecting this reaction. I’m guessing nobody turns down Amanda Carlisle. Except, of course, me. “May I ask why not?”
“It’s nothing personal. It’s just…there’s someone else.”
She nods. “Okay… Well, this is awkward.”
“It doesn’t have to be. And I really am sorry about the fire.”
Christ, only a few weeks ago I would have given anything to sit and talk with Amanda Carlisle, let alone take her out on a date. But it’s different now.
I ask her, “So does everybody know? That it wasn’t Nick?”
She shakes her head. “No. I wasn’t going to say anything until I talked to you.”
I picture Nick, how frickin’ crushed he’s going to be when she kicks him to the curb. I kinda feel sorry for him.
“Can I say something then? I mean, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I think you should still go to prom