hand. She shook it and rubbed it between her hands, hoping to bring her phone back to life.
Unfortunately, her phone charger hid behind books on a shelf in her room. She couldn’t charge her phone without going back to the house, and then Aunt Marge would never let her out again. It was a big enough battle to leave the first time.
Two girls in slinky sequined dresses walked out of the bathroom and meandered down the hal. They eyed Libby.
“Why’s she sitting there alone?” one said.
“Supposedly her date’s meeting her here. She’d never want him to see where she lives,” replied the other.
“Looks like he stood her up.”
“Can you blame him?” They giggled cruely at her misfortune.
Libby slouched against the wal. Her once beautiful curls drooped against her shoulders. Their words hit hard, but they were right. He wasn’t coming. She knew it in her gut. Their perfect night ruined. Peter would not show. Tonight she planned to prove she was just like everyone else, even better. Instead, they would al witness her lonely wait for a boy who never arrived. Miss Orman’s pity would be the worst. She’d probably cal in a shrink on Monday to find out why Libby invented Peter.
More kids walked down the hal toward the restrooms. Libby rose. She couldn’t take any more ridicule. She walked to the double doors and stepped into the brisk night. Even though she felt certain Peter wouldn’t show, she continued her vigil and prayed he was okay.
What could possibly keep him away when he was so close?
A traffic jam? Not likely. Weather? He’d already landed and the weather was fine, cold and windy, but nothing to stop traffic. A car accident? She shivered at the thought. Please let him be okay.
She checked her phone again. It didn’t magicaly power on.
She returned it to her handbag, next to her lip gloss and two tickets for the dance. She puled out the beautifuly printed tickets with the school emblem pressed into the shiny paper.
“Oh Peter,” she breathed, the wind cold on her skin.
Something was wrong. Very very wrong.
Chapter 13
“Excuse me, are you Peter Jamieson?”
“Yeah, I’m Peter Jamieson. What’s up?” A bad feeling struck him.
“I’m sorry to tel you this, but there’s been a medical emergency back in Los Angeles. Your mother caled and asked us to locate you. You need to return to L.A. as quickly as possible.”
“What happened? Who is it?” Panic hit him ful on. He searched Roger’s face for information neither of them had.
“Is it my mom? Is she okay? Please tel me.” Peter stood oblivious to the dozens of curious passengers in the terminal. The only reason his mom would make him come home was if something terrible happened.
“I’m sorry to tel you that your father suffered a heart attack. I believe he’s in Emergency at Cedars-Sinai.”
Peter’s world fel away. His dad. The pilar of their family.
The man who pushed him to be his best. He couldn’t be sick. He couldn’t die. Peter looked to Roger for support, terrified for his father’s life.
“How soon can we get out of here?” Roger took control, alowing Peter to be scared.
“We’re holding a plane, it’s headed to Denver. Then you’l transfer to L.A. You can board now.”
“Let’s go,” Peter responded. “I’m caling Garrett.” Stiff jawed, he pressed the buttons on his phone as he folowed the officials through the terminal to the waiting plane.
Garrett answered on the first ring. “Where the hel are you?”
“I’m on my way now. We just landed in Madison, but they’re holding a plane. How is he? What happened?” Peter didn’t recognize the flat tone of his own voice. He fought tears as they rushed down the concourse. His invincible dad had always been healthy. This was al wrong.
“He was walking across the yard and colapsed. Mom gave him an aspirin right away. The paramedics said it probably saved his life.”
Peter held the phone with one hand and pushed his hair out of his face with the other. He struggled to believe Garrett’s words, yet knew they were true. “Is he okay? Where is he now?” They arrived at a gate where airline agents waited. One agent handed him a boarding pass and cleared him through without delay. Peter nodded his gratitude as he listened to Garrett.
“They’re doing a lot of tests. He’s hooked up to a bunch of machines. Mom’s with him.”
“Is he going to be okay? Is he going to pul through?” Peter couldn’t believe he needed to ask this.
“I don’t know Pete, I