Charm and Consequence (Novella) - By Stephanie Wardrop Page 0,16

take her hand. “Do you really think, for a second, that any of that makes a difference to Trey?”

She shakes her head silently.

“You could check the snail mail. Maybe he sent a postcard.”

She stands up from the computer.

“It’s all yours,” she says as she leaves the room.

“And don’t forget that mail is all backed up with the holidays,” I call as she walks down the hall and I log in to my own account.

There’s a virtual Christmas gift from my friend Allison back in Boulder and a friend request from some guy I must have known in elementary school when we were living in New Jersey. I couldn’t pick him out of a police lineup now if I had to. I check his Friends List and it is suspiciously long. My theory is that some people on Facebook invite everyone they have ever met, just so that everyone will see their Friends List and be stunned by their (virtual) popularity. You’re supposed to rethink them–`Oh, gee, he must be cooler than I thought because look at how many people love him!”–which is just sad, really. Still, I accept the request. I can delete all the messages he sends and request fewer status updates from him, right? This reminds me of how few people Michael has on his Friends List and I wonder for the first time if that’s not because he is snotty but because he just doesn’t want to be bothered with all of the surprising complications in virtual relationships, which could actually be quite sensible.

A few days later I get a good Facebook message, though–Jason Antin from my Spanish class is having a huge New Year’s party since his parents are out of town for the weekend. I decide that Tori needs to go to take her mind off of Trey and she agrees. Cassie and Brick might drop by on their whirlwind social tour of all the basements and rec rooms of Longbourne’s finest jock families, but Leigh has her Purity Ball that night, of course. (Without Dad. Alistair’s dad will stand in for him instead.) The whole idea is nauseating, and, honestly the New Year’s party I’m dragging Tori to could be equally awful, a bunch of drunk kids I barely know in someone’s McMansion, but Tori needs to get out, and it is far worse for me to sit home alone with the cats on the biggest social night of the year.

Besides, I’m pretty sure Jeremy Wrentham will be there. I wouldn’t mind seeing him again. He always makes me laugh, even in school, so I imagine he'll be even more fun at a party. And fun sounds really good right now.

We start planning our outfits. I can’t believe Mom is not out in the hallway, watching in rapture, as we come closer to enacting bonds of sisterliness than we ever have. It’s like a scene out of Little Women in here. Cassie makes the genius suggestion that I wear a low cut V-neck sweater with nothing under it, preferably a size too small.

“I’ll lend you one of mine,” she says, languidly reclining on my bed like Cleopatra on her barge. “At least I don’t have to worry about you stretching out the chest.”

Leigh scowls but says nothing. She has her white dress already picked out for the Purity Ball and it probably comes with a burka.

“I really like that sheer paisley shirt over a camisole,” Tori suggests as she checks her email one more time for a message from Trey.

“Okay,” I say readily. “It’s just a party. It’s not a big deal like Leigh’s thing tonight.”

“Ah, but Jeremy might be there,” Cassie crows and I practically snap my neck in turning to her so quickly.

“What do you know about Jeremy?” I demand.

“Everyone knows about your big dance with Jeremy at the Harvest thing,” Cassie says with patient assurance. “It’s well known.”

I look at Tori and she looks sheepish for a second. Leigh just shrugs. She must think this party we’re planning to attend is like a trip into the ninth ring of hell or something.

And she could be right. But I have to admit that the prospect of seeing Jeremy again outside of school makes my heart thump a little harder.

Monkey Wrenching Around

And he is the first person I see at the party. Jeremy’s presiding over the bar, and a golden wing of hair caresses his eyes every time he bends down to pick up a cup. I enjoy watching this for a moment