"I'm so sorry."
"Why?"
I had no good answer for that.
"Besides," he said, "it's not the whole party. This thing's going on all night."
I wasn't sure if that was supposed to make me feel better or worse. I couldn't linger on it, though, because right in front of me was the most incredible thing I'd ever seen.
Claudia was still cuddled up on the love seat with Marsh—only now they were completely making out.
This was huge. This was huger than huge.
This was also a problem. We had to leave now, but there was no way in the universe I'd interrupt the biggest moment in Claudia's life.
Eddie understood. "I got it," he said. He walked over and punched Marsh on the arm. "Dude, she's gotta go."
Marsh and Claudia reluctantly pulled apart. "I'll walk you out," he told her. He took her hand and the four of us walked to my car. Neither Claudia nor I said anything, but we kept sneaking glances at each other, asking a million silent questions.
We split at the car, Eddie walking to the driver's side with me while Claudia and Marsh kissed.
"Thanks for keeping me company," I said.
"No worries. It was fun."
"For me, too. Thanks." I had just said thanks about two seconds ago. Maybe what I really needed was a thesaurus implanted in my brain. I climbed into the car as a breathless Claudia collapsed into the seat next to me. I was about to drive off when Eddie signaled for me to roll down the window.
"What's up?" I asked.
"See you at school Monday," he said—then leaned in and kissed me. On the lips. Nothing major, nothing wild, but a kiss. What did it mean?
Claudia grinned as we pulled away from the curb. "Looks like your next target on the Ladder has chosen you ... succubus."
"Okay, Miss I-Hook-Up-with-Populazzi! Tell me!"
"'This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, / May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.'" Claudia sighed.
"Nope. Won't cut it. I need details."
For the first time ever, Claudia couldn't find words. She tried—she opened her mouth like she was going to say something—but all that finally came out was a scream of delight.
"Tell me!"
"I know Marsh and I go to different schools and we don't live close to each other, but in a way I think that's perfect. It's so much more romantic. We have to pine for each other. And it keeps me a challenge: he'll work to win me over again every time we meet. Especially since he's competing against my ex-boyfriend Paris, who's dying to get back together."
"You named your fake ex-boyfriend Paris?"
"It felt appropriate."
"What would you have done if he knew Romeo and Juliet?"
"Chalked the name up to an incredible coincidence. And gone back to kissing him. Immediately."
"Okay," I said, "keep in mind this is crazy because I have no idea if Eddie's even into me ... but what if you started going out with Marsh and I started going out with Eddie? They're friends—the four of us would hang out together all the time."
"I love it! We'll be like the four lovers at the end of Midsummer Night's Dream. Can I be Hermia? I always wanted to be Hermia."
"You could come down every weekend and stay with me. We'd all go out Saturday nights, hang together on Sundays—"
"You have to stop. You're getting my hopes up and I don't want to be disappointed."
"Marsh'll hit me up in the halls for the inside scoop on all your favorite things so he can surprise you—"
"I'm serious, Cara, stop. I'll end up writing songs like Nate Wetherill."
"We could all go to prom together!"
"SUC-SUC-SUCCUBUS," Claudia sang, "MYROTTING HEART IS COVERED IN PUS..."
I had to admit the song was catchy. I joined in.
"SUC-SUC-SUCCUBUS," we sang at the top of our lungs, "THE PUTRID CORPSE OF THE TWO OF US."
The night could not possibly have been any better.
Chapter Twenty-Four
It was fun to fantasize, but I didn't really think there was anything going on between Eddie and me. Sure, he'd kissed me, but it hadn't been a real kiss. We hadn't made out like Claudia and Marsh.
Not that I was against Eddie as my next Ladder target. I liked him. I just had absolutely no idea how to go after him. We didn't have classes together or hang with the same people. Other than in Claudia's and my double-date fantasies, our cou-pledom seemed impossible.
And of course there was the fact that my reputation as a soul-sucking succubus now preceded me wherever I went.
"Cara!"
I was on my way to