Andrea and the 5-Day Challenge (2 page)

I, however, really wished an alien spaceship would beam me up. That seemed less noticeable and embarrassing than all my friends staring and smiling at this guy whom I was
never, ever, ever
going to ask out.

Luke Ryan hung out with the jocks at Aubrey Christian Academy since starting school two months ago. He and his mother had just moved to North Carolina from California after his parents' horrible split-up. Luke had gone statewide All-star in baseball at his last school. He had hair which naturally formed in neat folds around his forehead. His complexion appeared clear, his eyes yummy, and his clothes expensive.

Therefore, no way on earth would he ever accept my invite to the homecoming banquet. To believe otherwise would be living in a fantasy world. Not with my fashion-challenged wardrobe, mossy green eyes, and this shoulder-length, impossible mousy-brown hair. There's nothing all that interesting about me. I can't dribble a ball or do a handstand. I'm not a fanged creature of the night, nor am I in love with one. I really had little to no reputation.

Aubrey Christian Academy had been around for at least fifty years and had over nine hundred students from Kindergarten to twelfth grade. I was just one of the many. To the cool kids, I was the equivalent of being invisible. I liked it that way. It was better than when a couple girls in my third grade class started calling me goody-goody just because I wouldn't steal candy from the student store.

“I think it's a great idea,” said Alisha. “Mike's friends with Luke. He could ask Luke if he's interested.”

Yikes! Heat flashed into my face as I returned to the conversation. She wouldn't actually do such a thing, would she?

“Uh, no thanks, Alisha. Amy is mistaken. I am not asking Luke Ryan to homecoming. I told her so this morning.” I sipped soda through a straw, trying to look nonchalant.

“Oh, why not?” asked Angie. The man-hater rested her chin on her propped up hand. “He doesn't seem like the usual pinheads around here masquerading as teenagers of the male persuasion.”

I was looking at him and there was still no reason to utterly humiliate myself.

Luke had resumed his conversation with his sports buddies. He swiped a hand through his bangs, brushing the hair back from his face.

Yeah, he was a hottie, and while I'd thought him cute before, I'd never considered him serious dating-material.
Ha! As if!
We were just friends. I'd even helped Luke out in Geometry. Yes, my worst subject, but he was even more lost and taking it for the second time in his high school career. I'd never been embarrassed around him before, but now the sight of him made my whole body tremble. What had my friends done to me?

Then I caught sight of something even more alarming.

Dion Washington, senior and football quarterback, smiled, and then winked one of his dark, dreamy eyes at…Amy.

My friend Amy—who is like, the most well-read girl in school, won the Bible verse plaque three times in a row, and will probably end up our valedictorian next year—had hardly spoken ten words to Dion, and he was flirting with her.

Then it got worse when she smiled back.

The world had turned topsy-turvy (a term my grandmother commonly uses to describe the trend of current events). I needed to get away from it all. “You know what? I forgot. I have something I have to do before next period.” I stood rather rigidly and grabbed my tray filled with my uneaten lunch. “I'll see y'all later.”

Angie and Alisha said goodbye and began studying their notes for the test on
The Scarlet Letter
. My entire private life appeared to be on public display. At least, they were no longer focused on me and my social life—or lack thereof.

I stepped away from the bench and Amy joined me on my trek over to the trashcan. She walked in step, staying very close. “Why? Just tell me why?” She lowered her voice as she spoke, with her sincere gaze pointed right at me.

“Why, what?” I whispered. Of course, the loud reverberating sounds of the cafeteria made my words almost inaudible.

“You know what. Why won't you ask Luke to homecoming?”

“For one thing, I have a piano recital on Saturday. I don't even have time to go.”

“Your recital is in the morning, long before the football game. That gives you plenty of time to get yourself ready for the banquet and maybe even attend the game and ceremony.”

“My parents will probably take me out to dinner later. I told you, I just don't have the time.”

“Your parents will gladly forgo a meal for a school activity, and you know it.”

“Have you met my parents? They'll freak if they think my time will be taken up with a boy instead of piano practice. Besides, you know they frown on the whole idea of my dating.”

“So don't focus on the date. Explain to them that homecoming is a…a necessary juncture in the furtherance of your high school experience which will deepen your appreciation of the community at large.” Amy had a habit of flinging out some such diatribe at me like it should all make sense.

I clapped my mouth closed. Really, how do you respond to something like that? “They wouldn't buy it. Besides, I have a big Geometry test next week. I have to study.”

“Now you're just making up completely irrelevant excuses.” She was right.

I'd spouted off my last and final argument. Well, the best defense is a good offense. “Tell me why you want me to ask him out so much? You're beginning to make me wonder if you have an ulterior motive or something.” I dumped my lunch in the trash, and then folded my arms while trying to look my most cross.

Her expression turned incredulous. “Me?” She pressed the fingers of her left hand into her chest. “What motive could I have except hoping my best friend would have a fun time?”

“Call me old-fashioned, but why should I pull a Sadie Hawkins on him, and why Luke, of all people?”

“He's new, and he might not be sure about asking anyone out. So, it's only kind and charitable for you to ask him.” Hmm, she'd obviously given this a lot of thought.

Which had me worried. “It's my duty. Is that what you're trying to say?”

“Exactly.” Her fair head nodded, but there was something unusual in her expression, which made me wonder. What was going on in that genius brain? She eyed me.

For a split second I actually considered her demented idea. The insanity didn't last long. “Amy, how can you even suggest…I mean, after…” I glanced around the cafeteria to double-check that there were no eavesdroppers. “After the…
incident
,” I whispered.

“Andi, that was like, a lifetime ago.” She rolled her head in a dismissive gesture as if it hadn't only been five miserable months before. “It's time to let it go.”

“Let it go? You do remember…”

“Remember how Jeff Sandburg used you just to get his girlfriend back and when he did, he dropped you and took Kasey Tucker to the Junior/Senior Prom? Uh, yeah. I think I'd remember your worst freak-out ever.”

“Exactly my point.” Finally, she began to make sense.

“But Luke's different. You know him. You like him.”

“Not like that.”

She ignored me and kept going. “It's time to get over the
incident
,” she emphasized the last word with air quotes, “and move on. Are you planning to remain cloistered at home with your piano until you graduate or something?” She had a point.
Darn her.

Jeff may have humiliated me, but thank goodness, he'd transferred to the science magnet school this year. Never trust a scientist.

“So, you think Luke might actually go with me to homecoming?” What was I saying? This was crazy talk. Amy had me back to actually considering her lunacy.

“Why wouldn't he?” Amy shrugged. “You guys are friends. Most of our friends are just going together as a big group, anyway. What have you got to lose?”

My dignity, self-worth, etcetera. Even if I got permission to go, I could never ask Luke. How embarrassing would it be, especially if he said no? awthorne

“Why don't you ask him if you're so concerned?”

“Because, my dear friend, Andrea, needs to have some fun. Besides, someone already asked me.” She smiled with a proud glint in her amber-hued eyes, her shoulders rising in tandem with her grin.

“Somebody…what?” I couldn't believe it. Why hadn't she told me? “Who?”

Before she had a chance to answer, I heard my name called out. I pivoted, but I was totally unprepared to see Luke coming right up beside me. My face grew warm again. Oh, please, if only my skin wouldn't turn all blotchy like it usually did when I blushed.

“Uh, hi Luke.” I couldn't say any more. If I opened my mouth, it would come out in gibberish, I was sure.
Lord God in Heaven, if You're listening, and I know You always are, please, please, don't let him have overheard what we were talking about.
When was that spaceship getting here, anyway? I'd settle for an invisibility cloak, too, just as long as I could disappear.

“Hi.” Luke smiled.

Why
now
did his smile make my heart do cartwheels? I'd seen him smile dozens of times, maybe even a hundred, and my heart had never done that before. OK, that's not completely true. There had been a couple occasions when my pulse tripped upwards, but I just needed some more vitamins or something.

“I was wondering if we could go over that new proof from yesterday. I'm not sure I have it yet.”

Geometry? He wanted to talk about Geometry.

My heart fell. I don't know why I thought it would be anything else. I mentally slapped myself in the head.
Of course
. The Geometry quiz today.

“Well, I gotta go,” announced Amy with a conspiratorial smile as she adjusted her glasses and walked off.

I turned to Luke. “You know, Geometry isn't my strong subject.”

“I know.” He knew? His answer surprised me.

I stood staring at him for a second. His brown eyes looked a little sparkly as he grinned at me. I must have been seeing things. Yeah, I definitely needed some extra vitamin A.

“If I had to guess, I'd say history is your best subject.” Luke still smiled, in fact, I think it grew.

How did he know my favorite subject? “Uh, yeah, it is. How…”

He raised his expansive shoulders slightly. “I can tell by the way you speak up in class.”

Class. Oh, yes, because we also had U. S. History together. I wanted to run away, but I couldn't. I wasn't that much of a coward. I could stand here and look into his eyes…no, I couldn't. They were somehow more fascinating than ever. I lifted my view to the doorway. “You know, I need to get to my locker and pick up my books for next period.”

“OK, me, too.”

So, I'm walking with Luke Ryan. He is suddenly very interesting to me and seems to know more about me than I do about him. Something is definitely wrong with this picture. Had I somehow walked through Alice's looking glass without noticing, because this was unquestionably a wonderland.

 

 

 

 

2

 

I definitely hadn't intended to start afternoon classes this way. My hand shook as I lifted it to draw a long line down the center of a piece of notebook paper. How ridiculous am I that I can't even draw a straight line with Luke sitting across from me. The knowledge that at this very minute his chocolate brown eyes were fixed solely on me completely unnerved me. I could kill Amy right now. She'd infected my brain with convoluted thoughts about Luke Ryan. About homecoming.

Focus.
Right. The proof. I drew a horizontal line through the vertical one.

Luke and I were in our Geometry classroom with only ten minutes left before the bell rang to end lunch. Mr. Carter sat at his desk busily recording grades into the computer.

I set up the proof from a homework problem. Step one. What went under step one again? Oh, yeah, that's right. “Well, let's fill in the givens.” I glanced up at Luke.

The sunlight from the immense window behind him framed his face. He had long dark eyelashes which made his eyes look sort of golden in the rays of the sun.

Unconsciously, I held my breath and forgot what I was going to say next.

Luke pointed at the triangle. “Segments AB and CB are congruent.” He lifted his gaze. “Right?”

I forced myself to breathe.
Get a grip. It's just Luke
, I reminded myself. The same guy I'd been talking to and studying with for two months—ever since I dropped my books right in front of him in the hall, and he was the only one to stop and help me pick them up.

I blew out a wisp of air. “Yes, they are congruent.” For a second, I almost forgot the meaning of congruent.

Mr. Carter walked passed us. “Be back in a minute. Got to pick up your quizzes in the office.”

Great! Take your time on that.

Luke and I continued on with each step attempting to prove that Segment BE was an angle bisector.

After coming to the conclusion that the negation was false, Luke shut his geometry book and slipped it off the desk. “Thanks, Andrea. I think I've got it now. Maybe I won't bomb this quiz like the last one.”

“Glad to help.”

He set his book back on the desk instead of heading for his seat in row four, seat two (yes, we have assigned seats in Geometry—how lame is that?). Then he leaned back in his seat and smiled. No, frowned. Well, maybe it started as a smile, and then dropped into a frown.

Oh, if only I could read his mind. He overheard Amy and me at lunch; I just knew it. I willed my face to remain neutral and hoped I wasn't as flushed as I felt.

“I, uh,” he let out a sort of laugh and smoothed the back of his hand over his forehead. Then he sat up straighter in his seat. “I see you're full of school spirit today.”

“Huh.” What was he going on about? “School spirit?”

“You know the Caribbean Day theme. I don't see a palm tree or coconut anywhere on you. We missed the luau activities at lunch, too.”