Andrea and the 5-Day Challenge (6 page)

I'd never seen her act so strange.

“Here it is.” She pulled out a dress made out of this satiny material in an emerald green color. It had lace, too. Although about twenty or more years out of date, it was kinda pretty. “This is the dress I wore to the senior prom. I loved this dress.” She touched it affectionately, letting her fingers slide down the shiny surface. Her gaze lifted to meet mine. “I was so excited to show up at prom on the arm of Ron Amsley. He was the school stud and class president at my high school. It turned out to be the worst night of my life.” Her eyes glazed over like she was remembering something. “Andrea, what I'm trying to say is, don't get all caught up in dating and boys. I wish I had waited to date. It would have saved me a lot of heartache and distraction. I've never had to worry about you and boys before. Your father and I have prayed about it and decided it's best if you wait until you're eighteen. You know that.” Evidently, my mother had had a horrific high school episode straight out of some teen soap opera.

I wanted to feel sorry for her, but just because things didn't turn out well for her didn't mean I had to be locked up in a tower, did it? “Mom, be thankful I'm so boring. I could be a crack head.”

“Andrea! I'm serious.”

“It's just the homecoming banquet. A school activity. I'm not asking for permission to have a serious boyfriend.”
Ha! Like that would ever happen!

She paused and seemed to be thinking over what I'd said. “You're right. It's just a school activity.” Was she agreeing with me?

I thought I'd keel over right there in the closet. Pushing the envelope, I threw in some of Amy's reasoning. “All my friends are just going as a big group. Besides, it's all a part of the whole high school experience.”

“It is.” She nodded her head. “It's just…” She blew out a breath. “Andrea, I do want you to have fun in high school, but with the recital and this opportunity opening up for you, maybe this isn't the time. I just don't want you to say no to this chance because of your friends…or a boy. But if you're really set on going to homecoming, I'll discuss it with your father and…”

“Oh, just forget it.” What was wrong with me? I didn't want to go to homecoming, anyway. Why was I trying to convince my mother to grant her permission when I had absolutely no desire to see it through? OK, maybe a little, but time and a good dose of chocolate would cure me of that.

Besides, Dad had ridiculously strict rules for me to go out with anyone, even to a school activity. He had to meet and approve the guy before he'd let me out the door.
How embarrassing was that?

Jeff had passed.

My parents already knew his parents. He was an Honor Roll student, attended church, and had membership in student government and the computer club. He looked perfect on paper. And see how that turned out.

I also couldn't forget that Luke had only asked me in the first place out of pity. If it really was an official invite at all. This could all turn out to be something made up in my mind. “Let's just drop the conversation. I'm just suffering from some sudden form of insanity, but it's passed. I'm not going to homecoming, and definitely not with Luke Ryan.”

OOPS!
I hoped she hadn't caught that. I'd let the cat out of the bag, and it hadn't even been coerced out of me. Angie would have called it a Freudian slip. Did that mean I really wanted my mom to know? That I wanted to wear a concoction like my mom's old prom dress and attend homecoming with Luke? Ahh! I just needed sleep.

“Who's Luke Ryan?” Her mouth curved into a smile.

Now I really had her attention. I so wasn't going there with her. Firming my lips together, I scrunched my hands into fists at my sides. “You know, Mom. I have a recital to prepare for. I have school representatives to impress.” With that, I rotated the other direction and exited the closet. I shut myself up in the den, opened the piano, and began a Chopin piece, putting my whole heart into it. I did love playing the piano. Without it, how could I release all the emotions coursing through my body on a daily basis? My fingers skimmed over the keys, my eyes closed and the surge of the music flowed all the way to my soul. I couldn't imagine life without it.

What about my friends? Amy, Angie, and Alisha. Our group would be permanently broken up if I left. What would it be like to go to school without them? I mean, it might be great to get away from Aubrey and reinvent myself, but would it be any better at a place filled with prima donnas?

And then there was Luke. Was he really moving back to California and be snatched out of my life before I fully understood him or what I felt for him?

My fingers fumbled on the keys as I hit a B flat instead of B natural. I played a couple more chords, and then laid my arms over the keys and rested my cheek on top. A dissonant sounding tune emitted from the instrument. I had no head for music tonight. My mind resembled that of Swiss cheese with all these holes in it. I really should practice some more.

When Dad got home, he'd want to know if I got my sixty minutes in. I mean, what was I going to do instead? Homework? Seriously, if I could make such a stupendous slip-up in front of my mother, what were the odds I could translate a page from
Don Quixote
?

 

 

 

 

5

 

October 1
8

 

Day 2 of the challenge. OK, Lord, today is another day. I don't want to complain or anything, but please, I could really use Your help. Honestly, I don't even know how I am going to get through today after yesterday. I don't think I can even step onto the campus. It's all just too embarrassing. That performing arts school is starting to look pretty good. At least, I can start over and reinvent myself. Please, Lord, be with me today. Guide my steps, my words and my thoughts. And be with my parents as we decide about my future. Do you think I should go to that new school? Is that really Your will for my life?

Nugget of Truth: Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

 

~*~

 

[Overhead announcement speaker]

 

Hey Aubrey Warriors, it's Superhero Day. Hope you're decked out in masks and capes. And don't forget to buy those homecoming tickets. It will be a night to remember. Written in the Stars. The SGA will be selling tickets during lunch and after school. Be there or you might miss out on the time of your life.

 

“I just don't understand, Andrea,” said Amy as we strode down the hall. “What's wrong with Luke? Because there must be something hideous about him if you turned down his invite to homecoming.”

“There's nothing wrong with Luke. In fact, that's part of the problem. We just don't mesh—not like that. We're friends, I guess.”
Oh, and he probably only asked me out of pity and I might be moving to a new school, so what does it matter, anyway?
But I couldn't tell her that. I couldn't tell anyone.

I shifted my insanely heavy backpack to my other shoulder while watching Stephanie Ruiz surrounded by a pack of junior boys—many of whom sported masks and capes.

“Now, Stephanie and Luke would be great together.” I nodded over toward the thin, popular girl in her black attire and cat-eared headband.

Amy took a quick glance, and then grimaced. “Is your brainstem fully functioning? Steph and Luke would never work out. He'd be bored with her in like two seconds.”

“And why would it be any different with me?”

“You already said Luke thinks you're funny.”

“Oh, right, because that's what a girl wants to hear—that she's funny.” I raised an eyebrow and shifted my mouth into a slanted line. “I mean, I'm glad to bring some comic relief to Luke's life, but come on. It's just further proof that we are not meant to be; besides, the detail that I am not allowed to date until I'm eighteen.”
A fact my mother plainly reminded me of yesterday.

“Whatever, Andrea. You're just making more excuses. Besides, homecoming is not so much about having a date as just having a fun time with all your friends. You know, fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ.” Her quirky smile did not express the same meaning as her words. When had Amy become such a mystery to me?

I sighed and shifted my view to the end of the corridor where I spotted my locker—not that I could miss it since it didn't resemble the locker I remembered at all. This locker had several yellow daisies poking out, looking all bright and cheery. My legs froze in place, and I couldn't move a step closer. Who could have put flowers in my locker?

That's right! No one. No one would have the insane desire to send me flowers. I'm not Alisha. I'm not even smart like Amy, or artistic like Angie. No, I'm the boring one who plays piano and barely passes Geometry. This had to be a mistake.

Amy, who continued walking down the hall, returned and grabbed my arm. Had she noticed the deer-in-the-headlights glaze about my eyes?

“Andrea, come on. Someone obviously wants you to feel special today.” For a person of such small stature, she really had a strong grip. She forced me to take a step and we finally made it to my locker.

Amy approached one of the daisies and took a whiff. “Hmm. It's got a slight fresh scent, yet not overpowering.”

“What? Are you here just for the flowers? Planning on writing a sonnet to the affect later?”

“Andi!” Her tone denoted her shock, yet she smiled.

“Sorry, Amy. I don't even know what's coming out of my mouth these days.”

Amy glanced back at my locker and spied a piece of paper sticking out. She offered it to me with an even bigger grin. Why did the current state of my life enthrall her so much? If this had happened to her, I know I would be empathetic to her situation and offer my support. I would not be smiling the way she was currently smiling at me.

I took the paper, only then realizing it to be a small envelope with my name on the front. I flipped it over to the sealed side, and then back to the front.
So, this wasn't a mistake? How could it not be a mistake?!

Visions of Luke swam through my mind—his eyes, his laugh, his heart-stopping smile. Who was I kidding? This couldn't be from Luke. Maybe Chuck Willis, since I had kindly hinted that he might want to forego the sandals from now on.

“Open it.” Amy's voice broke through my lunacy-induced trance.

While swallowing down the blockage in my esophagus, I slid a finger under the envelope flap, and then removed the piece of paper inside.

From a failure of a geometrist with a grateful heart. Enjoy your day.

A mild mannered CK

“CK? Who's that?” Amy asked. “Don't tell me you have another admirer?”

I forced the note back into the envelope. “I don't have
any
admirers.” Still, the idea of “
CK
” wrangled around inside my head. The only “
CK”
I could think of at the moment was one fictional hero—a mild-mannered reporter.

If Luke showed up looking like my favorite superhero, I'd just melt away, never to be heard from again.

“Well, looky there.” Amy lifted her glasses and peered down the hall before returning her specs back to her nose. “Is it me or does Luke look like a mild-mannered reporter type?”

I glared at her.

It was as though she read my mind.

“It's you,” I snapped back. Seven thirty-eight in the morning was way too early for all my synapses to be able to process this information. I was being rude and didn't even know why.

“He's like your Romeo in cargo pants.”

“He's not wearing cargo pants. And don't compare him to Romeo. That story is way too depressing.”

“OK, then he's Mr. Darcy come to sweep you away from your mundane existence.”

“Amy, seriously, it's time to lay off the romantic fiction. Besides, didn't you tell me that crushes were for immature adolescents?”

“Crushes maybe, but Luke might just be the one for you. You know,
the One.
” She did the quotes in the air thing to emphasize her statement.

“Are you missing your macaroons or something? I'm only sixteen.” I must have been missing mine because I hadn't used that expression since sixth grade. I covered my face with my hands.

“Whatever, Andi. Here he comes. If you ask me, he's trying to woo you. Don't do anything I wouldn't do.” She tapped my shoulder before she traipsed away.

I barely took notice of her absence because I had mere seconds before Luke Ryan arrived. He didn't even give Stephanie a glimpse as he passed by her down the hall. His gaze remained focused on me. I swiveled my stance to face my locker and pulled out the daisies, forming a half-dozen bouquet in my hand. How did he know daises were my favorite? Had I mentioned it?

More importantly, was Amy right?

Could Luke really be trying to woo me like some totally romantic gesture straight out of medieval, courtly love? I must have accidentally inhaled window cleaner or something because that just wasn't possible. His note had only been meant as a thank you. Yes, that was it. He'd even said just that.

Sneaking a peek out of the corner of my eye, I could see he was almost upon me. My evil, impossible heart did a somersault in my chest. Oh, my gosh! Did I remember to put on deodorant this morning, because I was really starting to sweat. As if suffering from some horrifying form of hysteria, I stuffed my books into my locker as fast as I could. I had to get out of this hallway before he caught up to me.

“Hi.”

Too late.

It was such a simple word and yet the sound of Luke's voice made my knees weak. I really didn't want to find myself in a heap on the floor. I swerved my head to the side and tried to smile. It would have been rude to ignore him.