5
JACOBI
M
alone was the dude. THE DUDE in all caps, Jacobi decided. She'd walked as close to him as she could, inhaling his masculine scent and nodding her head while trying to stay undetected. He'd wooed her with his coolness and easy conversation, and didn't mind stopping by her house so she could get her phone. Pretty or not, she couldn't shake the comfortable feeling he'd given her, and he felt more to her like a brother or friend than anything. She craned her neck, looking in the direction she thought they should go. The bus stop was down the street and around the cornerâat least she thought it was until they hung a left. She looked over at Alissa, who shrugged, then proved herself bold.
“Hey, Malone? Where're we going? Aren't you taking Dad's car?” Alissa asked, running her hand through her shock of red hair.
Malone stopped in his tracks and huffed. He put his hands in his pockets. “I ...” He paused and pressed his lips together like he was stopping himself from saying something. “
Me and Jacobi
are riding to the bike show. I'm taking
her
in
my
whip, not Dad's. And, because you're with
her
, you get to go. Don't forget that you snitched on me last week.”
Jacobi looked from Malone to Alissa, wondering what Alissa had told. Alissa didn't respond with words. Her face said it all. And her expression said
defeated
. Eyes focused on the ground, Alissa acted as if her head was too heavy to lift. Her lips were pursed together, and she rolled her eyes.
Brother and sister mess
. Jacobi elbowed her lightly. “You cool?” she whispered, genuinely concerned but also excited. She tried to contain the exuberant, confusing energy racing inside her. Minutes ago, she'd demoted Malone to just a pretty guy who'd never compare to Shooby, and now she was more than happy to be riding anywhere with Malone. Still, she didn't like him
like him
. That's the lie she told herself. But having someone else to talk to was tempting. Plus, now that she knew he and Alissa had a problem, she was sure she'd be riding up front next to him, which would give her a chance to see what he was really about. There had to be more to him than just looks.
Alissa nodded, then swallowed hard enough for Jacobi to see a lump rise in her throat. “I'm good,” she said with obviously false perkiness. “He just gets on my nerves.”
Jacobi shrugged. She hadn't known Alissa long enough to know how to read her, and she didn't want to get involved in whatever drama Alissa and Malone had. All she was interested in was Malone, getting to the motorcycle show to see if Katydid was there, and hooking up with Shooby afterward. Well, those things, of course, and solving her physical problems. Namely, her bad skin and underdevelopment. “Okay.”
They'd turned the corner, crossed a couple of lawns, and were headed to a garage before Jacobi knew it. From what she could tell from his spat with his sister, Malone had his own car. She had never seen his ride before and really hadn't even known he had one.
“This is it,” Malone said, cutting across the lawn of a large white stucco house. He took a remote and a set of keys out of his pocket. He pressed a button when he turned, then walked to the side of the house and up the drive.
“Wow, that's tight,” Jacobi said, following him and admiring the car that had to have cost three arms and four legs. She was no vehicle enthusiast, but knew from television that this was a car that pro ballplayers and other rich people drove; and a couple of doughboys from the projects had one. “This is
yours
?”
Malone turned and smiled, walking to the luxury car parked in the oversized garage. He nodded. “Yep. Bought and paid for by yours truly. I keep it over here at my grandpop's house because he has room in his garage.”
Jacobi turned to the hesitant and lagging-behind Alissa. Jacobi's expression asked her if he was serious.
Alissa nodded, gave her a where've-you-been look, then threw up her hands in exasperation. “Did you look at the business card he gave you?” she whispered, incredulous.
Trying to be as inconspicuous as she could, Jacobi pretended to search for something in her purse as she looked at his card.
Wow
. Malone's card was no ordinary business card. It was more of a mini-résumé. He was an actor and model who'd been on a couple of sitcoms and in various major magazines.
Wow again
. She stomped the concrete in anticipation. If only he'd let her film him, it could be the start of her film career.
“You okay?” Malone asked, stopping by the trunk.
Jacobi smiled, still stomping. “Yeah,” she lied. “Just a few red ants, but I'm cool.”
He walked over to her, took her by the arm, and led her to the passenger side of his car. Surprising Jacobi, he opened the door for her and helped her into the car. “They can't get you while you're inside. Strap in. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you.” He winked, closed the door, then went around to the driver's side and settled inside behind the wheel. He started the car and revved the engine. “And I hope you don't have a boyfriend ...”
Oh God
.
Did he just say what I heard him say?
Jacobi wondered, then turned toward the backseat where Alissa was sliding in, and shot her a questioning look.
Alissa shook her head in the negative, mouthing, “Say no. Say no.”
“No!” Jacobi said a little too loudly. “Not really,” she continued in a more appropriate voice, making Malone, who was still talking, pause and smile. Her answer also made her think. No, she really didn't have a true love interest who was also interested in her, and the thought didn't make her feel too good. It made her determined to go out there and get Shooby. She needed to turn the negative into a positive. And if Katydid was able to make it to the motorcycle show like she'd said she'd try to, Jacobi had a chance of finally making it happen. Katydid had promised to help.
“ 'Cause I'm letting the top down, you know,” he began again, pressing a button then backing out of the driveway. “And if you had a boyfriendâwhich you said you don't, right?”âhe licked his lips, putting the car in Drive, then accelerating down the streetâ“then I wouldn't want you to get into trouble. But since you don't have a boyfriendâwhich you said, right?”âhe licked his lips once more and hung the cornerâ“we have nothing to worry about.”
Jacobi looked at him and her lips spread into a wide smile, showing off the metal tracks across her teeth.
Oh, but if I could have a boyfriend, it'd be you
, she thought but said, “No, we don't have nothing to worryâ”
“Oh no. Oh God, no,” Alissa yelled from the backseat, interrupting and startling Jacobi and Malone. “Stop the car. Stop the car. Please.”
Jacobi jerked forward when Malone stomped on the breaks. “What's wrong?”
“What is it now, Alissa?” Malone yelled.
“Just take me home,” Alissa pleaded hysterically. “Please just take me and Jacobi to the house. It's an emergency. A girl emergency.” Tears sprang from Alissa's eyes, and she wiped them away as fast as they came.
Jacobi stared at Alissa, trying to read her face behind the tears. She wanted to comfort her, to help her, but all she could do was say “Oh” when she found out what Alissa's emergency was.
“My period. My period just came,” Alissa mouthed.
Dang. I still haven't got mine. No pretty skin. No straight teeth. No boobs. And no period, either.
“Dear God,” she prayed under her breath, “I know I said I was through asking for things, but I really need you to do me another favor ...”
6
KASSIDY
S
he knew it was super late. Hours ago, when the sun set and the stars lit, Kassidy knew that what her mother would've considered too late for her to be out of the house had passed. Now too late had turned into early. Like early enough to get in trouble because it had to be past midnight, which meant it was beyond three in the morning in New Yorkâway past Brent's bedtime. She shrugged. It really didn't matter at this point because Brent's phone was still off, and Faith had texted that she couldn't find him. Kassidy shook her head and unwound her arms from Romero's waist. She wasn't happy. She was sore about her missing-in-action boyfriend, and hated to leave Romero and face her new life. It wasn't because she liked Romero; it was because she had no choice. She may've earned her own money since she was ten, but she still wasn't grown, although she'd felt like an adult since she'd taken on the responsibility of a career. Kassidy looked at her watch, and, sure enough, she was right. It was almost one thirty in the morning, and would be well past that when she snuck into the house.
“Hate that you gotta go,” Romero said, hopping off the moped to help her off.
Kassidy smiled. She hated to leave him as much as he wanted her to stay. They'd had a ball, and he'd been such a sweetheart. He'd taken her to a couple of beaches, a local burger joint that had the best cheeseburgers on the planet, and even a real taco stand. They'd walked, talked, and Kassidy really liked Romeroâas a friend, with the possibility of one day becoming more. But today wasn't the day he'd climb her more-than-friends ladder, and he wouldn't be here when the sun rose, either. She had big plans. Ones that included going with Carsen to the last day of the motorcycle show. After she awoke, she was his for the entire day; that's what she'd promised him via text when Romero wasn't looking.
Kassidy stretched and yawned, then looked around the neighborhood. Despite the adults having to work in the morning, a few teenagers were still out. She nodded. Her home in the Hills was looking a little better each minute, especially now that she realized she wasn't the only one around with a late-night pulse. It still wasn't New York, but it was starting to appear doable.
“So ... ?” Romero said, walking up to her. “Can I at least get a good-bye hug?”
Kassidy pursed her lips, then glanced sideways. She knew what Romero was up to, and she wasn't kissing him. Uh-uh and no way. She would flirt, hang out, and make promises, but that was it. Her lips were reserved for Brent alone. “Sure,” she said, and reached for him. She stretched her arms as far as she could, making sure to keep as much distance as possible between her body and his, then hugged him like a brother. “Thanks for today. I really appreciate it,” she said, letting him go and stepping back.
Romero nodded, then laughed as smoothly and coolly as a guy could after he'd been sort of rejected. “No problem. So ... tomorrow?”
Kassidy shook her head, feigning a look of disappointment. “I have to finish unpacking, then it's family day. Maybe the day after?” she asked. She blew him an air kiss while walking backward, then she turned to hightail it home to climb through the first available unlocked window she could find.
She'd almost worked her way around the entire house before she found a cracked window. Kassidy shook her head and took a deep breath. She hadn't been there long enough to be sure which room she was sneaking into, but wherever it was, it wasn't the one she'd have chosen if she'd had a choice. Soft lights showed through the blinds, and she was sure she could hear a faint sound inside. She wasn't sure if it was a television or music, but the noise was a constant drone.
Wiping her hands on her clothes, she dried the nervous sweat from her palms and stepped back to survey the distance from the ground. The bottom of the window had to be at least five feet up from where she stood. “Whew!” she exhaled, glad that she was taller than average. Carefully pressing her hands on the frame, she leaned her weight into the wooden frame and awkwardly pushed in and up. She'd learned long ago that if she pressed hard on window frames and floors, less noise would be made. It was the squeaking and creaking that alerted parents that something was going on.
With relative ease and almost complete silence, the window rose. Kassidy reached over and gripped the bottom of the sill with all her might, then pulled herself up by her arms and walked her feet up the side of the house until her head pushed through the blinds. A television screen met her eyes and a loud scream sounded in her ears.
Dang
. She was in Yummy's room. She would've kicked herself for forgetting the layout of the house, but she hadn't been there long enough to memorize it.
“Help. Help! Someone's breaking in!” Yummy yelled.
Kassidy, halfway in and hanging over the window frame, looked right at her new stepsister, trying to shush her.
“Yeah, right,” Yummy said, rolling her eyes. She began screaming like someone was killing her. “Help!”
Still in the awkward position, Kassidy's heart dropped to her midsection when her mother and stepfather ran inside the room and caught her sneaking in.
“Help!” Yummy screamed louder, hopping in place and shielding her eyes with her arms.
Kassidy just looked at her, sure that Yummy had covered her eyes in an attempt to fool their parents into believing that she didn't see Kassidy. “Enough already!” Kassidy hissed. She sneered at her stepsister. “You know it's me. Don't act like you don't.”
“Kassidy!” her mother cried out, walking toward the window. “What are you doing sneaking in here at this time of night, scaring everyone?” She grabbed Kassidy by her arms and pulled her through. “Get in here. Now!” she said, as if Kassidy had a choice.
Disgusted with Yummy, Kassidy rolled her eyes again.
“I know you didn't just roll your eyes at me!” her mother hissed, then grabbed Kassidy by her bicep and began pulling her toward the door. “I can give you something to roll your eyes at.”
Kassidy planted her feet firmly on the floor and pulled away from her mom. “I didn't roll my eyes at you. I'm rolling my eyes at
her
and her antics. Can anyone say drama queen?”
“Okay, babe. I see you can handle this. I'm going back to bed now,” her stepfather said, wearing a confused look and shaking his head. “Call me if you need me.”
“G'night,” Kassidy said to him. “Sorry I woke you, but I wasn't sneaking inâ”
“Yes, you were.” Her mom cut her off, pointing toward the door. “Now get in your room. You and I have some talking to do.”
Kassidy stomped toward the door, then shot Yummy the nastiest look she could. “I'm going to get you,” she threatened as she walked out.
She turned right once she was in the hall, but her mother guided her in the opposite direction. Kassidy shrugged. How was she supposed to remember where her room was, after living here for less than twenty-four hoursâand in the dark, at that?
“Mom? Please. I wasn't sneaking in. I was locked outâYummy locked me out on purpose.” She continued to lie while walking to her room, then went inside.
Her mother's brows shifted from extremely lowâa clear sign that she was upsetâto the ceilingâa giveaway that she was curious. “Really?” she said, closing the door behind them. “Locked you out from where?
Here
? Home? Where you should've been hours ago?”
Kassidy held her eyes open for what seemed like a small eternity. She knew if she didn't blink they'd water and teardrops would fall. A couple of them, anyway. And that's all she neededâto look like she was crying. After her eyes burned from lack of moisture, two drops ran down her cheeks, gaining her the sympathy she needed. “Mom, I was just outside with Faith. She got back from New York earlier and came by. We were on the porch discussing agenciesâI don't know if I should switch or not. You know, I need to make myself a brand,” she said, throwing up her hands. She knew shoptalk would always get to her mom. Her mother was her manager, so she was doubly protective. “Why don't you look out the window? Plenty of kids are still out, and Faith and I were with them. Not really
with them
with them, but we were all hanging outsideâI was still home. Look and see,” she lied, thinking she'd have to put Faith up on the untruth she'd told. She knew her mom would double-check.
Her mother's icy look melted when she looked through the blinds. “Okay, Kass. But just so you learn your lesson, you have to stay around here today. You can't just go around not coming in and not asking permission. How was I supposed to know you were out front?”
Kassidy's heart fell to her midsection again. She was supposed to see Carsen later, and now, because of her evil stepsister, that wasn't going to happen. Hate wasn't a strong enough word for what she felt for Yummy, and she could think of only one that was: revenge. And that's exactly what she planned for her stepsister.