Homecoming Queen (20 page)

“I’d really like to see that game,” he said wistfully. “But I understand that you’re tired, DJ. You’re making an amazing comeback. It’s hard to believe it was a week ago that you jumped in front of that Suburban.”

It wasn’t hard for her to believe it. Her leg was throbbing like crazy, and she’d already taken several Advil pills. “Why don’t you go ahead and go to the game without me. I think Harry and Eliza are going. You could tag along with them.”

He laughed. “Eliza never talks about anything besides homecoming. I might have to pass on that. I don’t know how Harry can stand it.”

DJ chuckled. “I guess he puts up with it because he’s hopelessly in love with her.”

“You’re probably right about that. I’ve never known Harry to be so into a girl before. He’s even getting a new Armani suit so he can be her escort when she’s crowned queen next Friday. He is, of course, certain she will win.”

“She’s pretty certain too.”

“Seems like her chances are pretty good.” He paused. “So, you really don’t mind me going to the game without you?”

“No. I’m actually really tired tonight.”

“How about tomorrow? Want to do something?”

“Most of the day is pretty slammed for me.” DJ told him about her early appointment. “And then I’ll barely get home in time to make it to the fitting for the big fashion show.”

“Why are you doing that?”

“My grandmother insists.”

“She’s going to make you model on crutches?”

“My physical therapist thinks I’ll be down to a cane and walking cast by then.”

“That’s great.”

“Yeah. Hopefully they can find an outfit that goes with this horrid shade of hospital blue.”

He laughed. “Well, even with a cane and a cast, you’ll still be the prettiest girl on the runway, DJ. Your grandmother probably knows that. She probably just wants to show you off.”

DJ laughed so loudly that she actually snorted. Very attractive! “No, my grandmother doesn’t hide her opinions when it comes to appearances. She would tell anyone who wanted to know that Taylor is the number-one beauty in this house.”

“She obviously hasn’t figured out that old saying that beauty is only skin deep, huh?” said Conner.

“Are you kidding? And her runner-up in the Carter House beauty contest would be Eliza.”

“Well, no offense, DJ, but your grandmother has always struck me as a little nutty.”

“You got that right.” DJ leaned back on her bed and smiled. Conner seemed just like the same old Conner to her. Maybe her fears about Haley and him getting back together were nothing more than her own insecurities combined with her imagination — well, that plus Haley’s wishful thinking. Anyway, DJ felt certain that she and Conner were just fine.

“I’ll miss you tonight,” he said finally.

“I’ll miss you too.”

“If you’re not too wiped out from all your activities tomorrow, maybe we could go out.”

“Sounds great,” she told him. And she’d make sure she was up for it, even if she had to take an afternoon nap. “Have fun tonight.”

“Get some rest.”

She closed her phone and sighed. Maybe she would ask him about being exclusive tomorrow night. Not as in suggesting it, of course, but she would simply mention that someone had asked her and that she hadn’t had an answer.

“Sounds like all is well in the ongoing romance of Conner and DJ,” said Taylor.

“I didn’t know you were lurking in the bathroom again,” said DJ, sitting up to frown at her intrusive roommate.

“Lurking?” Taylor shook her head. “I thought I had the right to use that room just as much as you.”

“Why don’t you close the door when you’re in there?”

“Because I was simply touching up my makeup, DJ. It’s not like I need that much privacy to do my face. If you’re so freaked about being overheard, maybe you should close the stupid door yourself. Or have your little sweetheart chats someplace else.”

“Whatever.” DJ leaned back into the pillows and exhaled loudly. “I’m too tired to fight with you anyway.”

“And too tired to go out too?”

“Pretty much.”

“I hope I’m never too tired to go out,” said Taylor.

“Are you going out?”

“With Nick Jefferson.”

DJ sat up and stared at Taylor. “Nick Jefferson is Madison Dormont’s boyfriend.”

“Ex-boyfriend.”

“Since when?”

“Since . . .” She glanced at her watch. “Almost exactly an hour ago.”

“Seriously?”

Taylor nodded with a smug look. “Nick heard Casey’s little announcement this afternoon.”

“And?”

“He told me that he had thought the website was bogus from the start.” She pulled on what looked like a new red leather jacket. “Then he told me that he figured I would look way better than the body Casey had pasted to my head.”

“He actually said
that?”

She zipped up the jacket and grinned. “He did. Then he asked to meet me for coffee. Naturally, I told him that I had to return your car first.”

“Naturally.”

“So I came back, got my Vespa, and met him at McHenry’s.” Taylor did a last check of her hair, which as usual was perfect. “Anyway, we were just finishing up, and guess who walked in?”

It didn’t take a genius to see where this was going. “Madison?”

“Yep. And she was furious.”

DJ looked at the clock by her bed. It was 5:45. “And that must’ve been about 4:45 then? The time of the big breakup?”

“In front of witnesses too.”

“And you’re actually going out with him tonight?”

“Dinner, and then we’ll make an appearance at the game.”

“An appearance?”

“Well, I
am
running for homecoming queen, DJ. I should at least act like I’m interested in football, don’t you think?”

“I think you’ve just given Madison the sympathy vote.”

Taylor shrugged. “She can have it.” Then she blew an air kiss at DJ. “Have a nice evening, little invalid.”

“Thanks a lot.” DJ made a face as Taylor made her exit. She didn’t want to let it get to her, but sometimes that whole “invalid” thing stung. Even if this was only a temporary state, she thought Taylor could have a bit more empathy.

Finally, despite being tired, DJ decided to make the trip downstairs to see if anyone was interested in watching a DVD. But she quickly discovered that all the girls in Carter House were going out tonight. Rhiannon, the only straggler, informed DJ that Kriti had tagged along with Eliza and Harry to the game and that Casey had just left on a movie date with Garrison. And finally, that Rhiannon was actually going to hear a lecture with Josh Trundle.

“A lecture?” queried DJ.

“About early photography,” Rhiannon told her. “We heard about it in journalism class, and we’re both really into photography. He asked me to go, and I thought
why not?”

“Good for you.” DJ patted her on the back. She considered telling her that Taylor was going out with Nick Jefferson, which left Bradford wide open; but she suspected that Rhiannon wouldn’t care one way or another anyway.

“It’s not like this is a date.” Rhiannon peered in the foyer mirror now, adjusting her brown velvet beret to a jaunty angle.

“No. No, of course, not.” DJ nodded. “But, just so you know, I think Josh is sweet. It was interesting interviewing with him.”

“Oh, yeah,” Rhiannon said, “the article will be in the paper on Monday. It’s too bad the paper takes so long to come out. It’s usually old news by the time it’s in print.”

“Does anyone really read it?”

Rhiannon frowned. “Hopefully
somebody
reads it.”

“Anyway, I got the impression that Josh is actually curious about God. I mean, in an offhanded sort of way.”

“He claims to be an atheist, DJ.”

“At least he’s honest.”

Rhiannon smiled. “But I have my own little theory about atheists.”

“What’s that?”

“I think they’re just begging for someone to prove that God is real.”

“You’d be the perfect one to do that.”

“Oh, I don’t think I can
prove
anything. But I can try to point him in the right direction.”

“You go, girl.”

By the time DJ made it down to dinner, now both tired and hungry, she was informed that, since everyone was going out, Clara had been given the night off and Grandmother had gone out to dinner with her good friend the general.

“I fixed myself a microwave dinner,” Inez told her, “and I plan to eat it in my room in front of the television — undisturbed.”

“You don’t have a TV in your room,” DJ pointed out.

“Maybe not while you were there, but I do have one.” Inez smiled slyly.

DJ went into the kitchen to forage for food. There were some leftovers, but nothing looked too appealing. What she was really craving was Hammerhead fish and chips. But she knew they didn’t deliver. Maybe Conner would take her there tomorrow night. In the meantime, she would call out for pizza.

Of course, it ended up taking more than an hour for the delivery to be made. And when it came, it was not only cold, but tasted like the box it had been sitting in for too long. She ate a few slices anyway, and then she threw the rest of it away. She hoped Grandmother wouldn’t spy the box and give her another lecture about fat and carbs. DJ knew the words by heart.

“Is that what you’re wearing?” asked Grandmother when DJ finally made it back downstairs again. She’d just finished an exhausting physical therapy session when Grandmother had reminded her that the other girls had already gone to town for their fittings for the “big” fashion show and that DJ needed to go as well. As a result, DJ had hobbled up the stairs, freshened up a bit, then hurried back down. Now she was beat.

“I just finished my physical therapy,” she said plainly, just in case Grandmother didn’t remember that she’d been the one to drop her off and pick her up, complaining about the early hour for the Saturday appointment.

“But I thought the reason we came home was so you could change,” persisted Grandmother. “Into something
respectable.”

“I’m tired, Grandmother. And in case you haven’t noticed, I have a broken leg. And if you really insist on having me try on clothes, you’re going to have to take me as is — sweats and all.”

“Sweats.” Grandmother wrinkled her nose. “Such an appropriate word for your attire.”

“And easy to get off and on,” pointed out DJ. “Much better for trying on clothes.”

“Yes, yes. Well, let’s get going then. The other girls are already there by now. I hope you don’t mind that I let Taylor drive your car. That way she can give you a ride home. I will stay to meet with the fashion show committee. After the rehearsal we have some details to work out before next week.”

Thanks to Grandmother’s influence in the fashion world, several up-and-coming New York designers had donated clothing for the girls to wear, and The Chic Boutique had been selected as the retail host for the show. This was a change, as well as an upgrade, from the usual — Macy’s. As a result, the local media sources were interested, and by the time DJ and Grandmother arrived cameras were shooting. The girls, particularly the homecoming queen candidates, seemed to be vying for camera time. DJ was surprised to see that Madison was there, but then there were about twenty girls altogether. Why wouldn’t Madison and her friends be included? At the moment, Eliza was standing between Madison and Taylor, smiling directly into the camera lens as if she were imagining herself wearing the crown with her “court” surrounding her.

Taylor looked pleased with herself too, but Madison, although smiling, had a wicked look in her eye — like she was planning on tearing Taylor’s hair out by the roots or perhaps slip a little arsenic into her water bottle. Hopefully there wouldn’t be a serious cat fight today, although DJ suspected that might get the whole thing even more news time.

“And what do we have here?” asked Bonnie Hudson, as she moved toward DJ with the microphone. The cameras naturally followed, and suddenly DJ wished she had changed out of her sweats. “Surely, you don’t plan to participate in the fashion show with a broken leg, do you?”

DJ laughed. “Well, my grandmother seems to think I should.”

Bonnie did a quick recap of DJ’s heroic rescue from last week. “And, tell us, DJ, how are you doing? Feeling a little better now?”

“A lot better, actually. My physical therapist told me that I can drive my car now. And I’ll probably be off these crutches by the end of next week.” DJ smiled into the camera.

“Yes,” said Grandmother, pressing in next to DJ. “And that is exactly why we wanted to include her in this big fashion event.” Then Grandmother did her best to publicize the fundraiser, listing the names of the designers. “They are allowing us to wear the same clothing that was on the runway last spring — their fall fashion lineup. We are very fortunate.”

Bonnie nodded then turned back to DJ. “So, DJ, since you plan to be crutch-free by the end of next week, does that mean you’ll be at the Crescent Cove High homecoming too? Your friends were just telling us about it. Do you plan to attend the festivities and the dance?”