Kasey Screws Up the World (35 page)

I twisted back to face Finn and took a deep breath. Hayden wasn’t the only one that wanted a second chance. “And what about you? You know I’m impatient. Tell me the spoiler.” I fiddled with my fingers in my lap, interlocking and pulling them apart.

“I’m glad I read your blog. I only saw my side of things, my stupid closed minded side of things. I thought I was such an idiot, falling for a girl who was playing me the whole time. Lying to me. Because the girl I knew couldn’t have been the same one on the balcony that last night. One was an impostor.”

A lead anvil tore through my stomach.

“But after reading your blog I realized I was wrong. You were always you, the same girl. You didn’t let go on purpose. You love her too much to do that.” He grabbed my hand and slipped his fingers between mine. He leaned in, his breath hot against my ear. “Nine. Three six four five. Seven six three.”

He went to kiss me, but I pulled back. In a moment, I’d correct that mistake. “What?”

“You never decoded that note I gave you, did you?”

I gave him a guilty look, then grabbed a ballot sheet and pen someone had left on a nearby seat. I slapped it on his knee and covered it with my palm as I scribbled the crytogram I’d memorized. I hadn’t decoded it but I would in a moment. Because I knew what Finn was trying to tell me. I knew how he felt. “I love you, too,” I said.

“So you did decode it?” He raised his eyebrows.

“No, I just get you.”

“Too bad.” He tried to swipe it from my hands. “Now you’ll never know what it said.”

“Then I better work fast.” I turned my back to him and leaned the note against the opposite arm rest.

285 29328 12632 47 153952 94552927: 9’4 1312 1 569413 737 289521 285 7993 8634957 2891 352259 91 1753913.

I LOVE YOU translated to 9 2645 763. I wrote out 1-9 at the top of a sheet of paper and then marked the alphabet beneath, so when I got to number 9 with the letter “I”, I went back to number one and filled in “J” until I had three rows of letters.

When I finished, my paper was covered in scratch marks. But I translated his letter:

The truth about my secret identity: I’m just a normal guy who thinks the girl holding this letter is special.

“I never lie. But that message should have self destructed a long time ago.” Finn snatched up the sensitive document and stuffing it in his mouth. He pulled out the slimy wad a moment later, rubbing his cheek. “Ouch. Sharp folds.” He tossed the soggy paper onto the floor. “No more secret identities, okay?”

I should have answered him but I had more important things on my mind. They involved his lips. I stroked his cheek from earlobe to chin with my fingers.

He pulled away and stood up. “There’s one thing you need to know.” He raked a hand through his brown hair. “I’m really hoping you don’t hate me for this.”

My skin went cold.

“Hey you love birds,” a voice said and we both turned to the aisle. Hayden had his arm around Lara’s waist, helping her stand.

“Denise just texted me.” Lara held up her phone as evidence. “They’re about to announce the winner.”

I glanced at Finn and then back at her, unsure what to do. I wanted to win. I wanted to hear what Finn had to say. Both desires pulled me in opposite directions like a marionette. Finn pressed a hand to the small of my back to push me out of the row, making the decision for me.

Lara looked back at me over here shoulder. “Denise cast our ballots for us. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Aw man, I didn’t get to cast one,” Finn said.

“You were going to vote for Lonnie, weren’t you?” I asked him.

He pressed a hand to his heart. “Guilty.”

In the next room, people crowded around tables reserved for different college admissions staff. The lines wrapped around each other, each one ridiculously long. We made our way over to where Denise and Lonnie stood holding hands by the podium. As we approached, Finn whispered in my ear, “By the way, I hate that guy.”

I laughed. “Pretty sure the feeling’s mutual.”

Several people complimented Lara as she made her way through the crowd. She waved to each one like a pageant girl riding a float. In the corner, Ali and Jules each stood with matching expressions: arms crossed, bitchface on, looking like bitter losers before the results were even announced.

Principal Somers grabbed the microphone. “I know you’re all eager to speak with our special guests tonight.” She flourished her hand toward the booths set up. “So I’ll cut to the chase. The winner of the audience vote is…” She unfurled a piece of paper and squinted at it, bringing it closer to her face to read. “What does this say? A-i-x”—she held the paper father back and tilted it.

Denise cupped her mouth with her hands and shouted, “Dyslexia!”

The crowd went wild. Lonnie’s eyes widened in shock.

“Dyslexia,” Principal Somers confirmed, then put her hands together to clap for the winner. “You’ve all won a meeting with the special guest of your choice tonight.”

Lonnie stood there with his mouth hanging open.

I was pretty sure I knew who he would choose. After all, the same record company that had signed the subway performer was here tonight searching for new talent.

“I guess pink really is my color,” Lonnie said.

“Go on stage, you big goof.” Denise nudged him toward the stage. She turned to me. “Sorry, I had to vote for him instead of us. I hope Lara understands.”

I glanced over at my sister. She was staring at her feet.

I touched her cheek. “It’s okay, Lar. You’re still awesome. You know that right?”

She shook her head. “Not awesome enough.”

After Dyslexia received their accolades on the make-shift stage, Principal Somers spoke into the microphone again. “Everyone please settle down. We have one more announcement to make.”

The crowd took a while to stop chattering.

“While you attendees were voting, our special guests were also voting.”

I straightened to attention.

“The winner for exceptional performance as deemed by our professionals…” She paused for dramatic effect, but she didn’t need to read a sheet of paper to announce the winner. A smile broke out on her face. “Lara Fishbein for her choreography.”

Lara’s head snapped up. Unlike Lonnie, she didn’t hesitate. She tossed her crutch onto the gym floor and limped toward the stage, swinging her hips as much as physically possible. She basked in the glory of the applause.

I felt a tear slide down my cheek.

Finn pressed his thumbs to my cheeks, and gathered my tear. “Don’t be sad you lost.”

I didn’t lose. I won.

“Here. Let’s go in the hallway for a sec.”

I kept my head down as he clasped his fingers in mine. When we reached the hallway, it was empty. I could hear screams and excitement echoing from the gym. A cold breeze rushed past us from an open door. I shivered. He grabbed me, rubbing his hands along my arms.

He bent down and joined his lips with mine. It only took two seconds before the kiss turned from chaste to scandalous as my fingers knotted in his hair, pulling him closer to me, deeper. The things that went through my mind are too inappropriate for this blog. It took every ounce of courage to pull away. “Wait, what do you have to tell me that might make me hate you?”

He sucked on his lower lip. “I told your parents about the blog.”

“What?” He was the anonymous tip? I backed away from him. “Why?”

“Because they needed to see how much they were hurting you. I thought if they read the blog, they’d realize you were worth rooting for too.” He buried his face in his hands. “I’m sorry they didn’t.”

I was just about to ask him how he knew that, when the double doors opened. Hayden supported Lara’s weight as they made their way toward us. She held folders in her hand. “There you are. We’ve been looking all over for you.”

My parents followed them into the hallway. Mom and Dad had beaming smiles on their faces. Mom put her hand on my shoulder. “Finn came to see us earlier today.”

He shrugged.

Well, at least that answered my final question.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice cracked. “You were both wonderful.”

“Kasey’s just as good as I ever was,” Lara added.

Mom nodded. “And she’ll be even better soon.” She took a deep breath. “I’m proud of you both.”

My eyelashes fluttered closed. It was all I ever wanted to hear.

Hayden nudged Lara. “Tell them your good news.”

Lara pushed her red hair out of her face and smiled. “Erika, my former dance instructor?” She looked at me as if I’d remember. Of course I would. I was the one that invited her to come here. “She wants me to teach a dance class.” She held up Erika’s business card, staring at it in amazement. To everyone else, it was just a piece of paper with a phone number, but to her, it represented her future.

“Too bad Erika’s going to have to fight all the other colleges for your time,” Mom said, then turned to me. “And yours, Kasey.”

After congratulating Lara, I stepped back in place next to Finn. “When can we get back to what we were doing before we were so rudely interrupted?” I waggled my eyebrows at him.

He smiled. “Patience, my friend.”

I interlocked my fingers with his. “I’m not in any rush.”

Displaying 4 out of 107 comments

Lara
said…

Thanks, Kasey. I mean it.

Lonnie
said…

Yes, Lara makes a good point. THANK YOU KASEY. And now you can all thank me for giving you such a riveting performance last night.

Finn
said…

This time it’s really me, writing this as Kasey sits next to me.

Kasey
said…

You guys, stop thanking me. Did you forget I almost ruined your lives?

The End.

Turn the page to read the first chapter of my next book,
PREMATURE EVACUTATION
, out September 29th!

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KASEY SCREWS UP THE WORLD?
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When good girl Mackenzie Shaffer’s high school sweetheart prematurely evacuates their relationship, she returns to Throckmorton University for her sophomore year with a fool proof strategy: don’t get into another relationship. Embracing her new-found freedom, she trades Sprite for exotic shots at a bar, ditches the 3D animation computer lab for fun Rho Sigma parties, and dives headfirst into a no strings attached fling with allergic-to-commitment Corey Taft. Soon their wild tryst spins through campus Bonnie and Clyde-style, leaving a tornado of casualties in its wake.

When the sorority gets shut down as a result of Mackenzie’s thoughtless actions, Corey shoulders the blame, branding him as Public Enemy #1 on campus. To save him from expulsion, Mackenzie must find a way to resurrect Rho Sigma, earn the forgiveness of her friends, and restore Corey’s reputation. All while trying not to fall for him.

“Q
uigley’s?” I said, pressing the phone to my ear and grinning at Bianca Cruz’s excited squeal vibrating from the speaker. My pale blue blanket, the only thing I’d unpacked so far, rose like mountains on either side of my bent knees.