Take Two (21 page)

I smiled. And finally they were gone. I should have felt relieved or peaceful or something. I looked down at my mathletes champion T-shirt. Even that didn't work. I wasn't cheered up. I felt kind of numb.

I stood in the entrance foyer of our school. It was empty except for a few people still lingering after the play. I stared at the
GO, GECKOS
! banner on the wall. I read the school rules poster. And then, the person I'd tried so hard to not think about came into my brain. Ox. Ox Ox Ox Ox Ox.

I started chewing on my hair.

Had I really meant what I'd said about balancing studying and hobbies
and
a social life? I did. So did that mean there was room for . . . Ox?

I pulled my cell phone out of the right pocket of my hoodie. I quickly typed in a text before I could change my mind or lose my nerve.

I pressed send. He probably wouldn't respond for a while. Maybe he'd met a new girl at Swirly's—a pretty mathlete from
one of the other schools. Maybe he'd never text me back. I'd basically blown him off. Why would he even want to talk to me?

I sighed and reread my text:

“Is now soon enough?”

I yelped (really, it did sound like “yelp”), and turned around to see Ox. Live, in person.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, flustered.

“My neighbor Sam was one of the Munchkins,” Ox said. “My dad's waiting out in the truck. We're giving him a ride.”

“A Munchkin?” I said. “Boy, his knees must be hurting.”
Great, Emma, brilliant conversationalist, talking about his neighbor's knees.

“Actually, I lent him my kneepads from football.” Ox laughed.

“Oh,” I said. “Smart.”

“What did you want to talk about?” Ox held up his cell phone.

I hadn't had time to plan and organize my discussion with Ox. I didn't even have an opening line prepared. What should I say?

Ox, you look so handsome. Ox, please like-like me again. Go, Geckos.

Nothing in my head sounded right. So. I turned off my logic-brain and tried to say what I felt.

“Ox, I'm sorry,” I said. That was a good start. “I thought I couldn't . . .
shouldn't
do anything except study for competitions, but I was wrong. I'd like for us to be friends, but if you don't want to be I'll understand. I just wanted you to know.”

Ox looked up. He looked down. He crossed his arms and uncrossed them.

“Emma,” Ox said. “I'm glad you took the time to figure out what you can handle. I'm really happy that you won mathletes and I'm really, really happy you want to be friends again. But there's a problem.”

I knew it. I blew it.

“The problem is I want to be
more
than just friends,” Ox said, his words rushing out faster. “But my dad is totally old-school, and I'm not allowed to date until I'm in high school.”

“You—you want to
date
me?” I squeaked.

“Well, yeah.” Ox looked right at me. “I'd be so lucky to have a girlfriend like you—funny, pretty, and smart.”

Did he say “pretty”?
And
“girlfriend”?????

“Oh, I'd be lucky to have a boyfriend like you,” I stammered. “I mean, if you were allowed to date. Which is reasonable that you're not, considering you have football and mathletes and besides, we're only twelve.” I was babbling.

“Thirteen,” Ox said. “I'm actually thirteen.”

“That's why you're so much more mature than I am,” I blurted.

Ox looked at me. I looked at him. Then we both cracked up. It wasn't that funny. I was just feeling happy.

“Except I'm not allowed to date,” Ox reminded me.

“That's okay,” I assured him, “I don't think I'm ready for a boyfriend yet. But if I were, it would definitely be you.”

“Well, okay then,” Ox said, grinning. His cell phone buzzed. “It's my dad. No, Dad, Sam hasn't come out yet. I'm just talking to Emma.”

Ox's voice got quieter.

“Yes,
that
Emma,” he said into the phone.

That
Emma? Ox's father knew who I was? Maybe just because I won mathletes. That must be it.

Ox turned to talk to me. “My dad wants to know if you want to go for pizza with our family sometime.”

“Really?” Pizza with his family? Being out in public with Ox? Me? Ox and me?

“I'll have to ask my parents,” I said, trying to sound calm. “But I'm sure they'll say
yes
.”

“Uh-huh,” Ox said back into the phone. “Yeah, bye.” He put his phone back in his pocket and smiled.

I smiled.

Er—now what?

“Did you know that in Japan they put squid on their pizzas?” I asked. Arrgh . . . Why did inane trivia always pop out when I didn't know what else to say?

“I prefer mushrooms and peppers,” Ox said.

“Those are my favorite toppings, too!” I exclaimed.

“Did you know in Brazil they like peas on their pizza?” Ox asked me.

And for the next two minutes we discussed pizza, mathletes, football, and endangered animals . . . until Ox's neighbor Sam came out (walking on his feet).

“Oh!” I remembered him. “You were the Munchkin with the Geckos cap.” Oops. I'd seen that onstage when I was Glinda.

“Wow, you have good vision,” Munchkin Sam said. “C'mon, Ox, we gotta go.”

Ox winked at me.

I smiled at him.

“Call you later?” he asked me.

“Okay,” I said to him.

And after he and Sam had left, I went,
“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”
and did a happy dance, not caring if anyone saw me. Because I could have academics
and
Quinn
and
Ox. All different, all amazing, and all just right for me, Emma Mills.

Payton

Twenty-five

GRAND FINALE

Bzzzt! Bzzzt!

I heard my cell phone buzz in my tote bag across from the dressing area. I'd check my text in a minute. I wanted to stop and let what just happened sink in.

This amazing moment where I had just gone onstage and played Glinda in the school play!

In a beautiful pink dress! And I'd remembered (almost) all the lines! I kind of felt like Cinderella after the ball as I took off the dress and hung it on the hanger. It was time to go back to reality.

Bzzzt! Bzzzt!

I pulled my cell out of my bag and read the text from Emma.

Ox! Oh my gosh! That must mean she talked to Ox! They made up! Maybe even more than made up! Maybe they were dating! I wondered if they were going out on a date even now.

I couldn't wait to congratulate her. Emma + Ox. Maybe someday they'd even get married. It was all so romantic.

The Mills twins were having an exciting day.

I bumped into Emma as soon as I left the dressing room. She had a goofy grin on her face. But before I had a chance to talk to her, a girl came up to us and stuck a microphone in Emma's face.

“Hi!” she said. “I'm Kendra, reporting for a special VOGS news story. May I interview you about the excitement?”

Oh my gosh! Big news traveled fast!

“You want to interview her about her new boyfriend for VOGS?” I squealed.

“Boyfriend?”
Both Emma and the VOGS reporter asked and looked at me like I was crazy.

“Excuse us!” Emma half-dragged me off to the side. “Payton, what are you talking about?”

“She wants to interview you about your new romance!” I said. “You and Ox!”

“What are you talking about?” Emma asked. “She wants to interview me about winning
mathletes!
”

Oops.

“Oh,” I said. “Um. Sorry. I got your text and got all excited about you and Ox being boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“We're not. Ox isn't allowed to date,” Emma said. Then she grinned. “But he did ask me to go out for pizza with his family!”

“Awww!” I said.

“Okay, that VOGS reporter is waiting for me,” Emma said. “I need to refocus and talk about my astonishing mathletes win.”

“Go, Emma!” I said, and followed her back to the VOGS reporter.

“So, who's your new boyfriend?” Kendra asked. “Not for official reports, just 'cause I like gossip.”

“There's no new boyfriend,” Emma said. “So let's move on to the official report.”

“Okay, I'll stick with my story.” Kendra sighed and switched on her video camera. “I'm here with the Mills twins after
The Wizard of Oz
play. So, how does it feel to have substituted for someone else and pulled it off so well?”

Wait, what? Oh, no. Were we being busted on live camera
again?
Did she know Emma had “substituted” for me onstage?

Emma and I gave each other worried glances.

“Um,” Emma said. “Can you clarify the question?”

She was using her secret stalling tactic she used in her competitions, trying to have more time to think.

“Sure,” Kendra said. “What was it like when you were told you were the last-minute substitute for Sydney after Sydney injured her foot?”

Oh!!! She was talking about
me
substituting!

I let out a sigh of relief at the same time Emma did.

“I think you're talking about my sister, Payton,” Emma said, pointing to me.

“Oh, no, I mixed you guys up, Emma! I thought you were Payton!” Kendra giggled and turned to me. “Sorry!”

Okay! I was being interviewed. I smiled and prepared to answer the question.

“Take two!” Kendra said. “So, Payton, what was it like when you were told you were the last-minute substitute for the actress playing Glinda after she injured her foot?”

“Of course I didn't want anyone to get hurt,” I said. “But I think everyone in the cast and crew did a great job rallying together and putting on a great show.”

“And . . . cut!” Kendra said, turning off the camera. “Thanks. It will be on VOGS next week. And sorry again about mixing you guys up.”

“That's okay,” I said. “It happens all the time. Just remember, I'm the taller twin. And my eyes are a teeny bit greener.”

“And I have a faint freckle on my cheek,” Emma said. “And my hair is shinier.”

“Hey,” I protested.

“Remember, the gecko proved it,” Emma said.

“Maybe when you actually
brush
it,” I muttered. “Which is rare.”

“Okay.” Kendra laughed. “No fighting! I get it. I can tell who is who.”

“Who is
whom,
” Emma said to her. “Not who is
who
. Just FYI.”

“Emma.”
I shot her a look.

“What?” Emma said. “People want to know they are making grammatical errors. And that gives me a great idea! VOGS is seen by the whole school. Kendra, can you turn on your camera so I can give a minilesson on
who
versus
whom
? Everyone keeps making that mistake.”

No. No. NO!

“Look, there's the star of
Wizard of Oz!
” I said loudly, and pointed to Tess. “Kendra, did you interview Tess yet?”

“Not yet! Where is she?” Kendra asked, looking relieved to get away from us.

“Let Tess get interviewed,” I hissed to Emma. Thankfully, she nodded.

Kendra turned her camera on Tess. “Tess, how was it playing Dorothy?”

“It was amazing!” Tess said, beaming. “Everyone was so great! Like Payton, jumping in at the last minute without even rehearsing with us! That was awesome!”

Now I was beaming.

“What a great day!” Tess said. “Did you know Emma won her mathletes today, too?”

Now Emma was beaming. We all shared a happy moment of complimenting each other. And as if our happy moment couldn't get any better, Reilly walked up to us. He'd scrubbed off his Scarecrow makeup and his hair was all messed up from wearing the straw hat.

Ahhh! Reilly! So cute! I sighed. So did Tess. And Kendra.
And Emma! I was not alone in my appreciation of his cuteness.

“Don't you want to interview The Scarecrow?” Reilly asked the VOGS reporter.

“Sure!” She giggled, blushing. She turned the camera on him. “Congratulations on your play!”

“Thanks,” he said. “I was good, huh? Did you see the part where I threw the apple back at the tree? Pretty funny, huh? And how about when I said . . .”

We watched as Reilly talked about himself for a while.

“He could have mentioned you guys,” Emma whispered to me.

Okay, true. He was a lot cuter when he didn't speak.

“VOGS!” A loud voice made us all jump. It was Mrs. Burkle. “Are you getting good coverage for VOGS?”

Kendra nodded.

“Excellent!” she said. “Did you interview Payton? She has marvelous stage presence on camera as well. Payton, when are you joining us on VOGS again?”

Everyone looked at me.

“Um, I can't do any after-schools until my school service is over,” I said, embarrassed.

“What? Who makes these rules?” Burkle demanded.

“Maybe I should be on VOGS,” Reilly said. “The camera loves me.”

“Oh, that reminds me!” Emma said to me, while Reilly was talking about himself. “I have something for you from Counselor Case. I have one, too.”

She pulled out an envelope and handed it to me. I opened it up as she started opening hers.

“Ahhhh!” I said. “I'm free! I'm done with school service!”

“Yay!” Tess said. “You deserve it after all the hard work you did!”