CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

KAT

RICKY, JOE, AND I DITCH THE FOOTBALL GAME AT halftime. Football is so unbelievably, mind-numbingly boring. We go get cheese fries and coffee from the Surf Diner, drive around for a bit more, and then I tell the guys to drop me off.

Even though it’s Friday night, I end up doing my homework just to get it out of the way. But I think a lot about Alex too.

I bet he got in trouble for the fight with Reeve. His mom probably sent him to his man cave without supper, took away his phone or some other ridiculous attempt at a punishment. The way she fawns over Alex, buys his clothes, it’s clear she wanted a girl. She’d be mad about the fighting, for sure. She’s pretty Waspy, and Alex was an animal.

I never would have thought Alex was capable of being so raw. And I definitely didn’t expect him to throw a punch at Reeve. It wasn’t graceful, that’s for sure, but he aimed in the right place, and he did hit the mark. I debated calling Alex and telling him to lean into his punches a little more next time. If he had, I bet he could have knocked Reeve out cold.

But I won’t call him. And I won’t answer his texts, or his e-mails, either. Not until I’m sure he’s learned his lesson. That I am not someone to mess with. That he was an idiot for hooking up with Nadia when he could have been hooking up with me.

That night, I come up with the idea of asking Ricky for a ride to school on Monday. Because there’s nothing like another guy in the picture to make boys wish they had you back. Or, in my case, the illusion of another guy.

It’s how my mom ended up with my dad. They dated for a few months, and when he wouldn’t get serious, she showed up at his favorite bar with her g*y friend, Albert, with a roll of quarters for the jukebox. It only took one slow song before my dad tapped Albert on the shoulder so he could cut in. My mom was slick like that.

Not that I’m trying that on Alex. I’m just living my happy life, while he lives his miserable one.

It’s not hard to imagine Alex standing alone in the parking lot. No one to talk to, all his friends totally shunning him for the fight he had with Reeve. Rennie would pick Reeve over him any day. I know it. He’ll be a lost puppy, a friendless little kid. And then I’ll come roaring in on the back of Ricky’s bike. I’ll take off the helmet and shake my hair out, slow-mo.

And, boy, will he be sorry.

I bet he walks right over. Either then or when I’m at my locker. He’ll beg for my forgiveness, tell me Nadia meant nothing to him. That there’s no girl in this whole school like Kat DeBrassio. And once you go Kat, you never go back.

*    *    *

On Monday morning Ricky picks me up on his motorcycle. I’m glad it’s the Japanese import he tricked out with racing shocks so he can jump sand dunes. That’s the one I said I wanted to ride. Not his mint-green Vespa. No one’s going to think I look hot climbing off the back of a mint-green Vespa.

He flips up the visor in his helmet as I come out the front door. “Damn, Kat.”

I bound down the walk, and my hair bounces, shampoo commercial style. I curled the ends this morning. Not enough to where someone might think I was trying to look good. More like I went to bed with it wet last night and I woke up with sexy bed head. I’ve got on my skinniest black jeans, a black tank, and my mom’s black stilettos. The heels might be a touch too much, but who cares. And anyway, there’s a senior assembly today with some college admissions counselors. I could always say I dressed up for that, if anyone says anything.

“Thanks for coming to get me,” I say, and climb onto the back of the bike. First I put my arms around Ricky, but then I think better of it, lean back, and hold on to the seat. It’s a slightly more badass pose.

“No worries. My first class isn’t till nine thirty. Here,” Ricky says, twisting around to pass me his helmet. It’s a racing one, sleek with red stripes and a blacked-out visor. “Wear this. I forgot to bring an extra for you.”

I wave him off and say, “I’m cool.” After all, the high school is less than a mile away. And I don’t want my hair to be flat.

“Kat, come on.” The way Ricky says it, I know he’s not going to drive me anywhere until I do.

I put it on, and he peels out down my street. The bike is loud. Way loud. The muffler is made that way. I smile, because everyone’s going to hear us coming.

“Faster,” I tell Ricky, and put my arms around his waist. He’d be cute if he wasn’t such a pothead. I feel Ricky tense up, and then he revs us forward. He switches lanes, into oncoming traffic, so we can blow by a slow-moving bus on the way to the high school. Faster. It’s one of those words that guys love to hear.

Ricky pulls into the parking lot. He says, “I can’t believe I let you bring me here twice in the last three days.”

I see Alex’s SUV. “Over there,” I tell Ricky.

I get off the bike exactly like I planned. One hop. Then I pull the helmet off and shake out my hair.

That’s when I see Alex, leaning against his car door. But he’s not alone. He’s talking to Reeve and Rennie. Actually, Rennie seems to be the one doing most of the talking. She’s using her hands a lot, and she keeps pointing at Reeve and then tenderly rubbing his shoulder. I bet she’s trying to convince Alex that Reeve had nothing to do with the pranks we pulled. She seriously can’t stay out of anyone’s business.

I’m not sure Alex is buying it. He’s not making eye contact with either of them, but when Rennie is done, he slaps hands with Reeve, and then they walk into school together.

Reeve doesn’t have a bruise on his face where Alex clocked him, which bums me out. But not as much as knowing they’re still friends. And the fact that Alex totally missed my bomb-ass entrance.

“All right,” Ricky says. “I’m gonna take off.”

I hand him his helmet. “Thanks for the ride,” I say.

He looks at me and smiles. “Anytime.” And then he drives away.

“Love the outfit, Kat!” Rennie calls out to me through her cupped hands. “Biker whore is the perfect look for you!”

There’s nothing stopping me from charging Rennie and spitting in her face again. At this point I wouldn’t even care what Alex thought of me. But I don’t have to do that. Rennie’s going to get what’s coming to her sooner rather than later. All I have to do is trust that Lillia and Mary are going to have my back, just like I have theirs.