She didn’t. And she did the same thing every day that week. She also came late to the car after school, which I never complained about because it gave me time to sit and talk to Josh. He didn’t complain either. I wasn’t sure whether that was because he liked talking to me, or whether he was just glad Elise was interested in a guy who wasn’t likely to be arrested in the near future.

Elise told me she liked Bob because he was the polar opposite of Chad, but I knew there was more to it than that. She was reverting back to her original persona. A smart girl. A fun girl, but a smart girl too.

The next Monday after school, Elise came to the parking lot on time and asked Josh to drive her to Bob’s house before we went home. “I’m asking him to the Tolo, so I need to put stuff in his room before he gets home.” She held up a bag full of plastic ants. “I’m going to spell it out on his carpet. Perfect, huh?”

Josh started the car and drove through the parking lot. “Does anyone know you’re coming?”

“His sister left the door unlocked for me.” Elise leaned forward to see the clock. “I asked one of Bob’s friends to delay him at school, but I probably only have fifteen minutes max.” She jiggled her bag. “I hope I have enough ants.” More jiggling. “That’s a sentence I never thought I’d say.”

We pulled up to Bob’s house. A snowman with an Einstein hairdo sat in the middle of the lawn. Classic Bob.

Elise opened her door. “You two wait here. I don’t need your help.” She sent us one of her wicked smiles. “Find something fun to do while I’m gone.”

So subtle.

After she went inside, Josh turned in his seat to survey me. It suddenly felt different than the other times we’d been alone in the car. He wasn’t busy driving. We weren’t scanning the parking lot waiting for Elise to show up. I didn’t know what to say. The only sound in the car was the low hum of the heater.

Josh was still studying me. “You’re not mad at Elise for going after Bob, are you?”

“No. He’s just a friend.”

“Oh.” Josh nodded, considering this. “Is there anyone you like more than a friend?”

My gaze went to Josh’s. Why was he asking? Was he just making small talk or did he have a personal interest in the subject?

He was looking at me intently, his blue eyes locked on mine.

I shrugged. “There might be.”

“Anyone I know?”

“Maybe. You know a lot of people.”

Josh put his arm on the back of his seat, his fingers nearly brushed against my shoulder. “What’s he like, this guy?”

Normally I wouldn’t have admitted to anything, but I was tired of all my moments with Josh being ordinary, safe. This was one I was going to seize. “He’s the usual sort of guy that girls get crushes on. Smart. Funny. Really responsible.”

“That’s the usual sort? Why don’t I have girls swarming me?”

“He’s also tall, dark, and handsome,” I added, “Plus he’s got these gorgeous eyes—all deep blue and mystical.” I looked away from him then. I couldn’t keep looking at the eyes I’d just described.

Josh leaned a little closer to me. “A rich guy with a sports car?”

“Not really.”

“A gentleman?”

“Mostly, although I don’t think he’s ever opened a door for me.”

Josh nodded, his gaze still intense. “Would I approve of you with this guy?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “Would you?” I let my gaze slide to his then, just long enough to see him smile. I wasn’t going to say more. I wasn’t about to admit to everything when he hadn’t admitted to anything yet.

“I think I might approve of this guy.” Josh kept smiling. His voice was soft now, as lulling as the heater. “You said Bob didn’t kiss you. Have you ever been kissed?”

“Sure, if you count the time in the fourth grade when Jonny Miller cornered me in the coat closet.”

“No, I’m talking about a real kiss.” Josh moved even closer to me. “You’ll always remember your first real kiss.”

I thought about asking him if he remembered his first real kiss, but on second thought, I didn’t want to hear about any of his past kisses. “You’re probably right,” I said.

“If I was to kiss you now, I’d go down in your personal hall of fame. The opportunity is irresistible.”

And then he kissed me, and it was a real kiss. I was happy, and yet at the same time I had a nagging suspicion that maybe he was kissing me because he wanted to be the first, and it was all a joke to him.

I pulled away. “Aren’t you supposed to ask me out before you do that?”

“Okay,” he said, still close to me. “Do you want dinner?”

“Right now?”

Josh looked upward considering. “We’d probably never hear the end of it if we left Elise here. How about this Friday?”

“It’s a date.”

Josh leaned towards me again. He obviously had no qualms about waiting until after our date to give me my second real kiss.

I don’t know how long we were like that. Longer than my mother would have liked. All of a sudden I heard a rapping on the window and then the back door opened and Elise climbed in.

“I can’t believe you two are making out in broad daylight. I’m shocked.” She didn’t sound shocked though. She sounded happy.

Josh shot me a glance. I suppose to see how mortified I was. I just shrugged and smiled. After all, Elise had known about us before there even had really been an us.

He put the car in gear and pulled out onto the street. “So did you have enough ants?”

“No. I ran out, so the invitation says, ‘Will you go to Tolo, Elise’ but he should get the basic idea.” She leaned forward. “And now that you two are back together again, we can double.”

Josh grunted and looked over at me. “I don’t know. Are you up for a double date with Elise and Bob?”

“Sure,” I said. “It will be one of those carpe diem things.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Josh said.

But he was only saying that because he didn’t understand. It would be fun, all of us together. I leaned toward him. “If they start talking about spider venom, we’ll ditch them.”

“Or if Elise gets too annoying,” Josh added.

“Hello,” Elise said. “I can hear you.”

“Good,” Josh said. “Consider yourself warned.”

He dropped off Elise at their house first, then drove me home. He opened my car door for me, pointedly drawing attention to this fact. “I am officially a gentleman,” he said.

Instead of letting him get back into the car, I took his hand and led him into my house. Mom said hello to Josh in a surprised sort of way, but she left us alone. We sat in the kitchen eating and talking, and even though none of this was planned, it all seemed natural. Comfortable. Not logical, maybe, but really good anyway.

The End

###

Janette Rallison (who is also sometimes CJ Hill when the mood strikes her) writes books because writing is much more fun than cleaning bathrooms. Her avoidance of housework has led her to writing 12 young adult novels, which have sold over 1,000,000 copies and have been on the IRA Young Adults’ Choices lists, Popular Picks, and many state reading lists. She would name them all but knows your eyes would gloss over if she did, so you will just have to trust her that she has lots of books and they are all awesome! Most of her books are romantic comedies because hey, there is enough angst in real life, but there’s a drastic shortage on both humor and romance. She lives in Arizona with her husband, five kids, and enough cats to classify her as eccentric.

Contact me on-line at my website,

JanetteRallison.com (email: jrallisonfans@yahoo.com)

Other titles by Janette Rallison

Son of War, Daughter of Chaos

Blue Eyes and Other Teenage Hazards

Just One Wish

Masquerade

My Double Life

A Longtime (and at One Point Illegal) Crush

Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws

Playing The Field

My Fair Godmother

My Unfair Godmother

All’s Fair in Love, War, and High School