"Nothing." E.T. shrugged. "His friend...What's his name?

The sheriff's son."

88

The Stillburrow Crush

by Linda Kage

"Nathan Bates."

E.T. snapped his fingers. "Yeah, Nathan. Nate asked Luke where he was last night and Luke told him about Mr. Underhill making him tutor you."

I gaped at my ketchup-stained friend. "He said that?" E.T. nodded. "Why'd Mr. Underhill ask him and not me?" E.T. looked hurt. But that wasn't my main concern. I reached across the table and grabbed him by the collar.

"Is that exactly what he said? That Under-the-hill asked him to tutor me?"

Again E.T. just nodded. He seemed unconcerned that I was dragging him half across the table. "You don't think he's making a higher grade than me, do you?" I let go of E.T., and he dropped back onto his bench. "Of course not," I said, suddenly feeling sorry for him. E.T. would be crushed if a super jock was pulling a better average than he was. All E.T. had to fall back on were his brains. And if that failed, he probably thought he had nothing. I quickly concocted an explanation to soothe him.

"I bet he asked Carter because he's a senior and you're just a junior," I said. E.T.'s shoulders eased so I guessed that did the trick.

"Yeah," he said. "That's probably it. Besides, if Luke's tutoring you for extra bonus points then he can't be making that awesome a grade."

I surged to my feet, causing E.T. to jump. He gaped up at me.

"He said that too?" I demanded.

89

The Stillburrow Crush

by Linda Kage

E.T. shrank back, knowing the enraged look in my eyes only too well. He nodded meekly as if I might whip him for giving the wrong answer.

"He said...he said Mr. Underhill offered to give him bonus points to tutor you."

"Bonus points?" My jaw clamped down and my teeth hurt from the force of them grinding against each other. "That jerk," I hissed. Before I really knew what I was doing, I scanned the cafeteria. I knew Luke had the same lunch period. We always sat at different tables and even on different sides of the lunchroom but I knew we ate at the same time.

When I spotted him in a corner with his buddies, I untangled myself from the bench seat and started his way.

"Carrie?" E.T. called after me weakly. His voice sounded curious, yet scared. He didn't dare follow me, probably because he knew I was about to do something rash. I must've looked like some kind of Amazon woman forging into battle, my eyes blazing with fury and my mouth set in one thin line. I marched as if I were carrying armor. It felt like I was going into war too.

I didn't care if I'd told my parents the same lie about Under-the-hill asking Luke to tutor me. That had been for protection: my protection and Luke's. It'd be disastrous if Mom thought Luke and I were dating. She'd have gossip spreading through town like wildfire. But why would Luke lie about it? If he didn't want his friends knowing he'd volunteered to tutor me then he shouldn't have volunteered, dang it.

90

The Stillburrow Crush

by Linda Kage

He was sitting next to Pastor Curry's daughter, Liz, who was also the head cheerleader. Nathan Bates sat across from him, next to Jill Anderson, and on the other side of Jill, sat Abby. A few other football players and cheerleaders crowded in around them.

Nathan was talking when I neared the table. It sounded like he was telling some story about something that had happened to him in gym class. But I didn't hear much because when Nathan saw me looming at the end of the table glaring at Luke, his words died off. And that caused everyone to glance up, including their precious, lying quarterback. He'd been in the middle of leaning forward to take a drink from the straw poking out of his milk carton. But when he saw me, he froze. His eyes sprang wide.

I smiled at him, a smile that probably looked anything but friendly. "I'm going to have to cancel our little meeting after school," I said.

His jaw dropped. All his friends turned to ogle him.

"But I was thinking." I tapped on my chin with one hand and set the other on my hip. "Why don't we just tell Underhill we did meet? That way I can do my thing and—" I leaned over the table, pinning him with an accusing stare. "You can still get your extra bonus points." Lifting my eyebrows, I finished, "Sound good to you?"

He opened his mouth to speak but then glanced around at the people surrounding him. When he looked back at me, he shut his mouth, apparently deciding he shouldn't say anything, and nodded.

91

The Stillburrow Crush

by Linda Kage

I clasped my hands together and smiled. "Good. I'm glad we settled that, then." And I spun on my heel, leaving Luke Carter and his table of friends in my wake. The phone rang five minutes after I arrived home from school. I'd just finished the apple I picked up as soon as I walked in, and was getting ready to change so I could head out to the shop.

Mom barely let the first ring settle before she swiped it off its cradle. I swore she was going to say, "Marty, is that you?" But she controlled herself enough to answer in a breathless,

"Hello. Paxton residence."

I turned away and headed toward my room, tossing the apple core into the trashcan, but Mom stopped me. "Carrie. It's for you."

I was pretty sure I knew who it was before I even turned around and saw the knowing gleam in her eyes. But her wink confirmed it.

I took the phone from her and said, "Thank you." Then I pushed the disconnect button.

Mom gasped. "Carrie! How could you be so rude? What in God's name has gotten into you?"

I didn't have a chance to answer because the phone, which was still in my hand, rang again. I sighed. "I'll get it." But I wouldn't answer in front of her. I carried it to my room and shut the door on Mom's shocked face.

I pressed Talk. "Let me guess. You're sorry for lying to your friends about me and telling them Under-the-hill forced you into tutoring me? Am I right?"

"Carrie." His voice was a regretful sigh. 92

The Stillburrow Crush

by Linda Kage

He couldn't be lying down and spread across his bed like I'd pictured him the first time he called. No, this time he was either pacing the floor, or he was seated in a straight-back wooden chair with his face buried in his hand. Out of curiosity, I almost asked him which it was. Sitting or pacing?

"You're not going to let me apologize, are you?"

"And why should I?" I said, louder than I needed to. But who could be quiet when they were spitting mad? "Who made me feel like a complete jerk yesterday for caring what other people think about money? Well, let me tell you something, Mr. Carter. Caring about financial status and caring about social status is the same dang thing."

"Carrie—"

"No!"

He had that voice—the voice that sounded humble and sorry but also like he was trying to soothe the hysterical female. It only made me madder.

"How dare you? How dare you lecture me about giving status importance and then turn around yourself and hide the fact that you volunteered to spend time with me? Let me repeat, you volunteered. If you didn't want your popular friends knowing you were tutoring a nobody then you shouldn't have volunteered."

I was breathing heavily like I'd just run a marathon. "Why did you volunteer, anyway?" I waited for an answer and when none came, I waited some more. I started to think he wasn't on the line anymore. "Are you still there?" I demanded.