Struts & Frets Read Online Free Page B

The speaker was standing directly behind me. I could see TJ and Alexander across from me with faces like deer in headlights. But I didn’t need their expression to clue me in to who it was. Oh, God. I couldn’t believe that
she’d
just witnessed our stupid freaky spectacle. I wanted to curl up like a pill bug and hide until graduation.
    â€œHi, Laurie,” I said, trying to sound tough but only managing to sound hoarse. Then I turned around to look up at her.
    Laurie was the hottest girl in school. She had straight, glossy black hair that hung to her shoulders; pale white skin; deep, mysterious green eyes; and full, pouty lips that were always covered in a dark burgundy lipstick. Today she was wearing a halter top, jean skirt, black fishnets (with a fewartful rips), and knee-high black patent leather boots. In short, she was a goth goddess. And I was totally, helplessly in love with her.
    My throat dried up as I tried to think of some way of explaining what we had just been doing that didn’t make it sound even worse than it looked. All I could come up with was “How are you?”
    â€œOkay.” She smiled ever so faintly, but it was enough to send shivers down my spine. “Have you seen Joe today?”
    My heart flopped down around my knees. Rick, who had listened to my miserable sighs and heartache for over a year now, choked on his soda.
    â€œNo,” I said in a way that I hoped didn’t sound as sad and desperate as I felt. “I think he skipped again today.”
    She sighed and bit her lip. “You guys have rehearsal tonight?”
    â€œUh, no,” I said.
    â€œOh,” she said. “Okay.” She shifted her weight uncomfortably, then said, “Well, if you see him, tell him to call me.”
    â€œSure,” I said and valiantly attempted a smile. “Sure I will, Laurie.”
    â€œThanks, Sammy.” She gave another faint smile and then hurried off to sit with her girlfriends.
    Our table seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief.
    â€œDude,” said Rick, giving me his most serious look. “Why didn’t you invite her to sit with us?”
    â€œWhy would I do that?” I said.
    He shrugged. “Hey, she’s totally not my type, but I have to admit she’s smoking hot. And anyway, you’ve been mooning over her our entire high school lives.”
    â€œReally?” asked TJ. “You have a thing for Laurie?”
    â€œNever mind,” I said. “It’s just lame and depressing to talk about. And anyway, she’s clearly not into me, so just let it go.”
    But
I
was the one who couldn’t let it go.
    â€œWhy Joe?” I demanded. “What’s he got that I don’t?”
    â€œHe’s older,” said TJ.
    â€œHe’s tougher,” said Rick.
    â€œHe’s the frontman,” said Alexander. “Don’t they always get the hot chicks?”
    â€œThanks, guys,” I said. “Consider my ego boosted.”
    Then Jen5 flopped down next to me, spilling books and notebooks from her army bag in a cascade across the table. “What did Vampirella want?” she asked.
    â€œShe was asking where Joe was,” said Rick.
    â€œHa,” she said around a bite of salami sandwich. “Aren’t they a match made in heaven.”
    â€œThat’s not what Sammy thinks,” said Alexander.
    â€œThat’s ’cause Sammy’s a retard,” said Jen5 without looking at me.
    â€œI don’t know why you don’t like Laurie,” I said. “I don’t think you’ve really given her a chance.”
    â€œOh, I gave her a chance all right. Back in junior high, before she’d discovered goth and was just another snobby prep girl. We were supposed to sell Girl Scout cookies together and—”
    â€œYou were in the Girl Scouts?” asked Alexander.
    â€œFor one year,” I said.
    â€œMy parents were concerned about my antisocial