The Cupid Chronicles Read Online Free Page A

try out. I’d rather play ball than bounce on the sidelines.
    The Burners wear skintight matching tops and short red skirts. Their favorite cheer is “hot, hot, hot.”
Puke, puke.
But wait, in a few weeks, when the weather gets colder, the Burners will be freezing their you-know-whats off.
    â€œAnd did you hear?” Ruby drones on. “Joey Kennelly’s back!”
    Now Ruby’s got my attention. Two for two. Ruby’s on a roll.
    â€œHe’s gotten taller and his hair is longer and curly now. And that dimple …”
    His name is Joseph. JFK to me.
    â€œI’m into older boys now, but Joey is still such a cutie …” Ruby rambles on.
    I look at Tina. She looks at me. Tina sends me araised eyebrow “do we still ask her?” and I send her back a scrunched-nosed “I don’t know, what do you think?”
    Tina decides. That’s one of the things I like best about her. She has no trouble making quick decisions. Tina was born without the worry gene. I got the giant size.
    â€œHey Rube,” Tina says, “we’ve got big news, too. Willa’s parents said we could have a Halloween party in the barn at the inn. Want to help?”
    â€œOh, how sweet,” Ruby says, smiling at us like we’re Munchkins from Oz. She twirls a red curl. “But the Burners are having a bonfire on the beach. All of the cute boys are coming and—”
    â€œNot Joseph K …” I start, then stop.
    â€œOh, that’s okay.” Ruby stares at me. “I mean all of the
big boys
are coming.”
    â€œWell then, you better have lots of
big
marshmallows—” I start, but a ripple of giggles interrupts me. Two Bramble Burners are coming out of the bathroom.
    â€œGot to go,” Ruby says, and rushes to catch them. “Hey girls, wait up!”
    Tina and I watch the Burners play with Ruby’s red curls, squealing their approval, doing their dumb club signal, shaking their butts, fingerscrooked on their heads like devils. Puke, puke.
    I give Tina some gummy bears. I toss the rest in my mouth and chew.
    â€œSo what?” Tina says. “We don’t need her, Willa. We’ll plan a party that will make their stupid bonfire look like a Cub Scout weenie roast. Got some paper?”
    Do fish have fins? I pull out a notebook and pen.
    â€œOkay,
one:
Food. You get Sam going on the grub. Stuff
boys
like … chicken wings, ribs, pizza, nachos …”
    This is definitely not Bramblebriar Inn cuisine, but Sam’s a guy, he’ll understand.
    â€œTwo:
Decorations. I’ll get my mother to send over Betty to sweep out the place and Daddy’ll fork up funds for prizes.”
    Tina and Ruby are rich. I don’t hold it against them. Stella and I used to be sort of rich, too, back when she was a wedding planner, but now that we are innkeepers, and Sam’s not so into making money, we’re just regular middle class.
    â€œThree.”
Tina’s on a roll. “Entertainment. I bet Luke and Jessie would appreciate a barn gig. They usually play in garages.”
    Luke and Jessie are the hottest boys in our class. They just started a band.
    â€œThey’re not very good,” Tina says, “but, who cares? They’re ice cream.”
    â€œWhat?” I stop writing. “What do you mean,
ice cream?”
    Tina smiles like Garfield the Cat. “I thought you’d like that. Willa the word lover. You know how they say a cute guy is ‘eye-candy’? Well, I invented ‘eye-scream.’ Get it? Eye-candy, eye-scream. Ice cream’s just as sweet as candy, right?”
    â€œRight, Tina.” I’m digging my nails in. “Good one.”
    â€œYou’re not kidding it’s good.” Tina flips her hair, end of story. “I think I should get a patent on it or something.”
    â€œSpeaking of patents,” I say, “how’s your aunt Amber’s business