Gilbert and Louis Rule the Universe: First Impressions (15 page)

“You guys are going to have so much fun,”
Maddy
says to me.
I know she is jealous that she wasn’t invited too, but I can tell she is having fun sticking it to Emma.

The bell rings.

“Have so much fun in Vail, you guys,”
I say to Emma and Olivia.

“Yeah, have a good break, too,” Emma says back.
Her enthusiasm in the Vail trip seems to have dropped significantly.

We head towards the door about to be free for two whole weeks.
Just before we step outside, Bill, the janitor says to us, “Remember, this season is about giving, girls.
And that urine and bleach form a toxic combination.”

Chapter 14

Saturday, December 19

Today’s horoscope:
The stars align; good things are on their way.

School is out for two whole weeks, I am no longer grounded, Gilbert and I are total BFF again and Winston is meeting me at an eighth grade party.
Life is good.

Gilbert is over at my house getting ready for Ashley’s party.
She has her hair up in curlers while I am flat-ironing mine.

“I can’t believe Dylan is in Tahoe for all of Christmas break.
Doesn’t he know what he is missing?”
I ask Gilbert.

“I know, I am so bummed.”
She is more than bummed, she is devastated, but what can she do?

I try to stay on topic a bit longer.
“I am really sorry he won’t be around.
Have you told your mom or dad about him yet?”

“No way! My mom would ground me, and you of all people know what that’s like, and my dad would go after him with his rifle.
No thank you.
Let’s just keep them in the dark.”

“Totally.”
Okay, I can’t help myself.
I have to switch the topic to me. “I am so excited to see Winston tonight.
I can’t believe it has been over a month.”

I look at my arms in the mirror as I run the iron through my hair.
Those strength training moves from the magazine actually seem to be working.

I had begged my mom to let me get my hair blown out that morning but she wasn’t having any of it.
She is just fine with me blow drying my hair myself.
She completely doesn’t understand.
I pull on my mini skirt, tall boots
,
and white cable knit sweater.
“What do you think?”
I ask Gilbert.
This is going to be my first showing in public after a long hibernation, it better be good.

“Winston will be drooling,”
Gilb
says.

Perfect.

*   *   *

Gilbert and I stand outside Ashley’s door.
We are so nervous we haven’t rung the doorbell yet.

“You look great,” I say to Gilbert. She really does.
She is wearing the red sweater from Hollister and jeans and these kitten heels which make her absolutely tower over me, and every other boy our age.

“Thanks,” she says, “but my feet already hurt.”
We made my mom drop us off down the block and walked the rest of the way.
Gilbert squeezes my hand for bravery and I ring the doorbell.
Ashley answers.
She is standing there with her blond hair curled and pinned back
and wearing
a really cute floral dress.
She is really pretty and totally
intimidating
.

“Oh,”
She looks kind of annoyed that we are there.

“Hi,” we say in unison.

“Thanks for having us,” I offer.

“Whatever.
Jason is in the living room,”
Ashley says and lets us in.
Instead of walking us in, she immediately turns and walks back to her group of girl friends.
Ashley is clearly not thrilled with our presence.
We stand at the doorway unsure of what to do.

The dining room has been emptied, the lights are off and there is music for dancing, but all the eighth graders are standing around the living room drinking sodas and eating potato chips.
I scan the room for Ashley’s brother and Winston but they are nowhere to be found.
Thankfully, we see Jason across the room and you will never guess who is there.
Okay, maybe you will.
Yeah, it’s Ralph.

“Hey,” I say when we reach Jason and Ralph.

“Hey,” the boys say.

“You are back from school,” I look at Ralph.

“It sure looks like it,” he says back without smiling.
Right, that’s why I don’t like this guy.

“Are you going anywhere over break?” Gilbert asks Jason.

“Nah, I’m stuck here.
It sucks, I even have to babysit my sister in the mornings while my mom is at work.”

“Are they paying you, at least?”
I ask.
“I mean, I could be talked into babysitting for the right amount.”
I am fidgeting around putting my hands in my skirt pockets and taking them out.
I don’t know why I get so nervous around these two. I grab a soda off the table just to have something to do with my hands.

“Not even.
My mom said it’s my brotherly duty.
What a load of crap!”

“That sucks,”
I say.
Sometimes I am so lucky to be an only child.

Now it is Gilbert’s turn to ask Ralph.
“Are you going anywhere?”

“Nope,” is his only reply.

We stand around trying to make conversation.
I bring up a topic and Ralph always shuts it down with his one word answers.
I get bored with that and while Gilbert and Jason are talking about the last episode of some show I don’t watch, I scan the room.
Everyone is still standing in their little cliques.
Boys with boys and girls with girls.
The music is blaring but no one is moving.
Wait, okay one guy is drumming on a table with carrot sticks.
The song changes and Peter Gabriel’s
In Your Eyes
comes on.
I love this song even though it is, like, ancient.

Ashley stomps over to us, totally desperate.

“You guys, this party is totally sucking.
No one is dancing.”
I mean, she must be
distressed
if she is venting to a couple of seventh graders.
But I don’t know what she thinks we are going to do about it.

Ralph turns to me, “Want to dance?”

Um, excuse me?
Are you kidding?
I am so shocked I say, “sure” before I have time to think about it. Ralph takes my hand and leads me into the empty dining room.
He puts his hands on my waist and I put my hands on his shoulders.
I am glad it was dark in there as I can feel my face flush bright red and adrenaline pump through my body.
Thank God all we have to do was sway back and forth to the music.

Over Ralph’s shoulder, I see Jason walk in with Gilbert behind him and they start to dance next to us.
That's all it took—some of the other eighth graders pick partners and start coming in.
I watch as the boys put down their sodas and make their ways in twos over to the groups of girls.
Boys and girls walk out onto the dance floor together.
Some place hands on each other’s shoulders or waists.
Everyone sways back and forth awkwardly.
When Ashley dances by with her partner she actually mouths, “Thank you.”

I can’t look Ralph in the eye.
I mean, I know he is a conceited jerk, but every time I look up at his gorgeous face my insides get all kooky and confused.
So I just look over his shoulder at the other kids.
I notice a group of eighth grade girls in the corner watching me with something between jealousy and amazement.
The only time we speak is when Ralph says, “I love this song.”
The music ends and a fast song comes on.

“Thanks,” Ralph says and walks away.
I am left standing in the middle of the dance floor.
I guess Ralph only dances to slow songs.
Gilbert, Jason, and a handful of other kids stay on the dance floor and start jumping around shaking everything they have.
I smile at them and mouth “bathroom.”
Really, I just need a moment.

I close the bathroom door behind me.
I sit down on the closed toilet and catch my breath.
My whole body is ringing with energy.
What the heck was that?
Why would Ralph ask me to dance, and why do I care so much?
“No, Leah, you don’t,” I tell myself.
I have come here for one reason, and one reason only.
Okay, not totally true, I would have come to an eighth grade party no matter what, but I am going to find Winston.
I get up and splash my face with water, fix my lip gloss, and take a deep breath.
I put the dance with Ralph in the back of my mind as I open the door and wander into the kitchen where Ashley’s mom and a few other chaperones are standing.
Ms.
Elston
is emptying more chips into bowls.

“Hi, Mrs.
Elston
, thanks so much for having me.”

“Oh hi, Leah, my pleasure,” she says opening another bag of Doritos. Mrs.
Elston
is on the PTA and she is always around school putting on some fundraising event or another.
Ashley’s brother, Craig, is in my grade so I know Mrs.
Elston
pretty well.

“Is Craig here?” I asked, knowing that where Craig was, Winston was sure to be.

Mrs.
Elston
laughs, “There was no way Ashley was going to let her little brother hang around for her party.
Under strict orders, my husband took him and his friend out to the movies.”