So Many Boys (7 page)

Peggy reached up to put the end of her pen between her teeth. “Yeah, you can go in.” She nodded toward his door.

“Thanks,” I tried to sound perky. I walked across the carpet, and just before I opened his glass door, Peggy called out to me.

“Tessa?”

“Yes?”

“The squad’s not quite the same without you.” She looked nostalgic. I remembered her at the games last year, front row, painted face. My cheeks warmed as I met her small eyes.

“Thanks,” I murmured, dropping my head as I turned to walk into the principal’s office.

Dear Clients,

As a matter of safety, SOS has decided to take our investigations public. In the past, our services have always been confidential, but we do not feel that exposing infidelity privately has been an effective deterrent to cheaters.

For the protection of all girls, the Naughty List will now be released to the public. It will be posted on our new blog at
www.thecheaterreports.blogspot.com
. There will also be updates, pictures, and videos available for viewing.

Although our identities are still confidential, our services are not. So spread the word. SOS is stomping out heartbreaking countywide.

And remember, cheaters never win. Especially with SOS on the case!

“HAVE A SEAT, TESSA.” PRINCIPAL PELLI MOTIONED
to the boxy wooden chair in front of his desk. I’d been a little nervous before, but now, actually being in his office made me very uneasy. The return of SOS had frayed my nerves.

“What’s going on?” I asked, sounding guilty even though I was sure I’d done nothing wrong. At least, nothing lately.

“It’s about the squad.” The principal took off his glasses and began cleaning them with the white handkerchief from his desk. “We have a problem.”

Lucy in the sky with diamonds! Did he know about the copy-Kitten? Did he know what we’d been doing for the past two years? “Problem?” I squeaked.

Principal Pelli nodded, slipping his glasses back on his nose. “I’ve sat in on a few of the Smitten Kittens’ practices, Tessa. Things are not looking good. Coach Taylor is concerned.”

“He shouldn’t be. Kira is completely capable and—”

“I know she’s your friend.” Principal Pelli held up his hand to stop me. “But last routine, they had to call an ambulance after Izzie fell during a lift.”

“Human pyramid,” I corrected.

He raised his eyebrows.

“Sorry. You were saying?” I wasn’t sure what exactly Principal Pelli wanted from me. I wasn’t the captain.

“Listen, Tessa,” he said in a quiet voice. “The squad has been very popular over the last few years, bringing in tons of revenue from the games. Lord knows the team wasn’t attracting the crowds,” he mumbled.

The Wildcats had been on a three-year losing streak until they’d made Aiden point guard for his senior year. I smiled. He was so athletically gifted.

“But after last season’s playoff debacle,” Principal Pelli continued, “things haven’t been the same. The Smitten Kittens don’t inspire the image we want for the school, and they definitely aren’t preselling many tickets. Part of that is due to your hasty exit, and part is due to Kira’s inexperience. If I don’t see some changes quickly, I’m going to have to ask her to step down.” He paused before delivering the final blow. “I need your help.”

My face grew hot as embarrassment washed over me. It was one thing for my personal trainer and hairdresser to know about my meltdown in center court last year, but it was something completely different for the principal—the education chief of staff—to call what happened a debacle. I mean, he was right. But it still stung.

“How can I help?” I asked quietly.

“I want you back on the squad. I want you to make sure that the homecoming game goes off without a hitch. Or an ambulance. It’s our biggest game of the season.”

I shook my head, confused. “But sir, I’m not on the squad anymore. I can’t just… show up in uniform.”

“Can’t you?”

I looked down into my lap, perplexed by this new turn of events. I’d given the power to Kira. It wouldn’t be right for me to just take it away without letting her have a real shot. Besides, it wasn’t totally my decision. Smitten Kitten rules would require a vote. “No,” I said, meeting his gaze. “I can’t.”

He exhaled loudly. “Then I’m sorry, but I—”

“However,” I interrupted, holding up my index finger. “I
will
sit in on the practices and help the squad put together some cheers for the game.”

He smiled, looking relieved. “Thank you, Tessa.”

I nodded and stood up. My anxiety returned as I began to consider how I would tell Kira about this conversation, but then I decided that maybe it was best if I didn’t. Kira wasn’t great with pressure. And it would be totally natural for me to show up more, given the recent turn of events.

Yeah, Kira and stress didn’t mix. Last time we went to our annual cheer competition, she’d puked in her megaphone during the finals. It was horrific.

After closing the principal’s door behind me, I passed through the front office. Peggy was giving me a wayward glance—like maybe she’d been listening over the intercom the entire time. I tried to look cheerful, but the pain in my back made me pause mid-step.

“Everything okay?” Peggy asked. I winced but forced a smile.

“Peachy.” Truth was, I felt sourer than I wanted to admit.

 

When lunch arrived, I found out that the Smitten Kittens were having a squad meeting (that I wasn’t invited to), and I was left to hurry through my test, then plop down in the cafeteria among the smells of processed meat and steamed corn. It wasn’t a really great day, and now I only had a few minutes to regroup.

“Hey, Tessa,” Chris Townsend said, coming to stand at the end of the lunch table.

I turned in my seat, surprised to feel more than a little relieved. Sitting by yourself was rather humiliating, especially when the word around campus was that I was a desperate ex-Kitten who still hooked up with her ex-boyfriend (sort of).

“Hi,” I replied, motioning for Chris to sit down. He offered me a flawless smile as he eased onto the seat. His cologne was a bit stronger than I preferred, but his adorable button-up shirt made up for that. I was trying really hard to notice the little things about people. The barista at Starbucks said it’d be good for me.

“So I was wondering,” he said quietly. “Would you come to my party Saturday after next? If not, it’s totally cool. I just—”

“Oh…” I hadn’t been expecting that. It wasn’t like I had plans, but—

“Party?” Izzie squealed, appearing suddenly and plopping down in the seat next to Chris. She looked positively elated. I knew I’d been out of the loop for while, but it seemed odd for her to be that pleased. Izzie didn’t really like jocks. “Is it a costume party?” She beamed. “I love those.”

“No…” he said slowly.

“Tessa will be there,” Leona said, walking over to sit across from us. Her lips were dark red, making her resemble a fifties pinup model. It was a fabulous look for her! I hoped this meant she’d worked things out with Marco.

“I will?” I darted a glance around the table just as Leona kicked my shoe.

“Yes,” she said through gritted teeth. “We’ll all be there.”

“Awesome.” Chris grinned, looking completely stoked that it’d been decided. I felt a little uneasy but forced back a tight smile. I liked to leave my weekends open in case Aiden came to town.

“Sounds great.”

I waited until he was gone and crossing the crowded lunchroom before turning to face Leona. “What was that about?”

Leona popped a stick of gum in her mouth, looking bored. “You’ll see,” she said with a wink.

Izzie giggled from next to me. They were definitely up to something, but it would have to wait. My phone vibrated in my pocket.

Holy Macintosh! It was Mary again. Before I could decide what to do, the ringing stopped. Had she hung up? Hm. Maybe she’d misdialed. I decided to wait to see if she’d call back. It could have been considered stalling, since I had no idea what I’d tell her about SOS or cheerleading, but I liked to think of it as proper etiquette. Oprah once pointed out that a person should plan what they’re going to say before speaking up. And Oprah was never wrong.

After lunch, Izzie and Leona went to the library for study hall as I slowly made my way to sociology class. I was halfway to my locker when I heard it—a new rumor. I only caught pieces of the story as I walked, but it still made me stop cold in my tracks.

It was Robert Bullard. SOS (the real one) had caught him last year, cheating on his girlfriend with her cousin. It had been a really messy assignment. Lots of stakeouts, lots of…positions. Gross. Sometimes I hated thinking about those days.

I glided over to the right side of the hall and bent down, pretending to take a drink from the water fountain as I listened.

“Yeah,” he said, his nasally voice tinged with anger. “Apparently some bitches put together a website about cheating boyfriends.”

I choked on the water.

“No way.” Robert’s friend Shane rubbed at his pimply chin. “Wait. That would totally explain that break-in!”

“Yep.” Robert shook his head. “Heard about that. Some dude’s computer got fucked. Then there was this list of guys posted on the internet. Something called the ‘Naughty List.’ ” He scoffed.

“And no one knows who’s behind it?”

I gulped, my breath coming out in gasps. The copy-Kitten must have done something. A…website? I was about to hyperventilate.

“Nope,” Robert said. I sighed with relief. “But they call themselves SOS.”

“Oh, shit, man!” Shane said. “Do you think that’s how Melinda found out about you last year?”

“Probably,” Robert said, looking angry. As if SOS was the problem and not his cheating. “Like you said, it explains a lot. All I know is whoever it is, they’re going down.”

“I’m with you, bro.” Shane reached out to slap hands with him.

I straightened, my heart in my throat, and backed away from the fountain. Just as I was about to hurry down the hall, Robert called out to me.

“Hey, Tessa,” he said, his voice making goose bumps crawl across my flesh. (Once you’d heard someone talk dirty, even the most innocent remarks felt tainted.)

“Hi,” I replied, forcing a smile.

Robert grinned as Shane ogled me. “Heard about you and Aiden,” he said. “That’s too bad; he’s a real good guy.”

I couldn’t tell if he was being honest or checking to see if he had the go-ahead to ask me out. By the pervy smirk on his lips, I decided it was the latter.

“Thanks. I’ll tell him you said so.”

His smile faltered. “Cool,” he answered, nodding. “Well, see you around.”

My heart was still racing. They’d just been talking about SOS. They
knew
there was an SOS. And now it was just a matter of time until they found out the Smitten Kittens had started it! My fingers began to tremble, and I started to walk down the hall.

“By the way,” Robert called after me. “The squad sucks now. You were the best one.”

“And the hottest,” Shane added, and they both chuckled.

I swallowed hard and raised my hand in a gesture of acknowledgment, blinking back my tears. SOS was out. Now all of our tails were on the chopping block.

I wasn’t feeling emotionally stable enough to endure Mr. Rothstein’s latest sociology rant—probably a lesson on ethics again or the cruelty of popularity in today’s society. Instead of heading to class, I took out my phone and dialed Aiden’s dorm room.

“Please answer,” I murmured, feeling the flood of tears that was about to break through me.

“Hey, it’s Aiden. I’m not here, so leave a message.”

My heart nearly crumbled. I needed him. Right now. “Aiden, it’s me,” I said into the phone, my voice cracking. “When you get this, can you call me back? It’s an emergency.” He wasn’t answering. Seemed like lately, he was never there when I needed him.

“Hey, Tess.”

I jumped and spun around, clutching my phone like a weapon. “Joel!”

He laughed, holding up his hands as he stepped back. “Um… have you been taking a lot of self-defense classes lately? Because you’re starting to scare me. You’re like Master Tessa with the kung fu phone.”

I smiled, breathing deeply to calm myself down. At least my back spasm had temporarily disappeared. “More grasshopper than master.”

“Naw. You’re a total black belt.” Joel checked his watch and glanced back at me. “You’re late,” he said. “Were you calling for a ride or something?”

I knitted my eyebrows. “Ride? Oh, no. I was desperately trying to get a hold of Aiden.” Suddenly the worry came back over me. SOS. People knew.

“Kira told me you and Aiden broke up,” Joel said.

“Sort of.” I really wished people would stop pointing that out. I mean, did I go around making verbal observations about anyone else’s love life? Or “sort of” love life?

“Sounds complicated,” Joel said, making a face. “And I think complicated”—he leaned toward me—“kinda bites.”

I nodded. “Believe me, it does.”

We both sighed at the same time and looked at each other. “Jinx?” he asked.

“No, I think we have to say the same thing for it to be a jinx. Sighs don’t count—”

“Don’t count—” He broke in to finish my sentence.

We both paused. “Jinx.” We laughed.

“Okay,” he said. “Don’t talk yet. What were you desperately in need of? Now, I’m no Aiden Wilder—mostly because I suck at sports—but maybe I can be of service in another way. I’m a good listener.…”

My smile faded. I needed Aiden. I had major life drama to deal with. First, Principal Pelli’s ultimatum with the squad and then the SOS outing—which would most certainly lead to a Smitten Kittens outing, eventually ending in social upheaval. It was almost too much. I wanted to talk to someone, but I didn’t think Kira’s boyfriend was the obvious choice.