SVH06-Dangerous Love (7 page)

"I'm sorry, Enid. I didn't mean it. I wasn't mad at you. I guess I'm still just freaked out about the whole motorcycle thing."

"Okay. Because, I mean, I know how you feel about it

and everything, but I always kind of thought it would be fun, so when he asked,

I--"

"It's okay. Really," Elizabeth interrupted, not wanting to dwell on the episode any longer. "No apology necessary. I'm glad you had fun."

"Really," Enid said, eyeing her dubiously.

"I swear! I'm just in a weird mood," Elizabeth replied, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Want to talk about it?" Enid asked.

"Not really. Actually, it would be really cool if we could talk about basically anything else," Elizabeth said hopefully.

"Okay. What about Spanish?" Enid asked, spearing a few curls of macaroni with her plastic fork. "Wanna study for the quiz together on Thursday?"

"Sure."

Elizabeth was temporarily distracted as she saw Jessica and Lila crossing the patio with their trays and she remembered Jessica's obsession with Enid's cousin Brian. Jess had practically ruptured something on the ride to school when she'd heard that Elizabeth had yet to ask Enid about it. Liz figured she might as well bring it up then. If she waited too long, Jessica might try approaching Enid about it herself, and that would not go over well.

"Hey, Enid. I have a favor to ask," Elizabeth began.

"What's up?" Enid wiped her mouth with her napkin.

"Do you think you could set up Brian and Jessica for your party?" Elizabeth asked quickly, then held her breath.

Enid stared at her, as if waiting for the punch line. "You have got to be kidding me," she said finally.

"Actually, I'm not," Elizabeth said. "Come on. It's only one night. And Brian would have a great time with Jessica."

"I'm sure he would. What guy wouldn't?" Enid said wryly. "But there's no way I'm subjecting a family member to Jessica Wakefield. Not after what she did to me."

Elizabeth took a deep breath and leaned her arms on the table. "I know it was awful. I do. But it all worked out for the best in the end, right? At least you found out what Ronnie was really like before you guys got too serious. And you're with George now."

Enid snorted a laugh. "That is so not the point. I spent hours crying alone in my room. Everyone was talking about me. It was the worst few weeks of my life. And Jessica never even said she was sorry. Besides, I thought she was going out with Danny Stauffer."

"I don't think she's that serious about him," Elizabeth mumbled miserably. Especially after he didn't stand up for himself at the diner, she added silently.

"Well, Brian's not going to be her next distraction," Enid said firmly. "I'm sorry."

Elizabeth had known this was going to happen, but it didn't stop her from wanting to make one final pitch. She was about to try again when Todd rushed over and planted a hasty kiss on her temple.

"Hey, Liz. Enid," he said, adjusting the strap of his backpack on his shoulder.

"Hey! What's the rush?" Elizabeth asked.

"I have a lot to do," he replied. "I just came over to say hi before I grab some food. I've gotta get back to the library."

Elizabeth's heart sank as she thought of the last time she had seen him in the library. But she forced the feeling aside. "The project?"

"What else?" he said, rolling his eyes. "It's been harder than we expected. I'm so sorry, but Mandy and Winston are waiting for me up there. We really have to narrow-down our focus."

"It's okay. I get it," Elizabeth said.

"Cool. I'll see you guys later," Todd said. Then he gave Elizabeth's hand a squeeze before running off to join the lunch line.

Enid watched him go before turning back to Elizabeth, who was staring into space, trying not to think about Mandy Farmer. At least Winston would be

with them. No atmosphere had ever been romantic with Winston "Goofball" Egbert around.

"Hey. Are you all right?" Enid asked her.

"Yeah. Fine. Why?" Elizabeth said, snapping to.

"You went all white when Todd mentioned the project," Enid said, looking concerned. "You're not, like, jealous of Mandy or something, are you?"

Elizabeth sighed, feeling foolish. "Kind of?"

"What? Why? It's just a school project," Enid said.

"I know! I know this," Elizabeth said. "It's just. .. it's the stupid motorcycle."

"Okay. Now I'm confused," Enid said. "What about the motorcycle?"

"He drove Mandy to the Valley Diner on it yesterday and everyone saw them. And then you this morning... That's why I snapped at you," Elizabeth admitted, avoiding eye contact. "I was jealous."

"Of me?" Enid asked, baffled.

"No. Not really. Not of you. Not in that way. I mean, I know you would never try to snag Todd or anything. I was just jealous of the fact that Todd has this thing that you and everyone else can share with him that I can't," Elizabeth said, putting her head in her hands. "God, I am such a loser. What is wrong with me?"

"Liz, I'm so sorry. If I'd known, I swear I would have turned him down," Enid said in a rush.

"Please! That's just it! You didn't do anything wrong," Elizabeth said, feeling desperate. "It's the bike. I'm letting this dumb bike come between me and Todd. I just wish he had never bought the stupid thing. I wish everything could just go back to normal."

CHAPTER 6

Elizabeth closed her locker and found Guy Chesney leaning against the wall, his hands shoved into the front pockets of his baggy, beat-up jeans.

"I guess," she said. "Seems like that's what everyone else is doing."

"Cool," Guy said with a smile. "Well, do you want a ride? I just saw Jessica take off with Cara, and Todd mentioned something about you not riding with him, so ..."

Elizabeth swallowed the lump in her throat at the thought of Todd advertising the fact that she wasn't

getting on the back of his bike. It was the truth, after all. Why shouldn't he be allowed to talk about it?

"Yeah. Thanks," Elizabeth said with a smile. "It's better than taking the downtown bus, right?"

"I hope so," Guy said with a laugh.

They started down the hallway together, Elizabeth struggling with her huge pile of books. Guy, as always, was carrying nothing but his guitar case. Elizabeth wasn't sure if she'd ever seen him with more than a notebook in his hand. How did he manage to pass any of his classes?

"Want me to take those for you?" he offered, his long brown hair falling forward.

"That's all right. I've got it," Elizabeth said. "So, how's everything with Valley of Death?"

"Good," Guy replied, nodding. His whole lanky body seemed to bob when he moved his head. "I've been working on some new songs and Dana's actually been seeing a vocal coach, so she has this whole new register we can work with."

"That's great," Elizabeth said, righting her English anthology before it could slide off the stack. "I'm glad you guys didn't split up over that whole manager thing."

"Yeah, well, I guess that wasn't our big break after all," Guy said with a good-natured shrug.

"Don't worry. It's coming," Elizabeth assured him.

"Sooner or later you guys'll be on the cover of Rotting Stone. Maybe I'll even get to write the article," she joked.

Guy grinned as he shoved open the front door and held it for her. "That'd be cool. I never really thanked you for all those pieces you wrote about us for The Oracle."

"Not a problem. It's kind of my job."

"Still. I thought it was really cool of you. And it totally helped. We might have been playing to empty houses if it wasn't for the free publicity you gave us," Guy said, looking her in the eye.

Elizabeth smiled in return, but for some reason, she was starting to feel oddly off-kilter. The way Guy was looking at her, all his polite gestures... Was something going on that she didn't know about? They arrived at Guy's Subaru Outback, the trunk and rear seat of which were packed with amps, mixing boards, and random equipment.

"Wow. You take that stuff with you everywhere?" Elizabeth asked as he opened the passenger-side door for her.

"We have rehearsal later," he said. "I'm headed over to Max's after I grab some food."

Elizabeth placed her books on the floor of the front seat, then climbed in. Guy closed the door for her and whistled as he walked around to the driver's side. He was

so much more relaxed and confident than he'd been the last time she'd talked to him-nothing like the tightly wound, nervous musician who was ready to explode anytime one of his group members hit a wrong note.

Guy got in and started the car. He steered out of the parking lot with his left hand while he rested his right arm atop the back edge of the front seat--very close to the back of Liz's neck. The silence started to make her tense, so as he pulled onto Main, she decided to try to make some small talk.

"So, you're playing Enid's party, right?" she asked.

Guy nodded. "That's our next gig. You and Todd going together?"

"Yep. As always." Elizabeth looked out the window, watching the other cars roll by.

"Lucky man," Guy said jovially.

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked, glancing at him.

"Just that he's lucky to have a girl like you."

Elizabeth blushed. "Oh. Thanks," she said, feeling awkward.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." As long as it's not what I'm doing Friday night, she thought.

"What's the deal? I mean, why aren't you riding with him?"

Elizabeth's stomach tightened. He was only about the

eighth person who had asked her that question that day, and she was getting tired of explaining herself. Besides, it wasn't as if she and Guy were best friends. It was none of his business.

"Personal reasons," she said tersely.

Guy glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Sounds like you're not too happy about it."

Elizabeth squirmed as they came to a red light, and she wished that it would change already and shorten the drive.

"I'm fine."

"Well, just so you know ... if you ever need a ride anywhere, let me know," Guy said. He let his arm slip a little, just enough so that it rested on Elizabeth's shoulder. "I'm there."

Elizabeth sat forward and picked up her bag, feigning a sudden need for Chap Stick. "I'll be fine," she said. "I do have a car."

"Just saying," Guy replied as the light turned green.

Soon Elizabeth could no longer think of a reason to be sitting forward and she had to lean back again. The second she did, Guy's hand clasped her shoulder.

"A car can be a lot more fun than a motorcycle," he said suggestively.

Ew. Elizabeth thought. "Thanks, but no thanks," she

said firmly. She reached back, lifted his hand, and placed it on the center console.

"Whatever you say," Guy said, seemingly unperturbed by her rejection.

Finally, the Valley Diner came into view and Elizabeth unbuckled her seat belt before Guy even pulled into the parking lot. Suddenly, she couldn't get out of his car fast enough. She was more than relieved when she saw that Todd was already there, leaning against his bike, waiting for her.

"Thanks for the ride," she blurted out, swinging the door open. She managed to gather all her stuff in record time and slammed the door with her leg before Guy even killed the engine.

"Hey!" she said to Todd, feeling flustered by what had just transpired. Todd must have immediately read her expression, because he stood up straight and his eyes flicked past her toward Guy.

"What's wrong?" he asked, reaching for her. He put one hand on her waist in a comforting way and slipped her books from her arms with the other.

"Nothing. Nothing," she said, giving him a quick kiss. "I'm just glad to see you."

"You sure?" he asked, eyeing Guy suspiciously. "You look upset. How'd you end up with Guy?"

"'Jessica forgot about me, as always," Elizabeth explained. "Come on. Let's just go inside. I'm starved."

Truthfully, she felt seminaixseated after Guy's too-forward signals, but she just wanted to forget about the whole thing. Inside, Elizabeth and Todd snagged a booth for two and settled in. Todd ordered a burger and root beer and Elizabeth said she would have the same. After making small talk for a few minutes, she sat back and blew out a sigh.

"Okay. What's really going on?" Todd asked her. "What were you doing in Chesney's car?"

"Nothing," Elizabeth protested, toying with the salt-shaker. "I told you. He offered me a ride. How else was I supposed to get here?"

"Well, I don't like it," Todd muttered, taking a sip of his water.

"Don't like what?" Elizabeth asked.

"Seeing you in a car with another guy," he said, looking at her directly.

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Oh. My. God. You're jealous!"

"No, I'm not," Todd said as their food arrived.

"You so are!" Elizabeth said gleefully. "Look at you! You're all red."

Todd shook his head and snorted. "All right, all right. Will you keep it down? Maybe I am, a little. But why do you have to be so happy about it?"

Elizabeth giggled. "Sorry, I just ... I think one of those cartoon lightbulbs just went on over my head."

"Okay," Todd said grumpily.

"No! It's just, you made me see how insane I've been the past couple of days," Elizabeth said, taking a bite of her burger.

"Insane? About what?" Todd asked, his brown eyes puzzled.

"About that thing out there." Elizabeth gestured at the window and his bike parked outside.

"You mean my bike? I thought we already cleared that up," he said.

"I thought so too, until I saw you driving Mandy around. And then Enid this morning."

Todd looked at Elizabeth, his brow creased in confusion. Then, suddenly, understanding lit his eyes.

"Are you trying to tell me you were jealous too?" he said. He laughed. "You have to be kidding me. Like anyone could ever come close to you. You should know better.

Elizabeth's heart warmed. "And you should know I'd never go for Guy Chesney," she said, wrinkling her nose. "All I did was catch a ride with him."

"And all Mandy and Enid did was catch a ride with me," Todd said.