Page 73 of It's in the Contract
Luckily today is Friday,and I have the weekend to recover and think of a plan. I can win the crown and keep Zeke’s friendship. I can.
After school, Suzy, Zeke, and I took Mia to the aquarium. Troy and Dana came along, and we had a blast. I even posted a few pictures of all of us to my Instagram page, still reminding people that the voting’s not done, though I doubt it will do any good at this point. I need to shake things up in my strategy, but how?
Now Suzy presses the doorbell to Zeke’s house with me standing right behind her. Troy is taking Dana on a date tonight—I think they’re going axe-throwing— so it will be just us three for Chick-Flick-Friday.
Suzy charges into Zeke’s house after he answers the door, her arms full of movie treats. I walk in right behind her, feelingconflicted about being here. My parents—Mom especially—want me to stay away from Zeke.
I take off my shoes in the entryway and check my reflection in the small mirror hanging among the many family pictures. I take a deep breath.
Zeke leads Suzy inside, and she finds the couch immediately. “Nice place.” Suzy unpacks our bags of treats onto the couch. I follow her past the kitchen into the living room. The house smells like chili powder and tomatoes, and I wonder if Caroline made tacos for dinner.
“I brought the movie!” Suzy pulls out the ancient DVD from her purse, and we both squeal.
“Should I be worried?” Zeke asks, finding a seat on the couch in between the snacks.
Suzy and I smile at each other.
“It’s the best movie ever,” I say. “You’ll love it.”
Zeke looks at the cover while Suzy and I finish unpacking the snacks. “This movie is old!”
I laugh. “It’s a classic.”
Suzy holds up a gallon zip-loc bag, stuffed full of popcorn. “Air-popped popcorn from my dad, no butter no salt.”
“Bleh.” I toss the bag on the counter.
“Sour patch watermelons for Callie,” Suzy throws me my bag.
“Yes!” I tear it open and pop one in my mouth. Ecstasy.
“You like these?” Zeke asks. “They’re way too sour.”
“She’s a weirdo,” Suzy says. “Peanut butter M&Ms for me, and, Zeke, I wasn’t sure what you would like so I got some barbecue chips, some Twizzlers, and some double stuff Oreos.”
“Oreos, please,” Zeke says. Suzy passes him the package. “If Mia comes downstairs, hide the sugar,” Zeke warns. “She turns into a gremlin if she eats too many sweets.”
We get the movie going, and somehow I end up in the middle of the couch, between Suzy and Zeke. There’s plenty of roomso no one’s touching, but it feels . . . I don’t know. Weird. I’m probably overthinking it.
The opening scenes roll through, and Suzy whispers to Zeke, “Be prepared. Callie can’t help herself. She talks through every movie, especially ones she loves.”
“Hey!” I say. “I do not.”
Suzy gives me a flat look. “You do.”
Zeke laughs. “I don’t mind.”
“Well, Suzy will be asleep within twenty minutes,” I say. “Twenty-five, max.”
Suzy hurls an M&M at me, and it bounces off of my forehead and lands on the couch. “If I fall asleep, it’s only because tennis practice is exhausting me.”
On the screen, Sandra Bullock is telling us about her family’s past holidays and how her uncle always fell asleep in the mac n’ cheese.
I dig out the M&M before it can melt and chuck it back at Suzy. “When’s the tournament again?”
Suzy grins. “See? It’s already begun.”
“The movie’s barely getting started!” I protest. “I just asked you a question.”
