Page 22 of Overdue

“Oh, okay.” Walking around the desk, she opens the door. I gather up the new book and follow her out almost running into her back when she stops abruptly. The library is full of people all watching the office door.

“We weren’t having sex,” I blurt out. No need to have that rumor started.

“Why would you say that?” Austen hisses. She spins around and smacks me on the chest. Okay, so the sisters do have more in common than I thought. “Why?”

“I-” I what? What can I possibly say to fix this?

I’m now getting a mix of looks ranging from incensed to interested, depending on the age of the onlooker. The few men in the library just looked amused. Probably glad I’m the one that’s fucked up this time and not them. Even Eliot is laughing. Stupid, crappy friend.

“Just go,” Austen says.

“I’m sorry.”

“Now.” She points toward the front door with her arm fully extended.

“Bet you wish you had one of your blueberry pies,” I say.

“Reed!” Did the corner of her mouth quirk up slightly? I see a victory. You know, minus the whole announcement about the lack of office sex.

“I’m going.” I hold up my hands in surrender and back away from her.

“Smooth move,” Eliot says as I walk by her.

“Hey, how many other guys do you know would announce to half the town that he’s not getting any? I have to get some brownie points based on that degradation alone. Besides, she didn’t ban me from returning. I call that a win.”

“Way to stay positive, buddy,” Eliot smirks.

Whatever. Leaving the library, I can’t help but laugh. The situation is now becoming ridiculous. Austen is just the girl from down the street. I’ve spent years discharging live ordinance for cripes’ sake. Surely, I can figure out how to gain control of this problem.

* * *

AUSTEN

“What kind of maniac just blurts that out in front of everyone?” I moan, as Eliot and I walk to lunch. We both agreed that, after that spectacle, we would settle for pizza. In my case, it’s more like stomp to lunch. “I mean, really, what is his problem?” Grabbing the door handle to the pizza café, I jerk so hard it’s a wonder I don’t wrench it from the hinges.

“It was kind of funny.”

“No, Eliot. Don’t defend him. He’s going to get me fired, pulling a stunt like that.”

“You won’t get fired,” Eliot answered, rolling her eyes. “Where else would this town find a qualified head librarian? Besides, the whole town is Team Reed. Everyone adores him. Well, everyone but the one person he wants to.”

“Why can’t he just get control of that mouth?”

“Please.” That makes two eye rolls from Eliot. One more and I can’t be held responsible for my actions. “I wish I had a hot, dreamy guy who pulled out all the stops to win me.”

“It’s like he’s asking me to prom all over again,” I complain. I take an angry bite of pizza. “You remember that, don’t you?”

Eliot laughs. “How can anyone forget that? Not his best moment. Or yours, for that matter.”

* * *

I’ve almost made it through my sophomore year. I’m finally old enough to go to prom. Rumor has it that one of the cutest seniors in town is going to ask me.

Of course, I’ll need to play indifferent. No one of my level of sophistication would act excited about prom. I, of the cigarette smoking, party attending, and occasional beret-wearing variety, will not go all debutant just because some boy deems me worthy of asking to a dance.

I’m standing by my locker when it happens. It isn’t exactly the grand romantic gesture that loosely involves signs, streamers, and the white horse I’d hoped for.

Chad Weston is the hottest guy in school, next to Reed anyway. He saunters over to the locker and leans up against it.

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