Page 19 of A Good Book

Ugh! He was a music major which was the opposite of bad to the bone.

As I studied for my Developmental Psychology test and ate Wheat Thins, the phone rang. I didn’t bother to get up to answer it. No one called me, except for my parents. But it was Thursday, and they only called on Saturdays.

Olivia hightailed it off her bed to answer it. Her Walkman crashed to the floor. Luckily it landed on the hot pink rug. “Hello? Oh, yeah, she’s right here. Gabby, it’s for you.” She held her hand over the receiver and whispered, “It’s a guy.”

“Ben?” I said, stopping short of rolling my eyes.

She shook her head, handing me the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Gabby, it’s Matt.”

I sucked in a breath like a newborn baby, and I wanted to scream like one, too, as I mouthed, “It’s Matt,” to Olivia.

Her eyes widened.

“Hey,” I said without losing it.

“My two roommates and I are having a party at our house tomorrow night. Do you have plans? If not, you should come.”

I slapped a hand over my mouth and jumped up and down.

Olivia giggled. “What? What did he say?”

I shook my head and pressed a finger to my lips to shush her, then I cleared my throat. “Um, yeah. That sounds fun.”

I wasdying.

“Great. Do you have something to jot down my address?”

I scrambled, pulling on the phone cord to snag a pen from my desk. “Okay,” I said, uncapping the pen with my teeth and writing his address on my forearm. “Got it,” I mumbled, spitting the cap out of my mouth.

“Bring Ben and your roommate, if you want.”

“Um, okay.” I turned in one direction and then the other, trying to pace the room while the phone cord tangled around me.

“It starts at seven, but you can come anytime.”

I nodded as if he could see me.

“See ya.”

“Bye.” I hung up the phone. “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! OH MY GOSH!” I jumped up and down, sending the phone flying to the floor as the receiver dangled from my arm.

“Dude, take a chill pill.” Olivia untangled me and hung up the phone.

I grabbed her arms. “Matt is having a party tomorrow night, and he invited ME!”

“Oh my god! Schweet!” She joined in my jubilant celebration with a squeal and manic jumping up and down. “What are you going to wear? Do you think his girlfriend will be there? Oh my god, Gabby! What if she’s not? He’s going to kiss you. No, he’s going to do more than kiss you.” She threw open the closet door and rifled through my things. “We have to find something for you to wear. You have to look fantabulous.” She stepped back and deflated. “But it’s none of this crap. Why do you dress like Holly Hobbie?”

“Okay. Okay. Okay.” I blew out a long breath. “You and Ben are invited too, but I don’t know if I want you there. No offense.”

She frowned.

“It’s just that if you’re there, then he’ll know I have someone to talk to, but if you’re not there, then he’ll probably keep me at his side and introduce me to all of his friends.”

“Unless his girlfriend is there.”

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