Page 27 of The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back

Off to my right I saw Scott's silver sedan pulling up. He and Mercedes got out of their car and started walking toward school.

"There she is. We have to get out. Hurry!" I struggled with my seatbelt, too anxious to exact some well-deserved payback. "What is wrong with this stupid thing?" Jake calmly leaned over and pushed the button, instantly releasing it. I had no time to be embarrassed. Mercedes had to see us together.

I shoved the door open and jumped out, slamming it shut behind me. I'd hoped the noise would get her attention. It didn't. "She doesn't see me. Oh no. I'm missing my chance!"

Jake called out, "Scott! Mercedes!" and waved.

A bag of chips and a two-liter soda while playing poker yesterday with Jake: $6.98.

One deck of cards to play poker with: $1.99.

Winning the poker bet and seeing the look on Mercedes Bentley's face as I stood with Jake Kingston next to his car? Abso-freaking-lutely priceless. Mercedes had her arm through Scott's, but now she dropped her arm slowly and just stared at us. She looked totally shocked.

This was where I admit to being greedy and a tad manipulative and just a little ruthless, but it was Jake Kingston! I had to be forgiven for what I was about to do.

I don't know where this insane courage came from, but I actually said, "Can I ask you for a weird favor? You can totally say no and don't have to, but would you mind hugging me for a second?"

By now I think Jake found the whole thing hilarious. "Sure."

He enveloped me in a mixture of strong arms, warmth, and that insanely awesome Jake smell. I could have died. A little part of me wanted to turn and see Mercedes's face now, but all the rest of me wanted to cling to him like this was the Titanic and he was my life preserver.

Then the most amazing, incredible, unbelievable, fantastic thing happened.

Jakekissedme on the cheek. Actually put his lips against my cheek. My skin flamed up where he touched me and my knees threatened to buckle. I felt his warm breath against my ear and shivered. "How's that for icing on the cake?" he whispered.

He pulled back with a huge amused smile and I worried about my ability to stay vertical.

"Same time tomorrow, right?" he asked, throwing his bag over his shoulder. He smiled again and walked over to join his friends.

I wished I could have made some clever comment over my shoulder, tossed my hair saucily and sauntered off. Instead I made a sound like, "Gagrsnarf," and for the second time that morning, stood frozen in complete shock with my hand over my cheek and my heart racing.

I continued to stand there long after the parking lot had emptied, reliving the moment over and over again.

I told myself that if I didn't move soon, I was going to be late to first period.

Chapter 11

I was late to first period.

After calculus I went and officially declared my candidacy. The advisor already knew that I planned to run thanks to Ella's hard work. She hadn't been kidding when she said she had already started. In the main hallway, she managed to charm a janitor into hanging up signs from the rafters. The first one in each series would say "Vote," the second one "for" and the third "Mattie Lowe." I noticed people pointing at them.

She had also gone out into the courtyard and covered the entire ground in different colored chalk with "Mattie Lowe for President."

Then she had put up posters we had worked on together that had this picture of me that is one of the few that I actually liked where I sort of resembled Jennifer Garner in that show she used to be on where she was the spy and had the fuchsia hair (admittedly, where I got my current hair color inspiration from). We kept it simple. No clever little catch phrases (which I always found annoying)—just vote for Mattie.

Ella was amazing.

Then I would think again about that morning and the feel of Jake's lips on my cheek and get all fluttery and flustered.

Jake was amazing.

Everything just seemed so right, so perfect.

Life was amazing.

I couldn't remember the last time I had felt this happy.

Unfortunately, the universe had no intention of letting things stay that way.

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