I nod, give my Old Navy jeans and black velour zip-up hoodie a final once-over, making sure I'm in Rachel mode after The Ellen Degeneres Show (it was so nice to dress up in a Nicole Miller multicolored satin slip dress for an appearance), and open the car door. Rodney zooms away by the time I've reached the doorbell. Seconds later, Austin's mom opens the battered white screen door.
"You must be Rachel," she greets me warmly. Mrs. Meyers is wearing an apron that says #1 MOM over her khakis and red polo shirt. She wipes her hands on the apron and holds one out to me. "It's nice to meet you. Excuse my greasy palms. I'm making cookies."
Wow, a mom who bakes. "It's nice to meet you too," I say shyly. "I'm here to study with Austin." She has his sandy blond hair, only hers is tied back in a wispy ponytail.
"Hey!" Austin appears in the doorway. He's rubbing a towel over his wet head. "I just got back from lacrosse a little while ago. I had to shower."
I nod, trying not to blush as I notice his toned abs through his damp white t-shirt.
His mom shakes her head. "Austin, you never sit still. You two yell down if you're hungry." She disappears into the kitchen.
"Thanks. It was nice meeting you," I call after her.
"We can study in my room," Austin tells me, leading the way up the worn carpeted stairs. "Let me just introduce you to my sister first." He knocks on the first door at the top of the stairs.
"Come in!" a voice yells.
Austin opens the door and peeks inside. A young girl, around the age of eleven, looks up from the book she's reading on her stuffed-animal-strewn bed and smiles. Her mouth is full of braces. "Hey," she murmurs shyly. With short dark brown hair, she doesn't look anything like Austin, except for her similarly striking turquoise eyes.
"Hi," I reply nervously, as if I'm being studied. "I'm your brother's friend Rachel."
"We're going to be studying in my room, Hayley," Austin says. "Come down if you need any help with your homework." She nods and gives us another metal smile. Austin shuts the door.
"Your sister is so cute," I muse. "I wish my brother was always that quiet."
"I thought you were an only child," Austin comments as we walk to the end of the hallway.
"Yeah, well, I am," I correct myself quickly. "I meant my cousin, Matty. He's like my brother, we spend so much time together. He's always following me around and wanting me to help him with stuff and he's never happy no matter how much I do so ..."
"Wow, come up for air!" Austin laughs, opening the door to his bedroom. "I've never heard you talk so much."
His room looks exactly how I'd pictured it, with lacrosse posters on the wall and sports equipment everywhere. There's also dirty clothing on the floor, much like my own room at home, before Anita's had a chance to clean it.
I feel my cheeks flush. "I have a bad habit of babbling," I admit sheepishly. "I've got to work on that."
Austin pulls a second chair up to his narrow old oak desk. I walk over and put my messenger bag down. That's when I see the picture hanging above the desk. It's from one of those fan magazines, and it's of... me. I'm wearing an ivory midriff-baring peasant top and jeans, and my hair is wind blown. It was for my Allure cover.
Austin catches me staring and now it's his turn to become beet red. "My sister gave me the picture," he explains. "She loves Family Affair. I just think, um, Kaitlin Burke is hot."
I don't know what to say. This is surreal. Austin thinks the real me is hot. Hearing Austin's confession makes my legs buckle. Sure, fans, interviewers, and magazines have complimented me before, but this is the first time I've ever really believed it. I think I have to sit down.
Austin sighs. "I don't know why I can't lie to you," he complains when I quietly drop into the beat-up wooden chair next to him. "Okay the truth is, I do watch Family Affair. My sister got me hooked. Can you believe it? The captain of the lacrosse team hooked on a soap opera!" He shakes his damp head. "If the guys on the team found out, they'd never let me live it down."
The thought hits me like a lightning bolt. If Austin were just another open-mouthed fan asking for my autograph, would I have noticed him when I finished signing his scrap of paper? How many other cute guys have I passed up because I didn't take the time to stop and really pay attention? But then again, even if I did notice a hot guy, how would I know if he was really interested in me, or my celebrity?
That's the cool part about being Rachel. I know, however odd it may seem, that Austin is truly interested in what I, or rather Rachel, has to say. For once, "Kaitlin's" face isn't getting in the way.
"You better help me do a good job on my history project or I'll blackmail you," I joke.
"You're funny," Austin says. "I haven't met a lot of girls like you before."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I ask.
"Both," he teases. "You're really laid back, which is awesome. So many of the girls I know are hung up on money and what designer they're wearing or what car they're going to buy when they get their license." He rolls his eyes. "You don't seem hung up on that stuff at all."
I smile. If he only knew.
We get to work after that, but I have a hard time concentrating. Sitting so close to Austin, with the smell of his freshly shampooed hair in my face, it's tough to focus. I hope he'll give me these Boston Tea Party notes to go home with because I can't remember a thing he's saying. I fare slightly better when it comes to math.
"So just remember that the sine rule for a triangle is ABC," I repeat.
He groans. "Just explain to me when I'm ever going to need to know the radius of a circle and the angles of a triangle."
I shrug. "I guess if you wanted to go into physics or be an astronaut..."
"I have no clue what I want to be, but I don't think it's either of those." He shrugs his sculpted shoulders. "What about you?"
"Do I want to be an astronaut?" I ask. "Only if I can visit places like Tatooine."
"No," he chuckles. "What do you want to do? Do you ever think about the future?"
What can I say? Austin, I already have a career. I'm an actress. Not only that, but I'm Kaitlin Burke. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but I promised I wouldn't tell a soul, and then I met you and you're funny and cute....
"I...," I begin. There's a knock on the door.
"Sorry to interrupt, kids," Mrs Meyers pokes her head in, "but Rachel, your Aunt Nadine is downstairs. She says it's time to go." I glance at the clock. It's 8:45. Have we been here over two hours already?
"I have to go," I apologize.
Austin nods. "What are you doing Saturday afternoon?" His mom smiles at me and walks away carrying a pile of clean laundry.
Is he asking me out? "This Saturday?" I ask meekly.
"Yeah." Austin grins. "The day that usually comes after Friday."
I smirk back.
"I know this great pizza place. A Slice of Heaven," he says. "We can study there and eat lunch."
Yikes. What if Antonio recognizes me?
"I hate pizza!" I blurt out.
"You hate pizza?" Austin widens his eyes in surprise. "Um, okay. We'll go for Chinese then."
"It's a date, I say. "I mean, it's a plan.
I say goodbye to Austin's mom on the way out and quickly sprint down the walkway to the black sedan. I open the back door.
"You're late!" Nadine exclaims. "I had to pretend to be your aunt!"
Rodney chuckles. "Are you hungry?" he asks me. "We got burgers at Carl's Jr. Don't tell your mom."
I gratefully take one out of the bag. "Sorry," I apologize. "I lost track of time."
"It went well then?" Nadine asks.
"Yes," I say somewhat giddily. "He asked me out."
"On a date?" Rodney prods.
"Well, not a date, but he wants me to study with him Saturday over lunch." Rodney whistles.
"Wait, Saturday?" Nadine panics. "You've got that TV Tome photo shoot with the FA cast. We have to be there at noon." Sigh. Having a double life is much harder than I imagined.
&nb
sp; Monday 3/29
NOTES TO SELF:
ALWAYS check calendar before saying "yes."
Finish xtra credit paper 4 Mr. K. Due in 2 weeks!
Apologize to A -- and RESCHEDULE "DATE"!!!
Thirteen: The Beauty Buffet
You know how the Oscars are the biggest night of the year in Hollywood? Well, at Clark Hall, the key event is the spring fling.
Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for the dance too, especially because it's my first one ever. But Clark Hall students are insane about it. Unlike the prom, which is organized by the school's alumni, the spring fling is completely run by the students -- which makes it the best event of the school year. The student committee in charge has a say in everything from the papier-maâché decorations to the mini hot dog appetizers to the coveted party theme. That's the part the whole school votes on, and like the Oscars, there's some mega-campaigning to ensure the best theme wins.
Every group gets wrapped up in the campaign frenzy -- except, it seems, Liz. ( "We'd rather run the dance committee afterwards than waste time campaigning for a theme," Liz shudders.) Me, I'm taking my vote very seriously: this is the only high school dance I'll ever attend. That's why I'm so torn over my decision.
PRINCESSLEIA25: Quick! Have 2 vote at the end of class. Who R U voting 4?
POWERGRL28: K, I'm in math!!!
PRINCESSLEIA25: Sorry. I'm so confused!
POWERGRL28: Fine, but this has got 2 B quick.
PRINCESSLEIA25: Tell me what is "History's Finest"?
POWERGRL28: Sponsored by the Shakespearian Club and Mathletes. Mr. K's fave.
PRINCESSLEIA25: Is that Y he handed out fliers dressed as Abe Lincoln?
POWERGRL28: Yep. So lame. They want everyone 2 go as famous peeps from history.
PRINCESSLEIA25: Beth is voting 4 them. She wants 2 B Pocahontas.
POWERGRL28: U still voting for "Monster Mash?"
PRINCESSLEIA25: Maybe.
POWERGRL28: Liar! U so are! All bc A dressed up as Darth Vader and handed U that card that said "Vote 4 the Monster Mash or we'll squash U."
PRINCESSLEIA25: Not true. A gave everyone fliers. The whole team dressed up! I think dressing up as a ghoul or a villain is cool.
POWERGRL28: Cooler than being a celeb? That's the "Night of a Thousand Stars" theme.
PRINCESSLEIA25: I live that life already, remember? No thx.
POWERGRL28: They're getting my vote. I'd rather dress as Angelina Jolie than Jabba the Hutt.
PRINCESSLEIA25: :(
POWERGRL28: U just don't want to vote for them bc it's Lori and Jessie's idea.
PRINCESSLEIA25: NO, I think it was wrong to sway the male vote by dressing up as Britney and J.Lo to hand out free lemonade.
POWERGRL28: Get over it. They're going to win so start planning your costume. Drool = votes.
After a week of campaign craziness, we voted for our favorite theme last Friday. Now we're all sitting in Mr. Klein's class waiting for Principal Pearson to come over the PA system and announce the winner. I swear, things are super intense in here. Everyone is sitting quietly and it's not because we're paying attention to Mr. Klein's lecture on the Native American agriculture system.
"Attention Clark Hall students, this is your principal, Mrs. Pearson," we hear over the loudspeaker. Jessie squeals.
"I know how hard you all worked last week," Mrs. P says, "and it pleases me to see how much you care about your school...."
"Just tell us who won," Rob Murray groans.
"... so I'm happy to announce that we have a winner. With nearly four hundred votes, the winner is 'A Night of a Thousand Stars.'"
Lori jumps up and down screaming. Jessie actually breaks down in tears. The other queen bees sitting around me knock over their chairs and clamor to hug each other. But all is not well in Mr. Klein's third period social studies. A dark cloud has formed over the other half of the class.
"The race was fixed!" Rob yells, and slams his textbook shut. Mr. Klein and the Mathletes in attendance look devastated.
"Now that we have a theme for the dance, we should talk about creating a committee," Mr. Klein finally calls over the commotion. The class grows quiet.
"You all did a tremendous job on your campaigns." Mr. Klein looks straight at the members of the Shakespearian Club. "That's why I'm hoping you'll do an equally good job of planning the dance."
Mr. Klein looks over at Lori. She's talking animatedly to Jessie about costumes. "Lori, I assume you'll want to help chair the committee?"
Lori stops chatting with Jessie and stares at Mr. Klein. "Me?" she responds blankly. "Why me?"
Mr. Klein looks flustered. "Well, you girls were the ones who picked this idea, weren't you?"
"Yeah, but we don't actually have time to put a whole dance together." Her friends sitting beside her nod in agreement. "We just wanted our theme to win. Now that it's happened, we have to concentrate on more important stuff -- like our costumes."
"Do any of you girls plan on working on the committee?" He asks wearily. None of the girls around Lori raise their hands. He sighs. "Does anyone in this class want to work on the committee?"
Liz's hand shoots up. "I want to run it," she volunteers confidently.
"Doesn't she always?" Jessie whispers loudly. Liz gives her the evil eye.
"That's wonderful, Liz," he says happily. "Anyone here willing to join her?" Beth and Allison raise their hands. I keep mine down. I don't know if I can stretch myself any thinner than I already am. I have to miss school Thursday and Friday as it is so that Laney and I can do a forty-eight-hour trip to New York for the morning news shows and Live with Regis and Kelly.
Liz turns around and widens her long-lashed brown eyes at me. "It will be fun," she mouths.
Oh ... fine. I slowly raise my hand.
Mr. Klein looks at me sternly. "Will you have time to do this and your other work, Rachel?" I know he means my next paper, which is due at the end of the week.
"Not a problem, Mr. Klein." I look at Austin and smile. He winks at me. I'm glad he was cool with me canceling last Saturday. I'm really going to need his help now.
"The committee will meet tomorrow morning before first period," Mr. Klein announces. "Please come with ideas, including what charity you think the proceeds should go to. With the dance just two weeks away, we really have to move."
While I'm writing myself a reminder on my Sidekick, I hear Lori and her friends discussing their costumes.
"So Lori, are you going to go as Jessica Simpson?" A chirpy redheaded girl pips.
"Nah, I'm over her," Lori scoffs. "Maybe I'll go as Kaitlin Burke from Family Affair."
What I wouldn't give to reveal myself right now and see the shocked look on her smug know-it-all face....
"Cool," Jessie gushes. "Who should I be?"
"You can go as Sky Mackenzie," Lori says. "Then I can spend all night pretending to be jealous of you!" The others giggle.
Sigh. Does Sky's wrath have to follow me everywhere?
When the bell rings a few minutes later, I meet Beth, Allison, and Liz to walk over to the cafeteria for lunch.
"Can you believe Lori didn't want to work on the committee?" Beth shakes her head. "I, like, totally need time to work on my tan!" she mimics.
Allison laughs. "Her loss is our gain. I have to admit I love this theme."
Liz nods in agreement. "I know it's a lot of work, but it'll be fun to work on this together, especially since it's Rachel's first Clark Hall function." While I appreciate the idea, I think Liz forgets how much I have going on at the moment.
"You're going to love it!" Beth claps her hands. "We throw the best parties."
Liz looks at me slyly. "Who are you going to go as, Rachel?"
"I haven't thought about it yet." Zip it, Liz.
"Have you thought about a date?" Beth asks coyly. "Austin Meyers is back on the market." I feel my cheeks get red.
"You guys have been spending a lot of time together," Allison seconds.
"At the lib
rary," I say dismissively. "Studying. Remember?" There's no way Austin likes "Rachel," I know it. He even said we're just friends.
"All I'm saying is that a dance is a magical place to make a connection," Allison teases.
"I know who I'm going with," Liz offers. We all stop and look at her.
"Who?" I ask. She hasn't mentioned anybody before.
"Josh Hawkin. He's in my Saturday morning kickboxing class, and he's so cute."
"Does he know you like him?" Beth wonders.
"I don't know for sure," Liz admits. "But he did ask me to go to Rotten Tomatoes after class for lunch. And he paid. That means something, right?" We all nod. I can't believe Liz didn't tell me about this. I guess I have been pretty busy.
"We're going out again this Friday night. I think I'm going to ask him then." Liz has a far-off look in her eye.
"I wish I had your confidence," Allison says wistfully. "I could never ask a guy to go with me."
"What about one of the hip-hop guys in the dance company?" I ask.
"They're questionable." Allison grins. "Unlike the guys in Liz's kickboxing class."
"I'm sorry I haven't told you guys about him." Liz looks right at me.
"It's okay. We've all been busy," I say, feeling a little sad. "I'm really happy for you."
"That's great," Beth moans, running a hand through her tight black curls. "Lizzie has someone, Rachel will wind up with Austin." I start to protest, but she cuts me off. "Ali and I will be alone."
"You could ask Rob Murray," Allison suggests. "You guys seemed to hit it off at Lori's party."
Beth ignores her and looks around the crowded patio for a place to sit. Lori's gang has claimed their place at the shady table. Some drama students carrying scripts for Bye Bye Birdie are getting up. "I see one!" Beth yells, hiking up her low-rise Levi's jeans. She runs to put her books down.
"Enough about dates," Allison retorts. "Let's talk about how we're going to raise money for charity." She sits down at the table. "Mr. Klein said we needed to make over a thousand dollars for Child of Hope charity, and the only way we're going to do that is if we sell a ton of tickets."
I nod, trying to look knowing. Whenever I volunteer at a charity event, all the details are taken care of. Like last week's Celebrity Cares Carnival. All I did was show up and man the water-gun booth. How they raised the money for tickets or transported the games to carnival chair Samuel L. Jackson's mammoth backyard, I have no idea.