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Authors: Laurie Boyle Crompton
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goddess-spray stuff really worked.
I drew a version of The Blazing Goddess with a holster for holding a magic perfume bottle that acts as a spray-on makeover. Now she goes around all the time spraying nerdy kids to reveal their inner gods and goddesses and turn them hot and save their lives. I know, I know, total chick comic. But I like doing it and, as I said, it does prevent me poking my eyes out.
Looking over, I realize Ryan is still walking beside me and is practically hyperventilating trying to think of something to say. I wonder for a moment if I should give him Ajay’s inhaler.
“Okay, well thanks, Ryan.” I wave Daredevil at him, and he blushes back at me.
“Uh, okay, so bye, Blaze.” He flicks his chins toward me. “See you later in the lot.”
I give a tense nod and pick up my pace to get to class and away from him . Just to clarify, Ryan and I do not have a standing date to meet and talk in the parking lot after school every day. But since Josh is just too darn popular to leave the middle school grounds across the street without saying good-bye to about a million people and my friends either have over-protective parents who don’t trust any drivers under the age of 21 (Amanda) or have track practice daily after school (Terri), I’ve become Ryan’s personal captive audience in the parking lot every day. Let me tell you, it has not helped the whole non-image I’ve got going on.
The rest of the afternoon buzzes past my brain in a blur of monotone lectures, a quiet whisper or two about Mark and I, and a little covert scribbling of The Blazing Goddess in awesome action poses. The one time I glimpse Mark between classes, he gives me a completely unreadable nod. What I’d really love is a super-awesome new identity as Mark’s Girlfriend. I wonder how I can upgrade the whispers Terri started into a full-on rumor we’re dating.
Finally, the school day ends with me sitting sideways in Superturd with my door open to the student lot. I’m working on my sketchpad, waiting for my popularity’s arch-nemesis, Ryan, to pounce.
“Blaze!”
My head shoots up in surprise. Besides the voice being too deep to be Ryan’s, it isn’t at all the way he usually greets me. Ryan always approaches Superturd slowly from the front and waits for me to look up and catch his eye. Then he’ll look fake-surprised at seeing me, as if I don’t sit here waiting for my brother every day. But today, Ryan’s approach is completely different because today it isn’t Ryan approaching me.
It’s Mark.
By Thor’s Mighty Hammer! I think, as the cutest boy in the universe walks directly toward my minivan with a big grin on his face.
“Fun night Saturday,” he says, placing himself just inside Superturd’s door. “I liked the private party you and I were starting in your basement before your little brother shot me down.”
I smile as my heart badda-thumps . “Josh can be a little protective of me.”
“I get that.” Mark moves his face closer and bops his head slightly. “Guess we’ll just need to keep us on the down-low.”
I nearly black out at Mark’s use of the word “us.” With my peripheral vision, I spot Ryan, on his usual approach trajectory, except that he is frozen mid-stride and staring directly at me and Mark. POW! Guilt hits my stomach like a sucker punch, but when I look back into Mark’s eyes my mind is swiped clean. I never agreed to be Ryan’s buddy. Mandy and Terri have been telling me to ditch him. Maybe they’re right.
Mark’s eyes drop to my sketchbook, and his eyebrows jump nearly to his hairline. “Hey, you draw?”
Looking down at my hand holding my pencil mid-stroke, I think again, He’s so pretty. I cover my drawing with both hands and claim, “No, not really. Just a little.” Never mind the fact that I’ve been sketching on the sidelines for an eternity and he never noticed. He is noticing me now.
I glance back up and see that Ryan is gone, which makes me feel both glad and
I drew a version of The Blazing Goddess with a holster for holding a magic perfume bottle that acts as a spray-on makeover. Now she goes around all the time spraying nerdy kids to reveal their inner gods and goddesses and turn them hot and save their lives. I know, I know, total chick comic. But I like doing it and, as I said, it does prevent me poking my eyes out.
Looking over, I realize Ryan is still walking beside me and is practically hyperventilating trying to think of something to say. I wonder for a moment if I should give him Ajay’s inhaler.
“Okay, well thanks, Ryan.” I wave Daredevil at him, and he blushes back at me.
“Uh, okay, so bye, Blaze.” He flicks his chins toward me. “See you later in the lot.”
I give a tense nod and pick up my pace to get to class and away from him . Just to clarify, Ryan and I do not have a standing date to meet and talk in the parking lot after school every day. But since Josh is just too darn popular to leave the middle school grounds across the street without saying good-bye to about a million people and my friends either have over-protective parents who don’t trust any drivers under the age of 21 (Amanda) or have track practice daily after school (Terri), I’ve become Ryan’s personal captive audience in the parking lot every day. Let me tell you, it has not helped the whole non-image I’ve got going on.
The rest of the afternoon buzzes past my brain in a blur of monotone lectures, a quiet whisper or two about Mark and I, and a little covert scribbling of The Blazing Goddess in awesome action poses. The one time I glimpse Mark between classes, he gives me a completely unreadable nod. What I’d really love is a super-awesome new identity as Mark’s Girlfriend. I wonder how I can upgrade the whispers Terri started into a full-on rumor we’re dating.
Finally, the school day ends with me sitting sideways in Superturd with my door open to the student lot. I’m working on my sketchpad, waiting for my popularity’s arch-nemesis, Ryan, to pounce.
“Blaze!”
My head shoots up in surprise. Besides the voice being too deep to be Ryan’s, it isn’t at all the way he usually greets me. Ryan always approaches Superturd slowly from the front and waits for me to look up and catch his eye. Then he’ll look fake-surprised at seeing me, as if I don’t sit here waiting for my brother every day. But today, Ryan’s approach is completely different because today it isn’t Ryan approaching me.
It’s Mark.
By Thor’s Mighty Hammer! I think, as the cutest boy in the universe walks directly toward my minivan with a big grin on his face.
“Fun night Saturday,” he says, placing himself just inside Superturd’s door. “I liked the private party you and I were starting in your basement before your little brother shot me down.”
I smile as my heart badda-thumps . “Josh can be a little protective of me.”
“I get that.” Mark moves his face closer and bops his head slightly. “Guess we’ll just need to keep us on the down-low.”
I nearly black out at Mark’s use of the word “us.” With my peripheral vision, I spot Ryan, on his usual approach trajectory, except that he is frozen mid-stride and staring directly at me and Mark. POW! Guilt hits my stomach like a sucker punch, but when I look back into Mark’s eyes my mind is swiped clean. I never agreed to be Ryan’s buddy. Mandy and Terri have been telling me to ditch him. Maybe they’re right.
Mark’s eyes drop to my sketchbook, and his eyebrows jump nearly to his hairline. “Hey, you draw?”
Looking down at my hand holding my pencil mid-stroke, I think again, He’s so pretty. I cover my drawing with both hands and claim, “No, not really. Just a little.” Never mind the fact that I’ve been sketching on the sidelines for an eternity and he never noticed. He is noticing me now.
I glance back up and see that Ryan is gone, which makes me feel both glad and
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