to have a mother who minds her own business.
Jason cocks his head. “Actually, I think meeting your mom is a good idea.”
“What?”
“It’ll help keep her onside.”
Onside. How did Jason get so smart at psychology?
But he has more surprises. First, he asks if I’d like to see Pigjam next Friday.
“Aren’t they sold out?”
“No sweat, I got contacts. The show’s at eight, I’ll pick you up around seven. That way I can meet your mom and we’ll have an excuse to split quick.”
“You’re brilliant!”
Then the best surprise of all. He reaches into his knapsack and pulls out a box, all gift-wrapped. “For you,” he smiles.
Inside is a brand-new cell phone, just like his. It can take photos and videos, and I can program a different ring depending on who’s calling. Plus it lets me online to text. There’s even a GPS chip so if I want to find out how to get someplace, I just type in the address and a map pops up with a route for how to get there. I mean, this cell does everything but homework.
I want it so bad, but I hand it back. “I can’t afford to pay the bills.”
He laughs. “Don’t worry. I’ll look after it.”
“Jason, no. It’s too much.”
“Nothing’s too much for you. Or what I want to do for you.” His eyes go soulful. “See, Leslie, it’s about your mom. I’m sure she’s great and all. But she’s also a wacked-out control freak. You’ve basically said so yourself. With this cell, you can contact whoever you want, whenever you want, without her looking over your shoulder. Take it. Please. It’s not just a cell. It’s freedom.”
I start to hug him like crazy, but there’s this voice calling from across the football field: “Leslie!” It’s Katie. She and the gang are on their way back from Mister Pizza’s. While the rest of the girls go into the school, she runs over with this goofy grin on her face.
I send her these very strong Stay-Away-Katie vibes. But apparently the only messages Katie picks up come from God or something, because she sure doesn’t get mine. She comes right up, like I’m supposed to welcome her into our private conversation. I don’t.
“Yeah?”
“I thought I’d come over and say hi.” She gives a girlie finger wave to Jason. “I’ve seen you around, but we’ve never been actually introduced. You must be Jason.”
“And who must you be?” he says, polite and sarcastic all at once.
“Katie. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“And I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Really?” Katie’s face lights up like she’s in kindergarten and the teacher’s put a big gold star on her forehead.
Wake up, Katie, I think. He’s insulting you. Don’t you get it? Why don’t you leave us alone? But it’s too late. Jason’s getting ready to leave.
“I’d love to stay, shoot the breeze,” he says, “but I’ve got things to do.” I go to follow him, but he holds up his hand. “You stay with your pal Katie here. I’ll catch you later.” He walks off without looking back.
Katie’s all moon-eyed. You’d think she just talked to a movie star or something. But me, I’m heartsick. Jason and I were having such a good time, and she went and scared him away. A wave of anger surges inside me. But just as I’m about to let rip, Katie stammers, “So, are you guys doing it?”
My heart skips. “Who says we’re doing it?”
Katie looks at my face and gasps. “Oh no, you are!”
“I never said that!” I shout. “I asked you, ‘Who says?’”
“Nobody.”
“ Nobody? ”
“Okay. Ashley. She says that’s why Jason’s started to hang around.”
“What a bitch.”
“Well, are you?”
“If Jason and I were doing it, do you think I’d tell you?”
“Yeah. Why not?”
“You can’t keep your mouth shut, that’s why not.”
“Are you still mad I told Ashley you made up boyfriends?”
“Among other things,” I say.
“What other things?”
“Last night you told my mom you were at choir practice. I told
Jason cocks his head. “Actually, I think meeting your mom is a good idea.”
“What?”
“It’ll help keep her onside.”
Onside. How did Jason get so smart at psychology?
But he has more surprises. First, he asks if I’d like to see Pigjam next Friday.
“Aren’t they sold out?”
“No sweat, I got contacts. The show’s at eight, I’ll pick you up around seven. That way I can meet your mom and we’ll have an excuse to split quick.”
“You’re brilliant!”
Then the best surprise of all. He reaches into his knapsack and pulls out a box, all gift-wrapped. “For you,” he smiles.
Inside is a brand-new cell phone, just like his. It can take photos and videos, and I can program a different ring depending on who’s calling. Plus it lets me online to text. There’s even a GPS chip so if I want to find out how to get someplace, I just type in the address and a map pops up with a route for how to get there. I mean, this cell does everything but homework.
I want it so bad, but I hand it back. “I can’t afford to pay the bills.”
He laughs. “Don’t worry. I’ll look after it.”
“Jason, no. It’s too much.”
“Nothing’s too much for you. Or what I want to do for you.” His eyes go soulful. “See, Leslie, it’s about your mom. I’m sure she’s great and all. But she’s also a wacked-out control freak. You’ve basically said so yourself. With this cell, you can contact whoever you want, whenever you want, without her looking over your shoulder. Take it. Please. It’s not just a cell. It’s freedom.”
I start to hug him like crazy, but there’s this voice calling from across the football field: “Leslie!” It’s Katie. She and the gang are on their way back from Mister Pizza’s. While the rest of the girls go into the school, she runs over with this goofy grin on her face.
I send her these very strong Stay-Away-Katie vibes. But apparently the only messages Katie picks up come from God or something, because she sure doesn’t get mine. She comes right up, like I’m supposed to welcome her into our private conversation. I don’t.
“Yeah?”
“I thought I’d come over and say hi.” She gives a girlie finger wave to Jason. “I’ve seen you around, but we’ve never been actually introduced. You must be Jason.”
“And who must you be?” he says, polite and sarcastic all at once.
“Katie. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“And I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Really?” Katie’s face lights up like she’s in kindergarten and the teacher’s put a big gold star on her forehead.
Wake up, Katie, I think. He’s insulting you. Don’t you get it? Why don’t you leave us alone? But it’s too late. Jason’s getting ready to leave.
“I’d love to stay, shoot the breeze,” he says, “but I’ve got things to do.” I go to follow him, but he holds up his hand. “You stay with your pal Katie here. I’ll catch you later.” He walks off without looking back.
Katie’s all moon-eyed. You’d think she just talked to a movie star or something. But me, I’m heartsick. Jason and I were having such a good time, and she went and scared him away. A wave of anger surges inside me. But just as I’m about to let rip, Katie stammers, “So, are you guys doing it?”
My heart skips. “Who says we’re doing it?”
Katie looks at my face and gasps. “Oh no, you are!”
“I never said that!” I shout. “I asked you, ‘Who says?’”
“Nobody.”
“ Nobody? ”
“Okay. Ashley. She says that’s why Jason’s started to hang around.”
“What a bitch.”
“Well, are you?”
“If Jason and I were doing it, do you think I’d tell you?”
“Yeah. Why not?”
“You can’t keep your mouth shut, that’s why not.”
“Are you still mad I told Ashley you made up boyfriends?”
“Among other things,” I say.
“What other things?”
“Last night you told my mom you were at choir practice. I told
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