Read Online The Comeback by Marlene Perez - Free Book Online Page B

then to encourage him to dump me in public—that’s adding insult to injury.”
    â€œI don’t think she encouraged him,” she replied. “Connor used bad judgment.”
    Monet would never go along with what I had planned. The girl had too many moral scruples. Luckily for me, I was less fastidious.
    â€œMaybe you’re right. Perhaps I should let bygones be bygones,” I said, peeping over at her to see if she was falling for it. She was. “It hurts, though.”
    For a second, I thought I’d oversold, but then Monet said, “You should get to know her. She’s really very sweet.”
    I couldn’t believe it. Even Monet, my best friend, obviously liked Angie. Pretty soon, Monet would be wearing a TEAM VOGEL tee, too. “I don’t know. I don’t think I’m ready. I’ll try, though. For you.”
    â€œI could see if Angie would be open to a sit-down with you,” Monet offered.
    I made a face, pretending I needed convincing.
    â€œYou don’t have to be friends or anything,” Monet said, “but maybe a truce for the good of the play?”
    I nodded. A truce was the last thing I had planned, but Monet didn’t need to know that. And neither did Angie.

Chapter 11
    H ey, Mom, do you know any of the moms from Eisenhower High?” I already knew the answer. Mom knew everybody.
    She looked up from her computer. “Yes, I think Judy Blake’s two girls go there. You remember Stephanie, don’t you?”
    â€œDo you think you could give me her number? I just need to talk to her about something.” I didn’t know what I was looking for, but I’d know it when I saw it.
    â€œI’ll get it for you,” she promised. “But why do you need it?”
    â€œConnor and I broke up,” I said. “And he’s dating someone who just transferred from there. His costar in the play.”
    She jumped up and wrapped an arm around me. “You broke up? Honey, I’m sorry.”
    I tried to be nonchalant but didn’t move from her embrace. “It was a couple of weeks ago. I’m over it now.”
    She gasped. “Weeks? Why didn’t you tell me?”
    â€œYou like Connor. I didn’t want to tell you he dumped me.”
    â€œYes, I like Connor,” she replied, “but I love you.”
    It’s amazing what those words can do for your self-esteem, even if they come from your mother.
    â€œI love you, too, Mom.”
    â€œAnd I’m not sure I do like Connor anymore, if he has the bad taste to dump my daughter.” She put her hands on her hips.
    â€œIt’s okay if you still like him, Mom. He’s a nice guy.” And he was, most of the time. My public humiliation was not typical of Connor. I blamed it on a certain bad influence.
    â€œIs there anything I can do?” Mom asked.
    I smiled at her. “Just see if you can get her number. That would be great.” Our moms worked together at the public relations agency, but Stephanie lived across town and went to Eisenhower.
    My mom worked her magic and I had Stephanie’s number within days. Unfortunately, she was out of town. Or at least I thought she was. I couldn’t see why else she hadn’t called me.
    I spent the weekend gathering information,looking for anything I could use against Angie, any indication that she was less than perfect.
    Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t find anything juicy I could use. She was gorgeous, participated in just the right amount of extracurriculars, and had hung with the popular people at Eisenhower.
    I shut my laptop and leaned back against my pillows. It was going to be harder than I thought, and I like a challenge. But how was I going to find out more information about Angie? Connor clearly was in that moony delusional stage of the relationship, where the other person could do no wrong. Besides, he rarely left her side. And from the way the other guys at school looked