Tricks
looking at you, wasn't I? You're quite
    special. But then, you know that.
    *
    Is he saying I'm stuck-up?
    Beside me, Paige chokes on a half laugh. Guess that's what she thinks he was saying.
    *
    He studies my face with amazing
    eyes, the blue of robin eggs. You are, in fact, the most special young
    woman I've seen in a long time.
    *
    He so is a stalker. But a stalker who knows how to make a girl feel...
    uh... special. "I'm sorry, but
    I don't get it. What do you want?"
    130
    His grin widens. Now that's a loaded question. I want more than you'll probably give me.
    But I'll settle for your name.
    *
    Paige elbows me and clears her throat, like I don't have
    enough sense not to give my name to a stranger. A totally luscious,
    *
    completely random, too-old-
    for-me-to-even-consider-him, somehow hypnotic stranger.
    I find myself saying, "Whitney."
    *
    Whitney, he repeats, nodding.
    The name fits you. Well, Whitney, pleased to meet you. I'm Bryn.
    Care to sit down for a few?
    131
    This Is Insane
    For some stupid reason,
    I really, really do want to sit down with him for a few.
    What is the big attraction?
    *
    It's not like a guy has never
    put the moves on me before.
    And I'm pretty sure that's what
    this is, even though he's smooth.
    *
    But Paige isn't taking the bait.
    We were going to get something to eat, remember? And I thought
    you had to go-- She catches herself.
    *
    Fact is, I do have to go. Now.
    "I'd like to sit, Bryn, but Pai--
    uh... my friend is hungry.
    Maybe another time?"
    *
    His smile slips a little. But he says, Of course. Then he reaches into his pocket. Here's
    my card. Call me sometime.
    132
    A Poem by Ginger Cordell Reach
    They say you should
    reach for the stars, and I'd like to, but my arms are much too short.
    They say to reach
    out for hope, but I
    don't
    understand what hope
    is. They say to reach for goals, but I don't
    know
    how to define mine, and so I won't listen.
    But if you only tell me
    how to love you, I'll reach into the depth of me and find a way to hold you.
    133
    Ginger School Sucks
    Don't even know why I try.
    We've moved around so much, I've always been behind.
    *
    I'm not going to graduate without a hella lot of summer school or something. And I don't plan to
    *
    spend summer vacation locked up in Barstow High, trying to figure
    out algebra. Who needs it, anyway?
    *
    Not like I'm going to college. I'll be
    happy waitressing. Minimum
    wage and tips isn't such a bad life.
    *
    Would be nice to settle into a town.
    (Not that Barstow's the one--it's
    not!) Have a nice, steady job. A friend
    *
    or two. Maybe even fall in love, if there is such a thing, and if
    I can ever get past... Anyway,
    *
    we've never stayed in one place
    long enough for me to make friends.
    All I've had to hang with are sisters.
    134
    Actually, I've Kind of Connected
    To one girl, Alex. She's in my
    creative writing class, and she's totally goth. Black clothes,
    *
    black fingernails. Heavy black
    eyeliner, which somehow
    makes her seem innocent,
    *
    like a little girl, trying too hard to look all grown up. There's
    something about that--something
    *
    about her--that is really
    attractive to me. More than once since I've gotten to know
    *
    her, I have thought about what it might be like to hold
    her. I've even fantasized about
    *
    kissing her. It's major weird and kind of messed up, I guess.
    I've never kissed anyone,
    *
    guy or girl. Been kissed, but it was never my idea, and I hated it. Hated them.
    135
    I want to know what a real
    kiss is like. But why I keep
    thinking about doing it with
    *
    Alex is a mystery. She has
    never even halfway come on to me. That's cool. Who needs
    *
    complications? It's good
    enough to have a friend.
    And anyway, I'm guessing
    *
    it isn't easy for her to get
    close to people. She has
    had a tough life, maybe
    *
    tougher than mine. Her mom's
    doing hard time for armed
    robbery, and she lives with her
    *
    loser stepdad, who's a bartender at some sleazy club out on
    Old Highway 58. Wonder

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