Chapter 1

Linda-

“Hide me,” I say to my friend Rosie, “He’s coming.”

“Who’s coming?” Rosie asks.

“Tommy Fraile.”

“What’s wrong with Tommy?”

“Well … he might be the tiny teeniest ounce mad,” says my twin sister Shenna sneaking up on Rosie.

“Why would he be mad?” Rosie asks.

“Well, you see I told him Shenna might wanna go out with him you know because I thought that she was pointing to him when she said she thought the dude was hot but it …”Victoria says walking up. Shenna cuts her off,

“…Was a different guy. So when he kept trying to ask when I turned him down like three times I punched him in the face.

Now he thinks Linda is me (which says something about his stupidity) and, I don’t know, wants to ‘talk’ to her. Although I for-see that something bad might happen,” Shenna finishes.

“So now I’m asking you to hide me. Do something. You’re good at that. Stop staring like that!”I say.

Rosie points behind me.

“Well you’re a little late,” says a not so girl’s voice.

“I’m not Shenna,” I say hurriedly turning around.

“I know. I have to admit though for a minute there I did believe you were Shenna. Anyway do you want to go out do you want to go out tomorrow?”

“As in a date or what?”

“Yeah.”

“Um okay.”

“A movie. What time do you want me to pick you up?”

Friday-

“So how do I look? Do I look like I’m going to the movies?”

I ask Rosie.

“Definitely, you don’t doubt my masterpiece do you?”

“No, of course not. I’m glad you’re here Shenna wouldn’t be any help, ‘cuz she doesn’t wear makeup or anything. She’s a complete Tomboy. Besides birthday parties she doesn’t let anyone do anything to her face or hair- not a simple touch! 1

But no one could ask for a better sis.”

“I suppose that’s him,” Rosie says walking toward the window.

“Yep,” I say walking, “Oh I almost forgot. Here I asked my mom to buy these for you when she met with her friend in France.” I say handing her a bag.

“Thank you so much!” she says, “You’re awesome.”

“I know.”

I go outside to the car.

“Hi what’s up? You look awesome,” Tommy says.

“Thanks,” I reply. I get in the car.

“Nice car whose is it?”

“Mine.”

“Cool,” I say, “I wish I had my license. I’m getting it in two weeks.”

1

Shenna: That’s just not true!

Author: It is so!

Linda: It is too. That is why I said it, because it’s the barefaced truth. Now up to the story.

“How old are you?”

“Almost 16.”

“I’m 17,” Tommy says.

“Why are hanging out with me then?”

“Is there anything wrong with that?”

“No, I suppose I just wanted to know.”

“Well I like you, and I kinda want you to be my girlfriend.”

“Please tell me one thing: Are you doing this to make Shenna jealous? First, it would be scandalous. Second, you’ll be disappointed. Third, it wouldn’t work, because Shenna isn’t jealous type and doesn’t like you at all.”

I say all this holding up my finger to keep him from interrupting.

He pulls into a parking lot, parks and comes around to open my door. He says, “No, of course not. I like you Linda.

So will you be my girl.”

“Then, yes I suppose,” I hear myself say.

“Come on what do you watch? Could stay away from the R’s?”

“Yeah of course I wouldn’t dre-”

“Yeah, I know it was a joke.”

We get two tickets to A Hero’s Journal. We get seats in the middle of the theatre with drinks and popcorn- me I hate popcorn but hopefully, he can eat a medium.

As the previews play he asks, “So, are you excited about the summer vacation?”

“Yes,” I reply.

“Do you want to go to an island in Canada?”

“Sure. I think if I ask I could go what about Shenna?”

“Shenna and Victoria can come, but not Rosie.”

I punched him in the arm.

He put his arms around me and leaned in.

Well, stop looking at these pages like I’m insane!

He kisses me.

I blush and tried to focus on the movie. Just when the hero started writing the first entry in the blank book he found in the street. He leaned in and whispered, “Don’t you like the popcorn?”

“Actually, I don’t like popcorn.”

He got up and came back with a popcorn container with a bunch of candy in it.

“You do like candy right?”

“Yes, I do.”

I notice something in the bottom.

Tom-

I think she saw it, I think.

Linda is digging though the candy bucket looking for the bracelet I put in the bottom, no doubt.

I grab her hand, “It’s a surprise. You have to eat your candy until you see it. I’ll help.”

I eat a couple pieces. She eats a few pieces and tries to focus on the movie. She says she’s read the book 5 million times. I figure she likes the movie, but I see her texting Shenna so I don’t know. I really like Linda and I’m hoping it will be a long time I have with her. I wish I could hold back the secrets forever. I don’t want her to know…

Linda-

I’m kinda hurriedly eating my candy, I’m almost there.

Someone walks down the aisle and sits. Who would have known? The mischievous trio of trouble would be the ones to sit down like it wasn’t some kind of breech of decorum.

I pass some candy to the boredom trio as I now call them. They’re practically drooling over the villainous character in the movie.2

Few more pieces, yes, I pull out a silver bracelet.

It has a charm on it a tree with “our” initials.

I lean over and kiss him. The trio stare jaws dropped.

I feel like flying. The movie is over. We walk. I tell the trio to go home.

We walk away leaving them prone to gossip about us.

___________________________________________

2

Shenna: I was NOT happening to be drooling over villainous characters. As a matter of fact I was not drooling at all.

Linda: Yeah, and I’m sure when that evil henchmen, who happened to be played by someone totally cute, rose up against the evil villain Rio you weren’t drooling. You were probably trying to free his mind from guilt with telepathic endeavors.

Rosie: Back up to the story! I want to see how the re-teller of this story writes the rest.

Author: I do so agree, and I do hope this account can be published someday.

Later~

You have entered LSRVIMroom.

Littlelin: hi guys.

Shenna2: Yeah. *wave*

Littlelin: guys?

Rosie#1: I”m thinking we should all make new email accounts.

Vicky: That’s a great idea. (I’m not being sarcastic even tho’ it looks sarcastic. I’m changing mine let’s call each other in a few minutes and tell them to eachother.)

Vicky logged out.

You have entered the quad called friends.

Catloverqueen: My new email address is linda_1995.shawl@gmail.com

Shennarocks@yahoo.com: Accept or decline.

Catlover: hi

Shennarocks: hi guys.

Rosie_1993@yahoo.com: accept or decline?

Rosie: Do you like?

Angelqueen_victoria_1993@yahoo.com: accept or decline?

Angelqueen: hi. I think it’s a good idea. Do you like that dude that moved from Canada?

Rosie: Is this chat room secure?

What if someone should come to our website from school? Let’s have a meeting @ the fort tomorrow before school.

Catlover: guys?

Shenna: tell

Rosie: us

Angelqueen: now

Catlover: how did you

Shenna: Spill now.

Catlover: I think I’m going to bed now.

Shenna: NO!

Rosie: NO!

angelqueen: nooooo!

Rosie: nooooo

Catlover: he kissed me twice. *this was said quietly*

Shenna: I KNOW! *practically shouted*

Catlover: noticed

Shenna: I know that too. (Mimi said to keep it down)

Shenna: Mom

Catlover: Mom

Angelqueen: Oh my baby brother’s crying brb

Rosie: so spill Victoria can scroll up

Catlover: the only other thing was he gave me a bracelet.

Shenna: but- *gasp*

Catlover: going steady all right.

Angelqueen: couldn’t you make Rosie wait?

Catlover: practically begged.

Angelqueen: now let’s c what did I miss.

Angelqueen: *gasp* he’s your boyfriend now? Wow, one of the most eligible popular guys in school, except those freaky football players.

Shenna: They rn’t freaky. You just think they r. brb

Shenna: wow Rosie didn’t say anything.

Rosie: amazing.

Angelqueen: Tell us love struck girl what was it like?

Catlover: what?

Shenna: kissing him!

Catlover: guys many poets have tried to describe it how am I supposed to?

Rosie: I thought you didn’t read poetry.

Catlover: Don’t. Ok it was wonderful it’s different than the very few other guys I kissed. Awesome!

Rosie: wish I had a BF

Angelqueen: I don’t.

Shenna: Well I like Mike but we’re not going out so it doesn’t matter. And Mac was staring at you in Eng. Lit.

Rosie: Mac? *sigh* *the bad kind*

Angelqueen: Anyone making eyes @ me?

Rosie: um Vic you’ve had like 8 bfs in like the last six months.

Angelqueen: True, but none amounted to Jason.

Catloverqueen: g2g

Shenna: Me too supper’s ready.

Catlover logged out.

Shenna logged out.

Rosie logged out.

Angelqueen: finally peace and quiet. *running to catch up*

Angelqueen logged out.

Shenna-

“So Mimi did you have a good time today?” I ask.

“Yes dear,” Mimi answers, “Lovely, how about yours and Linda’s date?”

Date? When, where, who?”Dad says, his voice kind of rough.

“Tommy Fraile… movies … earlier,” Linda says.

“Oh,” Dad says.

Linda-

“So Tommy, hi,” I say before he can say anything, “Caller ID.”

“Ah. Wanna go to the park or something?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll pick you up at 10:00.”

“That’s fine. See you later.”

I look at the clock it’s 9:00. The phone rings.

“Hi, Rosie.”

“You and Shenna want to go to the park?”

“I can’t speak for Shenna, but I’m going out with Tom.”

“Oh a date, just remember we’ll be watching.”

I burst out laughing. Rosie remains silent.

“I was being serious.”

“Um, I gotta go get ready.”

“Bye.”

Later …

“Hi,” Tom says helping me into the car. “It’s windy did you bring a jacket?”

“Yeah,” I say holding up my jacket, “I thought I might warn you. Rosie said she and my friends would be ‘watching’.”

“Are they watching right now?”

“Wouldn’t put it passed them.”

He kisses me.

He smells nice, I think to myself, ha I hope they’re watching.

Rosie-

“I see her,” I say to Victoria and Shenna, “He’s kissing her and from the smile she probably knows we’re watching. Let’s go they’re getting in.”

Linda-

That was awesome. We go to through the parking lot. “Hey Tom, What do you think of when you kiss me? Be truthful.”

“Well… you and me why?” Tom asks.

“What does it feel like to you?”

“Well it’s kinda different. Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you have your permit?” he asks.

“Yeah. Come on.” I say starting to skip toward the swings. I sit in one and begin to swing.

“What’s you’re favorite thing on the playground?” Tom asks.

“The swings probably. And those things that go around and around. Merry go rounds.”

Tom get’s up and heads toward the restroom, “Be right back.”

I draw a heart in the sand and draw our initials in it.

I see him coming toward me and

quickly wipe away the heart. But not before he sees it.

He chuckles.

“Wanna have a sand making contest?” he asks.

“Sure,” I reply wondering if Rosie saw it.

Oh dear they’ll never let me live it down, I think.

I make a castle. Tom makes a heart castle and writing our initials in it.

“I’m finished,” he says. He studies mine, “You win. Better go get your friends over there and ask them to come to lunch they’ll be expecting it. Where ever you want to go.”

I go toward the bush Tom pointed at.

“Hi,” I say to the mischief trio.

“Hi,” they answer.

“Where do you want to go to lunch?”

“Let’s go to the Shop,” Victoria says.

“Okay.”

We get in the car.

“Do you wanna go to the Shop?” I ask Tom.

“Okay, what’s that?”

“Oh my gosh!” the trio shout.

“It’s downtown on the strip. Please, tell me you know where that is.”

“Of course. I was just joking I know what you’re talking about, but the name of the shop is called Leo’s Shop for fun hungry folks.”

“Right, and every one in their right mind call it the Shop,” Rosie says.

“At least the people with reputations,” Victoria says.

“Who cares about reps? Who would know what you were talking about if you called it that? Absolutely no respectable person in this town, except the tourists, maybe,” Shenna says.

“Okay, okay its new name is the Shop,” Tom says.

“It was until you unrespected people changed it,” Rosie says.

“So Tom, nice car you have,” I say, “Oh look we’re here. We’ll go park and you guys find yourselves a table we’ll get one next to you, okay?”

They climb out and we park. I climb out of the passenger’s seat door Tom holds open.

“Come on,” Tom says acting weirdly. I could swear I saw his eyes change color too.

“What color are your eyes?”

Tom’s mouth moves but no noise exits. Then, “They’re brown. Why?”

“I don’t know,” I say as we walk toward the Shop.