Читать книгу Puppy Love! - Sienna Mercer - Страница 7

Don’t panic, Justin Packer ordered himself. This is not a date!

Yes, he was sharing a booth at the Meat & Greet with Riley Carter. Yes, she was the girl he’d been crushing on for nearly a year. And no, there wasn’t anybody else sitting at the table with them. But that didn’t make this an official date . . .

Or, did it?

Friends have meals together all the time, he told himself. Eating is totally essential.

Someday soon, he would ask Riley out. But before he’d be ready to ask Riley on a real date, he had to treat it like a football game. He had to prepare – have a game plan. He had to learn how to keep his cool around her even when she was smiling at him the way she was now, with her intense, focused eyes seeming to shine through the long strands of blonde hair that were falling chaotically over her face. He’d have to figure out how to be . . . suave.

Yeah, he’d be totally suave when he eventually did ask her out on a real date. For now, they would stay friends. There was no pressure in friendship.

Relaxing, Justin reached for his hamburger – then froze with it part-way to his mouth as he saw Riley tucking the rebellious locks of hair behind her ears. She looked very pretty.

Wait a minute. Is she trying to look good? For me?

His stomach clenched. What if we actually are on a date, and I didn’t even realise? Is she judging my dating skills? I haven’t prepared for this – I don’t have a game plan! I can’t be judged when it’s not a date. And it’s not. It really, truly is –

‘Notadate!’ he blurted through his hamburger.

Then he cringed as he realised that he’d said it out loud.

‘Justin?’ Riley frowned at him across the table. ‘Are you choking?’

‘Me?’ Justin swallowed hard. ‘No! Everything’s cool. Totally cool. Totally, absolutely, definitely . . .’ As her eyebrows rose, he felt his cheeks heat up. He set down the hamburger. ‘I mean, it’s just . . . cool, isn’t it, that we can hang out like this . . . as friends?’

Riley’s hand fell away from her hair, her gaze dropping to the table. ‘Um, I guess. If that’s what you think.’

Justin knew that if this conversation was a football, he had carried it into a wall of defenders, and would now have to scramble to find another route. He needed something else to talk about.

‘Look at Daniel and Debi!’ he said, pointing across the diner. ‘They’re not on a date, are they? They’re just hanging out. Just like we are . . .’

Although . . . Justin’s eyes narrowed as he looked across at his twin, who was wearing his usual scruffy black clothing and sitting across a table from Riley’s friend Debi. With his brooding rock-musician style, Daniel might look like the polar opposite of perky cheerleader Debi, but the two of them weren’t just sharing a meal. They’d gone to see that new Jackson Caulfield movie, The Groves, earlier, too.

I’ve scrambled into another tackle, he thought. Those two are definitely on a date, which means that Riley must think we are, too!

‘Um, Justin?’ Riley’s voice broke into his panic. ‘You seem a little nervous.’

‘Me? Nervous? No way!’ Justin grabbed the last of his hamburger and took a huge bite. ‘I don’t get nervous,’ he said, through his mouthful. Then he looked down at his empty plate, and almost choked again.

‘Oh,’ said Riley. ‘I thought it was nerves making you gobble your food like a ravenous wolf.’

Wolf!

If only, Justin thought, and sighed. That would make my life so much easier! As the only non-werewolf playing Offense on Pine Wood Junior High’s football team, he had to do everything he could to bulk up his ordinary human body and make himself stronger. But he couldn’t explain that to Riley. That would be the exact opposite of guarding the secret of werewolves’ existence, which no one was supposed to know. The only reason Justin knew was because his dad was a werewolf – and until a month ago, he’d always expected to become one, too.

But the ‘Lupine gene’ in the family had scrambled away from Justin, towards his twin brother.

‘I’m just trying to pile on the calories,’ he mumbled. ‘For the Homecoming Game next week.’

Luckily, the mention of Homecoming had been enough to spark off Riley’s famous Organisational Mode. She sat bolt upright, her eyes gleaming with excitement. ‘Can you believe it’s only a week away now? There is so much left to do! I’ve been planning and planning, but –’

‘You, planning? Never.’ Justin shook his head at her, grinning. ‘You know, there’s going to be some epic homework this year. Why don’t you go easy on yourself, and take the year off from being Pine Wood’s Chief Organiser?’

Riley just looked at him. Then they both burst into laughter.

Date or no date, Justin had known Riley since kindergarten, and knew that the day that she didn’t organise anything and everything in her path would be the day that every big, tough werewolf on the football team requested lettuce and cucumber sandwiches for their pre-game meal.

‘Let me tell you what I’ve been thinking . . .’ Riley began.

A sudden tug at Justin’s wrist made him jump. When he glanced down, he blinked twice, just to make sure he was really seeing what he thought he saw.

Daniel?

Justin’s twin was crouched beside his booth, out of sight of Riley, who was busy pulling out two different clipboards from her shoulder bag. When Justin opened his mouth to speak, Daniel shook his head violently and held one finger to his mouth. Then he pointed at the door with a gesture that clearly meant: Outside. Now!

Justin nodded. Still disbelieving, he watched Daniel stoop-walk away.

His not-a-date must be going even worse than my not-a-date.

Luckily, Riley didn’t seem to have noticed any of the byplay. All of her focus was centred on the points she was ticking off her first three-page-long list.

‘. . . and of course, the Homecoming Dance has to be absolutely perfect, so –’

‘Wait, what?’ Justin blinked. ‘The Dance ? I thought you were putting in to organise stuff for the Homecoming game !’

‘Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?’ Riley rolled her eyes at him. ‘I’m volunteering for both, obviously.’

‘Obviously.’ Justin shook his head. ‘I should have known.’

As their gazes met, Justin felt himself go dizzy for a moment. There was a light in her eyes that pulled him in, making him want to lean across the table towards her and . . .

Get a grip, cub! It was what Coach Johnston told the football players when they lost focus. Justin took a deep breath, shaking off the sudden urge to throw aside everything he’d planned and make it a real date after all.

He’d promised Daniel to meet him outside. His twin needed him! And he needed to keep himself on-target. Remember that pre-date training?

‘I’ll be right back,’ he told Riley as he stood up. ‘OK?’

‘Oh. OK.’ She settled back, her lips curving down in what looked like disappointment. By the time Justin had reached the door of the diner, though, he could see her bent over her Homecoming list again, totally absorbed.

He found Daniel hiding around the corner of the Meat & Greet, out of sight of the windows – in the doorway of a thrift store that seemed to specialise in dusty hardback books and too-colourful charm bracelets. ‘What’s going on?’

‘Finally!’ Daniel’s eyes looked wild. ‘You have to save me. Look!’ He rolled up the long sleeve of his black shirt, emblazoned with the scrawled logo for his band, In Sheep’s Clothing. Thick hair had sprouted all across his arms. A clear sign of panic in any teenage werewolf.

Justin winced in sympathy, forgetting his own problems. ‘I guess Debi’s been driving you lupe-y, huh?’ Then he laughed at his own joke.

‘Will you take this seriously?’ Daniel glared at him, rolling his sleeve down. Then he rolled it back up again to itch at the back of one hand. ‘I am in deep trouble! If I have to sit across from her for one more minute, hair’s going to start sprouting on my hands and face, too.’

Justin could see Daniel’s canine teeth growing as he flipped out. ‘How are you ever going to have a real date with Debi if you turn into a wolf every time you’re around her?’

‘I’ll find a way around it,’ Daniel said. ‘Somehow.’ His shoulders slumped. ‘I just need to have a few more practice dates, you know?’

Justin did know. ‘So . . .’ Justin raised his eyebrows. ‘What are you planning to do today? Make an escape?’

‘I’m not going to just ditch her,’ Daniel said. ‘That would be mean. My date will continue . . .’ He looked at Justin, his face set with determination.

Justin’s mouth dropped open as it dawned on him what Daniel was saying-without-saying. ‘No way! It’s your not-date, not mine.’

‘It’s just until she finishes her lunch,’ Daniel said. ‘Do you really want me to be responsible for letting out the werewolf secret to the world?’

Justin groaned. ‘You know I don’t. But –’

‘I’ve done it for you,’ Daniel said. ‘Remember your first football game?’

Daniel had saved Justin’s butt by taking his place during the first game of the season. ‘Fine,’ he said. ‘But we’ll have to swap shirts. Riley might be distracted by all her planning, but even she’d notice if “I” came back wearing In Sheep’s Clothing merchandise!’

Daniel hesitated. ‘But . . . this is “limited edition”.’

Justin stepped forward and started tugging at his brother’s collar. ‘Of course it is – you’ve only made one.’

By the time he sat down in Justin and Riley’s booth, Daniel was already feeling better. His skin wasn’t itching, his nails weren’t growing, his ears hadn’t changed shape and his teeth weren’t tingling. He was totally, completely relaxed . . .

. . . or, at least, he was until Riley looked up from the list in her hands, biting her lip. ‘Justin?’

Daniel said nothing.

Riley blinked at him. ‘Justin?’

A voice in his head roared: You’re not ‘Daniel’ any more, doofus!

‘Yeah?’ he blurted. ‘I am Justin.’

Riley frowned, her eyes narrowing for just a moment, before she shook her head. ‘Do you think your brother would freak if I suggested that our band audition to play at Homecoming?’

‘What?!’ Daniel felt his jaw drop. ‘In Sheep’s Clothing ?’ He had started the band that summer, and Riley – preppy, upbeat Riley – had shocked everyone when she won the audition to be their lead singer.

‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘Unless we started another band as a side-project? I mean, that does sound like me, but I think I’d have remembered.’

Daniel shook his head in disbelief. ‘You want us – I mean, them – to play at Homecoming? Seriously? ’

She nodded. Daniel felt his head whirl with horror.

Be Justin! he ordered himself. Be Justin!

Justin would never yell ‘No way! ’ to that question. Justin probably wouldn’t question anything that made Riley happy, even if what made Riley happy was volunteering the band to play at a barn dance.

Daniel tried to smile like Justin. That shouldn’t be hard, he thought, considering we have the exact same face. Still, even he could hear the strain in his voice as he answered. ‘You can always ask him,’ he said. ‘But I have to warn you, Daniel has some . . . opinions on mainstream school stuff like Homecoming.’

‘Opinions, hmm?’ Riley tapped her pen against her lips. ‘Well, I’m sure I can talk him into it. I’ll prepare some really good arguments.’

Daniel clamped his jaw shut to hold back the howl of protest that wanted to escape. Desperately, he looked down at Justin’s plate for a distraction. It was empty.

Argh. He’d been so nervous with Debi, he hadn’t had even a single bite of his own meal. He was starving! But if he ordered more food, that might make Riley think Justin was weird. Daniel couldn’t let that happen.

It was only when Riley cleared her throat that he realised just how long he’d been staring at the empty plate. Uh-oh.

‘Justin?’ Riley shook her head, her eyebrows scrunched with worry. ‘Are you still hungry?’

‘Nope,’ Daniel muttered. Then his stomach rumbled so loudly, he had to speak just to cover it up. ‘I’m fine! Totally normal appetite. Really.’

‘Ohh-kay,’ Riley said. ‘If you say so.’

‘Totally.’ Daniel forced a smile. Distract! Distract! ‘So,’ he said, pointing at the list in her hands. ‘Do you have your eye on any committees in particular?’

Riley stared at him. ‘I just told you five minutes ago – I’m applying for the Homecoming Game and Dance organisation jobs. Remember?’

‘Oh!’ Daniel winced. ‘Right.’

Riley looked hurt. ‘Weren’t you listening?’

‘Of course I was!’ Maybe I should have asked Justin to prep me before I took over for him. ‘But why don’t you remind me what you’ve got planned so far?’

It was a fool-proof way to get Riley started. As she launched into the mile-a-minute description of her plans, Daniel tuned out, leaning back against the wall of the booth.

Now let’s see how Justin’s me-impersonation is doing.

Opening up his senses, he tuned in his werewolf-sharp hearing to the voices coming out of Debi and Justin’s booth.

Debi’s voice was as sweet as always, but for some reason, it was starting to sound a little desperate. ‘So, did you even like the movie?’

There was a long silence. Then Justin said, his tone as bleak as if he were at a funeral: ‘. . . Yeah.’

Yeah? Daniel winced. Is that really all you can think of?

Debi’s voice was definitely sounding strained now. ‘What about the movie theatre? I think the new screens are great, don’t you?’

Another long silence felt like torture against Daniel’s ears. Finally – finally! – he heard his brother say, ‘Well. They don’t . . . really . . . rock, do you know what I mean?’

Daniel cringed and sank lower in his seat. Nobody in the world would know what you mean!

Justin probably thought he was sounding artistic and soulful. But he was actually sounding like the most depressed person on earth! I don’t talk like that, Daniel thought. Do I?

‘Justin?’ Riley’s voice snapped him out of his agony.

‘Yeah . . . I am Justin.’ Daniel looked up to find her looking worried.

‘You don’t like that idea?’ she asked.

‘Ah . . .’ Desperately, Daniel tried to remember what she’d just said. He’d been so busy listening to Justin and Debi, he hadn’t heard a word.

Groaning silently, Daniel admitted the truth to himself: He was just no good at dates . . . even the ones that weren’t his own!

How had he ever thought that he could date Debi?

On the other side of the diner, Justin tried not to grimace as he took the tiniest possible bite of Daniel’s club sandwich. I can’t believe he left it all for me to eat! After the huge burger and fries he’d scarfed down in his own booth, he was pretty sure his stomach would explode if he forced down any more.

This is a complete disaster, he thought. From the look on Debi’s face, he was ninety-nine per cent sure he was only hurting his brother’s chances with her, not helping Daniel after all.

At least she hadn’t walked out . . . yet. But, from the expression on her face, Justin worried she was giving it some thought.

‘So . . .’ She took a deep breath. ‘Can you recommend any good bands for me to listen to? Ones that you like?’

‘Um . . .’ Justin hesitated.

He’d never been any good at pretending he knew anything about music. All those songs that Daniel played non-stop at home were just noise to Justin – he had no idea who any of the bands were. The all sounded the same – miserable, angry, and very eager to shout about it.

‘I . . . like . . . stuff that rocks,’ he said, and tried his best to scowl artistically. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure he just looked like his stomach hurt . . . which it did. How much more of Daniel’s meal could he force down?

‘Like . . .?’ Debi prompted.

‘Uh . . .’ In desperation, Justin stuffed the club sandwich back into his mouth, even as his stomach screamed in protest. He had to buy the time to think somehow! Come on, brain! Last night Mom asked Daniel what he’d been listening to, and Daniel said . . . He said . . .

Nope, it was useless. Justin had tuned out of that whole conversation, too busy thinking about the Homecoming Game. He and Dad had ended up in a big debate over training tactics while Mom and Daniel had talked music.

Oh, great, Justin thought. I’m going to have to eat this whole sandwich just to have an excuse not to talk!

Then something caught his attention on the other side of the room, and he had to stifle a moan of relief.

Daniel was stoop-walking out of the Meat & Greet, just like last time, pausing only long enough to signal in Justin’s direction.

Justin dropped the sandwich back on to its plate. ‘Sorry, I’ll be right back. I’ve just gotta . . .’ He gestured vaguely, hoping she would think up an explanation for herself.

‘That’s fine,’ Debi said, and sighed. ‘Really. Totally fine.’

Uh-oh. Justin grimaced as he hurried away. Anyone who says they’re ‘fine’ twice in the same breath is never ‘fine’.

A minute later, he was pulling off Daniel’s scruffy band shirt and buttoning his own shirt back up with relief. Unfortunately . . .

‘Hey!’ said Justin. ‘You’ve got it all creased!’

‘That’s probably from the stoop-walking.’ Daniel shrugged as he pulled on his own shirt again. ‘Mine’s probably creased, too. So what?’

‘But no one can tell with yours.’ Justin shook his head and did his best to smooth down his shirt. ‘Whatever. I’m just glad to be heading back where I belong. Seriously, dude, don’t ever ask me to do that again.’

‘I won’t.’ Daniel grimaced. ‘Trust me. But look!’ He held out his arm. ‘I’m all back to normal again. No fur! So, thanks – you really did save me.’

‘Yeah,’ Justin said, doing his best to look confident. ‘Saved you. That’s what I did. Yep. Although, I think you should start talking about your favourite bands – Debi seems really keen for some recommendations.’

‘Awesome – that’s conversation I’m actually good at!’

By the time he slid back into the seat across from Riley a minute later, Justin was more than ready to call the not-a-date over. ‘Hey, do you want to get out of here?’

‘What?’ Riley’s head jerked up from the stack of clipboards she’d been studying. While Justin had been gone, they’d somehow multiplied from two to four. Now she ignored them all to stare at him in open shock. ‘You want to leave already? I thought we were having dessert. Your stomach was rumbling just a minute ago – and they make the best ice cream in town here!’

‘Uh . . .’

Justin’s stomach gurgled warningly. Warning! Warning! Explosion imminent!

Riley’s brown eyes were fixed on him. He swallowed hard, fighting back a groan. He knew how much she loved ice cream.

‘Of course,’ he mumbled, and sank down in the seat, giving up. ‘I just forgot.’

‘Oh, good!’ Riley said.

Justin put on his best fake smile as he signalled for the waitress. ‘Two sundaes, please!’

‘Large ones,’ added Riley.

Riley went back to doodling quickly on one of the clipboards, while Justin tried to prepare himself for more food.

This was what sappy singers meant every time they sang ‘love hurts’.