Plus, today was my date with Marvel. It was going to take place in T-minus two hours and forty-three minutes, and I was sure the whole school could hear my heartbeat hammering away beneath my Lakeview blazer. My first date! Ever! I wanted to shout it to the moon and back.

  School was over for the day, but I didn’t have to get to Duo’s until six fifteen. More than enough time to go home and change out of my school uniform. As I piled my notebooks into my backpack, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

  “Hey, Pippa.”

  It was Eliot.

  For a moment, the sight of him short-circuited my brain, and all I could do was stare. His Lakeview uniform was perfectly pressed today, and his hair looked so impossibly fluffy that I had to clench my hands into fists just to resist the temptation to touch it.

  T-minus two hours and thirty-nine minutes now, I reminded myself sternly. Control yourself!

  “Hey,” I said, casually. Trying to play it cool, I shoved the rest of my books into my backpack, then swung my locker shut so that I could lean back against it. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing much,” he said. “Well, actually, there is something. Obviously, since I’m standing in front of your locker.” He scratched the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed. “That came out kind of strange.”

  I raised my eyebrows. Usually, I was the bumbling one in our conversations. Was this what I sounded like?

  “Anyway.” Eliot straightened his shoulders. “I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out today.”

  The next five seconds took a small eternity to pass as I stared, open-mouthed, at him.

  “What?” I finally croaked.

  “There’s this holiday music recital thing going on at the mall, and my brother Matthew is actually playing in it. You remember Matthew, right?”

  “I—of course I do! Who wouldn’t remember the guy in the woods with the violin?” I babbled. “I mean, that sounds kind of creepy, but Matthew’s not creepy. At all. I like Matthew.”

  I winced, expecting Eliot to give me one of his stony stares, the way he had last time I tried to joke with him. But he didn’t. He gave a little chuckle.

  “Yeah, well, he likes you, too. In fact, he asked about you. So I figured I’d invite you. Also, I, uh, wanted to say sorry,” Eliot added. “For my great-aunt. I should have apologized sooner, but I was kind of embarrassed.”

  “Oh. But that wasn’t your fault!” I told him. “I mean, your Aunt Evelyn makes my list of top-ten fears, and I’m not even related to her. She’s terrifying! No offense.”

  Eliot gave me one of his rare, genuine smiles, and it melted me like butter in a warm pan. Which… was a problem. The bubble of helium that had been growing inside me popped suddenly.

  Because no matter which way I looked at it, there was only one person whose smile I should be thinking about right now, and that was Marvel.

  “Anyway, are you in? Snacks are on me.”

  Oh, man. Why couldn’t this conversation have happened a week earlier?

  “Well… the thing is…,” I started, then paused.

  Because what was I doing? I mean, the most popular, smartest, dreamiest boy at Lakeview was asking if I—the girl who nearly fainted every time we had a conversation—wanted to hang out with him. It was a total no-brainer.

  But Marvel…

  What about him? I could practically feel the little devil sitting on my shoulder.

  You’ll hurt his feelings! wailed the angel on my other shoulder.

  Pipe down, both of you! That was me—my own voice. Just… just wait. Maybe this is okay. It’s not like Eliot is asking me on a date. He said it himself—he wants to apologize. It’s really more of an “I’m sorry” hangout than anything else. Besides, I’m not supposed to meet up with Marvel for at least two more hours. That’s plenty of time!

  “The thing is?” Eliot repeated.

  “The thing is… uh… that I have to work on some party stuff later tonight!” I lied. “So, I have to be home by six. If that’s okay.”

  “Good with me. Let’s do it.”

  As we walked over to the bus stop, I tried to smother the guilt fermenting the contents of my stomach. I probably should have told Eliot about my date with Marvel, but I just couldn’t. What if I told him and he was like, “Wait, you thought I was asking you on a date? Are you out of your mind?”

  On the way to the mall, we talked about basketball and classes and how I was going to sleep a full twenty-four hours straight as soon as school let out—and Eliot laughed a total of three times on the ten-minute ride. A new record! Not that anyone was counting.

  When we reached the mall, we headed to the second floor, over to the food court. Normally, the space was cramped and on the dirty side, but they had cleaned it up and moved around a bunch of chairs and tables for the occasion, and there was a tiny stage set up next to a glitzy, tinsel-covered Christmas tree. It felt less like a trip to the mall, and more like I was Eliot’s special guest at a concert.

  “I’ll go grab some snacks,” he said once we had staked out a table.

  As I waited for him to return, I couldn’t help but scan the crowd, searching for familiar faces from Lakeview. I didn’t necessarily want to run into someone like, say, Bianca, who would definitely not be happy to see me with Eliot. But if I was going to be in public with Eliot, it wouldn’t hurt to run into and impress at least a couple of eighth graders.

  Unfortunately, I didn’t recognize any of the faces surrounding me. Not that it stopped the tiny glow of pride I felt. Here I was, in public with Eliot, and I hadn’t even had to trick him into it! And if Marvel’s disapproving face happened to flash before me, the sight of Eliot wading through the crowd with a huge soft pretzel for us and a big grin was enough for me to push Marvel to the back of my mind.

  As I stuffed warm, pillow-soft bites of salted pretzel into my mouth, the orchestra started up its first song, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.” The mall was packed, but as soon as the violins started up—with Matthew right out in front—everyone went silent, even the toddlers.

  The music was nice, but the real thrill came from sitting next to Eliot, with not a single textbook in sight. Unable to resist, I sneaked a quick glance at him. His blue eyes were focused on his brother, and he bobbed his head lightly to the beat. He looked… relaxed, I decided.

  A grin spread across my face just as the orchestra transitioned to “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and Eliot glanced my way. Embarrassed to be caught staring, I hastily looked away. But in my peripheral vision, I could see Eliot smiling, too, and it made my heart flutter in ways that couldn’t be healthy.

  Stop it, I told myself. Stop it this instant. Marvel is the one who’s supposed to make your heart flutter! And he does!

  Despite that, when the concert ended, I couldn’t help the twinge of disappointment that coursed through me—I was having such a good time.

  Matthew loped over to our table. “Hey, Pippa Park!” he greeted me. “Thanks for coming!”

  “You sound as good as ever,” I told him.

  He grinned. “I’m working on it. Listen, sorry I can’t stick around—we have to run right over to a gig at a nursing home. But I hope I see you over the break. Catch you at home, Eliot,” he said and hurried away.

  As people began gathering their things, I looked over at Eliot and saw that he was gazing at the carousel at the other end of the food court.

  “I used to love riding that! My favorite was the black horse. Although it’s been forever since I’ve been on it,” I told him impulsively. “Jung-Hwa used to bring me here, and I’d pretend I was a bandit from one of those western movies, fleeing from the law. I would even wear a cowboy hat, which I begged Mina to buy specifically for this ride. And actually, now that I’m saying it out loud, it’s really embarrassing, and I have no idea why I’m telling you any of this,” I added, going crimson.

  But instead of making fun of me, Eliot grinned. He grabbed my hand and jumped to his feet.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, trying to ignore how soft his hand was and the way it was actually and really touching mine.

  “I never rode the carousel before,” he told me. “My dad never let me. He said it was a waste of a dollar. But after hearing that, now I have to.”

  Without waiting for an answer, Eliot tugged me toward the ride. He seemed really excited as he bought two tickets from the machine. I scrambled onto my old friend, a glossy black steed with blue marble eyes, and Eliot hopped onto a gray rhino next to me. We were the oldest kids there, but as soon as the campy carnival music started and our animals glided up along their posts, both of us were laughing and whooping like we were little again.

  Even after we stumbled off, Eliot wore a huge smile. Without thinking, I told him, “You act different outside of school.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah. Happier,” I said.

  Instantly, I cringed, realizing how rude that sounded. But Eliot didn’t look angry. Instead, he grinned even wider.

  “I guess I am happy,” he said, and my heart felt like it grew twice its size. “Speaking of which, I’m not ready to go home yet. Why don’t we go to Duo’s?”

  And just like that, my heart began to shrivel.

  Duo’s! Marvel! Marvel. What time was it? I grabbed my phone and saw that it was nearly six. I was supposed to meet Marvel at Duo’s in twenty minutes!

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “But—”

  “I know, I know. You have party stuff to plan,” Eliot said. “So maybe it’s selfish of me to ask. But… I like spending time with you,” he admitted, his eyes darting briefly toward his shoes. “It’s fun.”

  I had no idea what to do. This was no longer just an apology hangout—Eliot wanted to keep spending time with me. And he wanted to take me to Duo’s, the most popular diner in town. We were sure to run into somebody we knew there. How was I supposed to pass up the opportunity to drink hot cocoa with the most popular boy at Lakeview? There were at least 170 other girls who would literally kill to be in my place right now!

  And if I said no, this opportunity might never come again.

  I bit my lip, weighing my options. Surely, Marvel would understand if I postponed our date by just a day or two?

  Before I could think too hard, I whipped out my phone.

  “I’m in,” I told Eliot. “Just give me a second.”

  To Marvel, I texted: I’m so sorry, but a last-minute thing came up. Can we reschedule for Thursday? I promise my knock-knock jokes will be of the highest quality!

  The tiny “message read” symbol appeared, then the three little white dots that meant he was typing. After a few seconds, the dots disappeared. Reappeared. And then vanished again. I was just starting to sweat when his reply came through.

  No problem! Thursday.

  I really am sorry, I texted back.

  His second reply came almost immediately. Seriously, don’t sweat it. Life happens. Besides, I’ll still be just as handsome on a Thursday as I am on a Tuesday.

  I snorted at his reply, and my stomach gave a guilty flip. Marvel was a genuinely good guy. He hadn’t acted annoyed at me for canceling on him. Instead, he was cracking jokes to make me feel better. So what was I doing, going to the same restaurant we were supposed to meet at, but with a different boy?

  “Everything okay?” Eliot asked, breaking through my uneasy thoughts.

  “Huh? What? Oh! Yes! Of course, everything’s okay. Why wouldn’t it be?” I said. “We’re just headed to Duo’s. Nothing illegal with that! And even if it was illegal, that’s only if you get caught, right? Ha ha. But like I said, no, there’s nothing wrong.”

  Eliot gave me a strange look, and I forced myself to take a deep breath.

  “Everything is perfect,” I said firmly. “Let’s go.”

  Five minutes later, we were on the bus downtown, and I was already feeling marginally better despite blowing Marvel off. I knew it wasn’t the right thing to do—but he would never find out. And if it couldn’t hurt him, then it wasn’t too terrible. Right?

  “Hey, look!” Eliot said.

  I glanced out the window just in time to see a flurry of movie-perfect snowflakes drifting down from the charcoal sky.

  It was the first snowfall of the winter—that had to be lucky. Maybe it was a sign I had made the right decision after all. The bus slid to a stop at the corner of Duo’s, and I clambered down the stairs, my arms raised up toward the sky.

  Eliot laughed as I caught snowflakes on my tongue, and for about three pure, joyous moments, everything was perfect.

  And that’s when someone called out, “Pippa?”

  Immediately, I froze, tongue out, head tilted back. An icy wave of terror washed through me. That isn’t… that can’t be…

  “Marvel?”

  My head snapped forward just as he emerged from Duo’s. He carried a small take-out container, and his dark hair was brushed back neatly behind his ears—no headphones in sight. He looked better than ever—and all I could do was stare at him in horror.

  “What are you doing here?” I demanded.

  “Me? I was just leaving,” he said. “I got to Duo’s a little early—okay, a lot early—and so I was already here when your text came in.” He cocked his head. “But I could ask you the same question! I thought something came up—not that I’m not happy to see you.”

  “Right. About that…,” I hedged.

  As I scrambled for something to say, Marvel’s gaze flitted from me to Eliot. His eyes opened wide in confusion—before narrowing in realization. And just like that, all the warmth faded from his gaze.

  “Oh,” he said, his voice going flat. “So that’s why.”

  “Wait! It’s not like that!” I sputtered.

  “Yeah? Then tell me what it’s like,” Marvel countered. He nodded at Eliot. “This is your boyfriend, Buddy, right?”

  “No,” I said, at the same time Eliot demanded, “Wait, you have a boyfriend named Buddy?”

  “No,” I repeated. I shook my head at Marvel. “I already told you that Buddy is just a friend—and that I don’t have a boyfriend!”

  I meant for my voice to come out hard and firm, but instead it was squeaky and soft. My hands were trembling, my face was flushed, and my head was spinning so fast I could barely think straight.

  And neither Eliot nor Marvel looked like they believed I didn’t have a boyfriend.

  “Look,” I said, my voice trembling. “I can explain—”

  “Everything. I’m sure,” Marvel said, with no hint of his signature humor. “You’re great at explaining things. So go ahead… explain.”

  I swallowed. Marvel seemed furious. Eliot looked disappointed. And neither of them appeared to have any sympathy for me.

  So I did the only thing I could think of. I tucked my hair back behind my ear, took a deep breath, opened my mouth, and blurted, “I have to go.”

  And then, before either of them could say anything, I raced off down the street.

  I was almost halfway home when my phone buzzed.

  Dreading to see who had texted me, I pulled out my phone with trembling fingers. Was it Marvel telling me that I was the worst person ever? Or Eliot demanding to know what had just happened? Both would be equally awful.

  But it was neither of them.

  It was a message from the party place. I stopped breathing as I read the message.

  Dear Ms. Park,

  We’re delighted that you want to rent our space. As promised, here is our estimate.

  Our minimum package is $30 per guest. For 32 guests, that comes to $960, or, with tax and gratuity, $1,254.50. We accept all major credit cards; please let us know how you’d like to pay.

  Warm wishes for a joyous holiday,

  The Blue Room Staff

  18 HELLO, HANUKKAH, GOODBYE, CHRISTMAS

  Only 8 Days Until Christmas Eve

  (And Until I Fall Off the Face of the Planet)

  The next morning, I woke up to the sound of my alarm. The sun slanted merrily through the gaps in my blinds, reminding me that it was time to get up and seize the day. I groaned and buried my head underneath my pillow.

  I couldn’t do it. I could not leave my safe, cozy bed. Because if I did, then that meant it was time to get dressed, but if I got dressed, then the next step was heading to the school bus, and naturally the school bus would take me to Lakeview, and once I was at Lakeview I would have to go inside… only, that was impossible, because if I did go inside, then I would see Eliot and the Royals, and I couldn’t face any of them. The most reasonable option was to drop out of school. But Mina would never allow that. Maybe I could run away and join the circus?

  I groaned louder. There was no sense in putting it off. I rolled out of bed and got ready for school.

  An hour later, I stood in the entranceway.

  Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3 filled the air—that was Lakeview’s version of the five-minute warning bell.

  The thought of running into either Eliot or the Royals made my stomach do backflips. I knew I would have to tell the Royals about the party, and I knew Eliot would think I was a horrible person—and if he asked me for an explanation about last night, I had no idea what to say.

  As I shuffled through the front doors, I kept my head down and my pace brisk. I ducked down a side hall and looped behind the cafeteria, taking the long route to my locker. By the time I reached it, the hallways were abandoned. I grabbed my stuff, shoved my backpack inside, and slid into my first class with only five seconds to spare. No time to talk to anyone.

  Yet.

  * * *

  When lunchtime came around, my stomach was tied in one huge knot.

  Eliot sat at his usual table, twirling spaghetti around a plastic fork as his friends flicked paper footballs at one another. He glanced up and caught my gaze, but his expression was unreadable. To the right, I saw the Royals seated at their usual table. They were laughing at something on Helen’s phone—until Starsie waved and they all looked my way.

 

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