Read o 7ea25cca660315b4 for Free Online Page A

me.
    When I finish he asks, “Are you okay? You’re looking sad.”
    “I’m fine.”
    “And you didn’t say hi. You always say hi.” He smiles. “Even to me.”
    “Just—busy,” I say. “With plans for the Homecoming Bash.”
    Which isn’t totally true. (Yet. But it will be.”)
    We walk out of class together,. He’s being so friendly to me. And when we start talking about Vanish, he’s totally enthusiastic. Asking all about our set list and saying nice things about the tape. I can tell he’s trying to cheer me up,.
    Unless it’s more than that.
    Do you think he’s flirting with me, Nbook?
    Should I care?
    Nahh.
    He’s a guy. He finds the qualifications for my No-Guys policy. Nothing he says will make a difference. One James is enough for a lifetime.
    That’s not fair. Brendan does seem a lot nicer than James.
    Although James seemed a lot nicer than James at first.
    So you never know.
    Oh, later on, Cece asks me why I’m so hostile to Brendan.
    (Can you believe this, Nbook? She was spying on us.)
    I tell her I wasn’t hostile. I didn’t feel hostile. Maybe matter-of-fact, that’s all.
    She says Brendan’s cute. And nice. And she’s positive he likes me.
    I tell her I’m not in a boyfriend mode.
    Hey, ih she’s interested, I won’t stand in the way.
    But she’s not.
    At least I don’t think so.
    Rehearsal
    Oh, Nbook. I don’t know what’s going on.
    I don’t’ believe in miracle cures. I’m a realistic person.
    But shouldn’t Maggie be feeling a little better?
    I mean, we have not gotten though one whole song without stopping for mer.
    Her throat’s dry.
    The keyboard keys are sticky.
    She’s forgotten the words. The clues.
    She can’t hit the high notes.
    The Homecoming bash is in 10 days. We’re supposed to e getting tighter.
    Maybe the garage is too crowded and noisy. Dawn’s here. Marina. Bruce’s cousin from Fresno. Patti’s parents.
    Should I throw everyone out?
    No. this is a rock band—they’re supposed to perform for noisy crowds.
    Maybe it’s Justin. Is he making her nervous?
    WHAT’S GOING ON?
    Dawn is shooting me looks.
    I’m going to talk to her. Don’t go away.
    Sorry. Didn’t mean to be gone so long.
    LOTS to report.
    First. I meet Dawn at the trough, where the Chavezes are setting up for break. And eating. The band is in the middle of “Fallen Angel.”
    Dawn’s about to say something, but the music suddenly stops.
    “Sorry! Sorry!” Maggie calls out. She’s massaging her neck, looking pained. “My fault.”
    Rico’s removing his guitar strap. He seems tired. “Let’s break, guys, okay?”
    Everyone heads to the trough.
    Except Maggie. She’s at the keyboard. Just sitting.
    Dawn and I walk over to her.
    028
    Dawn tries to talk to her. I try to talk to her.
    Nothing works. She’s a nervous wreck about the bash. Which she is now calling her “professional debut.”
    She’s magnifying this, Nbook. She’s digging herself into such a deep hole, I don’t know how she’ll get out.
    Now Justin decides to get into the act. She’s walking toward s now, a half-eaten donut in his hand.
    I figure, (former crush) + (junk food) = (just what Maggie doesn’t need).
    But he’s being very sweet. Saying don’t worry, you sound great, you look great, you’re going to steal the show, yada yada.
    Dawn and I jump on the pro-Maggie bandwagon. We’re all complementing her.
    Persisting. Maggie’s nodding her head, listening hard.
    At one point Justin gently touches her arm. “Hey, just let the music take control.”
    She flinches a little. (What’s with those two, Nbook?)
    Soon the band heads back. Rico plays the opening chords to “Hey, Down There.”
    And Maggie misses her entrance.
    Dawn and I are looing at each other. The Homecoming Bash is crashing before my eyes.
    Then the song starts again.
    Maggie’s still as a plank. She looks as if she’s taking a math exam. But something happens when she begins the lyric.
    Maybe it’s because she wrote it. Maybe