Excerpt
1.
Maggie Bean stood at the greeting-card end of the stationery aisle, biting her lip and carefully deciding which sentiment would leave the best impression. âÈêThinking of YouâÈë and âÈêJust Saying HelloâÈë were definitely more appropriate than âÈêHappy BirthdayâÈë and âÈêGet Well Soon,âÈë but that didnâÈçt make the selection much easier. On the outside, those cards, the ones decorated with purple flowers and smiling cartoon puppies, seemed perfectly, innocently sweet. But on the inside, with messages like âÈêI treasure our time togetherâÈë and âÈêYour smile illuminates my soulâÈë written in elaborate script, they were total sugar overload. And since Arnie and Maggie had probably already consumed enough sugar to fuel the HersheyâÈçs factory for an entire year, none of those cards would work as the cardâÈ'the one Maggie planned to give Arnie in honor of their very first date.
âÈêFound it.âÈë
Maggie took the card Aimee held toward her, looked at it, and handed it right back.
âÈêYou didnâÈçt even read it,âÈë Aimee protested.
âÈêI didnâÈçt have to,âÈë Maggie said.
âÈêBut it could be the one that says exactly what you want it to. It could be the card that keeps Arnie smiling for days. It could be the start of something truly magical.âÈë
âÈêIt could be,âÈë Maggie agreed. âÈêWhich is why the glitter is so unfortunate.âÈë
AimeeâÈçs mouth dropped open like they were eight years old and Maggie had just suggested Santa Claus was a figment of the mall. âÈêYou donâÈçt like glitter?âÈë
âÈêOr feathers, sequins, plastic gems, and 3-D cutouts.âÈë Maggie pointed to examples of what to avoid on the rack.
âÈêBut, pretty, sparkly cards are the only ones I give,âÈë Aimee said quickly, apparently still in shock. âÈêPretty, sparkly cards are the only ones youâÈçve gotten from me for every birthday and major holiday in the entire history of our friendship.âÈë
âÈêAnd I love them all!âÈë Maggie clarified. âÈêBut âÈö IâÈçm a girl.âÈë
âÈêAh.âÈë Aimee slid the card back in its slot. âÈêWell, I hate to say it, Mags, but if youâÈçre trying to find a boy card, youâÈçve got a tough job ahead of you. Boys donâÈçt do cards.âÈë
Maggie looked away from the rack to face Aimee.
âÈêThey do e-mail. IMs. Text messages. Sometimes phone callsâÈ'but only when absolutely necessary, and always under five minutes.âÈë
âÈêWe give my dad cards all the timeâÈ'âÈë
âÈêHeâÈçs your dad,âÈë Aimee said simply. âÈêNot a thirteen-year-old boy who wouldnâÈçt even know how to seal an envelope if his mother didnâÈçt lick it for him.âÈë
âÈêAnd you couldnâÈçt have brought this to my attention half an hour ago?âÈë
Aimee shrugged and grinned sweetly. âÈêWho am I to stand in the way of true love?âÈë
True love.
Her face burning red at the thought, Maggie swallowed and turned back to the rack. That was one greeting card category sheâÈçd eliminated immediatelyâÈ'no need to consider âÈêYouâÈçre the love of my life,âÈë âÈêI never knew love until I knew you,âÈë or âÈêI love you, I love you, I love you!âÈë when she and Arnie hadnâÈçt even been to the movies by themselves yet.
âÈêBe right back,âÈë Aimee said. âÈêI told my dad IâÈçd pick up some stuff for him.âÈë
âÈêCould you grab some purple highlighters?âÈë Maggie asked, somehow managing to think of something besides her almost-first boyfriend (fingers crossed) for one second.
Aimee eyed the shopping basket at MaggieâÈçs feet. âÈêSeriously?âÈë
Maggie looked down at the basket overflowing with notebooks, folders, pencils, pens, erasers, index cards, Wite-Out, paper clips, rubber bands, glue, and Post-its. A pack of pink, yellow, green, blue, and orange highlighters sat precariously on top of the pile.
âÈêI need purple,âÈë Maggie explained. âÈêItâÈçs the color I use for SAT vocabulary words.âÈë
âÈêEven thoughâÈ'âÈë
âÈêThe SATs are still four years away?âÈë Maggie finished. âÈêYes.âÈë
âÈêCan I also grab People magazine for you? So you can enjoy a healthier work-life balance?âÈë
âÈêIf you must.âÈë Maggie grinned as Aimee headed down the aisle. They both knew her work-life balance was the best itâÈçd ever beenâÈ'and about to get even better.
Which was why the card was so important. Next to Aimee, Arnie was her best friend. TheyâÈçd been through a lot together in the past year. After meeting at Pound Patrollers, where theyâÈçd bonded over being the only kids in a circle of middle-aged chocoholics, Arnie had helped Maggie survive embarrassing weight-loss meetings, chocolate relapses, and family turmoil. And two weeks ago, at her familyâÈçs house-warming party, heâÈçd confessed what she probably shouldâÈçve known but had been too distracted to notice.
Arnie liked her. As more than a friend.
And now they were going out. Or, at least, they were about to go out, on a date.
Arnie had given her a beautiful silver bracelet with an aquamarine stone at her familyâÈçs housewarming party, and in honor of their first date, she wanted to give him something in return. Something that said, âÈêThank you for being my friend. Thank you for putting up with me when I wasnâÈçt the easiest person to put up with, and for liking me despite everything I donâÈçt like about myself. Thank you for being supersweet and funny and adorable. Thank you for being you, and for wanting to be with me. I promise to be the best girlfriend ever.âÈë
âÈêHey, Maggie.âÈë
Maggie looked up to see Anabel Richards and Julia Swanson, cocaptains of Water Wings, their schoolâÈçs synchronized swim team, standing near the âÈêIâÈçm SorryâÈë greeting card section. They were still tall, thin, and dressed like theyâÈçd just left an InStyle cover shoot. Their skin glowed a deep, warm gold, most likely because theyâÈçd spent their summer vacations lounging on some European beach. This time last year, unexpectedly seeing them here wouldâÈçve been enough to make Maggie freeze. That, or run from the drugstore before they noticed her.
But that was then, and this was now. They were about to start eighth grade. Why not start with a clean slate?
âÈêHi.âÈë Maggie offered a small smile.
âÈêHey,âÈë Julia said again, shooting Anabel a look, like she hadnâÈçt expected Maggie to respond.
âÈêHow was your summer?âÈë
âÈêGreat!âÈë JuliaâÈçs voice was unnaturally bright.
âÈêAnd yours?âÈë Anabel asked.
âÈêAlso great,âÈë Maggie said. âÈêThanks.âÈë
Anabel nodded, and her eyes darted toward Julia. When Julia continued to smile without speaking, Anabel gave her a quick elbow jab.
âÈêOkay.âÈë Julia exhaled sharply, like AnabelâÈçs jab had reminded her to breathe. âÈêWeâÈçve been dying to know.âÈë
âÈêDying,âÈë Anabel agreed. âÈêAll summer.âÈë
Maggie paused. âÈêDying to know what?âÈë She knew there was no way she had the information theyâÈçd apparently been waiting for.
Julia and Anabel exchanged wide-eyed looks, as though each silently begged the other to answer.
âÈêAbout your boyfriend!âÈë Anabel finally exclaimed.
So much for starting fresh. Immediately embarrassed for being put on the spotâÈ'and not even sure what they were talking aboutâÈ'Maggie felt her cheeks burn and her pulse race. A year later and the most popular girls in school still had this effect on her, like she still weighed more than the two of them combined, and longed to live up to their superficial standards.
âÈêWhich one?âÈë
Maggie spun around, relieved to see Aimee headed their way. When she turned back, she caught Julia and Anabel exchanging more looks, their eyes even wider than before.
âÈêWhich one?âÈë Anabel repeated.
âÈêThereâÈçs more than one?âÈë Julia added.
âÈêWhat happened to Mr. Perfect?âÈë
While Maggie immediately pictured Arnie and wondered how on earth theyâÈçd heard about the recent development, Aimee waved one hand and rolled her eyes. âÈêPlease,âÈë Aimee said, handing Maggie three purple highlighters and People magazine. âÈêThat was over months ago.âÈë
âÈêReally?âÈë Julia squeaked.
âÈêThe Abercrombie surfer who did crossword puzzles with his grandmother, volunteered at homeless shelters, and worshipped you?âÈë Anabel looked at Maggie, shocked. âÈêWhat happened?âÈë
MaggieâÈçs heart sank slightly. She really wished it wouldnâÈçt, because everything was so good, and she was so happy now, but she couldnâÈçt help it. The last time sheâÈçd seen Julia and Anabel was in the drugstore at the beginning of the summer, right before sheâÈçd told Peter Applewood that she liked himâÈ'and learned that he didnâÈçt feel the same way. That day, in MaggieâÈçs defense and for JuliaâÈçs and AnabelâÈçs benefit, Aimee had made Peter sound like Leonardo DiCaprio.
âÈêThey grew apart.âÈë Aimee shrugged. âÈêIt happens. Especially when high school guys start asking you out.âÈë
Maggie wished she couldâÈçve enjoyed JuliaâÈçs and AnabelâÈçs stunned disbelief, but instead, her heart sank again. It was true that Ben, her cute coworker at Camp Sound View, was in high school and had asked her out âÈö but heâÈçd also stopped talking to her the second he found out that she once ate chocolate the way other people breathe oxygen.
âÈêAnd by the way,âÈë Aimee added, as though letting Julia and Anabel in on a secret, âÈêhigh school guys arenâÈçt all theyâÈçre cracked up to be. Which is why Maggie had to move on to someone else.âÈë
âÈêBut IâÈçm so glad you had a great summer,âÈë Maggie said quickly. Julia and Anabel looked like Aimee had just told them Maggie had won $100 million in the lottery and given away every penny.
âÈêMaybe you can tell us all about it at school next week,âÈë Aimee suggested. She picked up MaggieâÈçs shopping basket and handed it to her.
âÈêRight.âÈë Maggie took the basket and started walking down the aisle. âÈêCanâÈçt believe itâÈ'eighth grade already!âÈë
Maggie knew Julia and Anabel were watching her and Aimee head for the register, eyes still wide and mouths open. Maybe later, once they were out of the store and out of interrogation range, sheâÈçd find the encounter funny. But right then, all she could think about was getting out.
Reaching the checkout, Maggie quickly unloaded her basket onto the counter. As the saleswoman rang up her school supplies, MaggieâÈçs heart sank yet again. âÈêI forgot it.âÈë
âÈêImpossible,âÈë Aimee said automatically. âÈêYou have enough there to educate an entire school.âÈë
âÈêArnieâÈçs card,âÈë Maggie groaned quietly. âÈêI have to go back.âÈë
âÈêMags. Seriously. Send him an e-mail.âÈë
Maggie glanced over her shoulder. She knew Julia and Anabel couldnâÈçt have gotten far. And even though the last thing she wanted was to risk any unwanted questions, she also couldnâÈçt leave the store without ArnieâÈçs card.
Thinking only of him, her cute, funny, almost-first boyfriend, she left the counter and strode back toward the stationery aisle. Anabel and Julia still stood where she and Aimee had left them, whispering fiercely, but Maggie just flashed a smile and grabbed the first card she reached in the âÈêThinking of YouâÈë section.
Later, once safely back home and thinking more clearly, she might regret the fast selection. After all, the picture of a heart-shaped piece of chocolate under the pink-scripted âÈêYouâÈçre SweetâÈë was covered in silver glitter. But then again, since the inside of the card was blank, and sheâÈçd have to write out exactly what she wanted to say, she might not. Either way, she really couldnâÈçt go wrong.
Because she was giving the card to Arnie, her very first boyfriend.
Almost.
Âû 2009 Tricia Rayburn
