I was going to make my way onto that makeup crew. Knowing that Zane would be there, too, was only icing on the cake. Yummy blue-eyed, muscular, gives-me-shivers kind of icing.
It was like the universe was daring me to try.
I couldn’t let the universe down.
Chapter Two
“You know, I’m starting to think this friendship has serious perks.”
I rested my ballet flats up on the dashboard and filed my nails as Beth Frye pulled her car into the Rock Valley High parking lot for the first day of our junior year.
She glanced over at me, amusement dancing in her vivid green eyes. “Oh yeah, like what?”
“Like the fact that I don’t have to ride the bus to school anymore.” I bit my bottom lip and tried to hold back a grin. “You make an awesome chauffeur, girly.”
Beth rolled her eyes and blew a blonde curl out of her face. She’d worn a black t-shirt for the first day of school with a cartoon character plastered on the front from one of her weird video games. A pleather bracelet hung from around her wrist and lightning bolt earrings swung from her earlobes. It was totally geeky and totally her.
We’d only been hanging out for the summer, since our sisters practically forced us to be friends, but I’d gotten to know Beth well enough by now to realize she was a fashion force of her own. There was no use trying to mold her to my ways. Besides, it seemed to help her stay under the radar. She was stunningly gorgeous, even without a speck of makeup on. That kind of thing drew attention, something that she didn’t seem to like.
It was another thing about her that made us total opposites.
I wouldn’t have minded drawing a little attention today. There were two reasons behind that.
One: I was on a mission to hunt down the head makeup artist today and beg her to hire me for some real-world experience. Dad had said that as long as I kept my grades up, he’d let me spend every extra minute I had learning the trade from her. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
And two: to dazzle mystery boy, aka Zane, when I inevitably ran into him on set and reminded him of the awesome connection we had yesterday in the rain.
Gorgeous, wonderful Zane with the melt-me smile.
I could just eat that boy up.
“I think there are more benefits to this friendship than just free car rides,” Beth said, drawing my attention back to her.
I gave her a devious smile. “Oh yeah? Like what?”
“Like having people around to call you out on your hallucinations.” She stuck her tongue out at me. “Are you sure you kissed that boy yesterday in the rain, or were you just high on the fumes from your face paints?”
She’d been reading my mind. I snatched an unused napkin from the cupholder beside me, balled it up in my hand, and tossed it at her. It bounced off her nose and she didn’t even blink. She just grinned at me, raising her eyebrows in a challenge.
“Yes, I’m sure.” I’d spilled to my friends yesterday over a group text what had happened with Zane. It wasn’t a hallucination. It’d been the single most amazing moment of my short life. “And I’m going to find him on set today, just as soon as I secure my spot on the makeup team. You’ll see the sparks fly. Believe me.”
“And you’re sure he’s not just another flavor of the week?”
I scrunched up my nose. That sounded slightly judgmental. “Are you calling me boy crazy?”
“Um...yes.” She laughed. “I’ve never met any girl who goes through as many crushes as you, Lexi. So excuse my skepticism.”
“Well, this one feels different. Trust me. We’re walking off into the sunset together.”
Beth pulled into a parking spot, put the car into park, and then turned to look at me. “Could you cool it with the eternal optimism? I haven’t even had my morning caffeine.”
“Hmm...nope.” I smiled sweetly at her. “Sorry, but when life hands you lemonade, yo
u have to shout about it.”
Her head fell back, and she made a sound like she was clearing phlegm from her throat. “Pretty sure that’s not how the saying goes.”
“It is today, girl.”