Cloudburst (Storms 2)

“I will. Thank you,” I said, but I wondered how he knew I was driving safely. Was he having me watched, followed?

He stood there looking at me a moment and then nodded, started to turn away again, and stopped. I started putting on my blouse but stopped as well.

“Oh, what do you have after school today?”

Ryder had asked me to go to his house after school. I was sure I would do that today. If I came up with Donald’s request as a reason not to, Ryder would surely take it personally.

“Today? I might have something,” I said. “Why?”

“I thought if you weren’t busy, you might come over to the office. I wanted to show you this new campaign we’re doing for the High Rollers. I’m sure you know the rock group.”

“I do, but I’m not crazy about them. They’re too heavy metal for me.”

“I hate them,” he said, “but they’re a very nice account. I’m trying to help them do a little more crossover, soften their image, and I thought someone like you might have some good insights.”

“Can I come tomorrow?” I asked.

“Sure. Maybe that would be better. Now that I think of it, I have a lunch that might go late. Well, enjoy the day,” he said, and left.

I stood there looking after him for a moment and then quickly finished dressing. Jordan, dressed and all made up, came down a few minutes after I had. She was as bright and buoyant as she was at dinner. Gone was that depressed air that had been hovering about her lately.

“You look very nice this morning,” she said.

“Thank you. So do you. Are you going anywhere special?”

“Oh, I’ve got a lot to do today. But I’ve set aside Saturday for us,” she added. “We’ll spend the day picking out your dress for the concert and seeing to whatever alterations are necessary.”

“Saturday?”

“Yes. Donald insisted we get it done. He said again that if for some reason he can’t get the tickets, he’ll get tickets to something just as good. He really is taking more interest in us,” she added. Her happiness had improved her appetite. She asked for her favorite omelette with toast and some of Mrs. Caro’s homemade jam.

“Is he?” I said. I didn’t mean it to sound cynical, but I knew it did, or at least not enthusiastic enough for her.

“Oh, yes, yes. He made a big point of my shopping for your dress. He said it was time you had some really elegant clothing. He told me he thought you were quite a mature young lady now, and you should have a wardrobe to complement that. I must say, he didn’t take this much interest in Kiera’s wardrobe when she was your age, except to criticize it. That girl seemed to enjoy wearing things that would annoy us.

“Anyway, it was refreshing to see him really interested in us. Oh, I almost forgot. He said neither of us should make any plans for Friday night. He’s taking us to Castles. You know, the very hot new Beverly Hills restaurant. Usually, it takes months to get a reservation for a Friday night. Stars like your sad friend’s parents are seen there all the time.”

I thought that gave me an opportunity to talk about Ryder. “I might get to meet them today,” I said.

“Oh? How?”

“I might go to his house after school. He came here, so I thought it was only fair to go there.”

“I see. Well, please let me know if you do go. I hope you’ll be careful, Sasha. It’s so easy to get swept along with all this Hollywood stuff,” she said.

I thought that was almost funny. She had just finished telling me that Castles was a hot reservation because Hollywood celebrities were seen there often.

“Ryder is about as non-Hollywood as anyone could be.”

“You hardly know him, dear.”

“Sometimes it doesn’t take all that long to get to know what someone’s really like. If there’s any mystery to most of the students at Pacifica, it’s only who their plastic surgeon is or will be.”

She froze for a moment. “Don’t you like being there?”

“I appreciate all of the advantages it offers, Jordan, but I really don’t want to be like most of the other girls. When someone came up with the slogan that beauty was only skin deep, he or she was surely talking about the Pacifica student body.”

Her eyelids narrowed, and the softness fled from her face. “I don’t remember you talking like this before, Sasha,” she said. “I hope Ryder Garfield is not putting ideas into your head already.”