"Your sister is SO lucky that she's got the most perfect guy in school for a boyfriend." Cleo sighs.

She has been my friend for as long as I can remember, my best friend, and she isn't afraid to say anything... to me, or to the whole world.

"Cleo, you could easily have Josh Owens if you asked him and you know it. Besides, Aubrey and Tyler are in the middle of something right now. They've been fighting every night on the phone and Aubrey always ends up on the verge of tears. That's why I haven't been online lately... comforting her is my new hobby." Josh Owens is the cutest seventh grader at Moore Haven, but all Cleo wants is Tyler, who happens to be an eighth grader and my sister's (Aubrey) boyfriend.

"Oh, darn!" She grins and I just have to giggle at her sarcasm. "You must be a psychic because I was actually thinking about asking Josh to the dance. Have you decided to ask Bryce yet? I have a feeling if you did-"

"Shhh! No one other than you knows that I like him and if he had just happened to pop up next to us, oh, you would be dead."

"Oh, be quiet. It's so obvious. Not to mention how obvious it is that he is pretty much in love with you, too. Have you seen him stare at you when we hang out? Or are you in another world staring at him just as much?" She bats her eyelashes.

"He doesn't like me, ok? He thinks we're just friends and I kind of want to keep it that way." She stares at me. No, glares. "Ok, fine. So I would love it if I asked him to the dance and he said yes. But I'm not and he wouldn't. So no."

I have liked Bryce ever since I realized that boys didn't have cooties. If he wasn't my best friend I probably would have asked him to the dance by now, but I've seen the movies. I don't want to risk our friendship.

"Hey, guys. Cleo, mind if I talk to Ali alone for a minute?" Bryce (just as I suspected) popped up out of no where.

And Cleo, thinking the wrong thing I'm sure, says, "Oh, SURE. Don't mind me, I'll go... check in with Mr. Lope. You kids have fun now, ok?" She winks at me and I am just about ready to punch her face in when she all but skips away.

"Um, hey, Ali." Bryce shoves his hands in his pockets and stares right at me.

After way too long of a time, I say, "Hey, Bryce. Why do you need to talk to me?"

"Well, uh, hm, how should I put this? TylerwantstobreakupwithAubreyandhedoesn'twanttodoithimselfsoheaskedmetoaskyoutodoitforhim." He talked way to fast in what seemed like only one breath, but I got the message.



"Your psycho brother wants me to do what?" I knew it was coming, but I didn't know I would have to be the one to deliver the news!

Just as Bryce was about to say something, Tyler bumped into me. That jerk, if I wasn't afraid that he would beat me to a pulp, I probably would have punched him right here, right now.

"Oh, sorry Ali! Didn't see you there." Turning to Bryce he said, "Hey little bro. Oh I see your doing what I asked you to do, thanks again." Turning back to me, he smiles this scary, bribe-like smile and says, "Ali, if it's too much trouble then I'll just do it myself. No worries!"

I can tell this is somewhat of a white lie so I just attemt to smile back and say, "No. Uh, no problem at all." I'll just break my sister's heart and let you go ask some other girl out while Aubrey pretty much dies. Tyler strides away, looking perfect as he goes.

"I'm so sorry about that, Ali. Um there was something else I needed to ask you. Would you-" He is cut off by the bell so I just sigh and tell him I have to go to homeroom.