Chapter 3

Sal waltzed into the beach house. She was humming "I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy" from South Pacific. Kris came in from the deck.

"Well, hi. I won't ask how your day went. I can see it on your face."

"Does it show?"

"Well, you're waltzing and humming, and you have stars in your eyes. Who is he?"

Sal giggled as she caught Kris' hand and pulled her towards the couch. "He's a new guy at school He just transferred here. His name is Mark Simpson. He's tall, blond, brown eyed, tanned, and gorrrrrgeous. He asked me to go the football game with him on Friday. Can I go? Please? Pretty please?"

"Well, I'd like to meet him first."

"I knew you'd say that, and that's what I told him."

"How's your work schedule this week?" Kris referred to Sal's part time job at a clothing store in the mall.

"I'm off on Friday. Oh, Kris, please let me go!"

"We'll see. How about you invite him over to dinner tomorrow night? I'll see if Sabrina and Kelly are available." Kris grinned at her little sister.

"Oh, no! I know you guys have a policy of checking out each other's dates, but do you have to apply it to me? Why don't you ask Bosley too?"

Sal was mortified.

"Calm down. It will just be a little family get together."

"Uhhh-huh." Sal was unconvinced. " Do you know if Jill left any autographed pictures around before she went back to Europe? Mark was impressed that she's my sister."

"That's not the only reason he asked you out, is it?"

"No. That came up later in the conversation."

"Look in the desk drawer. There might be some in there. If not, you'll have to write to Jill and ask her for one."

"OK." Sal hummed her way into her room and put her school stuff away. She came out to find Kris on the phone. "Kris, you wouldn't dare!"

"Talk to you later, Kelly. 'Bye!" Kris put down the phone. Sal saw her finger on the disconnect button. She sighed in relief. She loved her sister's friends like family, but didn't want to endure their teasing just yet.

"Kris, why don't you pick me up from school tomorrow? You can meet Mark then."

"You sure you don't want to invite him to dinner?" Kris asked.

"Not just yet. I want to get to know him a little better first."

"Fair enough."

Sal went to school the next morning still in a state of euphoria. She said hi to Liz and her other friends and went to her locker. When she opened it, tons of shredded newspaper fell out. A passing teacher told her to clean it up. Sal did quickly, but wondered who could've done it. She hurried to Biology class. Mark was already there. So was Lisa. She was sitting awfully close to him. Lisa smirked at her. Sal smiled at Mark and glared at Lisa as she took her seat. She tried to concentrate on what the teacher was saying, but didn't have much luck. Soon the class was over.

"Bye, bye, Mark," Lisa cooed as she gave Sal a dirty look. Sal knew she was going to have to claim her territory and fast. Lisa sauntered off to gym class with a swing of her hips. Sal glared at her. She almost didn't see Mark come up behind her.

"Hi, " he said. "Sorry I didn't get a chance to see you earlier."

"Hi. It's Ok. Someone stuffed my locker full of newspaper, and I had to clean it up."

"Who'd do such a thing?"

"I'm beginning to have my suspicions."

Sal's suspicions were confirmed in gym class, when the girls were changing back into their street clothes after showering. Sal found her bra full of pencil shavings. Wrapping her towel around her securely, she took the bra over to the garbage can and shook it out. She got as many shavings as she could out of her bra, but spent the rest of the day in an itchy state, much to Lisa's delight.

"You realize, of course, " she told Liz, "that this means war."

Liz nodded. "What are you going to do?"

"I'll think of something. Just wait."

At lunch, Sal and Liz again sat with Mark. Lisa joined them.

"What a pleasant surprise," she smirked.

"What, eating lunch?" Sal asked.

"It's just so nice to see Mark here." Lisa cooed.

"Uh, yeah, nice to see you too, Lisa, " Mark said and looked at Sal questioningly.

"I see you are getting acquainted with our school. Sal here is fairly new too."

"I was here last year."

"Why did you transfer again?" Lisa asked a little too sweetly.

"None of your business." Sal replied just as sweetly.

"Oh, sweetie. Lots of things are my business. I heard you lived in San Francisco with your grandparents. Then you moved down here."

"So?"

"Why did you live with your grandparents? What happened to your parents?"

"I said, it's none of your business!"

"Isn't your sister Jill Munroe, the race car driver?"

"What is the point of all these questions?"

"I just thought I'd help you get better acquainted with Mark. I guess your sister is a better driver than your father was. "

"What do you mean by that?" Sal could feel her eyes narrowing into slits and the adrenaline starting to course through her body.

"She hasn't killed anyone."

Mark grabbed Sal by the shoulder as she started to lunge for Lisa. "Lisa, that was low. Sal's parents died in an accident, and it wasn't their fault." Mark stuck up for Sal.

"Thanks, Mark. Look, Lisa, unless you have something nice to say, I suggest you get lost."

Lisa stood up. "This isn't over yet, Sal."

Sal watched Lisa leave. She began to have a very intense dislike for Lisa.

After school, Sal rushed out the front doors towards the busses. She had forgotten Kris was going to pick her up until she saw Kris' car. She heard Mark and Liz behind her. "Sal, wait up!" they called. Sal stopped. She turned around. Mark and Liz caught up to her.

"Sorry, guys. I'm just so mad about Lisa right now, I can't even think straight."

"That' s understandable." Mark told her. "I've got my car. Would you like a ride?"

"Thanks, but my sister is picking me up. Come meet her."

"Sal, I'm going to help you think of some ways to get even with Lisa. I'll call you tonight." Liz said as she started for her bus.

"Thanks, Liz. I'll talk to you later." Sal and Mark went over to Kris' car as Liz went to her bus. They passed Lisa, who "accidentally" bumped into Sal.

Sal ignored her. Kris saw them coming and got out of the car.

"Hi, Kris. This is my friend Mark Simpson. Mark, this is my sister, Kris Munroe."

"Nice to meet you," they both said.

"So, Mark, Sal said you're new in town. How do you like LA?"

"It's OK. My family moved from Fresno over the summer."

"That's a nice place. We drove through there this past summer."

"Yeah, I liked it."

"I think you'll like LA too. It's been nice meeting you. Sal and I need to run some errands now." Kris said to Mark as she went to the driver's side of the car.

"Nice meeting you, too. Sal, I'll see you tomorrow, OK?"

"Bye." Sal got into the car as Kris started the engine. They drove away.

"You're right. He is gorrrrrrrgeous." Kris teased her sister. She noticed Sal didn't respond. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing. I need to get home and change my clothes into something more comfortable." Sal said as she squirmed to control the itching in her chest.