Chapter Ten: Ball in Motion
"You'll never guess who just called." Rockie said, coming into my room when Taylor and I were in mid make-out. I giggled at getting caught but didn't bother to respond, just stare at my ginger some more.
Rockie huffed. "Well...aren't you going to guess?" She asked impatiently, tapping her foot to get my attention.
I turned away from Taylor and rolled my eyes defiantly. "No." I replied, trying to hide my smirk.
"Whyyy not?" My best friend whined and I continued to keep a straight face.
"Because you said I'd never guess, remember?" I said, keeping my expression blank despite the fact that Taylor was outright laughing at my comment.
"Always a smart alec." Rockie said, rolling her eyes at me though she had a smile on her lips.
"But seriously, you'll never guess who just called." Rockie said again, her caremel eyes pleading with me to play along.
"I give up, I give up." I said, holding up my hands in fake defeat.
"So who is the mystery caller?" Taylor asked, playing with a strand of my dark black hair absentmindedly.
"Krystal Graves." Rockie said, doing a small drum roll before she made the announcement.
I rolled my brown eyes again. "Aren't you done obsessing over her yet? We've gone to school with her for two months, she invited us to her party, clearly she's a normal kid."
"Bu-" Rockie said, that excitement still in her eyes.
"No buts." I said sternly. "I want you to treat her like a normal kid. She's had enough of the fame seekers in her life, I'm sure. She's my friend, Rock, and I'm sure she'd be yours too if you quit idolizing her for two seconds."
"Bu-" Rockie said again, then corrected herself when she saw the stern look on my face. "I mean..." She said, clearing her throat. "She invited us to dinner."
She paused dramatically, waiting for it to sink in. When I stared blankly at her, she continued, a little exasperated. "At her house...?" She baited, but I still didn't catch on.
"With her parents...?" She continued and finally I got it. Rockie wanted to meet the mother, and fashion icon, Monique.
I rolled my eyes as well as Taylor did. I smiled briefly at my carrot-top before turning back at Rockie. "If we go," I said, holding my hand up when she started bouncing up and down giddily, "if we go, will you promise not to embarrass me?" I asked seriously.
She nodded frantically, but I pressed on. "No, I'm serious. Krystal is my friend and although her dad gives me the creeps, I don't want to make a bad impression on her mom. And if one of my sisters is acting up then there is no waythat I'll have any chance at keeping Krys in my life."
"I promise, cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye..." She chanted, doing the hand signals for it as she said it.
"So what exactly did Krystal say on the phone?" Taylor asked, rubbing calming circles on my back since he could see I was jittery.
"Well, at first she said she just wanted Lexi to go but then I was, like, 'hey she'd feel more comfortable with some of us,' so she got off the phone for a minute and when she got back on she said her parents said it'd be okay if Taylor and I could go." Rockie said, smiling widely in triumph.
"I already talked to Fran and Patrick," She said, answering my question before I could even ask it, "and they said it was okay as long as Taylor drove and we promised to be home at a decent hour and to get an autograph if it wasn't too much of a burden for Monique. So, of course, that was a no brainer and I said that we would."
I just shook my head at her anticts. This girl was crazy. But that was why she was perfect for the role of my best friend.
"So when is this shindig?" I asked, hoping that it was Friday so I could get out of my study group with Hollis and Emily for the Spanish test next week.
The two of them were extremely prepared and usually ended up just grilling me instead of studying themselves. Audrey would be out of town so I would have no school allies. (Word to the wise: Me no speak espanol.)
"Tonight!" Rockie said, not able to contain herself any more as she began to jump up and down like a little kid instead of the fifteen year old she really was.
"Why so soon?" Taylor asked, startled as well as I was.
Rockie shrugged. "Her mom left Fashion Week early and since her dad got to meet everyone at the party, so does Monique." She squealed. "I can't believe I'm going to meet Monique Graves!"
I sighed, lacing up my tennis shoes in preparation to go; this was going to be a long night.