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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
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During the weekend, Taylor phoned Amy and told her that, even though she was mad at being tricked into becoming a cheerleader, she would accept the position. Amy had been confident that Taylor would accept eventually. After all, who wouldn't want to be a cheerleader?
On Monday, Taylor and Chad pretended that everything was fine between them. Taylor was pretending not to be disappointed that Chad didn't like her, and Chad was pretending that he wasn't nervous about being around her.
Gabby and Troy noticed this, and started to put together "Operation Chaylor".
-----HSM-----
After school, Troy and Chad were shooting baskets. Troy suddenly stopped and grabbed Chad.
"Chad, you need to get over this!"
Chad sighed. He knew that Troy was right. Taylor would never like him in the same way. "I know, I know. But a part of me doesn't want to get over it. I want to try and win her!"
Troy grinned. "Why don't we try the whole jealousy angle?"
Chad raised an eyebrow. "How would going out on a date with someone else make Taylor like me?"
"Because she'll start to realize that she wants to be that girl with you."
Chad thought about it. What harm could it do? "Ok, I'll do it. Got any girl in mind?"
Troy smiled slowly. "Why yes, I do."
-----HSM-----
"Taylor, snap out of it!"
"I'm sorry Gabby," Taylor sighed. She hadn't told Gabby about her crush on Chad. "It's just that it's kind of hard for me to get back in the cheerleading groove." Her first cheerleading practice had been after school, and Taylor was tired and sore.
Gabby raised an eyebrow; she knew that cheerleading wasn't the whole reason for Taylor's behaviour. "I know what will help." Gabby said, pretending that the idea had just struck her.
"What?" Taylor asked.
"A date!" Gabby said, smiling.
"Huh? Tonight? But it's too late to do anything now." Taylor protested.
"No, not tonight. Tomorrow night. Please let me set it up. I've been dying to do something like this for a while now!"
"You mean a blind date? No, I could never do something like that!"
"Not even to make Chad jealous?"
Taylor froze. Hew mind reeling. Somehow Gabby had guessed. She looked at Gabby with a helpless look in her eye.
"Come on Taylor, if Chad saw you with someone else he'd be bound to be jealous!"
"He doesn't like me in that way."
"But maybe seeing you with someone else would make him realize that he does!"
Taylor sighed. She really did need to get out of the house. She hadn't been on a date since she moved to Albuquerque. Slowly, she nodded.
"Great, I know just the guy!"