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Chapter 1

Selphie Calls Rinoa

"Hello."

"Hello. Rinoa?"

"No. It's her mom. Is this Selphie?"

"Yes. Hi, Mrs. Heartilly. Is Rinoa there?"

"She'd better be. It's after eleven o'clock. Isn't it a little late to be calling, Selphie?"

"Eleven. Oh, wow. My watch must've stopped. It says nine o' clock. Do you believe it?"

"No. Not really. Never mind. I'll go get Rinoa."

"Hello?"

"Hi, Rinoa. It's me. What are you doing?"

"My nails."

"What color?"

"Well, I don't know. I was thinking about purple. Or maybe black."

" Have you thought about blue? Maybe you should find a shade to match your eyes. I've always thought it would be neat to have eyes and nails that match."

"You're weird, Selphie. Actually, I never do anything to my nails at all, except chew on them. But sometimes I think about doing something to them. That's what I was doing when you called. Thinking about doing something to them."

"Do you want to know something better to think about?"

"Yeah. Sure."

"Well, how about Irvine?"

"Irvine?"

"Yeah. Irvine."

"Selphie, why should I think about Irvine?"

"Well from what I just heard, he's been thinking about you."

"Get real, Selphie."

"I'm serious. I was talking to Carol Trager, and she said her brother told her Irvine thinks you're neat. He likes girls with straight, raven black hair."

"But, Selphie, Irvine doesn't even know me."

"Carol seemed to think he wants to know you!"

"But he's a junior. I've never spoken a word to him. He's never even said hello to me."

"Well, he's really shy, Rinoa."

"He's shy?" I don't see what that has to—"

"You're kinda shy, too. You two have a lot in common. I think you should call him."

"Call him? Get real. I couldn't call him. What would I say?"

"I don't know. Ask him something. Ask him what it's like to be a junior."

"Don't be a dork."

"Ask him if you can interview him for the school paper."

"But I don't work on the school paper."

"He doesn't know that."

"No. Really—I couldn't—"

"Wow. It's a great idea. You pretend to interview him, and I know he'll ask you out. Carol says he really wants to ask you out. He just needs an excuse."

"But, Selphie. I couldn't. I can't.

"My brother has a little cassette player. You could bring it over to Irvine's to tape the interview. That'll really impress him."

"But what happens when the school paper comes out and the interview isn't in it? He'll know I was a fake!"

"By that time, you two will be going together. He'll be so nuts about you, he won't care. Trust me, Rinoa, this is a perfect plan."

"If it's so perfect, why do I feel so weird about it?"

"Because you're a chicken, Rinoa."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"What are friends for? Listen, you have no choice. You've got to do this. Carol says the guy is really hot for you. At least that's what her brother told her."

"Who's her brother? The guy with all the teeth?"

"Yeah. That's him. Carol says he wants to have his teeth straightend, but no one can figure out which way they should go."

"How awful."

"Yeah. She's embarrassed to be seen with him, but she feels sorry for him too. He's her brother, after all."

"And he and Irvine are friends?"

"I guess so. Listen, Rinoa, are you going to call Irvine or not?"

"I don't know. I can't decide. I don't think I—"

"Listen, Selphie, I've got to get off the phone. My mom is screaming at me from downstairs."

"Okay. See you tomorrow."

"Right. Oh. Wait. Selphie?"

"Yeah?"

"What's the name of the school paper?"

"Hmmmm—I think it's The Beacon. I'm not sure."

"Thanks. Good night."