APARTMENT #10F
Thursday, October 8th
6:47 P.M.
Dune dehhhh-finitely had lip-kissing on the brain. And spent most of the soccer game talking about it. Particularly how his surfer friends had lip-kissed some local Tavarua girls and how he had held back because he was saving himself for Kristen. It was everything she dreamed he’d say when she lay in bed night after night, missing him. But come awn! Did he have to bring it up right when Carter Alexander was about to score? It was beyond distracting.
Five minutes later, his pinky grazed hers. It was sweet times ten. But weird times twenty. For some reason, her heart didn’t race and her palms didn’t sweat. But they probably would have if Derrington hadn’t been shouting at his teammates and cursing his ankle for keeping him out of the game, right? It was like trying to concentrate on math problems when Alicia was snapping her gum.
Nine minutes post pinky-graze, Dune began feeding Kristen french fries. It was so romantic two girls sitting behind them actually awwwwed. Their jealousy filled Kristen with pride, reminding her how completely ah-dorable her crush was. She vowed, from that moment on, to focus less on the game and more on Dune. But then Massie tripped Dempsey, and Dempsey looked hurt. And they put him on a stretcher. And took him away. And, well . . . Dune-appreciation had been replaced with Dempsey-concern. And just like that, the awwwwww moment was awwwwwwl gone.
Still, Dune had invited himself over to Kristen’s so they could do their environmental studies homework together, and she’d accepted. He’d ah-bviously try to lip-kiss her while they were working, and maybe that would take her mind off Massie, Layne, and Dempsey.
Kristen shook the chatter from her brain and slid her key in the front door lock.
“Hello?” Marsha called from the kitchen.
The condo smelled embarrassingly fishy—like salmon. Ugh! Why hadn’t she brought Dune on lasagna night? Now he would associate her with that smell forever.
“Krist-mas, is that you?”
Kristen tossed her BFFWC key chain on the front-hall table and then locked the door behind her. “Who else would it be?” She rolled her eyes, letting Dune know the goofy nickname was soooo not something she backed.
Dune undulated his hand like a wave: his way of saying “go with the flow.” Kristen clenched her fists. Didn’t anything ever annoy him?
“Oh, hello.” Her mother appeared in the hall wearing mismatched oven mitts and a scowl. “No one mentioned Dune was coming over.”
Kristen opened her mouth to respond but Dune beat her to it.
“Yeah, it was kind of a last-minute thing, Mrs. Gregory.” He smiled sweetly. “I need some help with my environmental studies paper and your daughter is the smartest one in the class, so she offered to help.”
“How thoughtful.” Marsha flashed her I’m-not-buying-it-but-I’ll-pretend-to-for-now-and-we’ll-talk-about-it-later smile. “Will you be staying for dinner?”
“No,” they both answered at the same time, neither one wanting this tension to last any longer than necessary.
“We’ll be in my room.” Kristen made a break for the hall.
Dune’s face lit up like a ringing cell phone.
“The light in the dining room is much better,” Marsha insisted on her way back to the kitchen, leaving zero room for discussion.
With a defeated sigh, Kristen unwrapped her blue-and-white striped scarf and tossed it by her keys.
“Hey!” Dune examined her neck like a thirsty vampire.
“What?” Kristen shifted uncomfortably, feeling very Bella Swan–ish.
“Where’s my shark tooth?”
Kristen’s hand rushed to her chest, her fingers spider-crawling around her throat. “I—” Her body flushed with prickling heat. Where was it? How long had it been missing? How could she not have noticed?????
“Did you lose it?”
“What?” Kristen felt her neck again. “No!”
Dune folded his arms across his black plaid Billabong hoodie and raised his eyebrows.
“It’s, um, in my locker,” she managed. “Safe and sound. I took it off for gym. I tried to put it back on after volleyball but I had a brutal hangnail and I couldn’t do up the clasp and when I asked for help the bell rang so I—” Someone pounding on the neighbor’s door offered a welcome distraction. “Wow.” She giggled nervously. “They must really want to get inside.”
Dune didn’t bother responding.
“Don’t worry.” Kristen undulated her hand like a wave, mimicking his earlier “go with the flow” hand gesture. “I’ll get it tomorrow.”
He finally smiled. “I better call my dad and tell him I’m here.”
Kristen nodded in agreement, anxious for a minute to recover.
While Dune pulled out his cell and paced the parquet hall, she struggled to remember the last time she had the necklace. They’d been at Rye Playland . . . about to ride the Dragon Coaster. . . . Dune had said he’d never let anyone else wear it. . . .
Suddenly the hallway knocker was knocking on her door.
Kristen got up on her tiptoes and peeked though the peephole. A giant cellophane-wrapped gift being held by pink sequined gloved hands was all she could see.
Cautiously, Kristen opened the door.
“Layne?”
“Hey.” She stepped inside, her face completely distorted by the iridescent plastic.
Kristen rushed to help her set the giant basket on the table. “What is all this?” she asked the asphyxiating menagerie of Webkinz and tightly packed Wonka candy.
“A get-well basket for Dempsey,” Layne trilled, massaging her cramped arms. “His parents wouldn’t let me ride in the ambulance with him so I thought I’d meet them back here.” She removed an enormous silver clip-on hoop and pressed her ear against the door. Her narrow green eyes shifted back like she was being hypnotized.
“I hope they’re not keeping him overnight for observation.”
“He hurt his ankle,” Kristen snapped, angry with herself for not having gotten him anything.
Layne clipped her hoop back on. “Anyway, is it cool if I hang until he gets back?”
Before Kristen could answer, Layne unzipped her fake-leopard bomber jacket and hung it on the doorknob. “Salmon?” She sniffed.
Kristen lowered her head in her hands. “Is it that bad?”
Layne tugged the shark tooth around her neck and nodded yes.
“Ehmagawd, you found it!” Kristen hugged Layne, inhaling her Neutrogena sesame body oil–scented skin. “Give! Give! Give! Before Dune sees it!” She wiggled her fingers as if tickling a baby’s chin.
In the dining room, Dune said goodbye to his father, then closed his phone with a victorious snap.
“Oh! Good. He’s here.” Layne’s half-smile spread to full.
Kristen speed-nodded. “Yeah, hurry—give it back before he sees you wearing it,” she whispered.
“Are you sure it’s yours?” Layne asked casually as Dune shuffled toward them.
“Yeah. Where was it?”
“Under the Dragon Coaster.”
Kristen couldn’t believe it had been gone for four days and she hadn’t noticed.
“Is that Layne?” Dune called, sounding pleasantly surprised.
“Hurry, wear this.” Kristen tossed her striped scarf at Layne’s chest.
Layne stepped back, letting it fall to the floor.
“What are you—”
“You’ll get the tooth when I get Dempsey.”
“Huh?”
“Hey.” Dune appeared, grinning.
Layne smiled hello, casually covering her neck.
Was this seriously happening?
“What’re ya doin’ here?” His smile faded, probably because her visit meant he wasn’t going to be getting his lip kiss—something he probably should have realized after his run-in with Marsha.
Layne’s pink sequin–covered thumb gestured to the gift basket. “Dempsey.”
“Ahhhhh.” Dune nodded like he completely understood.
“Well, we were just about to study, so if you want to take your jacket and cover up and wait in my room until he gets home, you’re more than welcome.” Kristen tossed the faux fur at Layne’s chest. “It’s super cold in there.”
“No deal, banana peel.” Layne tossed the jacket back.
Another knock on the door interrupted them. Maybe it was Dempsey. Then Layne would leave before Dune noticed the necklace! Kristen once again lifted herself up to the peephole.
A big amber eye stared back.
“No!” Kristen gasped. Her knees turned to liquid. Her tongue felt like machine-washed cashmere. Her heart pounded like it was trying to escape.
How would she ever explain why Layne was there?
“Hide!” Kristen ducked, pulling her friends away from the door.
“Who is it?” Dune whispered.
“Kids selling cookies,” she blurted, despite her overwhelming lack of saliva.
“We should buy some,” Layne blurted. “For Dempsey.”
“Can’t,” Kristen insisted, ignoring the knocking. “Mom hates cookies.”
“But—”
“And kids.”
The knocking finally stopped. Kristen exhaled, her heart slowing to a jog.
And then the top lock clicked left.
Impossible!
And the bottom lock clicked right.
Just an adrenaline-induced hallucination, right?
“Dad?” Kristen whimpered, hoping it might be her father returning early from his golf trip. And that his left eye had happened to change color while he was gone.
The brass knob jiggled.
“Baghead?” Layne whimpered.
And then turned.
“Ahhhh!” Layne scurried behind Dune.
Slowly, the door cracked open, and the suede toe of a jingling moccasin appeared.
“Smells like salmon.” Massie winced, smugly pinching a key between her thumb and index finger.
“That answers my first question,” Kristen managed, despite her extreme shakiness.
“What’s your second one?” Massie dropped the key in her GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK gym tote.
Kristen didn’t know where to begin. Questions popped around her brain like kernels in the microwave. Things like:
• How did you get a key to my condo?
• What are you doing here?
• Have you finally stopped blaming me for Layne and Dempsey’s ride on the Dragon Coaster?
• Did you realize that their hangout was beyond my control and that you’ve been giving me the silent treatment all week for nothing?
• Can you see Layne hiding behind Dune right now?
• If you do not see Layne hiding behind Dune right now, when are you going to see her?
• What will you do to me at that time?
• What excuse will I come up with for having her here?
• Will you believe it?
“Um, Kristen.” Massie snapped her fingers. “Are you an astronaut?”
“No, why?” Kristen shook her head like an Etch A Sketch, erasing the chaos in her mind.
“Then why are you spacing?”
“Sorry.” Kristen flashed a fake “everything’s okay” smile. “Come in.”
Massie entered, dragging a clear wheelie over the Gregorys’
happy face welcome mat. The suitcase was stuffed with candles,
aromatherapy oils, comic books, video games, and the DVD Bend
It Like Beckham. A big glitter heart said, Humpy Dempsey Had a
Great Fall 
. . . and It’s
All Alicia’s Fault 
in
silver metallic marker.
“How did you get a key to my house?” Kristen managed.
“It’s nawt a house!”
“Real nice.” Dune rolled his eyes.
“What? It’s true.” Massie widened her eyes, trying to look innocent. “Anyway, I had Inez make copies during our first sleepover.” Massie shrugged as if that were perfectly normal. “In case of emergency.”
“What’s the ‘emergency’?” Kristen made air quotes, her tone more aggressive than usual. But Dune’s presence gave her strength. Layne’s gave her anxiety. And when mixed together they tasted like anger.
“I wanted to give this to Dempsey when he got back from the hospital.” Massie petted her suitcase.
Dune snickered.
“What’s this?” Massie shrieked at Layne’s gift basket. “One-Ew-Hundred-Flowers?” Her top lip curled in disgust as she pinched the cellophane between her fingers like it was sweat-stained polyester.
“Hey!” Layne stepped out from behind Dune. “That’s mine!”
“What is she doing here?”
Kristen’s mouth hung open like a thirsty dog’s.
“Ehmagawd.” Massie jingle-stomped her moccasin. “Are you helping her get Dempsey?”
Kristen tried again. Still, nothing came out.
“Is she paying you?” Massie screeched in disbelief.
Kristen searched Layne’s face for an appropriate answer.
“Ehmagawd, she is paying you,” Massie gasped. “Seriously, Kristen, how poor are you?”
Dune gasped in disbelief.
Massie turned to him. “What?”
Don’t speak! Don’t speak! Don’t—
“Why would her bestfriend have to pay her?” he asked innocently.
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
“I don’t!” Massie twirled her long ponytail extension. “I was talking about Layme.”
“So was I,” Dune blurted. “They hung out together all summer. And from what I noticed, Kristen has a lot more fun with Layme than she does with you, Assie!”
“Yeah!” Layne high-fived Dune.
“Really? And how much fun is she having with you,EW-N?”
Massie turned to Kristen. Her cheeks were burning red. Her amber eyes were dark. And she was exhaling through her nose like a vengeful dragon. It was like watching a tropical storm gather force. “Is that true?”
Kristen swallowed back a mouthful of stress-barf. “Um, what part?”
Massie stepped closer. Kristen could smell her guava Glossip Girl lip gloss. “Have you been cheating on me?”
“Yup!” Layne announced with maniacal pleasure. “She sure has!”
“You didn’t know?” Dune burst out laughing, gripping his stomach for effect.
Massie glared at Kristen, her moistening eyes speaking volumes.
“It’s not like that,” Kristen pleaded.
“It’s not?” Layne smirked. “’Cause it kinda is.”
“Layne!”
Dune kept laughing. Kristen huffed at him, wishing he were still on the heart-shaped island.
“Have you been helping her get Dempsey?”
“Yup!” Layne announced again.
Massie reached for the door, her hand shaking.
“Are you guys a Mariah Carey song?”
Kristen shook her head no, dreading the alpha’s next words.
“Because you belongtogether.” She threw open the door and slammed it behind her.
“Krist-mas,” Marsha called from the kitchen. “Is someone here?”
Before Kristen could answer, the door flew back open. “Forgot my bag.” Massie grabbed the handle of her suitcase. “Oh, and this!”She lifted her duplicate key and gouged a huge slit in Layne’s cellophane wrapping. An avalanche of Wonka goodies spilled to the parquet floor. “Now we’ve both been stabbed.” The door slammed for the last time.
“Krist-mas?”
“No, Mom!” Kristen snapped.
Layne dropped to her knees and began scooping up the candy. “I can’t believe you let her do that to me!”
“You’re blaming me?” Kristen began to tremble. “And Dune, I can’t believe you told her about me and Layne?”
“Why?” He rolled his eyes like it was no big deal. “You should be allowed to have other friends.”
“Yeah!” Layne jammed a handful of gobstoppers into the basket.
“I was protecting the Witty Committee,” she barked, no longer caring who knew what.
“You were not, Scott!” Layne tugged the shark tooth and stomped her gold high-top. “You were protecting yourself!” she yelled, echoing Kristen’s exact thoughts from earlier that week. Layne scooped up her wounded basket with one hand and flipped Kristen a sequin-covered bird with the other. “It’s been real.” She opened the door. “Real pointless.” She slammed it shut.
“Krist-mas?”
“It’s okay, Mom!”
“Hey.” Dune pointed toward the hallway. “Was that my necklace?”
Kristen nodded yes while tears rolled down her cheek.
“You lied?”
She nodded again.
“Layne, wait up!” Dune called, slamming the door behind him.
“Krist-mas.” Marsha hurried in from the kitchen. “Are you sure everything’s okay?”
Kristen burst out in tears. And then sobs. And then howls. A giant snot bubble pulsed from her nose as she tried to breathe. Thankfully, two salmon-smelling, mismatched oven mitts grabbed her and rocked her like everything was going to be okay. Even though it so wasn’t.