“She’s grinning like she has good news.”
“Oh?” I asked with new interest.
“She’s waving a key. Got to go!”
There was a click and the dial tone.
Damn. What was going on with him? Sure, he got the key and that was good. But not so good was how excited he’d sounded about seeing Katelyn. He hadn’t even said good-bye. My emotions were live wires, sparking inside of me and short-circuiting my logical thinking ability. I wasn’t jealous. That would be ridiculous. But he was with her, not me, and that made me a little crazy. What I really needed was to talk. Not to just anyone, either, but to my BFF. I’d always told Alyce everything and going for so long without talking to her felt wrong. Like half of me was missing. She already knew that I had a habit of changing bodies, so she wouldn’t freak out if I told her what was going on. Sure, it would mean more rule-breaking, but I never kept anything from Alyce.
Only when I called, her mother answered.
“Who is this?” Mrs. Perfetti asked in her typical clipped, irritated tone.
A simple yet impossible question to answer.
“I’m … um … Harmony Furrson.” This was the name we gave to the pet hamster I’d had when I was seven. “I sit behind Alyce in algebra and need homework advice.”
I added the part about algebra because (a) it was true — I did sit behind her in algebra and I hoped Alyce would pick up on that hint, and (b) her mother was militant when it came to homework, even locking Alyce in her room until she finished her assignments.
“Alyce doesn’t have homework over spring vacation,” her mother said coolly.
“It’s extra credit work.”
“Then it can wait till school resumes.”
“But it can’t wait — I really need to talk with her.”
“Sorry. Alyce is unavailable.” Then she hung up.
What was this? Hang up on Amber day? I wanted to call Alyce back but knew her mother never backed down when she got into one of her moods. So I dialed Dustin’s number — which wasn’t even breaking GEM rules since Eli had already told him about my body-swap.
When Dustin realized who I was, he whooped like I was Publishers Clearing House calling with a million- dollar offer.
“I was going to visit your body in the hospital but this is much better,” he said. “How’s everything going?”
“Better since I figured out what I’m supposed to do in this body.”
“What?”
“Make Sharayah a singing star.”
“Big job! How are you going to accomplish that?”
“By finding an audition or contest that she — I mean, I — can enter, that happens soon and is close to Venice Beach. Can you help?”
“Already on it.” I visualized him swiveling in his chair in front of several monitors. He didn’t have a bed in his bedroom, preferring a couch with a sleeping bag, conserving his minimal space for maximum strategizing. He called his room his “Headquarters.” He was as passionate about his quest for justice as he was with offering help to a friend.
His online search narrowed down the listings to open auditions for amateur singers in the Los Angeles area. He came up with five possibilities, but only two of them would be held soon. One had such a high entrance fee I was sure it was a scam. But the competition for
This was why my grandmother had chosen me for this assignment.
And I wouldn’t let her down.
Sure, I had a few obstacles like getting to Beverly Hills, making the finals, wowing the judges and winning the grand-prize singing contract — all while avoiding Dark Lifers and a psycho redhead.
But when I finished, Sharayah would be famous.
And for a brief moment, I would be, too.
8
As I handed the phone back to Sadie, it rippled musically with a pop song — and caller ID flashed Mauve’s name.
“Where are you?” Sadie demanded.
“Driving,” Mauve answered, loud enough that I could hear. “Where are
“We made a potty and snack stop.” Sadie told her the exit.
“I’ll meet you there. Lonz and I aren’t that far behind.”
“Behind?” Sadie questioned. “I thought you were miles ahead.”
“We stopped for lunch and … well … let’s just say dessert. Details forthcoming.” Mauve giggled. “See you soon.”
She wasn’t exaggerating. In less than five minutes I heard a car honking and saw Mauve’s pink hair flying up in the air as Alonzo’s convertible screeched into the gas station, burning rubber as it skidded into the parking space beside us.
“Now that’s a ride! My next car is so going to be a convertible!” Mauve cried, reaching up for Alonzo’s hand as he helped her hop out of the car. “I had no idea my trade idea would turn out so thrilling.”
“We’ve had our share of thrills — but not in a good way,” Sadie said ominously.
“Oh?” Mauve asked with a dubious lift of her brow.
Sadie frowned in my direction. “Rayah’s stalker showed up.”
Mauve’s mouth fell open. “I can’t believe I missed all the action! I have to know everything.” She gave Alonzo a hasty kiss good-bye, explaining that this was “Girls Only” and she’d meet up with him later. When she shooed Warren out of her seat, he looked like he wanted to protest but only shrugged, then climbed back in the convertible beside Alonzo. Within minutes they were roaring out of the parking lot, my tension fading with their disappearing tail lights.
“I can’t leave you two alone for a minute!” Mauve complained with a peeved expression as if we’d been having a great time without her. She angled in her seat belt to look at me and demanded to know everything about the stalker.
I really didn’t want to talk about that whole freaky encounter — but there was no ignoring Mauve. I couldn’t stop wondering, worrying, what might have happened if Sadie hadn’t interrupted …
“I cannot believe that bitch followed you all the way here! She’s got to be seriously psycho or high,” Mauve said, shaking her pink head. “Sure you don’t know who she is?”
“I wish I did; then I might know how to stop her.”
“I stopped her,” Sadie said proudly. “I didn’t get a good look at her, but she was scared to get caught. She’s long gone by now. She wouldn’t have the guts to mess with us again.”
I nodded, hoping Sadie was right.
“Too bad I wasn’t here,” Mauve said as she pulled a lip gloss from a small sequined purse and dabbed at her lips. “I would have smacked her so bad she’d never forget.”
“I’ll bet you would.” I gave a faint smile.
“Hey, you know I got your back after all you’ve done for me.” She paused, her toughness softening for a brief moment, revealing a vulnerability I’d never expected to see on Mauve’s face. But then the moment passed, and the don’t-mess-with-me attitude returned. “Anyway, the drama is all over — except for what went on with me and Alonzo.”
