“In the meantime,” Kane said, “you owe me.”
“I just said, I’ll pay you-”
“No, not money,” he corrected her. “A favor. Quid pro quo. And when I call it in, you’d better be ready to deliver.”
Miranda answered the phone with a weary sigh. “No,” she said, before Harper could speak.
“It’ll be fun, Rand, I swear.”
“Now, where have I heard that before?” But Miranda was smiling. She loved those rare occasions when Harper was forced to beg, and she had to admit, it was good to feel needed again, special… but that didn’t mean she was giving in. “Like I told you the last time you called, and the time before that, I’m not going. Do you know how boring basketball is?”
“Um, yes,” Harper replied in a “duh” voice. “Why do you think I need you to come with me? Besides, you know that’s not the real reason you won’t go.”
“Nice of you to throw that back in my face, Harper,” Miranda said in annoyance. She flipped open her computer-waiting for it to emerge from sleep mode so she could check her e-mail. See if
“Maybe if you’re nice to him, he’ll let you try on his costume,” Harper suggested, choking back laughter.
Miranda groaned, but had to laugh along. It was funny, when you thought about it, that the only guy who’d been interested in her all year had turned out to be the school mascot, a bumbling loser who hadn’t minded dressing up like a big green cactus as the whole school jeered at him.
Although… it had been kind of nice, having someone like Greg dote on her for a week or two. And he hadn’t been
Besides, she thought, opening up her e-mail, she had other things on her mind. Better things-better guys.
“Kane will be there,” Harper wheedled. “He’s on the team now.”
Kane Geary, running up and down the court in those tight gym shorts…
“I don’t care,” Miranda lied. “Besides, what happened to your whole ‘forget about Kane’ mantra?”
The computer
You have new mail.
It was him.
“I know what I said, Rand, but you never know, and-”
“I know you’re desperate, Harper, but this is just pathetic,” Miranda told her, distractedly scanning the email. ReadltAndWeep was online-and wanted her IM name so they could chat. The e-mail had been sent only a few minutes earlier-would he still be there? Could she risk a live chat? Could she risk missing it? “Look, I’ve got to go, I have stuff to do.”
“What stuff? It’s winter break! Come on, for me?”
“Bye, Harper. Have fun at the game!”
“But-”
Miranda hung up on her. It was rude, she knew-but she also knew Harper, and this was the only way to get her to shut up. Besides, she was in a hurry.
But she was lying-she was far from bored. “Talking” to ReadItAndWeep was, in fact, the highlight of her day. His e-mails had been so witty and articulate-and as they frantically typed back and forth to each other, she was pleased to discover that his real-time persona was even better.
Miranda laughed out loud. She felt like she could “talk” to him for hours-even if he did worship at the altar of Woody Allen.
Miranda stared at the keyboard, frozen with fear. She couldn’t bring herself to answer.
But she couldn’t bring herself to log off.
Kaia winced at the booming, off-key “music” emerging from the marching band, which had just wound its way around the court and was now dispersing its members through the bleachers. The better to deafen the audience,
