I looked at the table behind me. Jason had seen everything. He looked at me and made a what-was-that? gesture, but I just shook my head and pretended to be busy.
It was kind of weird. I didn’t feel that Madison and I had hit it off under the tree, but maybe I just didn’t know how to read other people very well. I did mostly just hang out with Jason all the time, and he wasn’t anything like them, so I didn’t really have a good reference point.
I got up to go to the washroom and Madison followed me. “So can you?” she asked as we walked down the hallway.
“Uh, Jason usually comes over on Wednesdays,” I said.
“So? Ditch him. He won’t care, he’s just a boy,” Madison said. “Why do you two spend so much time together anyway?”
“He’s been my best friend since preschool,” I said quietly.
“Well, things change and people grow up,” she said matter of factly. “Just come at 3:30, okay? You remember where I live, right?”
“Okay,” I said, walking into a stall. As I locked the door, I wondered how Jason would take it.
After school, he waited outside the classroom door for me, as he normally does, and I nervously asked him if it would be okay if I went to Madison’s house. He looked a little surprised, but then said, “Sure, Krista. It’s okay if we miss one Wednesday, right? I’ll see you later.”
Then he turned and left quickly. I was taken aback at how quickly he left. We usually walked home together, at least as far as we could before he headed off toward his house. Was he mad? I couldn’t tell. He said it was fine, so I guess he was okay with it.
When I got home, my mom was not so understanding.
“Where’s Jason?” she asked.
“Um, he’s not coming today because Madison invited me to her house after school,” I said. “I talked to him about it at school and he said it was no problem.”
“Red Carpet Party Madison?” she asked.
“Yes, her.”
“So why couldn’t you go a different day? Wednesday is when Jason comes over. It’s been like that for years, right?” she said.
“Mom,” I said, irritated. “Jason doesn’t have to come over every Wednesday you know.”
She paused. “I know, you’re right, he doesn’t have to, but he just does. Plus, I made muffins for him, I mean for both of you.” She pointed to a platter on the counter with freshly made lemon and blueberry muffins.
Jason did like my mom’s muffins. My heart sank a little bit at the thought of him missing out on them. But it was only one Wednesday. My mom was making such a big deal out of it.
“Well, you can pack some in my lunch tomorrow and I’ll give them to him, okay?”
Tori came in with her headphones on and said loudly, “Where’s your boyfriend?”
I had had enough. Jason said it was fine, so why was everybody making me feel bad about it? I stomped out of the room. “Bye! I’ll call later!” I shouted, as I got ready to go to Madison’s house.
“What?” Tori said to my mom, looking confused as she took off her headphones. “It is Wednesday, right?”
“Touchy subject, I guess,” I heard my mom say.
CHAPTER 11
Maybe it was because I had never been to Madison’s house alone before, but it was so strange to be there. The party had been crazy with lots of people around and the house had been decorated. Now that it was just a normal day at her house, I finally got a good look around her bedroom. I scanned my eyes around the room trying not to make it obvious that I was staring at everything.
Was this a cotton candy parallel universe? She had a lot of pink stuff in her room. A lot. Her curtains were pink, her walls were pink, and her bedding was all pink and frilly. There were stuffed animals all over the place. I didn’t know what to make of it. I actually didn’t know what to make of her.
I’m a girl—why did other girls confuse me so much? Tori was definitely confusing, but I hadn’t realized that my classmates were too. I felt so different from Madison. I wasn’t sure why I was even there. She was all “mature” at school and seemed so sophisticated, but here in her room, she just seemed like a little kid.
“I also invited Emma and Arden, okay?” she told me when I got there. “But they have dance until 4:30, so they’ll come after.”
“Okay,” I said. I was feeling totally awkward. I just stood around her room, not really knowing where to sit or what to look at.
“Here, sit on this,” she offered, generously throwing me a lifeline. I think it was called a pouf. I read about them in a design magazine at my dentist’s office last month.
“Thanks,” I said. I was suddenly very aware about the way I was dressed. I had on jeans—I almost always wore jeans—and a plain navy blue t-shirt. My hair was in its usual ponytail. I took a very hard look at Madison, and saw she was wearing designer yoga pants that were probably never used for yoga (this is Vancouver, everybody wears yoga pants) and an off-the-shoulder t-shirt that didn’t look nearly as boring as mine.
“What do you want to do?” she asked. I noticed she had a TV in her room, a computer, a tablet, and a cell phone. Her parents were clearly not as strict about electronics as mine.
I didn’t think she’d be into playing cards like I did with Jason, so I shrugged. “Want to watch TV?” I suggested. At least I wouldn’t have to think of things to talk about. I never knew making new friends was so awkward. I was looking forward to Emma and Arden coming over later so we’d have somebody else around.
Madison’s mom poked her head into the
