Emmalee (9 page)

           
“But Cassidy?”  Cassidy Hart was one of the few
people who truly annoyed me.  I couldn’t put my finger on
why, but that girl really knew how to bug.  And her sister! 
Her little sister was ten times worse.  Ugh.
  Just
the thought of inviting the Hart sisters over made me not even want
to have a party anymore.   

           
  “You know, Emma, I don’t know what you have
against that girl, but you need to get over it.  If you want to
have a party, then I insist you invite her too.”

           
Great now I have to throw a party or Mom’ll really throw a
fit.
  “Fine.  Whatever.  So can I have
one?”

           
“Sure.”  She raised her hand up.  “But
don’t tell anyone until I talk to Dad.  I want him to
think this was his idea.”

           
“Okay.  I promise I won’t.”  I stood up
and Hannah joined me.  “Thanks Mom.  We’re
going to be in my room if you need us.”

           
“Okay.”

           
Hannah thankfully waited until we were in the room before she started
the third degree.  “What was that all about?  Why
don’t you like Cassidy Hart?”

           
I plunked down on my bed and sighed.  “I don’t
know.”  I rolled over on elbow and watched as Hannah sank
into my bright pink beanbag chair.  “I wish I did know
what I don’t like about her, but I can’t figure it out. 
I mean, she seems nice enough, I guess.”  I shrugged. 
“Haven’t you ever just met someone you didn’t like,
for no reason?”

           
Hannah thought about it for a minute before a mischievous smile grew
across her face.  “Yes, there was someone.”

           
I grinned with her.  “Who?”

           
“You.”  She laughed.

           
Me?
  “Me!”  I chuckled.  “You’re
kidding right?”

           
“Nope.  Well, I felt that way until I got to know you. 
Once I did, I really liked you.”

           
“Seriously?  I bugged you?”

           
She shrugged.  “Yeah, but now you don’t.  Maybe
once you get to know Cassidy you’ll see that she’s cool.”

           
“Hmm… Maybe?” 
I seriously doubt it.

           
“I’ve never met her sister though.  What’s she
like?”

           
“Claire?  You don’t want to know.”

           
“No, really, I’ve heard other people talk about her. 
Is she all that bad?”

           
I sat up.  “Okay, first off, picture someone who doesn’t
stop talking—like
ever.
  I mean, honestly, you
can’t get a word in edgewise.  I’m not kidding, at
all.  You just have to listen to what she thinks all of the
time.  Believe me; it gets really annoying really quickly.”

“So why invite her? 
Isn’t she way younger, anyway?”

           
“Because Cassidy can’t go anywhere without her. 
Seriously.  Do you remember a couple of years ago—it was
on the news and everything—about this guy who had been to
prison for violating some girl in Colorado?  And then he came to
Farmington and tried to do it again with another girl?  Do you
remember that?”

           
“Yeah, kind of—vaguely.”

           
“Well, Cassidy Hart was that girl.”

           
“No way!” gasped Hannah.

           
“Yep.  Taylor and his girlfriend, Chloe—her older
sister—caught the guy just in time.  Ever since, her
parents have freaked out.”

           
“Can you blame them?”

           
“Well, it’s like she’s on house arrest or
something.  Her parents won’t let her go anywhere—not
even on dates—without her little sister.  Claire’s
like her bodyguard, or chaperone, or something.”

           
Hannah chuckled.  “Talk about freak-a-zoid.  The poor
girl.”

           
“See?  And that’s what this whole city says about
Cassidy too.  ‘That poor girl.’  Man. 
It’s enough to get on my nerves.”  I plopped back
down on my tummy and put my hands under my chin.  “Thanks
to Taylor, that family totally made instant stardom.  And it’s
all I ever hear about—Cassidy Hart, this and Cassidy Hart,
that.  Believe me, if you had to live with that name ringing
around your head as much as I have, she’d drive you nuts too.”

           
Hannah laughed and kicked her shoes off.  “I don’t
doubt it.  I can see what you mean now.”  She fluffed
the bean bag behind her and rested her head facing me.  “So
what’s she like at parties?”

           
I rolled my eyes.  “Well, before the—ah,
incident—she was okay.  I mean, kind of outgoing and
stuff.  But now, I think it messed her up.  Or maybe just
being around her sister so much stopped her from talking, because she
hardly does now.  She’s almost kind of—I don’t
know?  Shy?  Ugh.  It annoys me that she has become
this sort of mouse person that everyone fawns over.  Like, get
over yourself.  Get on with it already.”

           
Hannah shook her head and laughed.  “I’m so glad
you’re inviting Cassidy.”

           
“You would be!”  I chucked a pillow at her and
missed.

           
“I can’t wait to see how you’ll react when she’s
around.”  She chucked the pillow back.  It flew over
my head and bounced on the headboard. 

           
“Aha!  See, that’s where you’ll be sorry. 
I’ll be perfect.  No one will know that she isn’t my
best friend.”  I threw the pillow back and it landed with
a wham on Hannah’s shoulder.

           
“That’s it!”  She grabbed the pillow and stood
up.

           
I shrieked and jumping up, rocked-ran on my bed to fetch another
pillow.  Too late.  Hannah’s pillow crashed into my
back—the force tipping me forward.  “Ahh!” 
I quickly snatched the pillow up and collected the other one before
turning around.  Instantly, I collapsed into laughter on the
bed. Hannah had the huge bean bag chair held over her head ready to
defend herself.

She snickered and raced forward. 

           
I shrieked again and tried to block the blow of the bean bag chair
with my legs.  It worked.  Until my sock got caught on the
zipper.  And then rrriiippp—
Holy cow!--
millions
of little Styrofoam balls flew around the room.  Creating the
best faux snow scene I had ever seen.  

           
The day of the party was perfect.  Perfect day, perfect weather,
perfect time.  I even had the perfect movie to watch;
Hitch.
 
It was one of those movies that, yeah it was a few years old, but
still so funny and a great party mixer.  The piping hot pizza
had just been delivered about five minutes ago.  The buttery
popcorn had been popped and snacks and candy filled many little bowls
throughout the room in the basement.  The floor and couches were
littered with large multicolored pillows.  There was even an
assortment of beverages chilling in the fridge in our small basement
kitchen. 

It was destined to be an awesome
night.  A night filled with all sorts of romantic
possibilities.  In fact I had a feeling that Elton wouldn’t
be able to resist and tonight would definitely be the night that he
came clean.  If I didn’t know better, Hannah was going to
have a boyfriend by the time she went home.

           
And what better setting is there than a movie?  It’s the
perfect time when the lights were low to hold hands and to sit a
little closer.

I can’t wait to see Hannah
and Elton hold hands. 
During a stroke of genius, I called
Elton and asked him to stop by and pick her up for me.  He was
more than happy to oblige.  I couldn’t wait for her to
tell me all about riding in his car. 
Eeeh!
 
I
am so good at this matchmaking thing.
 

           
I took one final glance around the cozy room and willed myself not to
actually squeal out loud.  The doorbell rang.  Excitedly, I
stopped my feet from barging up the stairs. 

           
When I opened the front door wide I was a little surprised to see
only Elton.  I looked past him down the walkway but no one else
was coming up.  “Hannah?  Is she—?”

           
“Oh?  She didn’t tell you?  I thought you
knew?”

           
“Knew?”  All at once a sinking feeling hit my
stomach.  “Knew what?”

           
“She can’t make the party.”

           
“What?!”  My mouth dropped open.  “Hannah
can’t make the party?  What do you mean?  Why? 
Did—?”

           
“She’s sick.”  He sighed. 

           
Oh no!
  “What?  You’re kidding?  What
does she have?  Do you know?”

           
He looked so bummed I almost kissed him.  “Nah, her mom
thought it was food poisoning, but she wasn’t sure.”

           
“No way.  Food poisoning?  That’s terrible.” 
The poor girl was probably puking her guts out.          

           
Elton sighed again, and rubbed his foot against the step. 
“Yeah, I feel awful for her, you have no idea.  I mean, I
was really looking forward to hangin’ with her.”

“Really?” I tried to
hide my smile.

           
“Yeah.”  He sighed again and then shrugged his
shoulders.  I was impressed by the way he was able to control
his disappointment until he exclaimed, “Oh well.  At least
we’re
not sick.  I mean, it’s one thing for
Hannah to miss a party, but for me and you that would be the worst. 
I hate missing parties.  Besides it’s always better to
have one less person than one more, don’t you think?  It
makes it more special if there are just a few people.”  He
surprisingly smiled as he walked past me into the house.  “Yum. 
Do I smell pizza?  I love pizza.”

           
Shocked and a little baffled, I closed the door and rushed to catch
up with him.  Elton was following his nose down to my basement. 
Good grief.
  “Yeah, um, the pizza is down there,
I called down the steps.  Help yourself.”

           
“Thanks.  I will.”

           
The doorbell rang again and I tried to brush off his almost rude
behavior as I retraced my steps to answer it. 
Maybe he’s
just more disappointed about Hannah than he’s letting on. 

           
Cassidy and Claire Hart both smiled on the step as the door swung
wide. 

           
“Hi!  You made it.” 
Darn it.
  My
smile cracked.

           
Cassidy opened her mouth to say something, but her little sister beat
her to it.

“Wow!” Claire gasped as
she stepped in the house.  “I forget how cool this place
is!  It is really one of the prettiest homes I have ever
seen—don’t you think so Cass?  I bet Chloe would
love it here!  Has she ever been here—oh!  I smell
pizza!  Did you cook it?  Or, did you order out?  What
pretty flowers!  These look just like the flowers in our front
yard.  Don’t these look just like the flowers in our front
yard, Cass?  Cassidy loves flowers, don’t you?  And
what a pretty table!  Is it an antique?  Our mom loves
antiques, but we can never afford them.  Oh!  Before I
forget, Chase said he was parking the car at his house and would be
over in a minute--”

           
“Wait!” I had to interrupt.  “Chase?  Did
he drive you, or something?”  I looked over at Cassidy
hoping she would answer.

           
“Yes, he did.” Cassidy blushed and looked down.

           
“It was the nicest thing ever!” Claire rushed over to my
side.  “He has the most beautiful car in the world. 
Cassidy was saying how beautiful it was, weren’t you?  We
never thought anything would be more exciting than Taylor’s
car--Chase is so nice.  And his car is so comfortable--”

           
I was saved from having to hear more when the guy in question showed
up.  “Speak of the devil!” I smiled frantically up
at him while I closed the door that had been open this whole time. 
“I’m so glad you’re here!”

           
“I bet you are.” He looked past me and smiled at Cass and
Claire. 

           
“I’m still waiting for a few more people and Hannah’s
sick, so she isn’t going to be able to make it.  Could you
host for me for a few minutes?”

           
“Sure, it’s downstairs, right?” 

           
“Yep.”  I beamed my prettiest smile.

He smiled, and then whispered as he
walked past. “All right, but you owe me.”

           
“Chase!  Are you going to go down with us too?”
Claire was off again.  “You are so nice--”

           
Ugh.  So much for thinking this party was going to be
amazing.  I think I have a headache. 

Chapter 9

“Was you father an alien?

Because there's nothing else like
you on earth!”

           
The last of the guests were leaving.  The movie was over, but no
one had really been able to watch it thanks to Claire’s
incessant commentary during the whole thing. 
Man, that girl
drives me nuts.
  

           
I did try to talk to Cassidy earlier during the party, but the only
words I could get out of her were, ‘yes,’ or ‘no,’
or ‘thank you.’ 
Talk about walking zombie.
 
It was so annoying.  The worst part was I seemed to be the only
one completely miffed by the situation. 

           
There was one good thing that came out of it and one good thing,
only.  Carson and Madison—two guests who had come in a
little later than everyone else—announced that Carson’s
younger brother Ethan, was coming home from New Mexico State
University for Thanksgiving week and would be in town.  Since
Thanksgiving was less than a month away I found that very promising. 

           
Ethan Franklin was one guy I had always been a little bit curious to
meet.  He had graduated a couple of years earlier and even
though I could vaguely remember him, he wasn’t someone I had
ever got to know.  The funny thing was, everyone I knew, who
knew him said that we would be the perfect couple.  I, of
course, took that as a major compliment, since the guy was known to
be pretty cool.  Not to mention somewhat of a celebrity since he
was Farmington’s reigning four-wheeling champion.