Kiss List (Book I of the List Series)

Chapter 37 - An Unexpected Challenge

Missy was suspended for two days for cheating. After her suspension was over I walked around the building as quietly as a mouse. I avoided the common area as though it had been hit with the plague and always made sure I had several friends with me for lunch. I even hurried across the open areas in the parking lot for fear that Missy would try to mow me down with her car. I had this terrifying image of her laughing maniacally as she drove back and forth over my prostrate body. She didn't come after me, though. I wasn't surprised. Missy's style was to make me cower in fear while she took her time crafting the perfect revenge.

At least there was some good news. My dad's treatment was going well and as winter faded away and was replaced by spring I began to have some optimism. There was something about hearing birds chirping and seeing green grass that made me think of life. Plus, my competitive community soccer team started to practice outside. The additional sunlight seemed to improve my mood.

The downside of spring was that the girls started to get impatient about checking the Hall twins off the kiss list. We only had a couple more weeks before the yearbook pages were due to the printer and I did not have photos of them to add. Paul and I were friends with benefits but not in a committed relationship. Aaron was too busy at school for me to corner and talk to and he was nowhere to be found after school. I had run out of excuse so I ultimately caved in and redoubled my efforts to track the twins.

My first shot at one of them came during the lunch hour. The lacrosse team had a booth outside the cafeteria and was soliciting student signatures for a petition to let the team travel across the country. Apparently, the trip would take the team outside the travel radius established by the school board. The team was lobbying to get the travel restriction changed. It just so happened that one of the twins – I couldn't tell which – was manning the booth. Unfortunately, two other lacrosse guys were there as well. I would just have to do my best to get the twin to focus on me.

I waited for an opening in the throng of girls waiting to sign the petition and, more importantly, talk to the boys at the booth. As soon as I saw a gap I thrust myself into the crowd and positioned myself directly in front of the twin.

"Hi," I said to him. "What's this petition about?" I knew exactly what the petition was about – the explanation was written on signs all around the booth – but I wanted to get him talking.

The twin had been talking to one of the other lacrosse players. He broke off when I interrupted him. "Uh, it's so we can travel out of the state," he said. "You're a soccer player, right? Wouldn't you like to be able to go to tournaments out of the state as well?"

I stared into the twin's startling blue eyes and cute face. He wasn't very tall but he was lean, athletic, and extraordinarily good looking. His brown hair was swept across his forehead, making him look like Zac Efron back in his High School Musical days. I reminded myself that the Hall twins were total players and renowned for their raunchy antics. I was going to have to exaggerate the flirting if I was going to keep his attention.

"That depends," I said. I crossed my legs at the ankles, intertwined my fingers, and gave him my most dazzling smile. "Would you be coming with me?"

That caught the attention of one of the other lacrosse players at the booth. I saw him look at me out of the corner of his eyes. Focus, Sadie.

"Wha... What do you mean?" the twin said.

"Well, I'm not all that interested in traveling out of state with a bunch of soccer girls," I said in my best flirty voice. "But if the lacrosse team was going as well I think I could be persuaded to split a room with you."

The twin's confused expression deepened but the other lacrosse guy watching smiled. He leaned over and whispered something in the twin's ear and then punched him lightly on the shoulder. A big smile crossed the twin's face but it didn't touch his eyes. That worried me.