My Life as a Teenage Rebel

Chapter 18: Ky's Block

Evan Touber

CHAPTER 18 Ky's Block

Bzzz! my phone vibrates. I slip it out of my pocket; I have a new text message... From: Ky Madison.

My stomach does a triple somersault like it's taken years of gymnastics. Filled with a feeling of both nervousness and excitement, I read it.

Sup beau? ;P Detention sux, even though u wouldn't kno since u've nvr been b4! Lol >.< Ok seriously though, there's this couple thng we APPARENTLY have 2 attend 2morrow... yeah. Sux. It's like a competition or something. After school. Oh n another thng: we might have 2 start stepping it up w the whole "romance" stuff. Srry, just gotta be careful w Mandy from now on.

At this, I gulp. "Stepping it up?" First problem with that: I don't know what it's supposed to mean! My phone vibrates again, and Ky sends another text message which says:

Heads up: remember when we told Kels it's ok for her 2 make up love stories 4 us? Yeah, let's just say she's had her weekend busy w SPREADING RUMORS. Nothing 2 worry about though, I think. Oh yeah, ur hickey? May or may not have come up in the process... O_O

I moan just before another text message is sent to my phone.

Srry :( Damage is done. Not as bad as u think though, so don't freak.

Great, now the whole freaking school knows. And what am I supposed to do about the whole "romance" thing?!?

. . .

Okay, so, gotta step it up with the lovey-dovey stuff. Just like on our "date"...except this time even more so. I exhale as I walk through the hallways, mentally preparing myself for when I see her. I don't know what to do.

Well, when I see her I'll...I'll just follow her lead, that's what we did on our "date"...kinda. I just have to follow her lead. Follow Ky's lead and I'll be fine; even if I have no idea what I'm doing, at least she does.

Oh God, I've got butterflies again. I grip the strap of my backpack tightly. I can see Ky in the distance now, looking great, as always. I take a deep breath, counting the milliseconds as her head turns toward me. Our eyes meet, and immediately I brainwash myself, erasing every thought from my mind. This way, I smile easily, and wave.

Follow her lead. Follow her lead. Carefully I observe - ready to take mental notes - as one of her hands raises to wave.

And then she almost seems to freeze. She does not wave; she stops in mid-smile.

What's going on? Is this part of the plan? Is this part of the act?

But I don't think it is. Something tells me this isn't supposed to happen; this isn't part of her plan. My own smile fades in a mix of concern and confusion. Some invisible force is holding her back, something is stopping her. What is it? What's wrong? I glance behind me to see if that is where the problem lies, but I see nothing out of the ordinary.

Her hand drops and she gives me an awkward smile while her eyes reveal confusion. This awkward smile is not Ky Madison. I have never seen her smile like that. Ky Madison is easy-going and cool; what's happening here?

As I near her and the others we all greet each other, but now Ky has a frown of frustrated contemplation on her face. Her brother watches her carefully, although none of us say anything about it. It's clear that she's realized something is wrong.

That frustrated frown remains on her face as we separate from Kyle and Kelsey and settle down for first period. And as class starts I barely pay attention; I'm too busy watching her glare at her desk in deep thought as the teacher goes on without her. Her fingers are tangled in her short brown hair; every so often she will ruffle it in frustration.