Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noël Read Free Book Online Page A

supposed to be strange because, after all it’s a
bedroom,
but where did it come from?
    I turn around and yell, “Mom?”
    But she’s standing in the doorway, laughing. “Do you like it?” she asks.
    “Oh, my god, I love it!” And I do. It’s like the coolest room ever and I can’t believe how she picked it all out, and got it so right, without any input from me.
    Everything is simple clean lines, and it all goes together perfectly without being too matched. (I don’t like it when things look all matchy-matchy.) She got me a new platform bed and it’s covered in this really pretty kiwi-green comforter with all these sequined and beaded throw pillows scattered around. There’s a dark wood desk for my computer, floating shelves for my books, two night tables, a really cool large dresser, and these beaded hanging lamps that I had found in a catalog and circled. She even had some of my favorite photos matted and placed in these beautiful silver frames.
    “It’s so cool,” I say, bouncing on my new bed, then getting up to run my hand over my new desk.
    “But how—” I start.
    “I’ve been very busy this week. It’s not all yogalates you know.” She smiles.
    “Thanks, Mom,” I say, vowing to be nicer to her from now on. Really.
    “Mine is supposed to arrive tomorrow. Let’s hope it gets here before your dad gets home.”
    “Dad’s coming home?” I ask excitedly. “I thought it was going to be another week.”
    “It’s just for the weekend. He has to go back on Monday.”
    “Cool.” I start unpacking my books and stacking them on top of my new desk.
    “I’ll start dinner,” she says, turning to leave.
    “Mom?”
    “Yeah?” she pauses, looking at me.
    “What does it mean when a guy tells you you’re beautiful, but then he doesn’t really say anything else to you for the rest of the day?” I mean, let’s face it, if anyone’s used to being told she’s beautiful it’s my mom.
    “It means you
are
beautiful. Rio.” Then she smiles and walks away.
     
    These are the awesome things that happened today (Friday):
     
    1. Kristi was absent from English, which meant I could relax because no one was staring at me.
    2. My dad is due in at John Wayne Airport (I swear that’s what they call it. There’s even a statute of “The Duke” next to the baggage claim carousel).
    3. Jas asked me out on a date. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
     
    This is how number three came about. We were sitting on the grass at lunch, and when the bell rang Mason got up to make a quick phone call before her next class, and jas looked at me and said, “So what are you doing this weekend?”
    And I shrugged and said, “Well my dad’s getting in today, so I’ll probably just hang with my family.”
    And he went, “Well do you want to do something Saturday night?”
    And as I picked up my trash, I was thinking:
This is it! He’s going to ask me to Winter Formal at the very last minute!
    So I said, “Yeah, okay.”
    And then he
smiled
and said, “Let’s do dinner. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
    And I go, “Cool.”
    Then we started walking to class. And I was in front, and he was in back.
    And I tripped.
    So I looked down to see what I tripped on, but of course there was nothing there. It was just me being my usual clumsy self.
    But that’s not the point. The point is I’m going on a date with Jas.
     
    So I’m in the Range Rover with my mom on the way to the airport, and I go, “Do you think we could go shopping tomorrow?”
    “You want to go shopping with me?” She looks all surprised and happy, like that was the nicest thing I’ve ever said to her. Which sadly, it may be.
    “Yeah,” I say.
    And then she goes, “Rio! Are you going to Winter Formal?”
    Great. I don’t want to disappoint her, but if I lie, I’ll be showing up for dinner in an evening gown. “No. I’m just having dinner with a friend and I wanted something new to wear.”
    “Oh,” she says, hiding her disappointment, but not entirely. “Is