Exposure by Kim Askew Read Free Book Online

making.” I couldn’t hide my sarcasm. “Trapped out in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of Future Frat Boys of America, not to mention Beth Morgan. I’m not exactly her favorite person, you know.”
    â€œYou should give them a chance,” he said. “You might be surprised…. Yeah, can I speak to Mick,” he said into the phone as he reached down to pick up a stray sheet of paper. “Or, you could go to this instead.” He held up the invitation to Jenna’s monthly, and poorly attended, Power to the People Potluck. Rolling my eyes, I reached out to snatch the flyer back. He held it — and my gaze — for about two seconds too long. Then he let it go, turned, and walked out the door to the quad just as the morning bell started to echo through the hallway.
    As Friday morning classes wore on I became more and more vexed about my encounter with Craig. Even Mr. Richter’s lecture on Man Ray in fourth period failed to distract me from my inner turmoil. How
dare
he continue to pull these “come one, come all” invitations to hang out with his posse, as if I were really welcome? As enticing as it sounded, I figured I’d better pass for the sake of my own sanity and self-preservation. Besides, who knows what I’d say to Craig after guzzling a drink or two? No way did I want to live that down for the rest of the foreseeable future. Still, I was making it just a little too convenient for him to smile and pat me on the back with that “Beanpole” act of his. As if his offer was genuine when we both knew I would never actually take him up on it. Was this his way of feeling less guilty about our pseudo-friendship and the way he’d dropped me with barely a backward glance? And now to pretend that being the odd-girl-out was my own doing. … How thoroughly would he
freak
if I should happen to call his bluff? I knew that it would be asking for trouble, but I didn’t have a whole lot to lose at this point. I’d swooned over “Golden Boy” long enough. Now, I decided, I wanted to make him squirm.
    â€¢ • •
    I’d concocted a solid enough plan by the time the noon bell rang, but it was going to require faking my way through some tremendously uncomfortable moments. When I casually strolled over to his crowded table at lunchtime, I felt like Marie Antoinette proudly stepping up to face the guillotine.
    â€œHey, Craig. Just wanted to let you know that my plans for tonight fell through, so I would love to take you up on your offer to come to the party.”
    The dismayed, mouth-agape look on Beth’s face was priceless. So far, so good. I held my head up a bit higher now even though I sort of felt like peeing my pants.
    Craig placed his half-eaten slice of pizza on his plate and wiped his mouth as the rest of his table waited, like loyal subjects, for him to respond. He could barely look at me as he unenthusiastically replied.
    â€œUmm … okay then. See you there.”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWhere’s the party? You never gave me an address.”
    He concentrated intently now on the wavy white line on his Coke can. Beth wasted no time in shanghaiing the conversation.
    â€œOh Skye, it’s superrrrr far from here and the directions are soooo confusing. I wouldn’t even know how to explain it to someone who’s never been.”
    What would Leonard Livermore do in a situation like this? If my tentative prom date had taught me anything, it was how to win an argument with unflappable confidence and blatant disregard for the chill in the air.
    â€œHmmm,” I said. “Well then, in that case, it might just be easier if I hitched a ride there with you guys. Craig, you know where my house is. Why don’t you just swing by on your way?”
    Beth was about to protest, but I saw Craig grab her hand and give it a squeeze, as if reining her in. He mustered a weary smile for me.