Revenge Of A Band Geek Gone Bad by Naomi Rabinowitz Read Free Book Online Page A

May he rest in peace and always be remembered for his noble deed."
    "To Jiminy!"   I repeated.
    ###
    Josh pulled out of the parking lot, putting on his favorite rock station as he did so.  Once we got going, he turned down the radio.  "So, what do you want to next?"  he asked.
    I thought for a moment.  "Homework, I guess, and then I'll practice for a while."  Not too exciting, but what else would I be doing on a school night?
    He shook his head.  "No, no, I meant, what do you want to do next to Kathy?"
    "Um."   I wasn't sure how to answer him.  I thought that the roach thing was it.
    "Well, we can't do nothing ," Josh said, as if he could read my mind.  "We're on a roll now."
    "But I got to play the solo today.  That's what we wanted."
    "No, the idea is to get you back your seat and we haven't done that yet.  So we need to keep going."
    I sighed.  "I don't know, Josh.  I'm not very good at this.  I couldn't even catch the roach today."
    "But I don't want to do this alone," Josh explained.  "I want you to get your seat back, but I really want you to help."  He grinned.  "Come on, when you get placed in first chair again, don't you want to be able to take credit?"
    "I want to know I'm first chair because I'm a good flutist."
    "You are.  You're a great flutist."  He patted my arm.  "Everyone knows that.  This has nothing to do with that; it has to do with Kathy being a bitch and Mr. Francis being a dick.  Don't you want to get what you deserve?"
    Josh's blue eyes were wide and pleading and his lips were turned into a pout, which made him look really vulnerable and cute.  I could still feel where he'd touched my shoulder.  Man, I thought I was strong enough to not become one of those girls who'll do anything for a guy, but I knew that I wanted to keep spending time with Josh ... even if it meant doing some uh, unusual things.  Besides, it wasn't like I liked Kathy.
    "Okay," I told him.  "I'll think of some ideas.  But again, nothing that's too terrible."
    Josh smiled.  "Have I let you down yet?"
    ###
    Josh didn't drive me again that week but over the next few days, he made a point to say hello to me in band or if we happened to pass each other in the halls.  This didn't go unnoticed by Lana.
    "I think he likes you," she said on Friday afternoon after he called to me while walking by my locker.  "He didn't just say hi to you when you happened to catch his eye.  He went out of his way to get your attention."  She peered into the small mirror in my locker and put on a fresh coat of pink gloss.
    "Well, I guess we're kind of friends now," I said, shrugging.  Instead of gloss, I spread on some ChapStick ; not nearly as luscious, but functional.  "But I don't think he likes me like that .  He can date almost anyone he wants.  Why would he want to date me?"
    Lana looked at me.  "Why wouldn't he?"  She sighed.  "Seriously, Mel, you need more confidence.  You're cute.  If you believed in yourself a little more, guys would ask you out."  She offered me her lip gloss.  "If you use this, you'll be hot."
    "I'm not cute, I'm fat," I argued, pushing her hand away.  I made a face and looked at myself in the mirror.  My stomach bulged, my boobs sagged.   Next to Lana, I looked like a marshmallow.
    "You're not fat, despite what your mom says," she replied.  " Your curvy.  And guys like curves.  You should wear more low-cut things, show off your assets."
    I eyed my chest again.  “So I can show off mounds of flab?”
    “No, so you can show off a nice figure.”
    "Look, I'm just not good at flirting," I reminded.
    My friend smiled.  "I'd say you're doing a pretty good job with Josh.  After all, he keeps making up excuses to see you."
    "Maybe," I muttered.
    "What do you mean 'maybe ?'   He probably planned this whole Kathy thing so he could work with you."
    "Maybe."   I turned away from her.
    Lana turned me back toward her and looked me in the eyes.  "So c'mon, admit it -- you have a little