Free Phone Calls From a Rock Star by J. L. Paul Page B

brief hug. “That’s not a problem, Iz. I
don’t mind.”
    “ Seriously?” I asked,
dubious. “You’d really come meet my family?”
    “ Sure? Why not? Unless you
think they won’t approve. I’m hardly one of those preppy boys that
go to school with you.”
    I waved those words away as though they were
flies. “My parents are music freaks. They’ll love you. You should
see all the concert memorabilia they have.”
    He smiled and glanced at his watch. “I need
to get you back to your car. I don’t want you to miss curfew.”
    I held on to him a little tighter during the
ride back to the hotel, exactly how I wished I could hold on to the
night and make it last longer. He parked next to my car and ran up
to his room to grab my gifts. I reluctantly unzipped his jacket and
handed it back to him once he placed the presents in the passenger
seat. I’d already stolen one article of his clothing, no need to
turn into a thief.
    My throat dried up as I stood next to my
car. I couldn’t believe I had to wait until tomorrow night to see
him again.
    He placed a knuckle under my chin and forced
me to look at him. His smile caused my heart to flutter. “Thanks,
Jake. It was a perfect birthday.”
    “ Any time, Iz,” he said
with a wink. My heart fluttered faster. “I’ll see you tomorrow
night.”
    “ Are you sure you want to
do this?” I had to ask. My nerves about the dance hadn’t subsided
in the least.
    He kissed my temple, making my heart stop
completely.
    “ I wouldn’t have offered if
I didn’t want to do it,” he whispered close to my ear. I suppressed
a shudder and looked into his brilliant blue eyes. “Everything will
be fine.”
    “ What if you get
mobbed?”
    He laughed and the corners of his eyes
crinkled. His dimples appeared much to my delight. “I can handle
it.”
    He leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on my
lips. It was only a friendly goodbye kiss but it left me stunned.
He cupped my cheek before stepping back and opening my door. “Drive
safe, Iz.”
    I nodded as I got in the
car. He closed the door behind me and I drove towards school, my
heart frantic in my chest. It took everything I had to keep my
focus on the road as my mind played pictures of Jake before my
eyes. My heart thudded with each flash and I wondered—did this mean
I liked Jake for
more than just the friend I claimed he was?

Chapter Seven
     
    “ Hold still, woman, or
you’ll get this stuff in your eyes,” Annie ordered. She was quite
merciless with a bottle of hairspray and a comb. I was deathly
afraid to touch my hair, certain it would crumble in my
hands.
    “ Relax,” Cammy smiled.
“You’re nearly finished.”
    She patted my arm, playing the part of
consoling parent while Annie played disciplinarian – torturing my
hair as punishment. I cringed and swallowed, hoping to stem off the
water collecting in my eyes. If any of it spilled over and smeared
the pounds of makeup they’d caked on me, they might be tempted to
start all over. I couldn’t handle it.
    “ There,” Annie announced,
standing back to admire her work. The way she grinned; you’d think
she created the Venus de Milo. Cammy stood next to her, just as
proud.
    “ Bella, you look so
beautiful!” Cammy gasped.
    Gingerly rising from the chair, I approached
the full length mirror hanging on the bathroom door. My eyes
widened in stunned shock at the transformation. My skirt reached my
knees and made my legs appeared longer. The sweater they’d conned
me into buying clung lightly to my waist and dipped modestly.
    They’d dusted a surprisingly light amount of
makeup on my face to hide my freckles and accent my eyes and cheek
bones and somehow managed to tame my unruly hair, straightening it
so it hung in a sleek curtain to the middle of my back.
    A shiver ran up my spine. I was actually
excited. Lance, eat your heart out.
    The dorm phone rang, and Cammy ran to answer
it. The tremble started at my toes and worked its way to my head.
No one ever used the