Free Ditched by Robin Mellom

someone who was boyfriend material, too. She and Dan are ideal 77

    for each other. Dan is the star left wing on his soccer team.
    Hailey is right wing. Having opposite strong sides would make a perfect balance.
    Plus, Dan was the one who had taught Hailey how to drive. Her mom had overused the phrase “next week, I promise,” so Dan took her to the Target parking lot in his dad’s Jag and showed her al she needed to know. Which meant he was patient and reliable. Not to mention he had access to a bitchin’ car.
    “Ladies!” Dan and Ian had made their way back over to us. “We’re doing dessert first tonight.” Dan presented us with a couple of Jel -O shots.
    Hailey waved him off. “No more for me. One was enough.”
    “I’ve already had five, but that’s your cal , Miss Hailey.” Dan winked at her.
    She smiled and said, “Maybe Justina wants one.” Dan handed me a small plate with a cube of cherry Jell-O. “Don’t have any blueberry. Sorry, Justina.” I smirked and looked over at Ian.
    He nodded at me. “Of course I made him say it.” I took the Jel -O and held it up. “Cheers! Here’s to Dan and Ian. The two most respectable guys we know!”
    “No, tonight I’m Dan-o the Man-o!” He gave a wicked laugh.
    Oh lord, this was going to be an interesting night.
    The guys slurped theirs down, but I held on to mine.
    78

    Hailey was right about making sure I was ready for that kiss.
    The Altoid had left a fresh taste I didn’t want to ruin.
    “Let’s walk around.” Ian dropped his plate in the sink and led us al out of the kitchen.
    Just as we got to the door, I realized I was stil holding mine so I quickly went back to get rid of it. And that’s when I heard it.
    “Nice shoes.”
    I turned around. My vision fil ed with perky tennis bal s.
    Al yson Moore. She looked like a Grecian goddess in a stark white dress with a tight halter top and a skirt dripping with layers of chiffon. Her caramel-colored hair extensions were pul ed back in a severe ponytail, which made her head look like a perfectly polished stone.
    I couldn’t bare to let my eyes drift down to her shoes. I knew they’d be gorgeous. But I couldn’t help myself. I looked.
    Peeking out from the edge of her gown was a pair of strappy, silver shoes. They were heavenly—princess-grade.
    Al yson Moore was sleek, smooth, and regal—like a Great Dane.
    Brianna pranced up, joining Al yson, her slit shifting and almost revealing her hoo-hoo. I couldn’t help but quickly notice her shoes, too. Dainty, silver, strappy, and beautiful.
    And exactly the same as Al yson’s. Their heels clicked and tapped lightly on the tile floor, sounding like percussion instruments.
    My shoes were cinder blocks. Thunk, thunk.
    79

    I looked back up at them, unable to respond. What was I supposed to say? Thanks? Because clearly Al yson was being sarcastic since my shoes looked like navy vessels compared to theirs. I couldn’t even understand why they were talking to me.
    Brianna was pissy and stupid—like a shorthaired German Boxer. The only language she could speak was sarcasm. In fact, she was fluent. And she was teaching Al yson wel .
    Al yson knew me because I was Ian’s best friend, so she would wave at me ever so slightly when she was practicing on the field and I was running on the track. I don’t think she even remembered we’d been friends back in fourth grade and she’d invited me to her birthday party. But that was back when friendships had been determined pretty much by seating arrangement.
    Now that we were in high school, our paths rarely crossed because I was always running and she was captain of the Huntington High School flag corps. Flag twirlers , as everyone liked to cal them.
    But twirling was not considered cool until Al yson Moore joined the team. They were just members of the marching band. But when she came along, she’d changed the uniforms to low-rise hot pants and tight-fitting tank tops. Suddenly the whole school wanted to go to