Free A La Carte by Tanita S. Davis

cheesecake?” Sim brightens. “Is it hard to—”
    Simeon’s eyes leave mine at the sound of the downstairs buzzer, and he’s off the couch and heading for the door before I can recover.
    â€œâ€™S’up, Jared?” he says into the intercom. “On my way.”
    I stand in the lobby with my hands in my pockets, looking at the little SUV pulled up on the front walk. I’ve seen the girl in the car at school. Her name is Serena or something. She gives me a little nod from behind her sunglasses. She is skinny and glamorous, her blond-streaked hair razor cut and tousled. I feel immature with my ponytail and jeans.
    Sim opens the back door. “Okay, thanks, Lainey, see ya,” he says.
    â€œNo problem,” I say, swallowing. Sim and his friends head off down the street, and I go back inside with a little sigh. I wish Sim would’ve stuck around a little longer, but if I’m being real, I know he only came over here for Grandma Muriel’s stuff anyway. That and the leftovers he ate. I pick up the empty pie plate and stare at it. Whoever said that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach doesn’t know Sim. He’s been eating over here forever, and I’m not any closer to his heart, especially not lately.
    And then I remember that he’s making me dinner.
    I smile and set the cheesecake pan in the sink. It won’t take me long to cook up another one.

7
    I’m so inspired by my cheesecake idea that I make mini-cheesecakes for the entire group in Vocal Jazz. Since I’m making so many, I cheat and use store-bought mini–graham cracker crusts, which isn’t what I normally do, but it’s worth it to be able to bring them to class and pass them around. Ms. Dunston says she’ll take the extras to the faculty lounge and tell everyone that I made them, which means I’d better get an A+ on every single paper I turn in today.
    I’m in such a great mood that I don’t even mind that one of those weird nonword jazz songs, “Oo-Shoo-Be-Doo-Be,” is playing, and Ms. Dunston is going to make us work on “Java Jive” for the spring concert. Not even goofy songs about coffee addicts can ruin things for me. As Ms. Dunston talks about diction before warming us up, I overhear Ben whispering to Tracey.
    â€œSo, Keller’s this weekend. You going?”
    â€œI just heard about it.”
    Did he say “Keller’s”? I lean forward slightly.
    â€œSo, is it his brother’s birthday or something?”
    â€œUh…” Ben leans back. “Just a party, I think. First one in the new place and all.”
    A party? In someone’s new place? Is Sim having a party? Why hasn’t he mentioned it?
    â€œLet’s take it from the top, please,” Ms. Dunston is saying, and I stand automatically and open my music.
    I guess I’m not going to be his first guest.
    Not that it matters, if it’s true. Not really. I mean, it’s no big deal, right? He obviously has other friends; I’ve always known that. So, I’ll be his second guest. Anyway, I don’t know the details. I can always ask him in physics.
    For once, Vocal Jazz seems to go on forever, and I’m hurrying toward physics class instead of dragging my feet.
    â€œHey, what’s up?” Cheryl asks, rattling her bag of sunflower seeds in my direction.
    â€œNot much,” I reply, looking toward Sim’s place. I glance at the door and see other students coming in. The warning bell hasn’t even rung yet. He has lots of time.
    â€œSo, did you see the box on Wilcox’s desk?” Cheryl asks.
    â€œOh no. Are those springs? Today is lab again already?”
    â€œYep. How much you wanna bet we’re going to have to measure the springs and then write down any ‘lingering questions’ we have about them?” Cheryl laughs.
    The warning bell rings, and Mr. Wilcox comes into the room. Sim only has