Free Miss Match by Wendy Toliver

wrong with Kevin? He’s totally nice. He even checked my oil for me the other day ’cause I don’t have a clue how to do that dipsticky thing. And God, he’s hot. I seriously think he’s the hottest guy at Snowcrest. Did you see his butt in those cargo shorts? Yum-mee!”
    I shrug. “He’s all right, if you like the tall, muscle-ripped, athletic type.”
    She smirks. “As opposed to the short, scrawny, couch-potato type?”
    “It’s just…you can’t show up with the dude everyone is expecting you to go with. That would be as boring as Barbie going with Ken. You’ve gotta wow the entire student body with a mysterious, überhot guy—the guy every girl wants but only you can have.”
    Her green eyes grow a size. I must be finally getting to her. “Who should Barbie go with if not Ken?”
    I blow my bangs out of my eyes. “I don’t know—G.I. Joe? Darth Vader? But that’s not the point. The point is, this is your last high-school homecoming ever . You want it to be perfect. Exciting. Romantic. Am I right, or am I right?”
    When she pulls up the driveway, her cellphone starts ringing. Maddie dives over my lap to grab her Nokia out of her backpack. “Kevin, hi!”
    Oh no.
    “Tomorrow night?…Yeah, that sounds way fun…. Okay…Buh-bye.” She flips her phone shut and shuffles her Skechers excitedly.
    “How was your algebra lesson?” I ask, desperate to get her mind off Kevin.
    “Oh. It was great. Derek’s really nice.”
    “And cute, too,” I prompt.
    “He’s way smart.”
    “Don’t you think he smells heavenly?”
    “Yeah. He does smell good. I wonder what kind of cologne he wears. I’ve never smelled it before.”
    “I think it’s Polo Explorer, if I remember correctly,” I say, trying not to sound too obvious. “He said something about buying it the other day.”
    My sister shakes her head. “No, that’s not it. That’s the kind Kevin wears, and I’d totally recognize it. But who cares? Oh! I just thought of something. Derek told me he’s all into fixing up cars. You should call him. I’m sure he’ll figure out what’s wrong with your scooter.”
    “Good idea. Will do.”
    “So, what’s going on Friday night?” I ask as she pulls up the driveway and sets the emergency brake.
    “A party.”
    “Oh? Where?” I unbuckle my seat belt.
    “Why? Did you want to go? I could maybe get you on the list.”
    “There’s a list?”
    “Well, it’s at Ruffalo’s. You know, he lives in a gated community and everything.”
    “Wow. Okay. I mean, if you think it would be all right. I’d love to go.”
    “I’ll just have Kevin leave your name at the gate. But you’ll want to get your scooter fixed or ride with Yas or something, ’cause I’m going with Kevin. It’s a date.” She grabs her backpack and hops out.
    I hop out too. “Okay, cool.” Not cool, but at least I’ll be there to run some more interference. And I’ve got to get some offense going, before Derek outright misses his chance.
    Derek! What will it take to get him to go to the party?
    I go straight to my room. Through the wall I hear Maddie chitchatting away on the phone, no doubt talking to one of her friendsabout the party, deciding what to wear and important stuff like that. Certain that it’s safe for me to call Derek without her hearing, I pull my cell out of my backpack.
    “Derek? It’s me, Sasha.”
    “Oh, hi, Sasha.” His southern drawl is even more palpable over the phone. If he weren’t transfixed with my sis, I’d probably be swooning.
    “Do you have plans tomorrow night?”
    After a brief pause he says, “It depends. Are you asking me out?”
    My breath catches in my throat. “Er, noooo. I was just wondering if you wanted to go to a party. Everyone’s going to be there.”
    “Hmmm. I’m totally confused here. You insist you’re not asking me on a date, yet this conversation bears a striking resemblance to one I had with a girl back in Texas, and lo and behold, it ended up being a date . A