Free Rival Revenge by Jessica Burkhart Page B

mid-week treat break.
    â€œLike places that would horrify my mom if I told her we were going.” Paige grinned.
    â€œTell me!”
    â€œWell,” Paige looked over her shoulder, as if expecting Mrs. Parker to suddenly appear. “A new train line started near my house. So … we tell my mom we’re going shopping and instead, we should sneak off to Coney Island.”
    â€œ The Coney Island? I’ve only seen that in pictures and movies. Omigod, that would be so cool.”
    Paige nodded. “Some of the rides might be closed, but I just want to see the park. My parents wouldn’t take me and I’ve never been to Brooklyn.”
    â€œWell, we’re going then. We’ll tell your mom we’re going to Saks or somewhere fancy and instead, we’ll be eating cotton candy at Coney Island.”
    â€œWe’ll even get our own MetroCards for the subway,” Paige said, sitting up straighter. “Like adults.”
    I smiled. “I want my own MetroCard. That sounds awesome. How many times have you ridden the subway?”
    Paige frowned. “Only twice. Both times it was when my uncle from Philly came to visit. He thought I needed to experience it instead of taking a cab everywhere.”
    â€œWill we”—I paused—“get lost underground, Paige Parker?”
    â€œNo! Maybe! I don’t know!” Paige said, giggling. “Hopefully not.”
    We laughed and swapped smoothies.
    â€œIf we do, I hope it’s on the way home ’cause at least we’d have cotton candy to eat.”
    Paige took a drink. “Yeah, and—”
    But her voice faded away when I saw Jacob walk past us and sit down. He had a frozen hot chocolate and as he sipped from his glass, I couldn’t stop the flood of memories. I flashed back to when we’d had hot chocolate together last fall. I’d eaten all of my marshmallows before I’d finished my drink, so Jacob had spooned some of his into my cup.
    â€œUm,” I said to Paige. My voice sounded so weird. “Jacob’s here and I … need to get a pic of us with our egg. For health. For class. For our health class.”
    â€œOkay,” Paige said. She gave me a sideways look, but didn’t say anything.
    I reached into my purse for the egg and grabbed my phone. It was fine that I was going over to Jacob. Like I’d just told Paige, this was for class. And I wanted an A.
    I stood and walked over to Jacob’s table. I stopped beside him, looking at my pink flip-flops and then at him. “Hi,” I said. “I brought the egg. Since we’re both here, I thought we could get a pic of us with it.”
    Jacob nodded. “Hey, good idea.” He pushed his drink to the side and held out a hand for the egg box. I handed it to him and he set it in front of him and opened it. He took out the egg and held it between his index finger and thumb so the face was visible.
    â€œOkay,” I said. I flipped open my phone and moved closer to Jacob’s shoulder. I leaned down so both of our faces and the egg were in the shot. My finger fumbled for the camera button and the second I clicked it, Callie appeared in front of us.
    â€œ What are you doing?” she asked. Her gaze flicked from Jacob to me.
    Immediately, I jumped away from him, almost dropping my phone. “Nothing. Just taking a picture of our egg for health class.”
    My voice rose with every word. I sounded so guilty!
    Callie looked down at the egg and rolled her eyes. “Fine.Are you done now? I came here to meet my boyfriend .”
    â€œWe’re done,” I said. I started to apologize for making her upset, but I knew I couldn’t. There couldn’t be one crack in my I-really-did-try-to-steal-your-BF facade.
    â€œYou want to keep the egg for a while?” I asked Jacob.
    â€œSure,” he said.
    â€œI forgot the notebook, so just write wherever you take it on paper and I’ll add it