Free Don't Bet On Love by Sheri Cobb South Page B

weren’t for—I mean, if only— that is, I … ”
    “ Never mind, ” Gary said, putting a merci ful end to my idiotic stammering. “ Forget I mentioned it. ”
     
     
    CHAPTER TEN
     
    B ut of course I couldn’t forget. I spent most of the weekend sitting in my room, re mem bering Gary’s kiss and playing “ No One in the World Like You ” over and over again on my stereo.
    I wasn’t particularly looking forward to school on Monday morning. Now that I had resigned my position as Gary’s personal trainer, there was no reason for us to meet or even to speak to each other. I couldn’t imagine that anything unusual or interesting would happen—but I was wrong.
    I had just finished taking my books out of my locker, when I heard someone calling my name. Turning, I saw Colette Carroll hurrying down the hall in my direction. I didn’t even kno w Colette knew my name. But big ger surprises were in store.
    “ Molly, have you heard that I’m giving a party for Gary? ” she asked.
    “I’ ve heard rumors about it, ” I answered.
    “ Well, the rumors are true. It’ s this Satur day night. How would you like to come? ” Colette asked, beaming at me. She seemed to expect me to swoon from the sheer thrill of being invited to one of her oh-so-exclusive gatherings.
    Needless to say, I didn’t swoon, but I cer tainly was startled. Why would Colette go out of her way to extend an invitation to a girl she’d hardly spoken to more than half a dozen times all year? It probably had something to do with Gary, but just what, I didn’t know.
    “ I’m not sure if I’m free, ” I hedged. “ I’ll have to let you know. What time does it start? ”
    “ Eight o’clock. See you there, I hope. ” Wig gling her fing ers in farewell, Colette contin ued down the hall.
    When I told Beth and Jan at lunch about her invitation, they were as puzzled as I was.
    “ Colette invited you to her party? ” Beth gasped in surprise. “ Molly, why? ”
    “ I have no idea, ” I said. “ But I’m sure she has her reasons. ”
    “ Yeah, and I’m sure they aren’t purely social, ” Jan agreed. “ Have you ever talked to Colette about Gary? ”
    “ Well, a few weeks ago I did tell her that he was a good algebra tutor, ” I said thoughtfully, “ but that was all. ”
    “ Algebra? ” Jan echoed, raising a skeptical eyebrow. “ When I saw her in the hall with Gary right before last period, algebra was the last thing on that girl’s mind! ”
    As if on cue, Colette entered the cafeteria, clinging possessively to Gary’s arm.
    “ So what are you going to do about it, Molly? ” asked Beth.
    Unable to tear my eyes away from Gary and Colette, I watched as they took their places in the cafeteria line. “ What can I do? ” I asked sadly. “ It’s what I trained him for. ”
    “ She meant the party, ” Jan said, giving me a knowing look. “ You have got it bad, haven’t you? ”
    I nodded. There was no point in trying to deny what Jan and Beth already knew.
    “ What about it, Molly? ” Beth asked. “ Are you going or not? ”
    “ Definitely not, ” I said.
    “ Gary might feel more comfortable if some of his old friends were there, ” Beth sug gested. “ I mean, he doesn’t know Colette’s crowd all that well. ”
    Across the cafeteria, Gary held a chair for Colette. She gave him a megawatt smile as she sat down, then quickly scooted her chair closer to his.
    “ I don’t think he’ll have much opportunity to be lonely, ” I said with a sigh.
    “ Well, hey! ” Jan put in brightly. “ Who needs Colette and her old party, anyway? Let’s all do something together this weekend! ”
    “ Great idea! ” Beth agreed. “ Where should we go? ”
    “ Where else? The mall! ” Jan said. “ We can go shopping for prom dresses! ”
    “ Oh, nice going, Jan! ” Beth scolded with uncharacteristic sarcasm. “ That’s just what Molly needs to make her feel better! ”
    “ It’s okay, ” I said, smiling in spite of the