All the Way Read Free Page B

didn’t know what else to say. A few of the mail order catalogs started to slip, so I pressed the stack closer to me. Honestly, I didn’t intend this, but it made my boobs look even bigger.
    Joey laughed.
    â€œSo, uh, we should go out sometime,” he said, still keeping his eyes where they technically belonged.
    â€œOh, right.” I shook my head. “What are you, a masochist or something? I’m thinking Molly wouldn’t be too good with that.” I glanced at her house, wondering if she was taking this whole thing in.
    â€œNo, that’s over,” Joey said. “Molly and I broke up.”
    He made it sound like a mutual decision, but it hadn’t looked that way to me.
    â€œAre you sure?”
    I was sort of stalling for time because I wasn’t sure I wanted to come between the two most powerful social icons in the whole school. But he was way cute—and I really wanted a date for the prom. I’d have to be crazy to turn down Joey Perrone at a time like this.
    â€œDefinitely. It’s over,” he said. “Molly’s history. Listen, why don’t we go to the donkey basketball game tomorrow night? It should be slammin’. Hornersham on an ass? I’ve got to see that.”
    Donkey basketball is a lame Ohio fund-raising thing that’s been around forever. Some company brings donkeys to your high school, they teach you how to ride without hurting the animals, and then it’s teachers versus students riding donkeys, trying to play a real game of basketball on the court.
    Insane?
    Yeah. Everyone disses it, but everyone goes.
    â€œCome on,” Joey said, touching my arm lightly. “Go out with me, Carmen. Pretty please?”
    He’s so arrogant, he even sounded like he was mocking me a little bit when he was asking nicely. But it also seemed like he really wanted me to go.
    I caved.
    â€œOkay,” I said.
    â€œGreat.” He looked totally pleased, which was nice. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”
    Then he slung his backpack over one shoulder and strolled to his car, obviously in a much better mood than he had been when he arrived.
    Cool! I thought. I finally had a date—and with the most popular guy in the whole school!
    If things worked out with Joey and I got lucky, prom night could wind up being the best night of my life.
    And even if it didn’t work out, just being seen with him should count for something at Norton, shouldn’t it?
    After tomorrow night, I figured at least people would know my name.
    Boy . . . was I right.

Chapter 2
    Â 
    Â 
    Â 
    â€œRachel, I’m totally screwed,” I said into my cell phone the next night, as I was getting ready for my date with Joey. “None of my purses look right. The blue one clashes. This brown thing is so gigantic, it looks like a feed bag. What on earth was I thinking when I bought it, and why did you let me?” I didn’t wait for an answer. “And my little black one is too dressy, don’t you think?”
    I was in a panic, trying to get ready for the first decent date I’d had all year. I had shopped all morning for the perfect outfit—and by the way, if you ever find the perfect outfit for a donkey basketball game, let me know. I’d finally settled on a really cute, short black denim miniskirt, which looked fabulous with my black Uggs, and a pink cotton camisole trimmed in lace, layered under a pink Juicy hoodie. I had my hair pulled into a ponytail, tied with a pink and black scrunchie.
    I didn’t want to spoil the whole effect by carrying the wrong bag.
    â€œSo don’t take a purse,” Rachel advised. “What’s the big deal?”
    â€œWhere am I supposed to put my cell phone?” I whined.
    â€œCell phone, lip gloss, condoms,” Rachel joked. “That’s all a girl ever needs, right?”
    I shook my head. Honestly, I’ve never heard Rachel make so many jokes about having sex until