Along Came Jordan Read Free Page B

Laine, not sure I'm going to volunteer."
    She snorted. "Nonsense. It'll be fun, plus I can get to know you better."
    Her manipulation grated, and I wasn't happy. After bowing to Farah's whims for so long, I wasn't in the mood to start in with someone else. To be fair, bowing to Farah had been my idea in the beginning, not hers. Still, I'd ended up with no friends left at Bates — which had been anything but pleasant. I'd promised myself that wasn't going to happen at Edgemont.
    "Well?" Laine asked, and her voice snapped with impatience.
    "Decorations," I said.
    She clapped like a delighted child. "Wonderful! Go on over right now. Janae is chairperson."
    I stood up and walked to Janae's group, where she gazed up at me with obvious displeasure. "Oh, it's you." Her tone sounded as though she'd discovered dog doo all over her shoe. "Everyone, Emili's with us."
    Five kids turned to me and nodded or smiled and then returned to their discussion. I tried to listen and be interested, but all I could think about was if this obligated me to go to the ball.
    When it was almost time to go, Laine hustled over to our group and tugged me up by my arm. "Emili, we need to make a change."
    "What do you mean?"
    "I'm removing you from decorations so you can work with the music group."
    Janae stopped talking and looked toward her. "Laine, do you mind? We're making plans."
    "I'm moving Emili to music."
    "Why? I think we need her, after all."
    Laine gave Janae a harsh look and her eyes spit some secret meaning. "Don't you remember who else is on this committee? You don't need Emili."
    Janae wrinkled her brow, then understanding passed over her face. "Oh right, got it."
    I'd no idea who they were talking about, nor did I care. I'd had enough manipulation for one day. "Thanks so much, both of you," I said, loading my voice with molasses. "I think I'll stay." I yanked my arm from Laine's grasp and plopped myself back in the seat.
    Wait 'til I told Sally and Margo.
    ****
    I didn't have either Sally's or Margo's phone numbers, so I couldn't tell them until the next morning. When they saw me come through the front door, they dashed over, and Sally started jabbering before I could get a word out. "We've got the perfect club for you to join."
    "Sally's right, you need a group. She's got orchestra, I've got art, and you've got…" Margo flourished her arm overhead.
    "Drum roll, please." Sally held her hand to her mouth like a fake microphone. "Environmental Club, commonly known as EC."
    "To top off our wonderful suggestion, you'll meet Jordan, another EC member."
    "To. Die. For." Sally clipped each word as though she was playing hopscotch. She sidled up close to me as if to discuss an urgent secret. "Margo and I adore him."
    "Are you three a thing or something? Does Jordan like having multiple girlfriends?"
    Margo chortled and made a face of disgust. " A y , what a thought. No, we're just super friends. We've never dated Jordan because he was always dating Pamela Riggins."
    "She moved, and phhsst! Over." Sally snapped her fingers. "Like it never was. Everyone's been after him since, but he's not interested."
    Margo stretched out her arms as if to hug the world. "Idea alert."
    Sally's eyes lit up. "Out with it."
    "Jordan and Emili." She crossed her arms and looked like she'd won a gold medal.
    "It's perfect." Sally turned to me. "Laine's been after Jordan, and he can't stand her. When he falls for you, it'll be double delight — you get Jordan, and Laine doesn't."
    Before my eyes, my life whizzed out of control.
    "Wait." I held up my hand. "Not in the market. Sorry."
    "You have to be. It's too good." Sally's face scrunched into a pout.
    "She hasn't met Jordan yet. She'll change her mind," Margo said.
    No, I wouldn't. I couldn't trust myself in the love department — learned that the hard way.
    Marc's face flashed before me . " I ' m sorry, sorry, sorry ," I whispered to his image for the zillionth time.
    "Wait a minute. Isn't Jordan in student