Competing With the Star (Star #2) Read online

  “So I was thinking this Friday a bunch of us could go to the movies and get pizza after. They’re showing the new Josh Haven movie,” she said. “Gotta support our Joshie.”

  “Sounds great. I’ll ask Charlotte. Is she invited?”

  “Of course.”

  After school, Nick was waiting for me at my locker.

  “Hey, you up for a movie Friday night?” he asked.

  “Sounds great, but I just made plans to go to the movies with the girls on Friday.”

  “What girls?”

  “Simone asked me in bio.”

  “You’re kidding me. I told her I was going to ask you to see a film this weekend,” he said, narrowing his eyes.

  “Oh, maybe she thought it was like a group date or something?”

  “Yeah, probably. Well, what are you guys going to see?”

  “The new Josh Haven one,” I said.

  He made a face. “Seriously? Okay, I’ll see if any of the guys want to go, but do you want to hang out this weekend—just the two of us?”

  I nodded. “Do you mind if we wait for Charlotte now though?”

  He smiled. “I know you guys always walk home together. I’m not trying to come between that.”

  Charlotte came up then and we started to head out when I heard Morgan’s voice.

  “You guys, wait up!”

  No, no, no. Not today. That girl had never come around me before. I was invisible to her for months and now that Nick and I were a couple she wanted to hang out? What was her deal? I turned to look at Nick, but he was smiling at her.

  “Nicky,” she said, and leaned over to hug him.

  Seriously? If I had asked a guy she was seeing for a piece of gum, she would have pushed me down a flight of stairs. She probably would have forbid me to look directly at any guy she liked, but no, please, go ahead and hug my boyfriend in front of me like I’m not even there.

  “Hey, I didn’t get a hug,” Simone said, pouting.

  What? What was this?

  Nick gave me a surprised look as Simone went to hug him. I noticed he only used one arm when he hugged her back.

  Pilar and Asia exchanged a look, but I had no clue what they were thinking. Knowing Pilar, she probably wasn’t worried about my feelings, but more concerned that Morgan and Simone were flirting with the same guy. I’m sure she was wondering whose side to be on in case of an all-out war.

  “You guys, let’s get going. Are you all done groping Nick now?” Asia asked.

  Simone gave an overdramatic laugh and Charlotte poked me in the side and mouthed, “What’s with her?”

  I shrugged. I didn’t even know why Pilar and Morgan were walking with us. They lived on the other side of the town and it was out of their way to come with us. At least Reagan hadn’t joined. That would have been super awkward having his ex tag along.

  “So, Charlotte, how’s that science project coming along?” Nick asked. “Hadley told me you’re working on something for the next big fair.”

  Charlotte opened her mouth to answer when Morgan interrupted to talk about this guy who hit on her yesterday at the Burger Barn. I tried to tune her out as we walked down the sidewalk. Nick slid his hand in mine and I wondered if anyone noticed we were holding hands.

  Pilar and Morgan stopped at the intersection to head to their street. We started down the street Charlotte, Asia, and Simone lived on and I thought Simone would stop talking and Nick and I could chat—and he could finish his conversation with Charlotte. I wanted the two of them to get along and thought it was sweet he was showing interest in her science project. We reached Charlotte’s driveway and she said she’d call me later. Asia lived right across the street and I thought Simone was planning to go over to her house today, but apparently Simone had other ideas.

  “I’ll walk you guys home,” she said to Nick and me. “I’ve got nothing going on anyway.”

  Nick raised his eyebrows, but didn’t say anything. We got to my driveway and Nick started to walk me up the steps. Simone followed right behind us.

  “I’ll text you later,” he said to me, and then looked over at Simone. Realizing she wasn’t going to budge and there would be no quiet romantic moment, he gave me a quick hug and the two of them walked down the driveway together.

  Simone had said before that Nick was a sweet guy, but she didn’t have a thing for him, did she? No, she would have mentioned it. Right?

  Chapter Five

  I got in the house and Charlotte texted me to call her.

  “What’s up?” I asked.

  “Did Simone seriously walk you guys home?”

  “Yup,” I said, taking a bottle of Pepsi out of the fridge. “She even came all the way up the steps and stood there waiting for him.”

  “What is that about?”

  “No clue. Do you know if she ever liked him?”

  “Hadley, I know it’s a small school, but until you moved here, Simone and I didn’t exactly hang out in the same circles. No idea. I know Morgan always kept him around as her fallback guy, so I get what that’s about, but I have no clue if Simone liked him.”

  I took a sip. “I doubt it. I mean, why would she have been so into the fact that he and I were going out, you know?”

  “True,” Charlotte said, but there was a weird, disbelieving sound in her voice.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. It just seems odd she came with you guys.”

  “Maybe she just likes one of his friends.”

  “Yeah, that would make sense. And as far as I’ve seen, she’s never acted interested in him before.”

  “So how’s your science project coming along?”

  I got out all the stuff to make a peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwich as Charlotte filled me in on all the details of the upcoming fair. I was halfway through my sandwich when she said she had to go and help her grandpa get dinner ready.

  “Do you want to come over tomorrow after school?” she asked. “We can catch up on Charmed Lives.”

  Charmed Lives was our favorite soap opera and her grandfather had gotten mine into watching it as well. My grandpa had to watch it in secret though because my grandmother didn’t approve of those types of shows. “Trash TV rots the brain,” she’d say.

  I got off the phone with Char and started my homework when Nick called.

  “Hey, are we still on for this weekend?” he asked.

  “Yup. What do you want to do on Saturday?”

  “Could we make it either Saturday night or Sunday? Saturday afternoon is movie day at my grandpa’s nursing home and I always go watch with him.”

  “That’s fine. What movie are you guys going to watch?”

  “They always show old movies there that the residents will be into,” he said.

  “I love old movies,” I said.

  “What do you mean by old movies?” he asked. “Like black-and-white ones or what? Because I asked Reagan once and she thought Clueless was an old movie.”

  I laughed. “I meant black-and-white ones or even ones from a couple decades ago.”

  “Oh okay, that’s cool. I don’t know a lot of people our age who are into them like I am. We’re going to see A Place in the Sun with Elizabeth Taylor,” he said. “Grandpa loves her.”

  “I’ve never seen that one, but I’ve seen a ton of her films. My grandpa likes her too, and he always tells me about how his parents used to take them to matinees on the weekends when they were little. They did drive-ins too. But I’ve heard that movie is super good.”

  “Do you…nah, never mind,” he said.

  “What?”

  “I was going to ask if you wanted to come and watch with us, but I mean, why would you want to spend your Saturday at the nursing home watching a movie in a room full of older people when you could be with your friends at the mall or something.”

  “I’d love to go. I mean, if your grandpa would be okay with me coming along. I don’t want to interrupt your time with him.”

  “We’re just going to watch the movi
e, so it’s not like we’d be talking or anything. I bet he’d enjoy the company.”

  “Would your parents be cool with it?”

  “I’ll check, but I’m sure it’s fine. Just know you can back out anytime. I won’t get mad or anything.”

  Mom came in then and motioned for me to help her with dinner.

  “I gotta go help my mom, but I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  I followed Mom to the counter and she asked if I’d help make the salad.

  “So who were you talking to? Mr. Wonderful?” she said, smirking.

  I rolled my eyes. “Do you have to call him that?”

  “I knew it. Your grandpa said you get the same dopey look your Aunt Faith gets on her face when she likes a guy. You do! You two are so much alike.”

  My aunt was my favorite person in the family—next to Grandpa. She was a lot younger than my dad and she never treated me like a kid. She always took my feelings into consideration. I remember when I was six and all the cousins were playing in the pool. I was in the shallow end and I slipped and went under. It was only for a minute, but it was the second time that had happened to me and I was terrified of going under the water. I burst into tears as soon as I came up for air and all the other cousins made fun of me and I could tell the adults were annoyed by the way they all kept saying, “You’re fine,” in that exasperated tone. But she came over and got me out of the pool and took me to sit with her and her friends. She stayed with me all afternoon. She was always looking out for me.

  “Is it okay if I go out with Nick on Saturday?” I asked.

  Mom stopped chopping the carrot in front of her. “Where were you planning to go?”

  “To his grandpa’s nursing home. They’re having a movie thing there in the afternoon and I said I’d go with him.”

  “Wow, that’s not at all what I thought you were going to say. Are his parents okay with you going there?”

  I nodded. “He’s checking, but said it should be okay. Can I go?”

  “Sure, but, hon, you’ve never been to one of those places before and they can be overwhelming. You’re…how to put this…kind of sensitive, and I don’t want you to get freaked out.”

  “Why would I get freaked out?”

  Mom bit her lip. “Well, for one, some of the patients might have dementia and that can be a little scary. They’re not always aware all the time—well, there are different kinds of dementia, but you’ve never been around any of it. And sometimes those places smell and they can be a bit depressing.”

  “Mom, I said nursing home, not a club in New York. I’m aware it’s not a party scene. Nick is super close with his grandpa and he goes to visit him a lot. He gets so sad about how his grandpa has declined. I think it might help if I go along with him.”

  She nodded. “Why is his grandpa in there?”

  “He had a reaction to anesthesia and it brought on a type of Parkinson’s and dementia. He can’t walk anymore either. He’s only seventy-four years old and Nick said he changed overnight after the surgery.”

  Mom turned to face me. “That happened to one of your grandfather’s friends too. He got hurt on the golf course and had surgery. After that they couldn’t figure out why he was confused. It’s tough.”

  I nodded just as my phone buzzed with a text.

  “Better check that. Might be Mr. Perfect,” Mom said, winking.

  I went over to my phone. “He said his parents are cool with it. Can I tell him I can go?”

  “Sure, I think it’s sweet you want to go with him. I just hope you’re ready for this.”

  “I’m not a kid. I’m almost sixteen.”

  “Ugh, don’t remind me—or your father. Now get your butt over here and finish this salad.”

  Chapter Six

  On Friday, Asia said her dad could pick Char and me up for the movie. I wasn’t sure what to wear because it was a girls’ night out, but since Nick would be there I wanted to look cute, but not like I was trying too hard. I tried on every top I owned and then called Asia for advice.

  “What are you wearing?” I asked.

  “I’m PMSing, so my Pink VS sweatshirt and my PMS jeans. Why?”

  “Well, Nick is going to be there, but I also have a kinda sorta date with him tomorrow, so not sure what to put on.”

  “A kinda sorta date? What’s that about?”

  “I’m going to watch a movie with him at his grandpa’s nursing home,” I said.

  “That’s different, but sweet. Well, tomorrow I’d wear something a little nicer. Maybe your long blue sweater and beige jeans, and today I’d wear regular jeans, those cute black ankle boots you have, and your black CK top. It’s casual, but put together, so cute, but not like you’re trying to impress him.”

  “Great, thanks.”

  “We’re going to be leaving in, like, a minute to pick you guys up. I’ll text you when we’re in the driveway. Bye.”

  I changed my clothes and put on some lip stain and a touch of blush. I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs when Asia texted me that they were just leaving Charlotte’s and heading to my house next. Mom stopped me before I walked outside.

  “Have a good time. Don’t do anything that would give me a heart attack,” she said.

  ***

  We got to the theater and Nick was already there outside waiting for us with his friends, Lucas and Connor. Connor and Simone used to date. Actually, Connor also dated Morgan and Pilar, but for some reason none of the girls ever got mad at him for that, but they sure did get mad at each other for it. As I got out of the car, I wondered how to approach Nick. I mean, we were official as he said, and we had kissed, but did we hug when we saw each other? Would it look desperate if I ran up to him? Why wasn’t there an instructional booklet for this kind of thing? My mom bought a toaster and it came with a huge manual on how to work it, but when it came to the workings of the heart—nothing? Nada? Zilch? That made no sense.

  I took my time getting out of Mr. Milanowski’s car to buy myself some time. When I slammed the door, I looked up and Nick was right in front of me.

  “Hi, Hadley, you look great,” he said.

  I found it difficult to swallow as I looked into his light brown eyes.

  “Yeah, you too,” I said, and then wanted to kick myself. Who said that to a guy? I mean, to his face anyway? Dumb, dumb, dumb. Why couldn’t I ever be cool?

  “Here, I got your ticket,” he said.

  “Oh wow, thanks.”

  We waited for Charlotte and Asia to buy their tickets. Simone and Pilar were off to the side with Reagan and Morgan, drinking sodas and staring at us. I waved to them, but Simone just nodded at me.

  “You guys, let’s go sit up in the balcony,” Reagan said, clutching Lucas’ arm.

  Were they a thing now? That would be a load off my mind if Nick’s ex had a new guy. We followed them up the steps and they walked to the first row of the balcony that overlooked the theater. I felt like throwing up the second I looked over the balcony edge.

  “You okay?” Charlotte asked.

  “No, I hate heights,” I said in her ear so no one would hear me.

  “Tell Nick you want to move back a row.”

  “I’ll look like a stupid kid,” I said.

  “Hadley? Are you all right?” Nick asked.

  “Yeah, fine.”

  “You sure? Because you’re kind of hanging onto the seat like it’s a life preserver. Are you afraid of heights?”

  “Seriously? You’re afraid of heights?” Morgan said loudly. “Are you joking?”

  “I’m fine,” I said.

  “I hate heights. This whole ledge thing is making me feel dizzy, maybe I should move back,” Charlotte said.

  “Oh, do you want us to move back a row with you?” I asked, relieved she’d pretend for me.

  “I don’t want to ruin anyone’s night, but yes, yes, please,” she said.

  Nick smiled. “How noble of you to change your seat for your friend. I better move too.”

  The three of us
moved behind them, but then it was like stadium seating and I felt like if I got up for anything I could trip and fly over the railing to my death.

  “Char, if I fell from here, would I die or just get really, really hurt?” I asked, leaning over.

  “Really, really hurt,” she said. “You might wish you were dead though.”

  “You hate this more, don’t you?” Nick said, leaning over.

  “How did you know?”

  “I can tell from your face. You’re biting the side of your mouth. You always do that when you’re upset,” he said. “It’s no big deal. We can move downstairs. I prefer sitting down there anyway.”

  “You don’t mind sitting away from them?”

  “Not a problem.”

  He got up. “You guys, we’re going to move downstairs. I’m not feeling this stadium seating thing up here.”

  I saw Reagan and Morgan exchange a look with their eyebrows raised and Reagan smirked. What was that about?

  “Whatever. See you after the movie,” Pilar said.

  The three of us walked down the steps and found seats toward the back. As we sat down, Charlotte leaned over to ask if she was being a third wheel on our date.

  I shook my head and she said she was going to make a snack run.

  “Want anything?” she asked.

  I reached in my purse for some cash. “Gummi bears and a Coke. Do I want popcorn?”

  Nick reached past me and handed Char some money. “She wants popcorn. Butter?”

  I smiled. “Butter.”

  “Okay, so are you two sharing the popcorn or what?” Charlotte asked.

  “If that’s okay,” Nick said, raising his eyebrows.

  I nodded. He was willing to risk sharing germs with me. That meant he must like me…or he had no respect for his immune system. One of the two. But now with Char gone, what would we talk about? I racked my brain for something to say when all of a sudden the whole crew was around us. Reagan and Lucas sat directly in front of us and Morgan was next to Nick.

  “I thought you guys were happy up there,” Nick said.

  Reagan turned around to smile at Morgan. “The show is better up close,” Morgan said.