I dialed the familer number, a jumble of thoughts filling my head.
"Hello? Lindon residence," an answer came.
"Hey Nicky! Whats up?" I asked.
"Nothin much. Just hangin, you?"
"I have the best news ever! But I have to talk to Jess first."
"Yeah, okay. I'll just get the details from Jessica."
I laughed. "I suppose thats what twins are for, right? Gotta tell
eachother everything."
"Right. Ill go get her for you."
"Kay, thanks."
I waited, then heard a crash.
"Hello?" a breathless Jessica asked.
"Hey Jess! Why are you out of breath?" I asked.
"Lauren! Where the heck have you been?" She demanded, ignoring my
comment.
"What are you talking about?"
She sighed into the reciever. "Whats with you Lauren? You were
supposed to come over thirty minutes ago for our sleepover!"
My hand flew to my mouth, and my eyes widened. "Oh my gosh Jess, I
am so sorry!"
"I forgive you, I mean its not a big deal, but can you come over now?"
"Yup, I'll be there," I promised.
"Okay, thanks. Bye!"
"See ya Jess."
I rushed upstairs. and grabbed my duffle bag, packed everything I
needed, and ran outside.
I forgot it was raining, so by the time I got to Jessica's house, I
was soaked. "Lauren! You come in here right now before you catch a cold!"Mrs
Lindon said, ushering my into the warm house.
"Thanks Mrs Lindon, how are you?" I asked, talking my wet Jacket
off, and putting it into the hall closet.
"I'm fine, thanks dear. Jessica and Nicole are upstairs, playing on
Nicole's laptop computer, I think. You can go on up," She smiled at me.
"Okay, thanks Mrs Lindon, it was good to see you again!"
"You too, dear," She called over her shoulder, as she disappeared
into the kitchen.
I hurried upstairs and opened the door to Nicky's room. "Hey guys!
Your mom sent me up. Whacha playing?" I asked.
"Commander Keen! We got up to level five this time!" Jessica said
without taking her eyes off the screen.
"Cool! Thats great!" I grabbed a chair, and sat down to join them.
We played Commander Keen for about an hour, but got bored of it.
The we decided we would play Truth or Dare.
"Okay, Nicky, Truth or Dare?" Jessica asked.
"Truth." She answered. "what else?"
"Okay, Umm.....Who was your first crush?" She asked, a glint in her
eye, that I knew only to well.
Nicole turned a crimson color, and replied "Oh come on Jess, you
already KNOW!" She exclaimed.
"Ah, but Lauren doesn't! Come on Nic, tell her!" Jessica urged.
"Hey, Jess, if she doesn't want to tell, she doesn't have to," I
said, trying not to make Nicky feel uncomfortable.
"No, it's okay, she'll tell you."
"Okay, whatever," She mumbled. "My first crush was.....(Sigh) Aaron
MacDonnald." She spat out Aaron's name with disgust. "BUT that was in
kindergarden! I am SO over him!"
"Ew! Aarom? He's a total dweeb!" I exclaimed.
Nicky blushed, and looked at the floor, suddenly finding the carpet
the most interesting thing to her.
"Oh, Nic, I am SO sorry!" I apologized, feeling stupid for
embarrassing her.
"Hey, it's no big deal. I mean, its not like I still like him or
anything!" She said, looking up at me, a smile on her face.
"Right! So, Jess, truth or Dare?" I said, changing a subject to
something more cheerful.
"Dare!" She said confidently.
"Okay...I dare you to.....go to school on Monday without coloring
your hair with marker!" I said after a minute of thinking.
"Whoh Jess. That'll be a tough one. You've been doing that since
second grade!" Nicky said, althouh she looked like she wanted to laugh.
"Besides, it makes us even."
Jessica toyed with a strand of her hair, which was pink today, but
she agreed. "But only for ONE day! No longer!" She added. "Lauren, Truth or
Dare?"
"Truth," I responded.
"Okay, who-" Nicole was cut off, because Jessica clamped her hand
over Nicky's mouth. "Lemme ask, okay?" She asked.
Nicole raised her eyebrows, shrugged her shoulders, and nodded her
head. "Go ahead..."
"Okay. Why were you late, and whats this exciting news you have to
tell us?" Her eyes narrowed. "And it better be good!"
"Oh yeah! I almost forgot about that!" I felt my stomach do flip
flops with excitment. I walked over to her tie-died beanbag chair, and sat
in it. I started to ecplain things, about how I met Hanson, purposely
leaving out that I was joining the band.
Jessica rolled her eyes. "You were late for our sleepover so you
could be with those GIRLS?"
"For your information they are ALL guys, and it was worth it! They
asked me to be in their band!"
"You can't sing!" she grumbled.
"Yes I can, I tried. They said I was good." I searched her face for
an expression. Nothing. "Jess? Jessica, aren't you excited for me? Whats
wrong?" I smiled at her.
Jessica's eyes clouded over, and a scowl broke out on her face. "You
would rather hang around with THEM than hang around with ME?"
"But Jess! You don't understand! I-"
"Oh I understand all right! I understand that my best friend has
betrayed me to be in a stupid band! I mean, besides Nicky, You're all I've
got! I'll be all alone, while your having fun with your 'boyfriends'! You
were probably just usuing me because I'm rich!" Jessica whirled around, and
stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
I stared at the door for a minute in silence, and burst into tears.
Nicky walked across the room, and gave me a hug. "I don't know whats
gotten into Jessica, but Im about to find out!" She said, standing up.
"Oh Nic, thanks, but you don't have to do that for me," I said.
"Its not just for you, Lauren, I want to know too. She should know
she can't treat her friends that way. She should treat people the way she
wants to be treated!"
"Okay." I sighed, and watched he leave the room, closing the door
quietly behind her as she left.
I sighed again, and dried my tears. What would I do if I lost
Jessica?
