The Pretty One by Cheryl Klam

Author:Cheryl Klam
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
ISBN: 9780375846373
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2008-04-08T04:00:00+00:00

After an hour of alone time with Moby, my nails are dry and I’m so desperate for company that I call Simon. I know it’s a risky proposition because he was so angry with me for blowing him off, but he did respond immediately to my e-mail last night, so I’m kind of hoping that things have calmed down between us. I call him up and act like nothing weird has transpired between us whatsoever and ask him if he wants to do something. Even though I’m kind of expecting Simon to be busy (even though he’s not), he acts totally normal and suggests we meet at the coffee shop at six.

Since I have about five hours to kill, I take my book and walk to the aquarium. Moby stays in my backpack while I watch his distant cousins the dolphins perform before heading back to Federal Hill to meet Simon at Spoons. Since Simon has paid the last couple of times we went out, I plan on getting there early so that I can get the drinks before he arrives. I’m feeling pretty good until I set foot inside the coffee shop. Simon is already there and has snagged a premium spot near the window. Even though I’m counting calories, he has an iced mocha cappuccino (with whip) waiting for me. To make matters worse, he’s sans glasses and wearing a preppy boy costume.

“Why are you all dressed up?” I say, taking a seat across from him.

“I’m not dressed up.”

“You’re not wearing your shorts or your glasses.”

“I’m not wearing shorts because it’s cold and I’m not wearing glasses because I got contacts.”

I take a sip of my iced mocha cappuccino. I want to believe him. I really do not want to think that his being dressed up has anything at all to do with me, but I have a nagging and mildly horrific idea it does. “I thought you said you couldn’t wear contacts.”

“I figured it was worth another try. My glasses were…beginning to annoy me.”

“Well, you look good.” I take another sip. I’m not a hundred percent sold, but if Simon says that his glasses were beginning to annoy him, I’m willing to take him at his word. The past few weeks have been totally stressful and I so badly want everything to be back to normal again. If I have to ignore a few things until they blow over, so be it.

“Thanks,” he says, reddening. “And so do you…as usual.”

Ignore it, I remind myself. After all, how could I blame Simon for seeing me a little bit differently these days? I am different. I now look like the kind of girl I used to secretly envy; the kind of girl with a face that wins attention and admiration from strangers; the kind of girl who has no idea what it’s like to be mocked and despised, or worse yet, invisible. “So what did you do last night?” I ask, quickly changing the subject as I dab about twenty calories of whipped cream off my lips with my napkin.

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