23.2 The Boy

“Hey, Chelsea!”

“Kori! Just the girl I wanted to see!”

“Heh, my spidey senses must be on high today.”

“Yes, Yes. Come sit!”

Kori sat next to her BFF. It had been a while since she’d been to Chelsea Mullins’ house. Life at home had been so … So, together. Way too much togetherness. She needed a break. “OH! I’m sorry. May I interrupt?”

“Of course.”

Kori squealed. “Ok, ok, so I was talking to Gladys and Isabella today, and they told me that they overheard some boys talking who said that Victor was going to ask ME to the dance! I’m SO excited!”

“That’s so great, Kori! I actually heard the same thing. It’s what I wanted to tell you!”

“Isn’t that funny! I’m sorry to steal your thunder.”

“Don’t be silly! Victor Hawthorne is going to ask you out! There’s nothing to be sorry about!”

Kori danced in her seat for she couldn’t contain herself. Someone had finally taken an interest in her. And not just anybody, but THE Victor Hawthorne! The heart throb of all heart throbs. The one all the girls wanted. Most girls liked him because he was the cute, rich boy, but Kori didn’t care about his money. He was smart and confident. A little arrogant, but weren’t most boys that age? Sometimes he could be snotty about his family’s financial status, being from Brindleton Bay and all, but he was just so cute! She could sit in class and stare at him all day.

“Are you going, Chelsea?”

“I dunno. I don’t really want to go by myself.”

“So, we’ll get you a date!”

“What if no one asks me?”

“Are you kidding me? If I can get a date, you can get three! You’re freakin gorgeous and sweet. Everyone loves you!”

Kori recognized that Victor may have only been interested in her because she was a Pruett, but at the moment, she didn’t care. She had a date to the dance!

“You’re not too bad looking yourself, you know. I don’t know you act like you’re not attractive, Kori.”

“I mean, I don’t not think I’m attractive. But … I don’t know. Guys don’t seem to think so, and so I guess sometimes I think I might be wrong about myself.”

“That’s hogwash and you know it. Are you hungry? We’ve got popcorn downstairs.”

Kori considered Chelsea’s words as they tramped down the stairs into the kitchen. Her parents were attractive, so she had to be too, right? All her brothers were. Girls flocked to Kaiden like he was going out of style, and she heard Kolby was not a stranger to the locker room discussions even though he never dated in school. Her twin wasn’t dating yet either, but he was not without options. So, what was wrong with her? Why did no one ever give her the time of day? Was she too nerdy? Were they intimidated by her intellect? Did her goodness equate to lack of fun? Was it the glasses?

“Hi, Mrs. Castle.”

“Oh! Hello, Kori. I didn’t know you were here. It’s always so nice to see you. Will you stay for dinner?”

“I would love to, but I probably shouldn’t. No one knows I’m here, so I should probably get going soon.”

“Koriii,” Chelsea whined, “You never stay long enough!”

“Agreed,” Sylvia said. “You’ll have to stay the weekend sometime.”

“That’s a great idea. Thanks, Mrs. Castle! Is this weekend too soon?”

“Oh, of course not! You are welcome anytime. And, please, call me Sylvia. I always think of my crazy mother when I hear Mrs. Castle!”

Sylvia came from an important family and didn’t change her name when she married, but Chelsea and her brother, Randall, had their father’s name. What was the point of keeping her name without giving it to the children? Rich people in Brindleton Bay did many things that didn’t make sense to her.

“We’re going to get Chelsea a date to the dance, right Chelsea?”

She groaned. “If I have to. I’d be perfectly fine not going, you know.”

“But you have to! If things don’t go well with Victor, I’ll need someone to hang out with!”

“Victor?” Sylvia asked warily. “Not Victor Hawthorne, is it?”

Both girls’ heads jerked toward the woman shocked that she knew him.

“Tread lightly with that one, Kori. I know his family. They lack substance.”

That was not what Kori wanted to hear. “It’s just a dance, Mrs.–ehh–Sylvia. It’s not like we’re in a relationship or anything.”

Sylvia nodded slowly. “That’s true. But … I was young once, believe it or not. Just be careful with him.”