Is He Or Isn't He? by John Hall Page A

I’ll be passing any notes to Max. I’ll be too busy taking notes!”
    â€œSo you won’t have time to flirt with him in class. There’s got be some way you can get closer to him.” Anthony’s eyes lit up. “I know! You can arrange some after class study sessions with him. You can pretend to be dumb and ask him to explain stuff to you because Mr. Owling’s lectures are so dry and boring.”
    â€œI’m not going to dumb myself down for some guy.”
    Anthony ignored Paige’s comment. “And we can make sure you always look good!” He stuck a finger in his mouth and began nibbling on it as he started strategizing. “Maybe come up with a theme for each day of the week. Tropical Tuesdays. Fantasy Fridays. Yeah! We could even dress you up like a biker chick! Why don’t I come over to your place later this week and we can go through your closets. Come up with some outfits that will catch Max’s eye. Better yet! We can go to the Bryant Park Fashion Show next week. I’m sure I can score some passes from my parents. Maybe we can get you some clothes from the new collections. You’ll be one stepahead of all the other girls!”
    â€œThat’s awfully sweet of you, Anthony, but I don’t need any new clothes,” Paige said. “Besides, I want Max to like me for me. Not for what I look like.”
    Anthony placed a hand on Paige’s shoulder and looked deep into her blue eyes. “Paige, honey, that’s all very hearts and flowers, very Hallmark, but listen very carefully. If Max turns out to be straight, chances are he’s got a copy of Stuff or Maxim under his bed and it ain’t for the articles!”
    Paige’s mouth dropped open and she shoved Anthony’s hand off her shoulder. “You’re saying I should dress like a tramp?!”
    â€œOf course not! But what’s wrong with using what you’ve got?” Anthony checked out Paige’s school uniform of a gray plaid pleated skirt, white blouse and gray vest. “You know, if you loosened a few buttons and raised up the hem of your skirt, you could have that naughty schoolgirl look.”
    Paige swatted Anthony on the chest as the bell for first period rang. “Hopeless. Absolutely hopeless. Are you sure you’re gay, because you’ve got the mentality of a straight frat boy. Come on, we’re going to be late for homeroom.”
    Anthony followed Paige down the crowded hallway.
    â€œObviously you’ve been figuring out my strategy for landing Max, but what about yours?” Paige asked over her shoulder.
    â€œOther than my screenplay, I don’t have a strategy, so I really hope he takes the bait.”
    â€œYou haven’t spoken to him since your party?”
    â€œNope.”
    Anthony couldn’t explain why, but suddenly he’d become very shy around Max. Their paths had crossed more thanonce in the days leading up to the first day of school, giving Anthony more than one opportunity to talk to him. Last week there had been Senior Orientation and Anthony had sat two rows behind Max in the school auditorium. Another day they’d seen each other in the school library when they were both picking up their textbooks. They’d waved and smiled across the crowded library, but that was it. Max didn’t come over to talk to Anthony and Anthony didn’t go over to Max.
    Part of him was waiting for Max to seek him out. He was waiting for a sign. Something that he could grab on to. To make him believe that Max liked him and wanted to be with him. He hadn’t told this to Paige—he was too embarrassed—but he couldn’t stop thinking of Max. He was the first thing he thought of when he woke up in the morning and the last thing he thought of when he went to sleep at night. And the rest of the day he was constantly daydreaming about things like their first date or their first kiss.
    Why hadn’t Max called