“You have a visitor,” she said.
“Already? Tell them I’m still sleeping.” I turned and put the pillow over my head.
“Ok,” said Mom in an overly casual tone. “I’ll just tell Rhys you’re sleeping.”
She started to close the door, but I sat up and motioned for her to stop. Actually, I just sort of waved my hand frantically while I yawned, but Mom got the point.
“Tell him I’ll be down in a minute.”
Mom gave me a knowing smile. “Will do, sweetie.”
I got up and walked over to the mirror to inspect the damage. I couldn’t just go down stairs as I was, but I didn’t have time to fully get ready. I remembered Amy saying that anytime you met up with a guy and it wasn’t a planned date, the trick was to look good while making it look like you put no effort into it.
A few strokes of the brush tamed my hair enough to be presentable. I brushed my teeth just enough to get rid of my morning breath – not like he was going to kiss me, but it didn’t hurt to be prepared – and I switched out of my old sweats and into the cute satin pajamas I never wore because I kept sliding out of bed.
When I got downstairs, Rhys was sitting at the kitchen table with my mom.
“Madison was fantastic,” he said. “I’m sure she’ll get the part.”
Rhys saw me come in and quickly stood up in an oddly formal gesture. What was up with that? I’d seen him practically every day for the past four months – was that really all it had been? – and he didn’t usually act like this. Something was different.
“Don’t let him be modest, Mom,” I said as I sat down at the table. “Rhys was the star of the auditions. I was good, but he should be on Broadway.”
“Really?” said Mom, arching an eyebrow. “That’s high praise coming from Madison.”
Rhys shrugged. “I’ve been in a few plays before, but Madison has a natural gift for theater.”
Mom put a hand on mine. “I hope you get the part,” she said and then stood up. “Well, I have a few things I need to go do. It was nice talking with you, Rhys.”
And with that she left, leaving Rhys and I alone together. This was not the first time we had been alone together, but something about Rhys was different – he seemed nervous.
“So,” I said, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen when Mom left. “What’s up? More Berserker training?”
Rhys looked down at hands. “Not training,” he said. “I was just thinking that maybe we could go out and do something together today. You know, to take your mind off of the wait for the posted cast list.” He looked up at me hopefully.
It took all my Berserker training to prevent me from pre-zerking and giving away my excitement. Was he asking me out? On a date? I bit my tongue to keep from squealing with excitement – great to do with girlfriends, not so impressive in front of the boy himself.
“Sure,” I said, trying to sound calm. “What did you have in mind?”
“I have a couple of ideas,” he said.
My smile faded slightly. I sure hoped this wasn’t going to be one of those times when the guy asked me what I wanted to do and had nothing planned. I hated that.
He saw my look of concern and smiled. “Don’t worry,” he said. “It will be fun, I promise. Dress warm.”
***
When we pulled into the parking lot of the ice skating rink I wanted to cry. I had gone ice skating twice in my life, but both times ended up injured. As a result, I had sworn it off several years ago and hadn’t been back since.
“I don’t think this is such a good idea,” I said. I couldn’t bring myself to look at Rhys – partly because I was afraid I was going to hurt his feelings, and partly because I was embarrassed for being such a baby about not wanting to ice skate.
Rhys reached out and gently turned my face up so I was looking at him, his face mere inches from mine. His eyes drew me in.
“Trust me,” he said. “You will love this.”
“No,” I said vaguely. I found it extremely difficult
“Already? Tell them I’m still sleeping.” I turned and put the pillow over my head.
“Ok,” said Mom in an overly casual tone. “I’ll just tell Rhys you’re sleeping.”
She started to close the door, but I sat up and motioned for her to stop. Actually, I just sort of waved my hand frantically while I yawned, but Mom got the point.
“Tell him I’ll be down in a minute.”
Mom gave me a knowing smile. “Will do, sweetie.”
I got up and walked over to the mirror to inspect the damage. I couldn’t just go down stairs as I was, but I didn’t have time to fully get ready. I remembered Amy saying that anytime you met up with a guy and it wasn’t a planned date, the trick was to look good while making it look like you put no effort into it.
A few strokes of the brush tamed my hair enough to be presentable. I brushed my teeth just enough to get rid of my morning breath – not like he was going to kiss me, but it didn’t hurt to be prepared – and I switched out of my old sweats and into the cute satin pajamas I never wore because I kept sliding out of bed.
When I got downstairs, Rhys was sitting at the kitchen table with my mom.
“Madison was fantastic,” he said. “I’m sure she’ll get the part.”
Rhys saw me come in and quickly stood up in an oddly formal gesture. What was up with that? I’d seen him practically every day for the past four months – was that really all it had been? – and he didn’t usually act like this. Something was different.
“Don’t let him be modest, Mom,” I said as I sat down at the table. “Rhys was the star of the auditions. I was good, but he should be on Broadway.”
“Really?” said Mom, arching an eyebrow. “That’s high praise coming from Madison.”
Rhys shrugged. “I’ve been in a few plays before, but Madison has a natural gift for theater.”
Mom put a hand on mine. “I hope you get the part,” she said and then stood up. “Well, I have a few things I need to go do. It was nice talking with you, Rhys.”
And with that she left, leaving Rhys and I alone together. This was not the first time we had been alone together, but something about Rhys was different – he seemed nervous.
“So,” I said, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen when Mom left. “What’s up? More Berserker training?”
Rhys looked down at hands. “Not training,” he said. “I was just thinking that maybe we could go out and do something together today. You know, to take your mind off of the wait for the posted cast list.” He looked up at me hopefully.
It took all my Berserker training to prevent me from pre-zerking and giving away my excitement. Was he asking me out? On a date? I bit my tongue to keep from squealing with excitement – great to do with girlfriends, not so impressive in front of the boy himself.
“Sure,” I said, trying to sound calm. “What did you have in mind?”
“I have a couple of ideas,” he said.
My smile faded slightly. I sure hoped this wasn’t going to be one of those times when the guy asked me what I wanted to do and had nothing planned. I hated that.
He saw my look of concern and smiled. “Don’t worry,” he said. “It will be fun, I promise. Dress warm.”
***
When we pulled into the parking lot of the ice skating rink I wanted to cry. I had gone ice skating twice in my life, but both times ended up injured. As a result, I had sworn it off several years ago and hadn’t been back since.
“I don’t think this is such a good idea,” I said. I couldn’t bring myself to look at Rhys – partly because I was afraid I was going to hurt his feelings, and partly because I was embarrassed for being such a baby about not wanting to ice skate.
Rhys reached out and gently turned my face up so I was looking at him, his face mere inches from mine. His eyes drew me in.
“Trust me,” he said. “You will love this.”
“No,” I said vaguely. I found it extremely difficult
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