The Secret Crush by Tina Wells Page A

That didn’t exactly get the conversation rolling. Zee searched for something else. “Are you going to hang out with Marcus after we’re done?” It was the first thing that popped into her head.
    â€œMarcus is with Conrad.” Landon looked at the ground.
    â€œWhat are they doing?” Zee asked.
    â€œI dunno,” Landon said. “They do a lot of stuff together.”
    â€œUmmm—” Zee tried to think of something to say. Obviously, she had not picked the best topic to talk about. She felt horrible for Landon. But she was glad she could be there for him. “After we talk to Mr. P, maybe we could keep working on our parts.”
    â€œOkay.”
    At that moment, a man Zee had never seen before appeared in the doorway. He was kind of short, with curly black hair and a smile on his face.
    â€œDad?” Missy said. “You didn’t have to come into theschool to get me. I would have come outside.”
    Zee hadn’t thought it was possible, but she actually felt sorry for this gorgeous, talented, smart girl. It was fine for your parent to show up in your lower school classroom. But upper school? How embarrassing! Zee would hide under a desk if that ever happened to her.
    â€œI wanted to meet your teacher,” Mr. Vasi said, holding out his right hand for Mr. P to shake.
    â€œThanks for taking time out of your schedule to visit,” Mr. P said.
    Missy’s dad nodded. “My pleasure. I’m in between projects now anyway.”
    â€œWhat kind of projects?” Mr. P asked.
    â€œI make documentary films.”
    Cool beans! Zee thought. Maybe Mr. Vasi could help shoot the Beans’ first video someday!
    â€œOkay, Daddy, let’s go,” Missy said, grabbing her father’s arm and tugging him out of the room. “I have to get home and start my homework.”
    Zee watched the two of them leave.
    After Zee and Landon talked to Mr. P about their big song, they went outside to practice. The Brookdale Academy campus was covered with thousands of plants and trees native to California. The two of them sat under a willow’sdrooping branches.
    â€œMaybe we should read through the dialogue you wrote right before the song,” Landon suggested.
    â€œThat’s a good idea,” Zee said, handing him part of the script. “We haven’t done that together yet.”

    â€œLily starts,” Zee said, then took a deep breath. “Dylan, what are you doing here? My friends will freak out if they see you.”
    â€œI know. The whole football team is trying to keep us apart.”
    â€œI’m glad you came.”
    Landon paused and looked up from his page. “The script says that I should move closer,” he said. “Should I do that now?”
    â€œUmmm…okay,” Zee said. “Then just start with the next line.”
    As Landon wiggled forward, Zee’s heart skipped a beat. “I could never stay away from you,” he said. “I’ve had a crush on you since we were little kids.”
    â€œMe too.” Omigosh! Zee thought. Did I write that? The words sounded more like a page out of her diary than fiction.
    Embarrassed by the confession she’d written, Zee began giggling. The harder she tried to stop, the worse it got. She covered her mouth and turned her head—just in time to see her mother pull up in her gray Prius. The passenger-side window was down, and Zee noticed that her mother looked upset.
    â€œI expected you to come home after school,” Mrs. Carmichael said. Uh-oh. Zee had forgotten to call. “Why didn’t you pick up your Sidekick?”
    Zee pulled out her phone. “Sorry,” Zee said. “The battery died. I didn’t know you were calling.”
    Zee’s mother reached across the front seat and popped open the door. “Get in, please.” Then she looked at Landon. “Would you like a ride, Landon?”
    â€œUh…I guess,” Landon