The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren by Wendy Toliver Page A

going to move on from all those eighties movies, Natalie?”
    â€œYou’ve got to respect the classics. But the point is, you look fabulous and Zach’s going to go gaga over you.”
    Well, she’s right about me looking fabulous. But could she be right about Zach? If I show up at this party, will I finally get that kiss I’ve been longing for? Yesterday, when I was an ordinary-looking BeeGee, doubtful. But now that I’m a Siren, is it possible?
    Natalie gets a gleam in her eye as she says, “You know what? When I was at Seven-Eleven yesterday, I heard that Zach Parker and Eva the Diva are the newest residents of Splitsville.”
    â€œI never even knew they were back together. Didn’t they break up at prom because he forgot to pick her up and she arrived fashionably late, and they crowned Amber Prom Princess in her place?”
    â€œHe didn’t forget to pick her up, it’s just that he forgot to pick her up in his uncle’sBentley. So when he showed up in his pickup, she refused to get in. Anyway, they got back together that very night. And from what I hear, they did a whole lot more than just kiss and make up.”
    I forgot to mention another very important requisite of being in the Proud Crowd. Being a gossip. Obviously, Natalie’s got that one down pat. “I know you fill up at Seven-Eleven just to get the latest scoop. Seriously, Natalie. You should start your own website.”
    â€œI’m just well-informed, that’s all.” She flicks some gum into her mouth and hands me a piece. “Point is, Zach’s back in the game. And you, my dear, are gonna score.”
    An assortment of shiny SUVs are parked haphazardly up and down the steep, tree-lined street. I roll my window down, flooding Natalie’s Sportage with the thumping of bass from J.T.’s Tudor-style house.
    â€œDo you hear how loud the music is? The cops are going to be here any second,” I say, rooting in my purse for lip gloss.
    She parallel parks with the expertise of someone who’s been driving for eight whole months and snorts. “Don’t be such a sissy.”

    She hops out, and I pretend to be checking myself out in the visor mirror. But really, I’m putting my flute together and stuffing it down my shirt. I know Natalie would never let me get away with taking my whole flute case into a party. I might need it, though. Hopefully, no one will notice it if I tuck it down my cleavage and maneuver it down the front of my leg like this.
    Acting against every fiber of my being, I follow her down the sidewalk, maneuvering the tip of my flute down the front of my pants as discreetly as possible. “Why do you even want to go to this party?” I ask. “Are you sick of the friends you already have?”
    â€œI love my friends.” She waits for me to catch up and then puts her arm around my shoulders. “Especially you. I’m
helping
you, Roxy. You want Zach, right? I’d bet my new Stella McCartney A-line miniskirt that he’ll take notice of you tonight. I mean, look at you!” A huge smile spreads across her face.
    It takes every ounce of self-control to keep from breaking into a smile myself. “You’re so full of it. You were planning ondragging me to this party before you saw me as … um, someone who got a really great makeover.” I clear my throat and do a little wiggle to shift my flute back in place.
    She shrugs. “Maybe. But I knew you’d look cute regardless. And if you want Zach Parker, you’ve gotta meet him on his own turf. You know, let him see you hobnobbing with his circle of friends.”
    I know Natalie genuinely wants to help me, and there’s probably a grain of truth in what she said about getting Zach to see me somewhere besides school. But the fact that Natalie wants more than anything to be a Franklin High A-lister isn’t lost on me.
    â€œOkay, but when I want to leave, you have