Make Me Bad(40)

I have other stuff to do too!





I don’t, of course. I never do. But, it’s Saturday afternoon, and I have a plan. It’s not a good plan, and it entails a little bit of lying, but I’ll be sure to atone for it later in life just in case the big man upstairs has any issues with my methods. Oh, I know what I’ll do: if I see a turtle trying to cross the street, I’ll stop and help it, no questions asked. Sins begone.

The first part of my evil genius plan is confirming that Eli and Kevin are both free for the night. Eli says they have plans to stay in and binge the TV show YOU on Netflix, but I spoil the ending for him so he’s forced to do my bidding.

Eli: Are you kidding me?!





Whatever, I’ll save two turtles now.

Madison: This will be fun, I swear!





Then, I send Ben a text. I start out by making a little small talk, nothing too intense.

Madison: How was lunch with your dad?





Ben: Good. I told him about the costumes and showed him the picture you forced me to take…





Madison: Ha! What’d he say?





Ben: He said he wants to meet the woman who convinced me to wear that.





My heart flutters and I press my phone to my chest before I realize what I’m doing and jerk it away. Keep it together, Hart!

Madison: Sounds like a fun afternoon. Listen…I need a favor. Please tell me you don’t have any plans tonight.





Ben: I was going to watch the Astros game at Andy’s with some friends.





Madison: Oh…all right. It’s just that Eli and Kevin invited me to go bowling with them, but they want to play as teams and I can’t find a plus-one this last minute.





LIE. LIE. LIE. I could have an entire month and still wouldn’t be able to find a guy to accompany me to the bowling alley. I’d be better off looking there. Hey, you, crusty old man with a smoker’s cough—be my partner?

Ben: That sounds fun, but Andy will be annoyed if I cancel.





Madison: Invite him! Tell him to bring that girl he likes. Arianna?





Do I sound desperate?

I wish I could erase that exclamation mark.

Ben: Okay. What time are you guys headed to the bowling alley?





Madison: 8ish.





Though the bowling alley is public enough that I could run into Colten, I know he’s working tonight. Plus, I don’t think he and his friends go bowling all that often. It’s the perfect place to hide in plain sight.

Now begins part two of my master plan. I have to come up with some way to transform myself into someone irresistible, someone Ben will trip over himself to talk to, someone he can’t help but fall for. It should be easy, and I have a few hours. How long can a total makeover really take?

I ask Eli when he and Kevin arrive to pick me up at 5:00 PM.

“I thought we were going bowling,” Eli says, confused.

“We are, just later. Right now, I’d like to do something I’ve only ever seen in movies, something I’ve desperately wanted to do since I grew boobs.”

I give him the short version and when I’m done, he frowns.

“Oh, so you’re just assuming that because I prefer to sleep with men that I also happen to know a thing or two about fashion? That for the last three years I’ve been dying to strip you out of those hideous jeans and burn them on the spot? That I have several outfits saved to a secret Pinterest board entitled ‘Sexy Madison’ in the event that you ever wanted me to dress you? Well friend, you are in luck. Let’s go. The mall is still open for another few hours.”





At 7:55 PM, we pull up in front of the bowling alley. Eli and Kevin unbuckle their seatbelts and reach for their door handles, but I jump forward and grab their shoulders.

“Wait! Don’t get out yet!”

“Why?” Kevin asks, glancing at me over his shoulder.

“Because…”

Oh right, I haven’t exactly filled them in on the rest of my plan. Eli assumed I wanted this makeover for myself, just to feel good and update my look. I didn’t correct him, but now I have to.

“We have to wait a few minutes, just to be sure Ben and his friends are here already. They’ll be bowling with us.”

Eli jerks around. “Are you serious? Is that why we did all this?” He waves his hand over my getup. “For Ben?”

I puff out air like that’s a crazy idea. “No, it’s for me. I wanted some new clothes.” And sleek hair and killer makeup.

“Maddie…”

I dart my gaze out the window, trying to fend off his pity. I don’t want it. I don’t want Eli to think Ben is out of my league. Because he’s right.

He sighs. “I just think this is a bad idea—”

“No. Listen,” I say, turning to him with my chin raised and conviction in my words. “You think he’s going to break my heart and maybe he is, but you have to let me experience this on my own. I know what I’m doing, I swear.”

Kevin reaches out to touch Eli’s shoulder. “She’s right. I was way out of your league and look, we’re madly in love.”