Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys)(40)

“I’ll make sure I take off work that night so I can go,” he says.

“Thank you.”

My phone buzzes in my purse, and I probably should just keep doing what I’m doing, which is enjoying the crap out of walking around with Ted, but I check it to see it’s a text from Milo: got nadia+friends tix - wanna go?

I look over at Ted, but the truth is, I do want to go. So I go ahead and respond that I have to check with my parents first. It’s the least rock-star response possible, after “I’d rather stay home and tend to my antique cup and saucer collection,” but it does seem wisest.

“I should get back so I can clock back in on time,” Ted says to me.

“Already?” I ask, because it feels like Ted and I have only been hanging out for a few minutes. Then I check the time and realize it’s been nearly a half hour. Ted! Don’t think I’m clingy! Ted, I just can’t keep track of time.

“Unfortunately,” he says. “You can text, though. If you want to. I can check my phone sometimes if it’s slow.”

“Okay,” I say. “Bye, Ted.”

We lean in just a little, and then we both laugh.

“Just, we’re in a mall,” he says.

“I know,” I say. “It’s weird.”

“I’d kiss you otherwise,” he says, and it’s crazy how not getting kissed is suddenly the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to me.





CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE



The Madison Thing, Continued, by Reid


Things are totally opening up now that I’m dating Madison. Last night she calls while I’m playing Halo and asks if I’m doing anything. I just found an Easter egg that’s genius, but this is Madison Price. I save my game and devote full attention to the phone call.

I let her know I’m not doing anything more important than her without making it seem like I’m an antisocial creep without plans. She says there’s “sort of a party” going on at Logan Perry’s house. I don’t jump at inviting myself but really casually say I don’t think it would be the worst thing to go. Mom says I can borrow her car so I get it and head over to pick Madison up.

She’s waiting in front of her house, and she looked great at school earlier today, but she changed into a dress that’s pretty short. I don’t know if it’s for the party or for me but it can only be a good sign. I don’t make a big deal out of how I don’t really get invited to this stuff normally and I’ve never been to a random weeknight party before, and luckily she doesn’t either.

We end up messing around in the car for a while instead of going to the party right away. I know Madison used to go out with Ryan Holland and of course apparently every girl’s had their expectations set really high by Garrick Bell so I’m feeling a little intimidated but things are going okay.

So when we get to Perry’s party I’m in a really good mood. It’s exactly the crowd you’d think. Everyone’s cool to me, though. I can’t believe how big of a deal the show at the fall formal was. People have serious respect for me as a musician, and I’m just instantly accepted as someone who should be at parties like this.

I’m kind of exhausted from all the socializing, which is way more than ever happens for me. Luckily, Madison shows me to an empty room in the house, and we pick up where we left off with the messing around. It’s definitely already--in the car--gone further than anything that’s happened to me before, which is awesome. In all interests of remaining honest I’ll say it isn’t exactly going that far but for me some new milestones are getting reached.

Then some dude yells and bangs on the door and says Perry’s parents are coming home soon so we have to clear out. So we do, and I try to reinitiate things in my car but the moment’s pretty much over for both of us plus I’m not sure you can ask a girl to be partially topless in a car so I just take her home.

Still, it’s an amazing night, and I think after a couple more like this, we could be to the point of actually doing it. And that’s crazy but is starting to feel like something that could actually happen. Obviously, going out with Madison is great--and the possibility of having sex within the near future is great and shocking, considering just very recently everything seemed hopeless.

But I don’t know if I should bring it up or just let things happen, and I don’t know if I’ll be any good at anything. I figured once I was ready to have sex with a girl, things would just be completely awesome. And instead I have all these new things to worry about.

Why does everything have to be so complicated?





CHAPTER FORTY-SIX


On Monday morning, I meet Reid at my locker.

“Hey,” he says. “I was walking by Nora Wilton’s locker and I heard her saying, ‘Can you believe Madison is going out with Reid?’”

“Ugh, Nora Wilton’s a jerk,” I say. “Who cares?”


“Ri, who cares? I care. It’s great knowing the whole school is talking about how I don’t deserve her. What if she breaks up with me because of that?”

“She won’t.” Why am I defending Madison Price? Madison Price seems like the kind of person who actually would do that, but I can’t have Reid heartbroken. Again. “Seriously, Nora’s a huge jerk. You’re awesome.”