"We're not free yet. We still have to get through the fund-raising auction, the senior awards banquet, senior cut day, graduation practice, and finals," her friend Claudia Pierce said from her perch next to Mary-Kate. "Yes, but most of that stuff is fun. And Ocean View senior finals are notoriously easy," Ashley said, looking up at them from the sand. "And after this week we'll never have to take another high school test!" "I can't believe you," Ashley's best friend Felicity Lopez teased, wrapping a slim arm around Ashley's shoulders. "I figured you'd miss taking tests."
"Yeah, won't you go through withdrawal?" Claudia asked. "Come on, you guys! It's not like Ashley studies all the time," Mary-Kate said, jumping down to the sand. "Yeah! Remember that three-hour break I took back in February?" Ashley joked. "I think it's cool that Ashley is our valedictorian," Trevor put in, coming around the side of the Jeep with a soda cup. He was trailed by Cooper Firenz, Claudia's longtime boyfriend, who had been checking out the four-wheel-drive's off-road tires. "Me, too," Cooper added. "I say we raise a toast to Ashley Olsen, Ocean View High's number one brain!"
Claudia jumped down, and the six friends raised their cups. "To the number-one brain!" they all cheered, clicking plastic against plastic. A bunch of kids around them laughed, and Mary-Kate saw her sister flush. Ashley was often teased for being a brainiac, but Mary-Kate was proud of her sister's accomplishments, and she knew Ashley was, too. "Now that school is almost over, I think it's about time I kick this study-aholic image, don't you, guys?" Ashley asked, tossing her long, dark-blond hair over her shoulders. "Interesting," Felicity said, narrowing her eyes. "What did you have in mind?"
"I want to do something crazy," Ashley said. "Something I've never done before. Actually, maybe a few things I've never done before. And I think we all should." Mary-Kate grinned at her sister. "We should all do something you've never done before?" "Ha-ha," Ashley said, rolling her eyes. "No! I'm sure there's something each of us has always wanted to do, but has never had the guts for. I say we each promise to do one crazy thing within the next two weeks." "Like a senior year resolution," Mary-Kate said with a thrill of excitement. That sounded like a good idea to her. She smiled at Trevor, and he grinned back at her, his deep brown eyes crinkling at the corners.
Mary-Kate's heart thumped extrahard. Trevor was her best friend. He knew her better than almost anyone did, so they were always sharing private smiles. What he didn't know was that those private smiles sent her heart into total spasm. If I had a senior year resolution, I know exactly what it would be, Mary-Kate thought. I'd ask Trevor out. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Trevor asked, bringing one hands to his nose. "Is there something on my face?" Mary-Kate blinked and blushed. "Nah. Just stunned as always by your hideousness," she joked.
"Whatever, troll," he said, bumping her with one shoulder. "Ogre," she replied, giggling and shoving him back. Trevor tried to tickle her, and Mary-Kate screeched and ran. He chased her around the back of the Jeep, his bare feet kicking up sand. Trevor's feet were bare whenever possible. He was always slipping off his shoes in class and sometimes walked the halls in his socks or even without them. He said shoes constricted his creativity. How he'd come to that conclusion, even Mary-Kate didn't know. "There's no point in running. I always catch you," Trevor called out. "Yeah? I'd like to see you try!" Mary-Kate took off again, but within seconds Trevor grabbed her around the waist. Mary-Kate shouted and struggled. Her heart pounded as he picked her up, carried her back to the group, and deposited her on the sand. She lost her balance and stumbled into him. His lips were right there.... Kiss him! Just kiss him! she thought, for a moment believing she could actually do it. What's the worst that could happen? Well, he could push me away and laugh until he fainted, she realized with dread. "You guys are like one of those coyote-roadrunner cartoons," Ashley said. "Except the coyote never catches the roadrunner," Trevor said, running a hand over his choppy brown hair. "I always get my bird."
This is pathetic. He calls me his bird and I get butterflies, Mary-Kate thought. I've got it bad! "Hello? Can we get back to the topic here?" Felicity said as she tied her long dark hair up into a ponytail. "I know what my resolution is. I am going to pull the biggest senior prank in Ocean View High history. I'm going to be infamous!" "Like you aren't already," Ashley said. Felicity was always cutting up and getting sent to the office for arguing with teachers or playing tricks. This prank idea was definitely right up her alley. "I think I'll dye my hair red before the prom," Claudia said, pulling a strand of her chin-length blond hair in front of her eyes. "I've always wanted to try something different." "Red, huh?" Cooper said, wrapping an arm around her. "That would be cool. Maybe I'll go blond." Claudia mussed his brown curls, then the couple smiled and touched foreheads in their ridiculously cute way. "My resolution is to get out there and live life to the fullest," Ashley said. "It's time for a whole new Ashley. One who takes chances." "Kind of vague, no?" Mary-Kate said, trying to focus on the conversation and not on Trevor. She wished she could be all mushy with him the way Claudia and Cooper were. Her heart ached for it. "Well, I've got a few things in mind. Like first, I think it's time for me to start doing some actual dating," Ashley said. "I've been so busy studying for four years, I've never had time to play the field."
"Crushing on anyone in particular?" Mary-Kate asked, glancing at Trevor. "Well, I've always thought Todd Parker was cute," Ashley said, looking across the sand at Todd and his friends around the bonfire. "And he just broke up with Kylie, so it's perfect timing," Claudia put in. "Exactly," Ashley said. "Then there's David, Hunter, Scott, Joe--" "Hey! Leave some for the rest of us!" Felicity exclaimed. "What else is involved in 'the whole new Ashley'?" Claudia asked. "I'll keep you posted," Ashley replied mysteriously. "What about you, Trevor?" Mary-Kate asked. "What's your end-of-senior-year resolution?" Trevor pressed his lips together in thought. "I think I should finally go to a school dance. Even though I am far too cool for them," he joked. "Well, there's only one left. The prom," Mary-Kate told him.
"Exactly," Trevor said. Suddenly an entirely new dread came over Mary-Kate. If Trevor was going to the prom, who would be his date? Would she have to watch him dance with some other girl all night long? Trevor placed his cup on the hood of the Jeep, got down onto one knee and took both of Mary-Kate's hands in his. "Mary-Kate Olsen, will you do me the honor of being my date for this most important of shindigs?" he asked, eyebrows raised dramatically. Everyone laughed, including Mary-Kate, but inside her pulse was pounding. If only he weren't kidding around! "Sure," she told him as if it was no big deal. "Why not? We can go as friends, right?" "Did I hear someone talking about the prom?" a new voice cut in. Trevor stood up quickly and moved a little closer to Mary-Kate as if he was seeking protection. There, hovering not five feet away, was Kristi Carlton, the superannoying captain of the cheerleading squad who had been practically stalking Trevor all year. She was superficial, she was obnoxious, and she was always surrounded by at least three friends from the squad--as she was now. Mary-Kate knew that the girl called Trevor almost every night, even after he'd told her straight out he wasn't interested. "I don't have a date yet, Trevor," she said, sauntering over to him. She twirled a few strands of her shiny brown hair around one index finger. "Oh, Kristi! You're two seconds too late!" Mary-Kate said, looping her arm through Trevor's. "He just asked me." "You two are going together?" Kristi asked, shocked. "I thought she was like a sister to you," she said, looking at Trevor. Kristi's friends laughed.
Did he tell her that? Mary-Kate wondered, her heart falling. Is that what he really thinks? "Well, you thought wrong," Trevor said, tightening his grip on Mary-Kate and sending a skitter of excitement up her arm. "Well, have fun then," Kristi said. "If that's possible." Mary-Kate's mouth dropped open, but she couldn't think of a single comeback. She watched Kristi and her friends leave, knowing she would come up with the perfect retort half an hour too late. But a second later she forgot all about Kristi when Trevor grabbed her up in a hug. "You saved me!" he announced as the others laughed. "How can I ever repay you?" "What're friends for?" Mary-Kate said, flushing. "So, what crazy thing are you going to do?" Trevor asked as he let her go. Already Mary-Kate wished she were back in his arms. "Oh...I-I don't know," she said, waving a hand. It wasn't as if she could tell everyone that her resolution was to ask Trevor out. "I was thinking I'd...start a new tradition at Ocean View High. You know, something to make sure our class is always remembered." As senior class president, making up a new tradition was something Mary-Kate had considered doing anyway. But now she would definitely have to. "Sure that's not too crazy?" Ashley joked.
Mary-Kate laughed good-naturedly. If only Ashley knew what she was really thinking, then she'd realize how daring Mary-Kate was going to be. By asking Trevor out, she would risk losing a friendship that had been tight since the sixth grade, and she definitely didn't want that to happen. But this was her last chance. In the fall she was going away to school on the East Coast, and she might never see Trevor again. If she ever wanted him to be her boyfriend, she had to do something. It was now or never.
***
"So, Ashley, who's it going to be first?" Felicity asked. "Todd Parker, definitely," Ashley said, watching him as he laughed with his friends by the fire. Her pulse raced at the thought of approaching him. Todd wasn't all that tall, but he was broad and strong thanks to his star status on the football field. He had blond hair, cute freckles, and all kinds of muscles. "I've had a crush on him forever, but he's always been with Kylie." "Until now," Mary-Kate said. "So go for it." "You mean now now?" Ashley asked, her stomach turning.
"No, later now," Mary-Kate joked. "Yes, now!" "Yeah, Ash! Isn't that the whole point? To get out there and live life?" Felicity prodded. Ashley felt a little adrenaline rush. She could do this. It was time to put her "whole new Ashley" plan into effect. "You're right," she said with a determined nod. "Carpe Diem!" "Huh?" Felicity said, her face screwing up in confusion. "What about carp?" "Not carp. Carpe!" Ashley said. "Carpe Diem means seize the day in Latin. And you guys better remember that, because I'm thinking of using it in my speech for graduation." "Ashley! School is almost over! I am not learning another language now," Cooper whined. Ashley rolled her eyes at him, then took a deep breath. "Okay. I need a plan," she said, grabbing Mary-Kate's hand and lowering her voice. "What do I do?" Felicity, Claudia, and Mary-Kate gathered around her, moving away from the guys. "Well, he's right over there by the boom box," Mary-Kate said. "So let's go dance!"
"Yeah!" Felicity said. "First he'll see your killer moves, and then you can 'accidentally' bump into him." Felicity scrunched her fingers into air quotes when she said the word accidentally. The girl loved her air quotes. "Perfect," Ashley said with a grin. The girls left Cooper and Trevor behind and headed for the makeshift dance area. Ashley made her way around to the far side, near Todd, and started to dance. Of course, she had forgotten to put down her soda, so her moves weren't exactly stellar. She had to constantly make sure she wasn't spilling all over everyone, and it kind of cramped her style. "Ooh! He's looking over here," Claudia said, grasping Ashley's free wrist as they danced. "He is?" Ashley said, trying not to look over her shoulder. "Dance closer to him!" Mary-Kate whispered. Ashley did as she was told, moving backward and swaying to the music at the same time, all the while balancing her drink. She inched closer to him, and closer, and closer.... Time for the accidental bumping, Ashley thought. She took one last step, and something hit her arm--and she spilled her drink all over herself. That was not part of the plan. Ashley flushed, embarrassed, and saw Mary-Kate and Felicity wince in sympathy. Still, the plan had worked. Todd reached out and grasped her arm to steady her.
"Oh...whoa. I'm so sorry. You okay?" he asked. "That was totally my fault." He grabbed a few napkins and handed them to her. Yeah, right. I was the one dancing backward! Ashley thought, dabbing at the stain on her sundress. Her face burned with embarrassment.
"I'm fine," she said. "Nothing broken."
I'm just the klutz of the year, she added silently.
"Good!" Todd said with a smile. "Let me get you another soda."
He walked over to the cooler, and when he returned with Ashley's new soda, she couldn't help noticing that the necklace he'd always worn when he was with Kylie was gone. Everyone in school knew she'd given him the gold chain with his football number on it as an anniversary gift last year. Apparently he was really over his ex. Ashley decided to ignore the monster stain seeping into her dress and focus on flirting.
"So, school's almost over, huh?" Ashley said, swinging her hair over her shoulders. "Any big social events planned?"
"Nah. Not really," Todd said with a shrug. "I don't even have a date for the prom."
"Really?" Ashley said, psyched. "That's surprising."
Ask him! she thought. But when she tried to open her mouth, the words seemed to choke her. She couldn't get them out. What if he said no? It would be even more humiliating than the soda stain. Okay, Plan B, she thought, trying not to panic. Get him to ask you!
"I don't even know if I really want to go," Todd said. "It's just another dance. It's kind of 'been there, done that,' you know?" "Yeah...totally," Ashley said, disappointed. Was he kidding? Who didn't want to go to their senior prom? She had only spent half the year working on the prom committee to make sure it was the greatest night of their lives. "But I don't know. It could be cool," she said. "I don't have a date either, though. Yet." I'm sending you a million signals, she thought. Ask me! "Oh. Bummer," Todd said, taking a sip of his drink. One of his football buddies came over and slapped his hand. While he was distracted, Ashley turned and looked at her friends, desperate. "Ask him!" Mary-Kate mouthed. "Ask him to do something...anything!" "So...Mary-Kate and I are having some people over to swim tomorrow," Ashley told Todd casually. "Do you want to come?" Todd's face lit up, and Ashley instantly relaxed. "Yeah, cool," he said. "Thanks for inviting me." "Okay, then. I'll see you around one?" "Sounds good," Todd said. "See you then."
Ashley turned around and walked as slowly as possible to her friends so he wouldn't see how excited she was. "So? What did he say?" Mary-Kate asked eagerly. "We have to have a pool party," Ashley replied, squeezing her sister's hand. "Tomorrow!"
AshleyO invites Felicity_girl and Claude18 to Instant Message!
AshleyO: So are u guys coming tomorrow?
Felicity_girl: Pool party! Whoohooooooo!!!!
AshleyO: I'll take that as a yes.
Claude18: Will be there!
AshleyO: MK and I are shopping in the A.M. Any requests???
Felicity_girl: Must have nachos. NEED nachos.
Claude18: Fel, u r gonna turn 2 a nacho!
Felicity_girl: Must have nachos.
AshleyO: OoooKAY! Now which bathing suit will get Todd's attention--black or red?
Felicity_girl: Red! color of LOVE!!! ;-)
Claude18: Red. Def red.
AshleyO: But I kinda like the way I look in the black.
Claude18: Will come over early 2 help u decide.
Felicity_girl: YES! As long as there are NACHOS!!!
AshleyO: Okay, freak! Signing off! See u tomorrow!
