myself face-to-face
with Adriana Perry,
who’s even more
flawless-looking up
close, if you can believe
it.
There was dead silence
for a good ten seconds
as we stared at each
other. Her face was
unreadable, for the
most part. I thought I
detected a hint of
amusement, but it
was
gone so fast I wasn’t
sure if I’d just imagined
it.
“Hi,” I said awkwardly,
when I couldn’t take
the awkwardness
anymore.
No answer.
I had just about figured
she was ignoring me
and was going to leave
when she spoke up.
“Hi,” she answered in a
soft, lilting voice.
Though her eyes didn’t
stray from my face, I
had the feeling she
was
examining me in the
way only girls can give
other girls the once-
over.
“Ok, well, it’s nice to
meet you but I’d
actually better get
going…” I slowly began
to edge around her,
painfully aware the
bathroom attendant is
shooting us odd looks.
“What’s your name?”
I blinked. That, I didn’t
see coming. “Um,
Maya.”
Silence again.
“Maya Lindberg,” I
added.
Apparently, that was
what she’d been
waiting for, because
she then held out her
hand and said, “Adriana
Perry.”
I shook her hand
hesitantly. “It’s nice to
meet you.”
“Likewise.” Giving me a
brief smile, she
proceeded to turn to
the mirror and fix her
already-perfect hair
without saying another
word.
Ooook.
Not wanting to stay in
that bathroom a
second
longer, I made my way
as quickly through the
door as I could without
downright running. The
encounter hadn’t been
unpleasant, but it
hadn’t been, well,
pleasant either. It was
just…weird.
What’s even worse, I
can’t quite shake the
feeling that two-
minute
interaction had just
cost me a year’s worth
of anonymity.
*************
“So do you guys wanna
go eat in the DC or eat
out somewhere?” Zack
asked, leaning back in
his chair and lacing his
fingers together behind
his head.
“I vote for eating out.
I’ve been craving
Serrano’s,” Parker said,
referencing Il Serrano,
the chic Italian eatery
that’s practically a
Valesca institution.
Zack smirked. “Yeah,
and I bet that hot new
waitress has nothing
to
do with your…craving.”
Parker shrugged. “You
know me.”
“Yes, we do,” Carlo said
dryly. “Now, can we
please decide where
we’re going to eat?”
“Let’s go to Da Silvano
instead,” Zack
suggested. “We’ve
already been to
Serrano’s twice this
past week.”
“Da Silvano is in New
York,” Carlo pointed out.
“Yeah, but if we go
right
now and take one of
the jets we’ll probably
end up missing only
fourth period.”
“Fine by me,” Parker
yawned. “What’s the
use of having a private
teacher if he can’t be
flexible?”
“I’m sure he’ll be glad
he’ll finally get a break
from you
troublemakers,” a new,
feminine voice said.
Parker sat up a bit
straighter. “Hey, Adri.”
“Hey.” Adriana looked
around the room. “Are
you guys going to lunch
anytime soon, or are
you just going to stay
in
here all day?” she
teased.
“We were thinking
about going to Da
Silvano or Serrano’s,”
Parker said. “What do
you think?”
To be continue
