Maggie Dallen - Summer Love Boxset

I m the first to admit that I temporarily lost my mind. But really, when the guy youve been crushing on since forever turns your way in calculus class with that perfect smile and says, What about you, Layla, are you going to Senior Week?youre going to say yes .

Or at least, I did .

But try explaining that to Amy. My best friend was not having it. Backlit by the fluorescent glow of our high school cafeteria, she vaguely resembled a frizzy, red-headed interrogator as she peered at me across the aluminum table. I didnt hold out on her. I described every minute detail as she ate her lunch of tuna on rye. I breathlessly told her everything, from the way his eyes met mine to the way hed smiled in response to my answer .

At the end, her response was not what Id hoped .

You said yes? Why? Her freckled nose was scrunched up in disgust like Id just told her Id said yes to weekly accordion lessons rather than a week of fun on the beach. I knew what she was getting atup until that life-changing moment, I had not, in fact, planned on attending Senior Week with my peers. But he had asked. I couldnt say no .

Before I could explain that, her face fell and she let out a little sigh of disappointment. Oh no .

Oh yes. She knew me too well. Sometimes it was annoying. It wasnt like I expected her to jump for joy over this plan, but a little support would be nice. But Amy had never approved of my crush on Dylan Yates, my next door neighbor since kindergarten. And, in her defense, up until a week ago, it may have been a bit pathetic. But now the tides had turned. With just days remaining before graduation, the moment Id been waiting for had finally arrived .

What was this cataclysmic event that shifted my fate forevermore ?

Dylan and Stephanie had finally broken up .

When they first got together, way back in the fifth grade, I hadnt been too alarmed. Even at eleven I knew that middle school relationships werent destined to last long. My older sister assured me that they had the lifespan of a gnat. Everyone knew that it wouldnt last .

Well, apparently no one told Dylan and Steph because they stayed togethersickeningly, disgustingly, happily togetherfor the next seven years. Seven! Who did that? It was like they were out to set some kind of world record or something .

But then, last week, word had spread that the epic union of Stylan had come to an end. No one knew why exactlyand quite frankly, I didnt care. I had almost given up hope. Almost. But now was my chance. I just needed him to see me as something more than the nice girl next door. And what better opportunity than Senior Week when there would be parties and concerts and bonfires on the beach ?

If that didnt scream romance, I dont know what did .

The only problem was, I hadnt exactly planned on going. Truth be told, Id made a bit of a stink about how lame it would be and how it was just one more way for the popular crowd to reign supreme over the rest of us losers .

I imagine that was one of the reasons that Amy was scowling at me over her muffin .

She was on some weird all all-natural diet that seemed to consist of a daily consumption of bizarre grains that Id never heard of before. The other day shed eaten a protein bar made out of cricket flour .

I tried a bite and yes, it was just as disgusting as it sounds .

Hopefully some of her current anger was due to the diet and not my announcement .

You are acting like an idiot. Little crumbs flew out of her mouth when she spoke .

I leaned over the table, casting a quick glance around to make sure no one could hear us. Please, Amy. I really, really want to go .

Its not like I needed her permission or anything, but I did need her car. And more importantly, her drivers license. I was probably the only senior who didnt drive but as far as I knew I was also the only one heading to New York City for college in the fall, and who needed to drive in the city? Thats what subways were for .

She set down the muffin with a little too much force and it promptly crumbled into a million pieces. Look, even if I didnt think this was a useless, ridiculous plan

Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence .

I still wouldnt be able to drive you to the Jersey shore. Im going to visit my cousins in Maryland that week, remember ?

I fell back into my seat. Crap. Id completely forgotten about that .

Some of Amys irritation over my plan seemed to thaw in the face of my pathetic sigh .

After a moment of silence, she offered, Maybe one of the others is going ?

The others were our friends in the theater crowd. But her expression looked doubtful as she spoke and I just rolled my eyes. Out of everyone in the theater department, Amy and I were probably the least how shall I put it? Clicky? They werent mean bullies or anything, they just had a tendency to stick to themselves. They were definitely not joiners .

Not that Amy and I were social butterflies but we were slightly more well-rounded in our social lives. We were known to go to the occasional non-drama party and took part in some other clubs. Like Amy and her art class and me on the school paper. So if we hadnt even considered going to the uber-joiner, popular-kid-getaway that was Senior Week, odds were the others hadnt either. As a rule, our schools arts and drama crowd tended to look down on anything that had the slightest tinge of school spirit .

Normally, I turned my nose up at that kind of thing too, but this was different. This was my chance .

This was fate .

I made the mistake of using the F-word with Amy and I could see her biting her lip to keep from laughing. Taking my hands in hers, her bright red curls fell over her shoulder as she leaned in toward me. No offense, Layla. I mean, you know I love you more than anyone in the world and I think you are the best but if Dylan hasnt noticed you by now, after youve been right in front of his face his entire life, what makes you think hell notice you now ?

I braced myself against a stab of pain at her words. She was right, of course, but sometimes I wished she would at least pretend to believe that I stood a chance. I didnt need her to like Dylan or believe that he was perfect, I just needed her to believe in me and what I knew to be true .

That we were meant to be .

But she was still waiting for an answer and I knew she wouldnt buy any more talk of fate or kismet. For an artist, Amy was terribly practical like that. So I found myself saying, Because Ill make him see me .

She blinked a few times as if surprised by my answer. That was when I realized I sounded far more confident than I felt. Still, her sudden change in attitude was heartening. Amy even smiled a little. Well, thats more like it. She let go of my hands and crossed her arms over her chest. Okay, so whats the plan ?

Uh, the plan ?

What are you going to say to him? she asked. If you go, I mean. Are you going to tell him once and for all how you feel ?