Table of Contents
Also by JANETTE RALLISON
My Fair Godmother
How to Take the Ex out of Ex-Boyfriend
Revenge of the Cheerleaders
Its a Mall World After All
Fame, Glory, and Other Things on My To-Do List
Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws
Alls Fair in Love, War, and High School
Playing the Field
To my husband, Guy,
who got the children off to school every day
so I could stay up late writing. That is true love.
Also to my editor, Tim, who pushes me to reach further
and dig deeper where my writing is concerned. Of course,
he has also been known to expect me to walk into the street
in front of oncoming traffic... so, you know,
his judgment cant always be trusted....
Special thanks to Eric Murdock for answering my mechanic
questions and to Bill Gardner, who knows way too much
about driving cars over medians and other places that they
dont belongand who probably knows too much about me as well.
Also thanks to Linda Ballard and Richard Hatch for
answering my questions about what happens on a studio set.
Hollywood insiders are harder to catch than leprechauns.
Thanks to Steve Crawley for being the best flyer/poster/bookmark
man in the world. I owe you way more than brownies.
And lastly to Spencer Cowgill and BJ Abney,
children cancer took too soon.
Chapter
I would have expected to see this sort of line if, say, Elvis had returned from the dead to give a concert. Or if some eccentric yet ultra-cool billionaire was blessing the lives of deserving teens by handing out free sports cars. But I hadnt expected to see this many people lined up in the dark waiting for the Day-After-Thanksgiving sale at Toys R Us. Really, whatever happened to good old-fashioned procrastination? Apparently every resident of Henderson, Nevada, had come out, and it was still only 4:50 A.M. The store didnt even open for another ten minutes.
Madison zipped her jacket up higher as we climbed out of my minivan. This is a prime example of commercialism run amok.
I didnt answer, because I was too busy rushing across the parking lot to the end of the line. Besides, Madison really shouldnt talkevery year she gets so many gifts you have to listen to her complain until New Years about how she has to reorganize her room to fit them all in.
Madison is not only my best friend, but probably the only friend I could convince to get up this early to track down a Talking Teen Robin Hood action figure for my six-year-old brother. I myself wouldnt have woken up at four-thirty if it werent so important.
Madison folded her arms around herself for warmth. Wed only worn light jackets because we hadnt expected to wait outside very long, but even the Nevada desert is cold at ten to five in the morning. Madisons usually tidy shoulder-length hairshe calls it strawberry blond, but it is way more strawberry than blondlooked as though she hadnt even combed it. Id thrown on sweats and shoved my hair into a ponytail. Now I wished Id thought to bring a hat.
Madison peered at the line in front of us. You know, Annika, if you cant find a Teen Robin Hood, Im sure Jeremy would be fine with a different gift. Maybe you could get him a real bow and arrow set like yours.
I thought about my compound bow, but I couldnt imagine Jeremy with something like that. It was nearly as big as he was, and he might not have the strength to pull it back all the way. The thought made my throat feel tight.
I shook my head. It has to be Teen Robin Hood.
Jeremy had said he wanted the Teen Robin Hood action figure, and kept saying it every time he watched the TV show, so that was the toy I had to get him.
The husband and wife in front of us were busy planning their buying strategy. Ill call you as soon as I have the PlayStation in my hands. You grab one of those bikes thats on sale. Throw yourself over it if you have to.
I pulled my sleeves over my hands to keep out the chill. Why did Jeremy have to love Robin Hood? Why couldnt he still want to be Hercules? I bet you no one was throwing themselves over the Hercules toys.
At five oclock the doors opened, but it took us another twenty minutes to get in. By that time the aisles buzzed with people grabbing toys from shelves, and lines had already formed at the registers.
I told Madison, Why dont you go stand in line while I look for action figures. It will take less time that way.
I didnt wait for her answer, just weaved my way down an aisle. I wanted to hurry past people but continually found myself trapped behind carts with mammoth toys that blocked the way.
I cut across the Barbie doll aisle and momentarily considered picking up a girlfriend for Teen Robin Hood, one who was a little more suitable for him than Maid Marion. Im sorry, but the actress who plays her is a total flake. All she does is flutter, cry, and wait for rescue. She never would have made it two days in the real Middle Ages, which is why I started rooting for Robin Hood to dump her after the third episode. I bet even Barbie could have taken her on in a serious smack down.
Finally I found the action figure row. I walked up and down, scanning the shelves for the green boxes of the Nottingham characters. The four-inch set Jeremy already owned sat prominently on the shelf, but I didnt see the new, larger twelve-inch version, which was supposed to be available starting today.
Where were they?
The store couldnt be sold out on the first day at five-twenty-five in the morning, could they? Shouldnt they have a large shipment sitting around? I went to the next aisle. Nothing. And then I saw the endcap and the shelves of Nottingham green boxes.
A man with a dozen boxes in his shopping cart stood sifting through them. He wore a fake leather jacket that stretched over his stomach and an opal ring so large you could have used it as a serving tray.
I jogged over to the display, my eyes scanning the boxes for a Robin Hood. Maid Marion, Maid Marion, Little John, the Sheriff....
Are there any Robin Hoods left? I asked.
He didnt glance at me, just kept picking up boxes and checking them.
I think I got them all.
What? I need one for my little brother.
Now he glanced at me, his gaze sizing me up. Then youre in luck. Ill sell you one for a hundred and fifty dollars.
A hundred and fifty? They cost thirty-nine.
Not once they go in my shopping cart. Then theyre a hundred and fifty. He sent an oily smile in my direction. Thats the free market, kid.
I could see the boxes in his cart. They were so close.
I turned to the man, finally giving him my full attention. My mother claims I have a sixth sense about people. I know right after meeting someone what theyre like, how perceptive they are, and what makes them tick.
When I was little, I used to wish I had some sort of superpower. I wanted to fly like Superman or climb up buildings like Spider-Man. But when you come right down to it, there arent a lot of practical applications for superpowers. Being able to read people, however, comes in handy. It helps me deal with teachers and navigate through high school. I pretty much know what I can get away with.
