PRIDE & PRINCESSES: A Pride and Prejudice (type) of teen story (Sunrise High #1)

The Fall Fling (chapter thirteen)

Chapter 13

The Fall Fling

    We decided to get ready at Mouche’s place. That night, my mom had arranged to have dinner with Mouche’s mom and their next door neighbors on either side; a “younger man” theology student and a builder who has recently separated from his wife and “needed some cheering up.” All the adults planned to play wordand card games for dessert.

   “Well, I hope you don’t get the wrong idea and start playing strip poker or something,” Mouche warned her mother, “and if you do, make sure Wednesday is safely tucked up in bed.”             

   “Yes, darling.” Mrs Mouche replied wearily.

    Since her mother had taken to socializing, Mouche had taken to answering the phone at midnight (when Mrs Mouche’s recently separated friends would ring for “desperation chats”) and say, “hello, this is Mrs Mouche’s brothel,” which Mrs Mouche did not think was funny at all.

    Trey was at college during the semester and only came home to visit on weekends. Thankfully, he seemed to have forgotten all about my retrospectively juvenile attempt to chat him up. He’d taken to ignoring me or being jokey in an offhand way. I must admit the fact that I asked where he was and Mouche gave me a knowing glance made me realize I might actually have feelings for Trey as well as Mark and maybe, help me, even Joel. I was becoming a hussy in my own mind.

    Mouche was formulating another plan as she pulled out the diary notes which were now stowed under her canopied bed, when they weren’t with me for updates.

    “Teegan is totally onto us. I’ve managed to distract her for the evening but only because I suggested we all form a group table so the Princesses can get some attention from Mark and Jet.”

   “Oh, please, I thought this was supposed to be our date.”

   “Well, it was, but a group date is by its very nature, open for negotiation. I really don’t want her to tell everyone we’ve formed a secret dating society that has a list of rules for manipulating boys. That would totally wreck the plan. Maybe we should start pretending we actually like the Princesses tonight – it might be a better strategy.”

    “Uh, okay,” I said pulling out an issue of Teen Vogue and flicking through an article on the latest reality TV drama.

    “I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next season.”

    “Me either, I so don’t think It’s set up.”

    “No way...at least I hope not. I think they should definitely do a spin off...”

     “Totally.” 

     “I hope they keep filming until they all finish college and get married...”

     “That’d be good.”

      I’m trying on shoes when Mrs Mouche brings us in snacks on a tray.

     “That show seems so addictive, girls...” Mrs Mouche commented with a raised eyebrow. “Here you are...”

    Mrs Mouche makes the most delicious party food. It’s like food her mom used to make. She’s  brought in an orange with toothpicks stuck all over it and on the end of the toothpicks are delicious cheeses and sausage and pickles – very grown up - and a bowl of chips and another of carrot sticks (“for vitamins, girls”). To top it all off she brought in her famous banana smoothies with nutmeg and vanilla, “just because I don’t like you girls going out without food in your stomachs. It’s not a good idea...”