Switched

Chapter 8

"I cannot believe you made me watch a movie called Go Team Go," Ivy said. She and Olivia were standing in the hallway after first period Monday morning. "It may have been the gravest eighty- two minutes of my life. That Veronica girl was seriously stupid."

"You were supposed to watch the cheers, Ivy," Olivia said. She swung her ponytail. "Anyway, where should we practice this afternoon? I've told my parents I have practice every day after school for the next two weeks."

"Since school's not an option," Ivy said, "let's use my backyard. My dad just landed a big project, so he won't be home early again any time soon."

"Great," Olivia said.

Over her sister's shoulder, Ivy spotted Brendan coming down the hall. Instinctively, she edged behind Olivia.

"What are you doing?" Olivia asked.

Ivy hesitated. "Hiding," she whispered.

To Ivy's horror, Olivia turned around to look.

"Oh, my gosh." Olivia spun back around. "You should see the look on Brendan's face!" She gave Ivy's shoulders a squeeze. "I'll leave you two love- bugs alone," she said and hurried away.

"Hi, Ivy," Brendan said, glancing down at his boots.

"Hey," gulped Ivy, her heart beating wildly.

"How--how was your weekend?" he asked.

"Good," Ivy answered, unable to come up with anything more detailed.

He laughed awkwardly and looked away the moment their eyes met. "Thanks again for com- ing with me to the mall," he said.

"You're welcome," Ivy answered lamely. She knew her answers must sound seriously dim, but she was just too excited to think straight.

Brendan started pulling the cap on and off a pen he was holding. "So, er . . ."

Suddenly Ivy realized that Brendan Daniels was nervous. She could almost hear his heart pounding. It made him even more gorgeous.

He dropped his pen cap by accident, and it clattered to the floor. They both knelt down to pick it up. Ivy's hand brushed against his.

"Sorry," they both said.

Brendan picked up the cap. "So, what I wanted to ask you is . . ." he began, still kneeling awkwardly.

Ivy leaned forward.

"Will you go with me to the All Hallows' Ball?" Brendan finished.

Ivy's heart stopped. She stared at Brendan, the boy she'd been in love with for three years but only talked to for the first time on Friday. Then her heart restarted with a roar. Brendan was watching her intently as her mind flooded with questions. What am I going to wear? What if I have to dance? What if I look stupid? She was lucky she was already on the floor, or she might have fallen over.

Finally, Brendan stood up. "It's okay," he said quietly, nodding in resignation. "I understand if you don't want to go. I--I just hope we can still be friends."

Ivy leaped to her feet. "No!" she cried. "I mean, yes!" She shook her head as if it were sur- rounded by bees. "I mean, I can't dance!"

Brendan's face lit up like a full moon. "Neither can I," he said. Then he cocked his head and asked, "But have you ever tried dancing with someone else who can't dance?"

Ivy shook her head.

"It's not so bad," Brendan told her. "Look." He took Ivy's hands and placed them on his shoulders; then he put his hands gently on her hips.

Ivy felt like she was touching one of those static electricity things at the science museum. Energy coursed through her, and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

Neither of them moved.

"What are we doing?" Ivy murmured at last.

Brendan looked deep into her eyes. "We're not dancing," he whispered.

They stood there like that forever, or at least until Ivy heard the bell for second period ring.

"Then what happened?" Olivia asked, bending forward and putting her palms down on the cool grass. She could feel the muscles stretch in the backs of her legs.

Ivy pulled her foot up behind her. "I was late for art," she replied coyly.

Olivia thought maybe Ivy was blushing, but it might have been the sun. Finally she gave up try- ing to tell. "Well," she said, hopping up and down on the balls of her feet, "I don't know if that's like the most romantic thing I've ever heard . . . or the weirdest."

"Shut up!" Ivy cried.

"Not dancing?" Olivia giggled. Her sister was so smitten!

"Stop it!" Ivy said. "It was very . . . sweet."

"I may not have known you long," Olivia said with a grin, "but I already know that `sweet' is not a word my sister would normally use."

"Sweet," her sister repeated tenderly.

Olivia grabbed Ivy's hand playfully. "Well," she said, "you certainly have reason to . . . CHEER!" She raised both their arms into the air.