Chapter 1

    Melinda

    So this is a story about my life.  Well, mine and my best friend, Hailey Jacobson.  

    The first thing you should know about us is that I get sad easily and Hailey gets happy easily.  I have brown hair, she has blonde.  I have green eyes, her's are blue.  I like slow music, she likes Pop.  So we're basically opposites!

    The only thing we have in common is the fact that both of us have lost a parent.  My parents got a divorce a few years ago so now it's just Mom, and Hailey's mother died, leaving her and her father.

    Me and Hailey met at school, but only through being partners in a science project.  I honestly don't know how or

why we're still friends if we have nothing in common except our parents.

    Yeah, I forgot to mention that Hailey's dad is on love with my om.  And my mom likes him too.  It's super weird.  But maybe that's why we still hang out.

    Anyway, I am going over to her house for a sleepover which I am sort of excited for.  Hailey says we're going to have so much fun painting nails and watching romance movies.  Yeah, another thing is Hailey loves romance and has literally dated every guy in our school, except the geeks.  But me, well, I'll wait for the right one to come along, which I'm sure he will.

    My mom calls me from downstairs, "Melinda Rose Teala!  You are going to arrive late for your sleepover!"

     I got off my bed and packed the rest of my things.  Running down the stairs I spot Mom who is looking much fancier than usual.  She usually wears sweatpants and T-Shirts.  But now she has make-up on and a slim red dress with silver heels.  

    "Uhh, Mom, where are you going?" I ask, still staring at her strange outfit.

    "I am going on a date," she said, patting her brown hair as she stared in the living-room mirror.

    "A what?" I say, very surprised.

    "A date.  D-A-T-E." she said, spelling it out.

    "With who?" But I already knew the answer the moment I asked that question.

    "Miles Jacobson of course, who else?  I'm driving you to

their house because he insisted on us meeting there and then taking his fancy convertible to the club.  Anyway, how does my make-up look, hon?"

    "It's fine.  Let's just go so I can stop being weirded out."

    I walked out the door and my mother followed me after one last long look in the mirror.

    The drive to the Jacobsons' home was short and once we arrived, Hailey was waiting for me on her front porch.  I got out and she ran to hug me.

    "My dad looks super weird tonight," she whispered. "He has a tie and hair gel and everything."

    "You should see my mom," I said back as Mom climbed out of the car.

    "Wow, Miss Teala, you look dazzling!" Hailey commented.

    "Aww, thank you, Hailey.  Is your father done yet?" Mom said, locking the car.

    "Yeah, he's about to come out."

    The front door swung open and Hailey's father walked onto the driveway, smiling broadly.

    "You look beautiful, Samantha," he said to my mom and she blushed.

    "You don't look so bad yourself," she said, taking his hands.

    "Eww," I said. "Let's go inside Hailey, this is too weird."

    So me and Hailey went inside and watched as our parents drove away in Mr. Jacobson's shiny blue convertible.

    "I never want to go on a date once I'm as old as them," Hailey said.  "Hopefully I'm married by then."

    "What do you want to do first?" I asked, sitting down on her soft white couch.  Hailey's dad was a doctor so he made a lot of money.  Their house was pretty big for two people and decorated richly.  Hailey was basically the spoiled daughter. 

    "I brought three of my favorite romance movies so you can pick which one was watch," Hailey said, squealing.  She only squeals once she's really excited.  "So there's Titanic, ohhh, Last Christmas, or what about, A Star is Born?"

    I stared at the movies she was holding up.  I honestly didn't want to watch any of them.  "It's hard.  They're all so great," I lied.

    "Well, Titanic is a classic, Last Christmas is festive, and A Star is Born is music, you like music."

    "Yeah, but I don't like romance.  Hailey, can't we watch something else?"

    "Like what?"

    "Maybe . . . action or adventure or something exciting."

    "Love is exciting!"

    "Not to me though."

    "Listen, when we sleep over at your house, we watch what you want to watch.  So when we sleep over at mine, we should watch what I want to watch, okay?"

    I sighed.  But I could hear it in Hailey's voice that she wasn't going to let me have my way. "Okay.  Let's watch Titanic, at least there's some action in there."

                                  Chapter 2

    Hailey

    Last night was so fun!  Even though Melinda didn't want to watch the romance movies, we still had a great time.  We are such great friends, nothing could separate us!

    The only problem is that Melinda needs to be more outgoing, like me!  I talk to people and have lots of friends but her only friend is me, because I'm the only person she talks to.  Unless you count the librarian.

    I get dressed for school quickly and run down my large staircase to the kitchen where my dad is crazily making eggs.  

    "Wow, Dad, you look happy," I say, joining in on his crazy side-to-side jig.  It was fun.

    "Last night went so well," he said. "Samantha had a great time and so did I.  You know, Hay-Hay, if things keep going this good, you might have a new mother soon."

    "And a new sister!"

    I'm so happy.  If my dad and Melinda's mom get married, then Melinda will be my sister and we will live together!  Then we will be even more inseparable.  It also makes me happy to think of how much good this will do for Melinda.  Maybe being around me will help her lighten up more and be more talkative.

    "Well, bye Dad, the bus is coming." I reached up and plant a kiss on my father's cheek. "Love you."

    "Love you too, Hay-Hay."

    I smile and walk out the door.  Most kids would be

embarrassed if their parents called them cute names after they were teenagers, but I don't mind at all.

    I met Melinda at the bus stop and we rode together, talking about our history paper.

    At school we took our normal classes and met for lunch.  But there was a surprise today in Science.  A new student had just joined.

    Mrs. Porter, our teacher for science, walked into the room and announced, "Attention, we have a new student with us today, so I will be changing up the partners for lab."  Mrs. Porter rolled off a list of partner names, and once she got to me I was sure that I was still going to be with Melinda. "Hailey Jacobson with Lance Showtip."

    I gasped and looked at Melinda who just shrugged.  Just a

shrug?  We weren't lab partners anymore.  And even worse, Lance Showtip was one of my old boyfriends!  But who was Melinda with then?

    "And finally, Melinda Teala with our new student, Phoenix Whiley.  Go sit next to your new partner now everyone."

    I watched as a tall, red haired boy walked through the bustling crowd of students finding their partners toward Melinda.  I had never seen him before so I figured he was the new kid.  

    But I had to admit he was very good-looking. Why did Melinda have to get so lucky? She was studying with the shy, kind-looking new kid and I was stuck with prideful Lance Showtip! What's worse is that ever since we broke up

he's been trying to get me to go out with him again.

    "Hey, Hailey," he said, sliding next to me and pushing his short, wavy blonde hair out of his eyes.

    I rolled my eyes and bent over our project.  The project me and Melinda should be working on right now. I stole a quick glance to Melinda's table and saw her laughing with Phoenix.

    I had never seen her laugh like that before!

    What were they talking about? I always knew the everything everyone was saying in school because I have a lot of friends.  So you can understand why I was dying to figure out what Melinda and Phoenix were saying.

    "Well, we'd best get sciencing, partner," Lance said, handing me a pair of goggles and gloves.  

    After school, I walked home with Melinda but she was as quiet as ever.

    "So, Melinda," I started, seeing this as the perfect opportunity to see what her and Phoenix had been laughing about. "What did you and Phoenix do together in lab?"

    "We combined chemicals." Melinda said quietly.

    "Noooo, I mean, what were you talking about?" I pushed.

    "Oh, he said something funny about his dog, that's all.  But why do you care, Hailey?"

    Melinda stopped walking and continued, "Can't my business just be my own?"

    "Yes, yes of course, I was just curious," I said, giving a fake laugh.

    Melinda looked skeptical, but she continued walking and

waved goodbye to me once we reached her house. 

    I sighed and made it to my house. Climbing the stairs I thought of how lucky Melinda was to have Phoenix as her partner.

    "I know," I said to myself. "Melinda is my friend so I can hang out with her, and then also hang out with Phoenix!"

                                  Chapter 3

    Melinda

    I flopped onto my bed and immediately turned and screamed into my pillow. I have done this many times before, but never for this reason. I had a new partner in lab who wasn't annoying, was super smart, and super cute!

    Phoenix had made me laugh, no one had ever done that besides my mother! Not even Hailey.

    But I had seen her glancing our way during lab. I get that she doesn't want to be with her old boyfriend, but Phoenix is my partner.

    And the way she had acted coming home.  It's like she liked Phoenix herself.

    There was a knock at my door and Mother waltzed in. She

had been in a really good mood since her date with Mr. Jacobson. 

    "Someone's happy," she said, coming over to me.

    I hadn't even realized I was smiling. I barely ever smile!

    "Yeah," I said,"Why are you here?"

    "Oh, I just heard you scream. These walls are thin, you know."

    My mother laughed and sat next to me on my bed. "Did you meet a boy?"

    "Yeah," I said, giggling. I never giggle! "He's my new lab partner. His name is Phoenix."

    "Oh, how does Hailey feel about that? You two have always been partners in lab."

    "She was a little angry, but she'll get over it. But, Mom,

I actually really like Phoenix."

    "Then invite him to prom. It's two days away."

    "Two days! I completely forgot!" I exclaimed.

    "So that's why you haven't gotten a dress or anything," Mother said, looking around my room.

    "Well, I didn't get a dress yet because I wasn't sure any boy was going to ask me," I said sadly, twisting my fingers. "But now there's Phoenix! I am so excited, Mom, I'll ask him tomorrow."

    My mother smiled and kissed my head. "I'm so happy for you, dear."

    She then got up and left the room. I immediately 

grabbed my phone and typed in Hailey's number. She picked up quickly and I yelled, "I'm going to ask Phoenix to go to

the prom with me!"

    There was silence. Then I heard Hailey say, "Wow, Melinda, don't you think you're moving too fast?"

    "What do you mean, Hailey? I really like Phoenix and he's new so that means he doesn't know anyone else to go to prom with."

    "Well, I'm so happy for you! Bye Melinda!" Hailey hung up.

    I stared at my phone, Hailey had never hung up on me before. If anything, I had to always hang up on her because she talked too long.

    I shrugged and pulled out my homework. I had to finish it before tomorrow so I grabbed a snack and started.

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