9781250209153

Irene narrows her eyes. “And why would you give that money to me?”
“Okay, listen.” I clear my throat. This is the part that could either go
beautifully or disastrously. Once I put this out there, she’ll be able to put me
on blast if she wants to. But I have an instinct that she won’t.
“Everyone at Grandma Earl and Candlehawk thinks my team is a joke,”
I say. “That I’m a joke. But you have the clout to change their minds. I want
to get the team some attention so we’ll start playing better and beat
Candlehawk in the Christmas Classic.” I pause, remembering Tally’s tinny
laugh on my phone while I sat by myself in that empty hallway. “And as
you have no doubt realized, Tally Gibson did a number on me. I want to
make her jealous and I think I know how. The most she’s paid attention to
me lately was when she heard I was giving you rides. If she sees me
hanging out with you for real, she’ll lose her mind.”
Irene hikes her eyebrows. “So you want to pay me to hang out with
you?”
My heart thumps wildly beneath my suit jacket. “I want to pay you to
date me.”
There’s a swell of silence.
Then Irene laughs into the cold air. “Date you?” she says shrilly, like
I’ve just suggested the craziest thing in the world. “As in, pretend to be
your girlfriend? You’re not serious right now.”
“I absolutely am.”
“Is this some kind of Can’t Buy Me Love fantasy?”
I’m momentarily stymied. “You know that movie?”
She rolls her eyes. “God, you really do think you’re unique,” she says
under her breath. “You’re telling me you actually want to pay me to make
you more popular? You do realize that’s not a thing anymore, right?”
“Bullshit it’s not a thing. Or are you telling me the cheerleaders and
basketball guys have been showing up to my practices out of the goodness
of their hearts?”
“So you’re trying to use me.”
“I’m manipulating a situation so we both benefit. You need the money if
you want to keep cheerleading and win SAOY. This might get your mom
off your back, don’t you think?”