Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore Page A

.”
    I snort. “Overdramatic much?”
    But Lily’s shaking her head. “No, seriously—you’ve probably seen it before. John Cusack standing outside a car, holding a boom box over his head. The song ‘In Your Eyes’ blasting from the speakers. Ringing any bells?”
    I shrug. “Maybe. I’m not sure.”
    â€œWell, if nothing else, just check out the boom-box scene on YouTube. It’s epic.”
    â€œOkay, okay.” I tuck the movie into my bag. “Speaking of epic, how was detention with Joe Lombardi yesterday?”
    Lily’s normally pink complexion deepens into a blush. “How did you know about that?”
    I grin. “Let’s just say I had my reasons for making you late to class yesterday.”
    Lily blinks at me, her gaze blank. Then her eyes widen.
    â€œYou did that on purpose?”
    â€œMaybe . . . ,” I say coyly.
    Her face morphs from shocked to sort of impressed.
    â€œWow. I might actually hate you a little less now. How did you get him there too?”
    â€œSame way, really. Made him late because he was helping me find my contact lens.”
    Lily peers at me. “I didn’t know you wear contacts.”
    I shrug. “I don’t.”
    â€œRight. Of course you don’t.” She shakes her head, then she sighs.
    â€œDetention was . . . nice, weird as that sounds. Talking to him was nice and sitting with him was nice and everything was really . . .”
    â€œNice?” I offer. She leans back on her elbows and looks up at the cloudless sky.
    â€œI just don’t know how to be anything else but a tutor or the SGA secretary or a school newspaper columnist. I don’t know how to make people see me as something other than . . .”
    â€œA nerd?” I supply. Lily gives me a dirty look.
    â€œStop finishing my sentences. And no, not a nerd. More like a . . . a resource. I don’t want to always be
that
girl, the one who’s just there to help.”
    â€œSo then, what did you guys talk about in detention?” I ask. She bites her lip.
    â€œI, uh, helped him with his math homework.”
    â€œExactly—and you wonder why he only sees you as a walking textbook? It’s because you make yourself one. Come on! You’ve got to put yourself out there!”
    â€œMarijke, it was
detention
. We weren’t supposed to talk at all. The only way I could was if we were doing something academic.”
    I sigh, zipping my backpack and sliding it over my shoulder.
    â€œOkay, okay—so tell me about this
Say Anything
scheme. What exactly would I have to do?”
    â€œIs that your way of telling me you aren’t going to watch the movie?”
    â€œMaybe.”
    Lily groans.
    â€œFine—in the movie, this guy Lloyd wants to get this girl Diane back after they broke up, so he stands outside her window with a boom box and blasts a superromantic song. So I’m gonna run to the A/V office to see if I can snag one of those portable iPod docks they use in the auditorium. The ones with the Bose speakers? I think that would be perfect for this.”
    I blink. “Wait—you seriously want me to hold a speaker dock up in the air, outside Tommy’s house, with music blasting?”
    â€œWell, unless you have a boom box and it’s really 1985, then, yeah, I think the iPod dock is probably our best bet.”
    â€œI—I guess I thought the scene wouldn’t be so . . . I don’t know, totally mortifying?”
    Lily stares at me.
    â€œWas that not clear about this being the most romantic scene from the most romantic movie ever? You would kick total cinematic ass if you pull this off!”
    â€œI guess so,” I say, swallowing. I pause for a second. “Look, the only way I’m doing this is if you do something for me.”
    â€œOh yeah? What is that?”
    I cock an eyebrow at her and grin. “You’re going to be my wingman.”

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