Ruby Reinvented by Ronni Arno Page B

Summer a zillion questions about Connor and Cassandra. I just got to Midcoast—I shouldn’t be this curious about anybody yet. But then, Connor isn’t just anybody. He’s probably the nicest boy I’ve ever met.
    Yank .
    There’s that tug on my stomach again, reminding me that the nicest boy I’ve ever met doesn’t deserve to be lied to.

Chapter
 13 
    C ASSANDRA AND KATIE are already at breakfast by the time Summer and I come in. Cassandra calls us over even before we get in the cafeteria line. Summer waves to her as if she didn’t hear a word she said, then she picks up a tray and hands it to me.
    â€œSheesh. She can wait until we eat at least,” Summer says under her breath.
    We get our scrambled eggs and potatoes and sit down with Cassandra and Katie.
    â€œDid you talk to Connor at dinner last night?” Cassandra’s blotting her lip gloss on a napkin.
    â€œNo, my parents were there the whole time.”
    â€œSo?” Cassandra crosses her arms across her chest.
    â€œMy parents don’t want to hear that stuff.” Summer eats a forkful of potatoes.
    â€œCan you talk to him today?”
    â€œI dunno. Maybe,” Summer says. “If there’s a good time.”
    â€œI want him to ask me to the Spring Fling.” Cassandra leans back in her chair.
    â€œThere’s still almost a month and a half till the Spring Fling,” Summer says. “That’s plenty of time.”
    â€œWhat if he asks somebody else,” Cassandra says.
    Summer laughs. “Who’s he going to ask?”
    â€œYou never know.” Cassandra glances my way for a split second, and my cheeks feel super hot.
    â€œI promise you,” Summer says. “Connor isn’t even thinking about the Spring Fling.”
    â€œHow do you know?” Cassandra asks.
    â€œI know him. Right now he’s probably thinking about the Sox.”
    â€œHe’s thinking about his socks?” Cassandra twists her hair around her finger.
    â€œDo you actually know anything about Connor?” Summer tears the crust off her toast.
    â€œI know he’s hot,” Cassandra says. Katie giggles.
    â€œHe’s a huge Red Sox fan and baseball season is starting,” Summer says. “That’s the most important thing on his mind right now.”
    â€œBaseball is so boring,” Cassandra says.
    â€œI love baseball,” I say. The words slip out before I can stop them. My dad’s been captain of the Dodgers for over a decade. I was practically born in their dugout.
    â€œBaseball’s pretty fun,” Summer says, and then turns to Cassandra. “Maybe you should get to know him a little better before deciding you want to go to the Spring Fling with him.”
    â€œI know all I need to know.” Cassandra stands up, and Katie follows. “Just talk to him, okay?”
    Summer sighs.
    Cassandra smiles, her perfect teeth practically blinding me. “Thanks, babe. TTYL,” she says, and glides out of the cafeteria.
    Just as we’re about to clear off our trays, Connor walks in. He sits down next to Summer.
    â€œHey,” he says. He looks at me first, for like a second, and then at Summer.
    â€œOkay, so I have to ask you something.” Summer turns toward him.
    â€œWhat?” Connor takes a sip of orange juice.
    â€œCassandra wants you to ask her to the Spring Fling. Will you?”
    Connor’s face looks like he just swallowed a lemon. Either his orange juice has gone bad, or he doesn’t want to ask Cassandra out. I’m hoping and praying the orange juice is fine.
    â€œSeriously?” he says.
    Summer raises her eyebrows.
    â€œI don’t like her,” he says.
    I bite my lip to stop the gigantic smile creeping across my face.
    â€œYeah, I figured, but I told her I’d ask so I’m asking.”
    â€œShe wears way too much makeup.” Connor takes a bite of an egg sandwich. My hand instinctively