She didn't notice all the people turning to stare at her as she walked by. All she could think about was seeing Kevin. She arrived at her locker and had to think for a minute to remember the lock combination. It had been three months since she had last used it. She opened it up and found everything like she had left it. No one had slipped any notes through the cracks. She sighed and closed it. Standing there, hidden behind the door, was a guy she had seen a few times, but couldn't remember the name of.

"Candi, right?"

"Um, yeah ... "

"Yeah, I saw you come into school earlier. I'm not sure if you and I have officially met. I'm Jason. Jason Hicks."

Candi smiled tentatively, mystified as to why Jason Hicks was introducing himself to her. "Nice to meet you ... ?" Now she remembered where she'd seen him. He was on the rugby team. On the days they had games, they wore their team jerseys to school. She remembered seeing him with Kevin and the other rugby players in the hallways.

"Are you here because Kevin sent you?"

"Kevin who? Peterson? No, man. I'm here because I was wondering something."

"What's that?" Candi asked, still suspicious.

"I was wondering if you have a date to the prom yet."

"Prom?" Candi was confused.

"Yeah. Prom. It's in two weeks. Do you want to go with me, maybe?"

Candi shook her head in confusion, trying to knock the cobwebs out.

"Is that a no?" asked Jason, wondering why she was shaking her head like that.

"Um, no, it's not a 'no'. I was just ... never mind. Um, Jason, thanks for asking, but can I get back to you on that? I actually had totally forgotten about prom. I'm not even sure if I'm going." She gave him an apologetic shrug.

"Forgot about prom? How is that possible?" He gestured around them. All over the hallways and even ceilings were posters and decorations reminding them of the big dance.

Candi smiled and laughed. "Yeah. Duh. I've kinda been gone for a while. Today is my first day back."

"Yeah, I read about your cruise. I even went to your memorial service. It was nice by the way. Bad luck though, eh?"

"Not really," Candi answered. "Listen Jason, it was nice meeting you, but I have to go."

"Yeah, sure. I'll see you around. Here, I wrote my number down, in case you want to text me or whatever, since you haven't officially said no to me about the prom." He flashed her a million watt smile. Candi noticed for the first time since he started talking how cute he was. Wow, thought Candi, he isn't just cute. He's seriously hot. She took the paper from his hand and walked away smiling.

Candi made her way to chemistry cla.s.s, arriving right before the bell rang. She walked to her seat, noticing that all the eyes in cla.s.s were on her. The girls were shooting her rude looks, the guys looked hungry. What the heck? Everyone sure is acting strange today. First Jason, now her whole chemistry cla.s.s.

They had a lab that day. By the end of the cla.s.s period, two more guys she'd never talked to before had asked her to the prom. She was starting to think there was some sort of conspiracy, but when she questioned them, they all seemed innocent of any subterfuge.

She saw Sarah after cla.s.s and they headed to lunch together. "Sarah, have you noticed anything weird going on at school today? I mean, is there some ma.s.s practical joke going on? Do I have a huge booger on my face or something?"

Sarah laughed. "No, what are you talking about?"

"So far three guys have asked me to the prom. Three! And they're all cute! We've had three formal dances so far this year, including prom, and this is more potential dates I've had than for the other two put together. The first dance, no invites. The second dance, a friend of my brother's from the chess club."

Sarah looked like she was in pain. "Ooh, that's not good."

"No, it wasn't. But so far Jason Hicks, Brice Trawick and Mike Thompson have all asked me."

"Niiiice," a.s.sessed Sarah. "Well, it's obvious what's going on. I'm surprised you don't know."

"Well, enlighten me, would you please? Because this is freaking me out."

"Tell me, Candi, have you been having any trouble with the girls in your cla.s.ses?"

"As a matter of fact, a few girls have looked like they wanted to kick my b.u.t.t."

"Yeah, that's what I figured you'd say. See, the problem is, you're hot now. You're big league hot. The guys want you, and the girls hate you because they're jealous. Welcome to my world."

Candi laughed. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it? Take a look, sister." They had reached the cafeteria, which had a reflective coating on the large, floor-to-ceiling gla.s.s walls. Sarah pointed to Candi's reflection. "Note the amazing hair dreadlocked to perfection, sun-bleached; the thin, muscular, tanned legs, shown off to perfection thanks to the mini skirt and heels I skillfully chose from your lamefarts closet; and last but not least, the confident air that seeps out of your every pore that says 'don't mess with me, or I will lay you out'. You have it all, babe. Better get used to your new life."

Candi shook her head in denial. "That's ridiculous."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Let's go into the cafeteria and do a little experiment." They stopped outside the main doors. "What usually happens when you walk in here?"

"Nothing."

"By nothing you mean that no one pays any attention to you?"

"Yes."

"Okay, see what happens this time. You go in by yourself. I'll go in first and take a seat at the tables on the far left, last row. You wait one minute and then come in; meet me at the table where we will discuss the results of our experiment."

"Fine."

Candi watched Sarah open the doors to the cafeteria and disappear inside. A minute later, Candi grabbed the doors and walked in. She began walking to the tables that Sarah had mentioned which were across the room and farther back from where Kevin usually sat.

Within ten steps, Candi started feeling the stares. The loud talking that usually overwhelmed the room quieted down a little. She could see girls leaning in to whisper to each other while looking at her. Their faces didn't look very happy. The guys, on the other hand, sat up straighter and smiled at her, nudging one another with their elbows. One of them left his table to meet her as she walked through the center of the room.

"Hey Candi, remember me? Rick Waznewski? We were in algebra together two years ago?"

"Um, yeah, hi Rick." This guy had never even looked at her once in algebra or anywhere else.

"Do you want to come sit over with me and some friends?" he gestured over to the table next to where Kevin usually sat. Kevin wasn't there yet.

"No, I'm meeting a friend at another table, but thanks."

"Sure, anytime. Uh-oh," he winked at her, "incoming." He walked away as another guy came up. This one she knew played for the school basketball team. He was about six foot four, which meant she came up to his elbow.

"Hey, what's up?" he said as he approached her.

"Um, nothing."

"Yeah, so, I'm in your chemistry cla.s.s. Greg."

"Hi Greg."

"Hi. I was wondering if you have a date for prom yet."

"No, not yet. But I don't think I'm going."

"How come?"

"I don't know, I just don't know if I want to."

Greg smiled. "Is this your nice way of letting me down easy?"

Candi smiled back. "No, I'm serious. I'm just not sure yet."

"So how much compet.i.tion do I have?"

"Excuse me?"

"How many other guys have asked you to go?"

Candi smiled, a little embarra.s.sed. "You're the fourth."

"Did Rick ask you?"

"No."

"Well, count him in, because I heard him saying he was going to. Looks like you're going to be the prom queen this year."

Candi laughed. "Don't be silly; I'm no prom queen."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that. Well, anyway, I'll see you around. If you decide you're going to prom, message me on Facebook or something."

"Okay, sure. Thanks."

"Later."

Candi finally made it to the table and sat down. Sarah was waiting with a knowing smile on her face. "So? I'm right, right?"

"Yeah, for some crazy reason I think you are. Two more guys came up to me, and all the girls are staring and talking about me, I can totally feel it."

"Yep. Jealous. You used to be one of those girls, Candi."

"I never talked about people in a mean way, Sarah."

"I know, I'm just kidding. But seriously, you are different and everyone can see it."

Candi looked down at the table. "Everyone except the one who really matters."

Sarah smiled. "I wouldn't be too sure about that if I were you." She looked pointedly across the room at Kevin's usual table.

Candi turned around in her seat to see what Sarah was looking at. She saw that Kevin had arrived and was in a heated exchange with Greg. Kevin looked mad. Greg was throwing up his arms, like he was explaining himself. Then he put his left hand on his heart and held up his right arm for a high handshake. Kevin grabbed it and they pulled each other closer and patted each other on the back.

"What the heck was that?" asked Candi, confused.

"Well, if I'm reading their body language correctly, and I'm pretty much an expert at that by the way, Kevin just went over there and said something like 'get the h.e.l.l away from my girl', and then Greg was like 'hey man, I didn't know she was your girl' and then Kevin was like 'no harm no foul, man', and Greg was like 'yeah, man, sorry about that, are we cool?' and Kevin was like 'yeah, we're cool' and then they shook hands and did some man cuddling, and it's all over. Kevin has officially peed on his territory."

Candi looked at her with her jaw dropped open. "You are completely insane."

"Crazy like a fox, baby. Like. A. Fox."

Just then a lunch tray dropped down on their table next to Candi. "h.e.l.lo ladies. This seat taken?"

"Why h.e.l.lo there, Jason." Sarah looked at Candi meaningfully.

"Hey Sarah, hey Candi, what's up?"

"Nothing much. Still the same as earlier today."

"Got any plans for the weekend?"

Sarah interrupted. "She's helping me move."

"Oh. Well, if you want any help with that you could give me a call. I'm pretty strong, I can lift boxes and stuff." He held up his arm and flexed.

Candi laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."

Sarah grabbed her phone that had just beeped, signaling she had a text. She laughed when she saw it. "Uh, Candi? I have a message for your friend Jason here."

Jason frowned. "For me?"

"Yes. This is a text from my brother." She handed him her phone.

Jason read it and then stood up and picked up his tray, handing the phone back to Sarah. "See you guys later."

Candi watched his receding form and then looked back at Sarah. "What the heck was that all about?"

"See for yourself."

Candi took the phone from her. There was a text on the screen from 'Dips.h.i.t'.

"Who's 'dips.h.i.t'?"

"That's how I named Kevin in my phone. Read what it says."

Candi read the text. STAY AWAY FROM MY GIRL.

Candi's heart started racing, first with excitement and then with annoyance. "Who does he think he is? I mean, he ignores me for a month, he's sitting across the room from me, but he can't get his b.u.t.t up to come over here? So he texts a threat to a nice guy who does come over to talk to me? Seriously, Sarah, are you cool with this?"

"Nope. I think he's a dips.h.i.t." She held up her phone and waved it at Candi. "h.e.l.loooo ... "