Star Crossed Page 13

  “Hey, Logan.”

  I turned to see a girl in jeans, an oversized Mellick tee and a baseball cap. No makeup, but I had no problem recognizing Arianna.

  “Hey.” I said. “You look like everyone else.”

  “That’s the point.” She rushed up to me. “I just got here.”

  “Me too.” She looked sober. That was a good thing.

  “Aren’t you with someone?” I asked. Where were her people? I was certain they would have her on a short leash today.

  “Dude. I’m with the only person I need to be with.” She smiled with such hope that I felt like hugging her.

  “Josh?” I remembered how it felt to believe the way she must be right now. How had I ever gotten more cynical than Arianna Woods?

  “He’s the one. You were right about Gemini and Capricorn. We’re working it out.”

  “You can handle the Earth sign of Capricorn,” I said, “Especially with that Aries Moon of yours. He can calm you down.”

  “Aries Moon?” she asked. “Where’d you come up with that?”

  “Your astrology chart,” I said. “You have an Aries Moon, don’t you?”

  She shook her head. “Based on that astro stuff you told me to check out, my Moon is in Leo. Which explains why I like performing so much, right? And makes Josh and me an even better match.”

  For a moment, I couldn’t figure out how to reply to her. Then I asked, “How do you know that your Moon is in Leo, Arianna?”

  “Dude, because it just is. Want to see my chart?”

  “No,” I said. “I believe you.”

  “Well, I owe you. Until that day we talked, I knew my Sun sign, but that was about it. Now ...” That blissed-out expression again.

  “My offer is still good,” I told her. “If you want me to do a compatibility chart for you and Josh, I mean.”

  “I’ll let you know if we need one.” She gave me that in-love look again. “We’d better get up there. The service elevator is busted again, but the regular one is okay. No one’s going to recognize me.”

  “You use the service elevator?” I asked, remembering Alex Keen, and that night in the hotel that I had watched him go into her room.

  “Oh, yeah.” She pulled the cap down over her eyes and shoved some strands up into it. “Dude, I’ll be okay. Just stay close to me. Josh promised to meet me upstairs. I understand what you were trying to tell me about him. He’s an Earth sign, and I love his stability. He makes me feel safe.”

  “Good.” That was about all I could say to her Air sign barrage of words.

  The elevator dinged. No one seemed to be paying any attention to us, so, the moment the doors opened, we stepped inside.

  “Look.” She turned and pulled down her jeans. There, on the tanned rise of her butt, was a tattoo, a V-shape, but the right side swirled into a kind of spiral. Of course. It was a glyph of the Capricorn goat.

  “Cool,” I said.

  “I have Gemini on the other side. Check it out.”

  “Later,” I said. “The door’s going to open any second. Are those new?”

  Good for me. I’d lost the boy I loved but had another astro convert. Make that Gemini astro convert. The problem was, that was all I had. I had been tricked into thinking Arianna was the one in danger. Now, all I could think about, as I pretended to admire her tattooed testimonial to Josh, was that I had been worried about the wrong Gemini.

  The wrong Gemini. That was it. Arianna wasn’t the double Gem with the Aries Moon. Actually, her Moon was in Leo.

  So who was the in-trouble Gem with the Aries Moon? I had a pretty good idea. And I really should have figured it out sooner than this.

  CRUSHES: HOW TO ENTICE A CAPRICORN

  By Logan McRae

  Cool and sometimes standoffish, that Capricorn Mountain Goat has a dry wit and a strong need to succeed. Wouldn’t it be fun if you could distract him from his tedious Earth sign duties of studying and responsibilities and make him go a little crazy about you for a change? You can.

  Even when he’s wearing his oldest pair of jeans or up to his elbows in grease, this guy is elegance personified. There’s just something about him that makes you want to stand straighter and dress your best. That’s a good way to start.

  Entice that creature. True, he’s sometimes a status seeker, but once you get to know him, you’ll realize he’s only into that plan of being a doctor or politician or chemist or TV news anchor because he was denied something as a child. Money. Love. Mommy. It doesn’t matter. He has a direction now, a clear path paved with hard work, and no one will stand in his way.

  That doesn’t rule you out, though. Here are three ways to make him forget about work and focus on you (at least for the short term): • Care. This sign has committed to major goals and needs major feedback. Recognize even the smallest accomplishments. “How’d you ever get that grade in her class?” “You studied how many hours last night?” “And with a part-time job, you did, what?”

  • Share. He has a goal. You have a goal. Perhaps yours is in a sport or drama or student government. Share your ambition. Demonstrate that you are also someone, who like him, wants more out of life, and someone who is willing to work for it.

  • Don’t despair. A sure way to appeal to this sign is when things go wrong for him. Move in close when that happens. Take charge, if you must. Don’t entertain a negative thought, and don’t let him entertain one. Remind him, in a subtle way, that he is not alone.

  What to say when he asks you out: “What about Friday? It’s my only night off this week.”

  21

  YOUR SUN SIGN IS WHAT YOU ARE, AND YOUR ASCEN-

  DANT (RISING) SIGN IS WHAT PEOPLE SEE. THE MOON

  COLORS AND INFLUENCES THE TRAITS. BE CAREFUL

  WHEN GUESSING SIGNS. IT IS EASY TO SEE THE MOON’S

  INFLUENCE AND BELIEVE IT IS THE SUN SIGN. DON’T

  MAKE THIS MISTAKE.

  —Fearless Astrology

  That’s what I had done. I had guessed a Sun sign based on observed behavior. And I had done it more than once. Stacy, not Arianna, was the Gemini with the Aries Moon. I had ignored the obvious communication skills and focused on her need for success. She wasn’t a spotlight-grabbing Leo. She was a Fire-influenced Gemini eager to take on any task she was handed. And her need for success was really a desire to be admired and to have the world revolve around her. Some astrologer I was. I had picked up on her Aries Moon and completely missed her Gemini Sun.

  I found her in the kitchen. She had pulled her dark hair back and tied it with a multicolored scarf. At first she didn’t notice me, too busy walking through the place with Bobby, the art director, who had finally changed into some khakis and a pale green shirt. He carried a plastic Jack in the Box head, which I feared he actually planned to wear. But maybe not. Maybe it was just his idea of California atmosphere.

  Already the musicians’ stage had been set up, already the stations for appetizers and alcohol. Soon the costumed guests would begin arriving. I followed Bobby and Stacy into the large banquet room overlooking the city.

  “Hi, Stacy,” I said. “Have a minute?”

  “Sorry, but there’s just too much to do right now. Let’s chat soon.”

  “I don’t want to chat,” I told her.

  “What then?”

  “I’d like to talk.” I said it with such force that I actually got her attention.

  “I have five minutes, no more.” She glanced back at Bobby, and I realized how wound up she was. “Let’s go outside.”

  The foggy air on the balcony was cool and sharp, the skyline smoky.

  “What do you want?” she asked.

  “Why did you lie to me about Arianna’s sign?”

  She grabbed the rail and glared at me. “I never said it was hers.”

  “And more important, you never said it was your sign. But it is yours, isn’t it?”

  “You’re way out of line here, Logan. As much as I respect Henry, you’re a little too weird with this astro stuff
, and I’m not telling you anything else.”

  “You don’t have to,” I said. “I know you’re the double Gemini with the Aries Moon.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Gemini Sun, Gemini Rising. Aries Moon. That’s the chart you gave me to figure out. You need to listen to me, and you also need to figure out a way to stop this party. If you don’t, something terrible is going to happen.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Stacy said. “The party is on, and no one can stop it. I’ve had enough of this.” She turned away from the rail, her expression icy. “Now, I need to go change into my costume. I owe your shy little friend for that one. Remind me to thank her.”

  NOTES TO SELF

  Although Stacy refused to cancel the party, she did give me what I wanted. Except now that she’s confirmed that she’s the Gemini who’s going to be in trouble, I’m more worried than ever. Because I think Stacy is right. I think it is probably too late to cancel anything, including what is in the stars.

  CRUSHES: HOW TO ATTRACT AN AQUARIUS

  By Logan McRae

  The Aquarius cutie is one of the most fascinating creatures in the zodiac. He has strong opinions and ideas about the way the world does and should work. Even though he is an Air sign, he is Fixed Air. This guy doesn’t gush. He ponders before offering his input. He may be so lost in his own world that he hasn’t even noticed that you exist. Time to change that.

  You can spot him in a classroom. He’s the guy with the twinkly eyes and the weird hair, who after everyone else has talked a subject to death, raises his hand and quietly makes the most brilliant point of all.

  He has no interest in girls who go with the flow. If you stand out from the crowd, you’ll have the best chance of attracting him. That means in dress and attitude, and most of all, in the causes you care about. Cute but brainless chicks hold no appeal for him. Nor do those who try to hit on him in the usual ways.

  Here are three ways to get his head out of the clouds and his mind focused on you: • Have a social conscience. This isn’t something you can fake. You really do have to care. If your only outside interest is getting your nails done, move on down the zodiac and find yourself a nice Aries or Leo. Do you volunteer in the kitchen of the local homeless shelter? Do you help register voters? If you are involved not just in yourself, but in the world around you, Aquarius will notice.

  • Listen. This sign loves to talk about his causes. If he feels that you are with him, he may go on and on. That brilliant Aquarius mind just doesn’t stop. Don’t interrupt him to demonstrate how brilliant you are. He isn’t doing this to impress you, and he doesn’t want you to try to impress him. He’s sharing what’s in his head.

  • Give him space. If you don’t give it to him, he’ll take it anyway. He may be late to pick you up because something important sidetracked him. This doesn’t mean he’s not into you. He’s not a flirt or a two-timer. He may forget to call—or once he does—come across as hesitant or shy on the phone. Ask questions, but don’t push. He knows what he wants.

  What to say when he asks you out: “There’s an Earth Day planning meeting going on that night. Want to come along?”

  22

  YOUR ASTROLOGICAL CHART IS A MAP THAT WAS BORN

  THE MOMENT YOU WERE. IT IS A GUIDE TO YOUR

  STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES, AND ON OCCASION, THE

  TIMES OF YOUR GREATEST DURESS. TRAGEDY BEFALLS

  US ALL. SOONER OR LATER, WE ALL MUST DEAL WITH

  ENEMIES, SOME MORE THREATENING THAN OTHERS.

  CHOOSE YOUR ENEMIES CAREFULLY. WHEN YOU KNOW

  THEIR ASTROLOGICAL CHARTS AS WELL AS YOU KNOW

  YOUR OWN, YOU WILL PREVAIL.

  —Fearless Astrology

  The Gemini night had finally arrived. Dusk had settled over the city, transforming it to a living lithograph of gray, black, and white. I tried to forget the sound of Jeremy’s girlfriend’s voice on the phone. He was a supposed-to-be-true Taurus. How had I lost him so soon? Francis, the angry chef, had told me that I could change in the staff rest-room. That made me like him better. Besides, I could see that he loved his kitchen. It couldn’t be fun to have Alex taking it over and treating him like an assistant.

  Once I had finished putting on my Sherlock, I looked into the mirror and had to admire myself in the short skirt and cool hat. The pockets were deep, so it was easy to stash my pipe, cell phone, and notebook.

  The door swung open. Two women in black dresses and sequined face masks flew in like crows.

  “Sherlock,” one of them said. “You go.”

  At least she had recognized who I was supposed to be. I couldn’t help wondering why they were in the staff rest-room, but I couldn’t obsess about that right now. It was time to join the party.

  With the wide windows reflecting the lights of the city, it seemed as if the night had come inside. I stepped out of the elevator and tried to pretend that I wasn’t buzzing with anxiety, fear, and a major broken heart.

  The rooftop hotel ballroom was filled with everyone from Tarzan, Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette, Shrek, Princess Leia, Spider-Man, and Wonder Woman. Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett mingled with Napoleon and Josephine. Flavor Flav, with a clock around his neck, flashed his grill and adjusted his Viking horns as he checked out Stacy in her Queen of Hearts gown.

  Behind her was the tall, muscular King of Hearts, long dark hair pulled back behind a red-and-gold hat trimmed in fake ermine. Paige hadn’t had time to help Cory with the design of his costume, and it showed. The same fake ermine trimmed the sides and bottom of his matching red coat. A mask covered most of his face, but I knew that the eyes would be blue trimmed with thick, dark lashes.

  When he saw me, he turned away, and I wondered if he was embarrassed for me to see him dressed up in a matchymatchy version of Stacy’s costume. He’d done this, I knew, so that he could be in the magazine to resurrect his career.

  A string quartet played at a low volume at one end of the suite, but the laughter and conversations among the guests drowned out the music. No wonder the magazine had rented and closed off the block of rooms below us. No one down there would be able to sleep tonight.

  Just then, Henry Jaffa walked in. One look, and I knew he was supposed to be Edgar Allan Poe, complete with the black velvet raven perched upon the shoulder of his topcoat. He caught my eye and grinned. Finally, I had a friend here. I ran up to him.

  “That’s an original costume,” he said, “and appropriate. How’s it going?”

  “I’m worried,” I said. “Something bad is going to happen tonight.”

  “Are you speaking from an astrological perspective?” he asked.

  I nodded. “More than that, though. I tried to talk to Stacy about it.”

  “She mentioned that there had been some . . .” I could see him try to search for an appropriate term. “... some tension between you two. I was sorry to hear that. She’s been very successful at a very young age and could be an excellent role model for you.”

  “She’s been dishonest with me from the start,” I said. “Remember when she gave me the astrological chart to figure out? She said it was the chart of a celebrity who would be attending the party. Only it was her chart, and there’s what we call a square, a potential for disaster for her tonight. She won’t listen to me.”

  “What sort of disaster?” I could see that I had his attention now.

  “I don’t know. The stars aren’t that exact.”

  “Then there’s not much we can do,” he said. “And what if you’re wrong? You know that you’ll lose Stacy’s respect and the magazine astrology column right along with it.”

  “I know that, but I don’t think I’m wrong.”

  At that moment, Josh Mellick stepped into the room. He was dressed as both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and his costume was half lab coat, half tuxedo tails, half professor mask, half ghoul. Gemini Arianna must have picked it out. He was even better looking than his photos. His teeth were so white I knew he must be seriously into bleach str
ips, and I could see the famous spiked hair over the top of his mask.

  Arianna walked in behind him, no more baseball cap and jeans. In her ’90s Madonna costume, complete with cone bra, she looked like the star she was. Capricorn Josh could be a good sign for her. I hoped, for her sake, that it worked out. Like most Gemini Sun signs, she had two sides, and I still didn’t know what she’d been doing with Alex that night.

  The elevator opened. Catwoman slinked in alone. She was cute yet edgy with the super lashes and long, black whiskers painted on her face. Then came Aphrodite. I barely recognized Paige. Without her glasses and her pale hair pulled straight back and topped by a wreath of burnished leaves, she was beyond beautiful. Now I realized how smart she had been to forego wearing a mask. That face was all she needed.

  How much of beauty was attitude? I wondered. Although she had the same features as regular old Paige, she didn’t look anything like that girl.

  I started toward them, one so sexy and the other so stunning. Then I glanced over at the top of the stairs beside the elevator. There stood a slender, golden-skinned woman in an aluminum miniskirt and a mass of hair the same color. She inhaled slowly, as if breathing in the room. Once she spotted Paige, she paused, then boldly approached her.

  “Your costume,” she said. “Who designed it?”

  “I did, Graciela.”

  Graciela. The Platinum Dragon. She was here, and she was actually speaking to Paige.

  “You designed it? Then, you are very talented, my friend. You have, perhaps, a mentor, someone older, who maybe guided you?”

  “Paige is a design major,” I said. “Isn’t she, Chili?”

  “She loves your beachwear.” Chili flashed her a killer smile, and the whiskers Paige had drawn onto her face broke into dimples.

  “I have followed your work since I was a kid,” Paige said, speaking over our words. “I love the way that all of your fabrics are cut on the bias. And those iridescent tones.” She spoke with a confidence I had never seen in her before.