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  Arianna Woods.

  “Hi, Arianna,” I said. “I’m Logan, and I’ll be ...”

  “Dude. I know who you are,” she replied in a voice too old and too harsh for her age. “Thanks for screwing up my day.”

  NOTES TO SELF

  That was my introduction to the girl I had hoped to save from whatever disaster lay in her path. So much for my early lunch, which I didn’t want anyway. I followed her back inside, only to have her slam Stacy’s door in my face. After a brief meeting, Arianna stalked through the office. She paused briefly before leaving and shot me one final look of pure hate.

  At lunch, I summoned the courage to tell Stacy what had happened, and she admitted that she had mentioned that I was the one who had alerted her to the “inconsistencies” of Arianna on YUTalk. Stacy again told me how grateful she was that I had done so. Besides, I didn’t have to work directly with Arianna, she said.

  Now I’m home, and I am going to check YUTalk again. Arianna’s profile looks absolutely virginal.

  Nickname: Ari

  Hair: Natural blond

  Eyes: Navy blue

  Sun Sign: Gemini

  Music: Everything

  Goal: Help my fans get in touch with themselves through my music.

  The photo of her shows what looks like a religious symbol around her neck. It appears to be made of diamonds.

  Is it possible that I am the reason she changed the page? Afraid so. And if I’m right, that Gemini won’t rest until she gets even. So, we are in a race now. Can she discredit me before I can save her from whatever is going to happen on that night of the launch party? How can I save spacey Arianna from that Gemini night when I have no idea what is going to go wrong?

  SQUARED PLANETS: A HARD ENERGY

  When two planets are ninety degrees apart, it is said that they square each other. Because of the ninety-degree angle, squares are approximately three signs apart. Thus a square is usually Cardinal (Aries, Libra, Cancer, Capricorn), Fixed (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius), or Mutable (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) and will take on the qualities of each. A Cardinal square will involve power struggles. A Fixed square will be unyielding with secrets and obsessions. A Mutable square is more flexible, based on other aspects of the chart.

  Squares are said to possess a hard energy. Conflict is at their core. A square sets up obstacles and teaches lessons. Despite the tension and conflict, a square can also offer you an opportunity to overcome adversity and to grow.

  5

  WHEN YOU ARE BORN AND TAKE THAT FIRST BREATH,

  YOU INGEST THE UNIVERSE, AND THAT IS WHAT

  LEAVES ITS MARK. HOWEVER, REMEMBER THAT YOUR

  CHART IS LIKE ANY OTHER MAP. IT’S A WAY TO TRAVEL,

  BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO FOLLOW IT. STAY TRUE TO

  YOUR MISSION, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE MAP SAYS.

  —Fearless Astrology

  That’s what I had to do. My mission was to keep that internship. Although it wouldn’t make me miss Jeremy any less, it would help me continue my ties to Henry Jaffa. That connection seemed to be the only one that had survived the summer. No, I couldn’t allow such negative thoughts into my brain. There had to be a reason Jeremy hadn’t gotten in touch with me lately. He had said that he was going to be doing some traveling with his dad. Maybe that’s what they were doing. Maybe he’d lost or broken his phone. Maybe.

  In the meantime, I decided to start writing an astro love column for CRUSH, as if I already had the job. It would be about how to make a Sun fall for you. Once I proved myself to Stacy, I’d have all of these cool columns ready to go. Researching and writing it might even help me figure out how to get Jeremy interested again.

  Snider was alone in the classroom that morning, bent over the papers on her desk. As usual, her hair was pulled back, with little curls around her neck. She had lightened it, or maybe just spent some time in the sun. Definitive Capricorn, made even more elegant by the white shirt with high neckline and pearl buttons.

  “Good morning,” she said, and I could sense her caution.

  “I wanted to come in early because I have good news,” I told her. “CRUSH magazine is going to do a spring issue on beaches next year, and they’re coming here to do a photo shoot.”

  She put down her pen and gave me the first genuine smile I’d seen from her in a long time. “That’s wonderful, Logan. How did you make it happen?”

  I felt myself flush. “Stacy, the CRUSH editor, liked the idea of featuring a beach in a small town.”

  “So do I. I’m really happy to see you making such positive progress with your internship, Logan.”

  Probably not a good time to mention that I was trying out for the teen astrology columnist position. I would worry about that if and when I got the job.

  “I’m excited about it. They’ll be picking one model from here. Can you believe it?”

  “Only one?”

  “One from each beach community high school. From all over the country.”

  “How can we possibly select one?” Snider asked. “I can’t even imagine the wars that will start.”

  “There won’t be any wars,” I told her. “Stacy says they are going to ask the fashion designer featured in that issue to make the final decisions.”

  “Which designer?”

  “Her name is Graciela Perez. Stacy said she’s the hottest beachwear designer in the country.”

  “And no astrology?” Although she was still smiling, I knew it wasn’t a joke.

  “Just swimsuits, Ms. Snider. No astrology.”

  At least not right now.

  I knew Snider was going to be a problem if I got the column, but that couldn’t stop me. Stacy was already beginning to have confidence in me. Even though she had claimed the beach idea as her own, she was rewarding me by letting Terra High be one of the featured schools.

  The news spread. Other students asked me about it. That day, it seemed as if every girl on campus wanted to be in CRUSH. I wondered how that would feel—to know you looked so fabulous that you could be in a national magazine. Or to at least think you could be. If I had that much self-confidence, there would be no stopping me. I might just have the nerve to reach for my phone and call Ireland. Might just demand to know why a certain hot guy had suddenly gone so cold.

  “Hi, Chili. Hi, Paige. Hiiii, Logan.” Dina Coulter, cheerleader—Kat’s Virgo friend, and suck-up, had oily dark hair and bright lips curved into a perpetual valentine smile. In addition to being a royal pain, she spent her days walking the halls and greeting everyone by name. Except for me. We had-n’t spoken since I had used astrology to figure out that crazy situation last spring, when I was still a sophomore. But it appeared that I was suddenly once again worthy of attention.

  “Hi,” the three of us murmured in unison.

  “I heard about CRUSH,” she said, and turned her beady little gaze on me.

  “Oh, you did? Are you interested in trying out?”

  Chili and Paige rolled their eyes.

  “Maybe.” Dina shrugged. “I just wanted the guidelines, that’s all.”

  For Kat, of course. Virgo Dina thought there should be a ten-page printed list of rules for everything including getting out of bed in the morning.

  “Just show up,” I said. “The photographers will be here on Thursday.”

  “Are there going to be tryouts?”

  “No, this isn’t cheer. They’re just going to take photos at the beach and around the school.”

  “Come on, Logan,” she said. “You’ve got to have more information than that.”

  “If I did, I’d tell you, even though I know who you’re really asking for.”

  “So what?” she said. “Kat has as good a chance as any of your friends. That’s the real reason you’re not sharing what you know, isn’t it? You want Chili to get it.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Chili said. “If you think Logan would cheat for me, or if I’d even want her to ...”

  “I wouldn’t put anything past either
one of you.”

  “Just a minute,” I said before their exchange turned into a fight. “I have no idea who’s going to be selected, okay? I was able to get the magazine to feature our school, that’s it. And I was lucky to do that.”

  “Okay then.” Dina shrugged and pushed her hair out of her eyes. “I guess we’ll just have to wait until Thursday.”

  With that, she took off down the hall.

  “Can you believe her?” Chili said. “She’s acting like there’s some secret code or something.”

  “You don’t need a secret code to get chosen,” I told her.

  Paige grinned. “Not if those people at that magazine have a brain among them.”

  “They do,” I said. “But they aren’t the ones making the decision. It’s the designer who will be featured in the issue. She’s going to be at the launch party too.”

  “What designer?” Paige demanded.

  “She does swimsuits. Her name is ...”

  “Not Graciela Perez?”

  “Yes, that’s the one. Is she good?”

  “Oh, Logan,” Paige said, “she’s awesome! You’ve got to get me into that party.”

  “Get us both in.” Chili wrapped her arm around me.

  “I will do my best,” I said. “In the meantime, show up on Thursday in something sexy, both of you.”

  “What about you?” Paige asked.

  “I’ll be there to cheer you on,” I said. “Astrologer to the stars.”

  Chili stared at me for a moment, and I knew that it was one of the rare times she wasn’t speaking what was on her mind. “Why don’t you both come by my house this afternoon? Help me try to figure out what to wear on Thursday.”

  “I need to get home,” I said.

  “You can check your e-mail from my computer.”

  “I know, but I just feel I should be there.”

  Paige and Chili exchanged looks. “Okay then. We can go through my closet tomorrow.” Chili’s smile was brighter than ever, and absolutely fake. I was grateful for it just the same.

  NOTES TO SELF

  My two best friends are worried about me, I can tell. They don’t ask about Jeremy anymore, but I know they guessed that I wanted to be home in case he called here, which he never has. That’s not really the reason, though. I just know I’m going to hear from him today, and I don’t want to be around anyone when I do. In the meantime, I am going to see what I can do about getting them into the CRUSH costume party. And I am going to practice writing about crushes for what I hope will be my new column.

  CRUSHES: HOW TO SNAG AN ARIES

  By Logan McRae

  If you want an Aries to notice you, you need to stand out. But not in a trashy way. Showing off your belly button piercing is going to send him a one-word message—“Easy.” The beenthere-done-that Fire sign is looking for more of a challenge. Here are three ways to give him what he’s looking for. • Hang with other guys. They can be just friends, but they are still going to bring out that Aries competition gene. Meet his eyes and smile over your shoulder as you pass by.

  • Take up a cool sport. Aries loves activity. Train for a marathon. Organize a bike trip. Invite some of those male friends of yours.

  • Is there a cause you believe and are involved in? A driving ambition for school or career? Are you the first to volunteer or campaign? Pure Aries bait! The Ram is passion all the way, and he can’t help being attracted to a passionate girl. No couch potatoes for this guy.

  What to say when he asks you out: “As a matter of fact, I think I am free that night.”

  6

  LOVING AN EARTH SIGN USUALLY MEANS YOU WILL BE

  TOGETHER FOREVER. EVEN A RARE CHEATING EARTH

  SIGN WILL TRY TO STICK WITH BOTH LOVE INTERESTS

  INDEFINITELY. IF YOU HAVE PICKED A TAURUS, VIRGO, OR

  CAPRICORN PARTNER, YOU ARE PROBABLY SET FOR LIFE.

  SOMETIMES EVEN MORE SET THAN YOU’D LIKE TO BE.

  —Fearless Astrology

  miss u too

  keep in touch

  j

  I was right. I heard from Jeremy. His text showed up about the time that I got home. My chest felt tight and ready to explode. Was this the only response he could send me? What had happened to I love you? And what did keep in touch mean?

  Admit it. I was losing him, losing the guy I loved. He was all I thought about that week, although I didn’t mention it to Chili or Paige. Why had Jeremy fallen out of love with me? Had he met someone else? Had he forgotten about how it had been with us? I guess he had. I couldn’t give up, though, in spite of everything that was happening right now. I needed to do something to get him to at least talk to me.

  As the news continued to spread through Terra High that CRUSH would be doing a photo shoot on campus, Kat made it clear that she was determined to be the Terra High model—and so did Chili.

  “If only because Kat is so irritating,” Chili said as we went through her closet Tuesday after school. “I don’t even care that much. But if I don’t try, she might actually win.”

  Stella, Chili’s mom, stepped into the room.

  “Absolutely nothing that shows cleavage, honey,” she announced. “I mean that, Jessica.”

  She always called Chili by her real name.

  “The magazine people are just doing group shots this trip,” I said. “They want to see us the way we look at school.”

  “Your jean skirt with the gathered waist.” Paige’s eyes gleamed, and she went into Pisces creative mode. “Wear it with your plaid shirt, and your navy striped sweater.”

  “I don’t want them to think I’m trying too hard.” Chili turned from the closet of endless possibilities.

  “That’s the point,” I said. “Kat certainly will be trying too hard. You need to do the same.”

  “Who cares if she does get it? She doesn’t have anything else going for her.”

  “But she’s an Aries, and she is going to play every angle,” I said. “You know how she is, and she super hates you because you stole her boyfriend last spring.”

  “For what? About five minutes. She can have him now.”

  She was such a Gemini.

  “Just be sure that you pull down the shirt sleeves from the arms of your sweater, Chili.” Paige moved past us into the closet. “It’s a really good look. And, Logan, in return for all of this fashion advice, I’d love a personal introduction to the Platinum Dragon.”

  “Who’s that?” I asked.

  “Graciela Perez. That’s what they call her, and when you see her, you’ll understand why.”

  Now I was starting to get it. “So she’s to you what Henry Jaffa is to me?”

  “Not even close.” She emerged from the closest carrying Chili’s jean skirt and several shirts and sweaters. “You and Jaffa are friends. I just want to meet Graciela, that’s all. It will totally make my life.”

  “If I can get Stacy to agree, you’re in.”

  That Thursday, Chili showed up in the striped sweater, red-plaid shirt, and jean skirt. With multi-clustered chandelier earrings, she would be hard to miss when the magazine people got there.

  Paige wore white cropped pants with silver zippers at the pockets and a draped-knit pale blue top in the same shade as her eyes.

  “You look great,” Chili said when I got into the car beside her. “Isn’t that green perfect for her, Paige?”

  “Really nice. I love vertical stripes and ruffles on a shirt.”

  They were lying, trying to make me feel better and probably well aware of my red-rimmed eyes.

  “Okay,” I said. “So this isn’t my best day in the world.”

  “Here.” Paige leaned forward and handed me her cup of coffee. “What happened, Logan?”

  “It’s Jeremy. He ...” I couldn’t finish. Just held onto that cup that was so much warmer than my hands.

  “I knew it,” Chili said. “Didn’t I tell you, Paige? Didn’t I say there was no way it could work out with Logan here and that guy in Ireland?”

&nb
sp; “I don’t think this is the appropriate time to discuss what we talked about,” Paige said, “and Jeremy does have a name. He isn’t just that guy.”

  “Right. That’s what I meant.” Chili turned around and gave me that smile that owned the universe and just assumed that I could too. “But, come on. This really is the appropriate time to talk about what happened with Jeremy that upset you so much. Isn’t it, Logan?”

  “Probably,” I said. “His last text made it pretty clear that he’s no longer into me.” I spoke clearly, and to my surprise, without tears. Yet my heart felt so dead, so betrayed, that I was certain it would never recover.

  “So much for that jerk,” Chili said. “At least, Sol is really into you. I already checked out his sign. Cancers are loyal to the end.” “I’m far from the end,” I told her, “and I can’t exchange men like underwear.” The way you can, Gemini.

  “I’m not suggesting that. All I’m saying is that Sol is hella smart, and he likes you. Can’t you at least think about it?”

  “I really can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t know.”

  But I did know. I was still in love with Jeremy.

  A guy who said he loved me. A guy who left for Ireland and didn’t bother to keep in touch after the new wore off, as my Gram would say. Maybe the new had worn off for him, but it hadn’t for me. I liked Sol. He was steady and sweet. But he was nothing more to me. No way could I ever feel anything but friendship for him. Could I?

  As we got out of the car, I realized that the photographer was already there. An older guy in glasses, he smiled as we walked toward the classrooms. Next to him was Bobby, the art director, in baggy beige shorts rolled up to his pudgy knees.

  Out of nowhere, a shrieking figure in front of me shot into the air.