Star Crossed Read online

  “Terra High, Terra High. Can’t hold us down. We’re gonna fly.” Kat, of course, in her navy and gold cheer attire. Dina was right behind her in cutoffs. Under each arm was one of those cheesy little exercise steps. Were they really going to build a mini cheer platform out here in the parking lot?

  “Later, hon,” Bobby said with a bored expression. “These are location shots. We’ll get you after school on the beach. Hey, Logan, come over here, and bring your girlfriends.”

  Kat shot me a nasty look.

  Beside her, Dina said, “Hi, Logan. Hi, Paige. Hi, Chili.” Her oily hair had actually been washed and run through some kind of flatiron from hell. Her eyes were so heavily lined that they looked like two holes burned in a blanket.

  If CRUSH obsession had taken over Dina, it must have taken over the entire school. I couldn’t wait to get home and away from all of it. But I couldn’t. After our last class that day, we were told to show up on the beach, which was about five minutes away. Kat was the first one I saw. She was dressed in a red top-heavy bikini, cut up high on the butt. Mine was blue retro tie-dye and not very revealing, since I didn’t have much to reveal. Paige had designed her own with lots of ruffles on the aqua top that would have been flat without them. Chili was perfect in her leopard print that matched the shiny streaks in her hair.

  “Line up, will you?” Bobby shouted. “We need you to spell out the word, CRUSH. Move your arms and hands so that you resemble the letters. We might actually get this in the magazine, people. Then, you’ll all be there.”

  We managed to do it, and the photographer grinned. “You kids are perfect. Now I’m going to do some individual shots. Don’t let it bother you. Just act the way you always do.”

  “Terra High, Terra High.” Kat began jumping on the higher of the two steps they had set up. Dina clapped her hands in rhythm.

  “Um, let’s try another group shot,” the photographer said. “Line up, please.”

  Kat and Dina ran in front of him, and Chili wasn’t far behind.

  “You go too,” I told Paige.

  “Only if you do.”

  “Hey, cutie,” Kat said to the photographer, “Can I be in the front row for this photo?”

  He seemed to consider it.

  “Bobby,” I called out. “Where are you?”

  “Right here, hon.”

  The art director lumbered over. “What do you need?”

  I pointed at Chili and Paige, each of them on either side of me. They grinned up at him.

  “I’d like him to take their photos,” I said.

  He nodded. “I agree. Hey, Ron, get over here.”

  “Thanks,” I said.

  Chili tossed her hair and flashed him a smile.

  “Work that hair, Chili,” Kat yelled. “It’s all you’ve got.”

  She moved the steps in front of us and began jumping up and down on the higher one, her skirt almost around her waist.

  “Terra High, Terra High. We can flyyyyyy.”

  I’d had it. At the moment she jumped from her perch, I kicked the other step out of the way. With a shriek, she landed on her butt in the sand.

  “Go for it, Kat,” I said. “Terra High yourself.”

  NOTES TO SELF

  It was my only moment of pleasure that entire day. Never invite an unevolved Aries to a photo shoot. This one got what she wanted, but not the way she had planned. While she swore and whined about her skinned knee, the magazine people ignored her, and Chili happily took out her phone and snapped the scene. She put it on her YUTalk page, and even I had to laugh. I’m home again, trying to figure out how to get the astro column at the magazine and get my guy back. Not much hope there. I’ve been reading the text again and again, trying to find some kind of rhythm and make some kind of sense from it.

  miss u too

  keep in touch

  j

  Could I hate my life any more right now?

  CRUSHES: HOW TO TEMPT A TAURUS

  By Logan McRae

  The Bull is ruled by Venus, which means that he has an appreciation of sensual pursuits, and not just the one all guys are thinking about. Jealousy won’t work. Tramp by with another guy, and the Taurus of your dreams will shrug and wander off. Brazenly approaching him isn’t the best idea either. He doesn’t like surprises, secrets, or games. Screechy cheerleader voices turn him off. His senses rule.

  Here are three ways to arouse his interest: • Wear classic styles and colors, especially blue and brown, if they look good on you. Choose soft, tactile fabrics that say, “Touch me.” Use a shower gel that leaves just an intriguing hint of fragrance that will linger as you walk by or lean over to ask him a question.

  • If you’re involved in a class discussion, listen to his opinion. This is one guy who’s going to be tough to change. Decide from the onset how similar you are before you decide to date him.

  • Mention the concert you attended last week. Talking music, art, and food are sure ways to make him look at you in a new way.

  What to say when he asks you out: “I know a great little place for dinner.”

  7

  IF YOU DOUBT THE POWER OF THE MOON, THINK

  ABOUT ITS EFFECT ON WATER. EARTH IS 80 PERCENT

  WATER, AND THE MOON PULLS THE TIDE. OUR BODIES

  HAVE THE SAME MAKEUP. AS ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT

  OR EMERGENCY ROOM PROFESSIONAL CAN ATTEST, A

  FULL MOON MEANS BEDLAM. AND IF IT HAS THAT KIND

  OF EFFECT ON US, IMAGINE WHAT THE REST OF THE

  PLANETS CAN DO.

  —Fearless Astrology

  The moon was full Thursday night. Gemini Moon, good for communication skills, and I was going to need all the help I could get. The next morning, a silver shadow of it still remained in the sky as I drove to San Francisco. Stacy had asked me to meet her for coffee, and her e-mail had sounded friendly. She’d even signed it “Stace.”

  We met outside her office. As always, she looked perfect. The black hair made her skin seem even more pale and delicate. Today her dark eyes were lined in turquoise, the same color as the stones in her silver pendant. She looked like the “after” in a makeover photo.

  I hoped this was a positive meeting, but with the full moon, I wasn’t counting on it.

  “Thanks for coming so early, Logan.” Her smile was carefully composed as if she were waiting to go on stage. Again, I wondered if she was a Leo. More than that, I wondered what was going on that made it necessary for me to show up ahead of anyone else.

  “It was a great drive,” I said, only partially lying. “I got to watch the sun come up while the moon was still in the sky.”

  “Is that helpful for your astro stuff?” She began walking, and I did the same.

  “Oh, no. Astrology isn’t only about what’s going on in the sky. It’s also understanding what was going on the moment you were born and figuring out how you’ve progressed and how you can deal with challenges and successes right now.”

  “Well put.” It was a Henry Jaffa term. In my short association with him, I had learned that it usually meant: Boring beyond belief. Please shut up.

  “Love your outfit.” She checked me out from gray knit cap to skinny jeans. “You’re a cute girl, Logan, and you’d be even cuter if you did a little more with your eyes.” The you’d-be-even-cuter line reminded me of Chili when she tried to get Paige to wear more makeup. Was that what Stacy wanted to talk to me about? My appearance?

  “Thanks. I’m afraid that I’m not very good at that.”

  “I didn’t mean to sound critical.”

  “Not at all,” I said. “I appreciate it.” So it wasn’t my appearance. What then?

  We walked down Columbus toward a building with a glass front, a coffee shop that appeared local rather than Starbuckized. Through the expansive windows, I could see people huddled at tables in a well lit interior of yellow and brown.

  “Caffe Greco,” I said, reading the sign.

  “Order whatever you’d like.” She seemed impatient. My stomach
was in such a tight knot that I didn’t dare eat anything.

  “Just a decaf,” I said.

  The guy at the counter was a cute Latino with rectangular glasses that made his eyes appear enormous.

  “Hi, Carlos,” she said. “Beautiful day, isn’t it? A decaf for her and the usual for me, please.”

  “Working hard?” He winked.

  “Very hard, and I need the coffees to go,” she said, her tone clipped. One moment she’d been friendly to him. Now she seemed indifferent. Something was on her mind, all right, and I had a nasty feeling that I was the something.

  “Sure thing,” he said with a shrug. “We’ll get your orders right away.”

  We walked outside with our drinks. Although I was afraid to speak, Stacy seemed to be having a more difficult time. I stopped on the sidewalk and tried to make eye contact with her.

  “So what’s going on?”

  “The launch party is shaping up well.” She took a sip from her cup, as if grateful to avoid looking back at me. “Alex Keen will be catering. We just got that confirmed.”

  The hot Canadian chef Chili adored. I couldn’t wait to tell her about that, but I couldn’t think about it right now.

  “That’s great.”

  “And Arianna Woods has demanded your dismissal.”

  “What?” I should have expected this after my run-in with her.

  “I’m sorry, Logan. It was really wrong for me to tell her that you shared what she was doing on that social networking page of hers. So, yes, she hates you. And she’s trying to get us to terminate your internship.”

  “Are you going to fire me?” I asked.

  “Of course not. Henry would kill me.”

  So Jaffa was the reason I had my internship. I’d already guessed that. Now I knew it.

  “What do I have to do to convince her to leave me alone?” I asked.

  Stacy lifted her cup to her lips but didn’t drink. “Just one thing.”

  “What?” I asked again.

  “You need to try to talk to her,” she said. “As you know, she’s dealing with a lot right now, but she’s coming back with a new CD. It will be awesome when that coincides with our cover.”

  “Does what Arianna want determine what happens to me?” I asked.

  “Not really.” She stopped to take another sip. “But kind of.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “That she could go over my head. I don’t know that she will. We get along pretty well.”

  “Would you talk to her about me? Tell her I wasn’t trying to cause trouble for her?”

  “I already have,” she said. “Apparently, she was really attached to her YUTalk page. She feels it was the only way she could be herself with her fans. When we told her people that the magazine deal depended on changing it, she was understandably pissed.”

  Furious and vengeful was more like it. The very worst swing of the double-edge Gemini sword.

  “What could I even say to her? She’s a star and I’m just a high school kid.”

  “That might work to your advantage.” She stopped at the crosswalk and gave me a thoughtful look. “I told her that you were sweet and nice, and, well, young.”

  “And you think that will convince her not to hate me for telling you about the site?”

  “Anyone could have done that. And should have.” Her expression changed, and I wondered who in the office had-n’t followed through on that one. My guess was Danielle, the assistant. “Arianna just needs to see that you’re not mean. She can be moody, and for all we know, might have already regretted what she said.”

  No use in telling her that a Gemini neither regrets nor forgets.

  “Do you think she’ll actually talk to me?”

  She nodded. “That’s why I wanted to meet early, so that you’d be prepared.”

  “Thanks for going to bat for me, Stacy.”

  “Call me Stace.” She smiled. “We’d better jam, though. Arianna’s waiting for us back at the office.”

  NOTES TO SELF

  Here I was worried about how to land an astrology column, and now I’m practically begging to keep my job. Fortunately, Arianna is running late, so I have a few minutes to recover before she gets here. I pretend to be cheerful and willing to assist, and there is plenty of work. I can tell by the way Bobby and Mary Elizabeth are treating me that they are unaware of what’s going on. Bobby tells me I have cute friends, and Mary Elizabeth compliments me on my “fab little beanie.”

  Now, I have a minute to check out Fearless Astrology. I’ve learned that it’s a good idea to keep it handy at all times. I never know when I need some fast advice. This is one of those times.

  8

  ANGER IS A SECONDARY EMOTION, AND NEVER MORE

  TRUE THAN IN THE CASE OF GEMINI. A CAR RUNS A

  STOPLIGHT AND HEADS FOR YOU. YOU HONK THE HORN.

  YOU SMASH YOUR THUMB WITH A HAMMER, AND YOU

  SWEAR. IN BOTH CASES, ANGER IS THE SECONDARY

  EMOTION. THE CAR SCARED YOU. THE HAMMER HURT

  YOU. REMEMBER THIS WHEN DEALING WITH WHAT

  APPEARS TO BE AN ANGRY GEMINI. LOOK FOR WHAT IS

  UNDERNEATH THAT ANGER.

  —Fearless Astrology

  I reminded myself that Arianna was a Gemini Air sign. When I met with her in Stacy’s office, I tried to decide what her primary emotion was. But she didn’t look afraid or hurt. She just looked angry. The multicolored hair was pulled back, giving her navy eyes a feline slant that only made her appear more unfriendly.

  She wore jeans and a little lacy white shirt that was too thin for the unpredictable weather outside. Not to mention, too revealing. Although she was less than five years older than I, there was a world of experience between us. She slouched in her chair and looked across at me from time to time, as if I were a bug she’d like to crush with that chunky sandal of hers.

  “Well,” Stacy said, “Today it’s my turn to get the coffee.” What a joke. She just wanted to ditch the office and us as soon as possible, leaving me to deal with Arianna by myself.

  “Red Bull for me.” She looked as if she needed it. Her speaking voice had a husky, cheerleader quality that didn’t sound anything like her singing one.

  Stacy met my eyes and then turned away quickly and closed the door behind her.

  “So?” Arianna picked at a white nail tip.

  “Well,” I began, my voice shaking. “I appreciate that you’re willing to talk to me.”

  “Like I had a choice?”

  “I mean ...” This was worse than I had imagined. “... I really didn’t realize that what you had on your YUTalk page was secret.”

  “Dude. It wasn’t secret, but nobody important bothered checking it out until you opened your kiss-ass mouth.”

  “I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong,” I said.

  “So you ratted me out, just like that. And you royally pissed off the magazine people, Stacy included. Don’t tell me you didn’t know that would happen.”

  “I didn’t know,” I said. “This internship means everything to me. Do you really think I’d do something as stupid as that to jeopardize it?”

  “Being able to say whatever I wanted on that blog, it was like having someone to talk to.” She jumped out of her chair, and it was as if someone had flipped an invisible energy switch. “Why can’t I ever just have someone to freakin’ talk to?”

  She stalked to the window as if no longer aware of me. Afraid or hurt? I was guessing both.

  “Communication is everything to a Gemini,” I said softly. “You have to have it. You must.”

  She whipped around to face me. “How the hell do you know I’m a Gemini?”

  “Your birthday is on your YUTalk page.”

  “Oh, right. But what made you think of communication? How’d you know that?”

  “I’m kind of into astrology,” I said. “I also have a good friend who’s a Gemini.”

  “Does she have man problems, too?”

  I forced a laugh, t
ried to sound relaxed. “Make that men problems. Good song material, though.”

  “Don’t even go there.” She returned to her chair and began picking at her nails again. “Cory wrote the songs. Everyone knows that.”

  “I hear what you’re saying,” I told her, and hoped it connected to her Air sign core. “Gemini is ruled by Mercury. You’re all about delivering information.”

  “How do I know you’re not just making that up?” she asked.

  “Check any astrology site. Gemini is an information junkie, but can quickly lose interest in any project or person. Their cure for a challenging love relationship is to have someone else on the back burner.”

  That got a smile out of her. “You’re pretty good.”

  “Basic Gemini Sun stuff,” I said, and realized that Fearless Astrology just might be saving my internship for me. “If I knew where your other planets were, then I could really get specific.”

  “What would you need to find out that stuff?”

  Of course I already knew it, but I couldn’t tell her I did.

  “For your Moon, Mercury, Mars, and Venus, just your birthday.” Which I already had, thank you very much. “For your Rising sign and houses, I need your time and place of birth.”

  “You really don’t make this stuff up, do you?”

  “No,” I said. “Just don’t ask me how it works, because I don’t have a clue. And it doesn’t mean you’re locked into only one way of behaving or any one outcome.”

  “You sure about that?” She finally stared into my eyes, and there was so much sadness in her expression that I almost forgot that the purpose of this conversation was to save my job.

  “Absolutely sure. The stars only point out potential and possibilities. They don’t limit you.” Now I was starting to sound like Fearless Astrology. Had I said too much and made her think I was too out there?

  “Just so you know. It gives me no pleasure whatsoever to go around bullying an intern. But sometimes I just get so pissed.”