Star Crossed Read online

  Doing a quick online search for his birth date was easy. What wasn’t easy was locating information on the year he was born. In order to get more than a newspaper horoscope for him, I had to find it.

  I asked Chili, and she said that, yes, he was twenty-one, but age was only a number. She then asked about how compatible their signs were. I told her that Sadge and Gemini were opposites on the astral wheel, and there as well as most places, opposites attract. I didn’t add that the attraction was often temporary, or that Alex Keen was too sophisticated to do more than flirt with someone our age.

  Most of the girls at school were extra nice to me that Monday, as if I had the power to get them in CRUSH. I felt as phony as Dina and her perpetual frozen smile.

  After Kat’s little accident on the beach, she was back to not speaking to me, which was the only good thing that happened that day.

  Chili had to tutor a math student after her last class, so I had driven myself to school because I needed to stay late to help with the newspaper. A bunch of stories had come in past deadline. One was about University of California changing its requirements for freshmen. Another was a warning about the repercussions of students involved in sexting, which made me wonder who had gotten caught sending naked pictures this time.

  Sol caught up with me in the parking lot. His long hair fell across his face, somehow making him appear even larger than he already was. I looked up at him, those kind blue eyes. Emotional Cancer, I reminded myself, probably had issues. But he was still undeniably cute.

  “Thanks for sticking around,” he said, in that slow, soft drawl. “Without you, we couldn’t have finished tonight.”

  I moved toward the van, not sure how to reply. “So, who was sexting?” I asked, in an attempt to be funny and, more important, to keep him from hitting on me. Which I somehow knew was the goal behind all of this friendly chit chat.

  The problem was that I didn’t exactly mind being hit on by him, but if I took one step away from Jeremy, I would take another. And pretty soon, I would settle for the guy who was close, not the one I really wanted.

  He laughed. “Everyone’s sexting. Except you and me, that is.”

  I didn’t even want to think about that one. “Well,” I began, trying to figure out how beat it out of there. “At least we got the paper put to bed.” It was a Ms. Snider term, and I regretted it the moment it was out of my mouth.

  “You’re funny, Logan.” He was not getting my message, and it was my fault.

  “I didn’t mean to say that,” I told him, “and for your information, I’ve never sexted anyone in my life.”

  “I never thought you did.” He smiled, and his dimples deepened. “What I really wanted to ask you about is what happened with Bodmer last week.”

  At last, a way out of this conversation. “You know about that?”

  “Everyone does. Dina’s not exactly silent about anything, especially anything having to do with you or your friends.”

  “That’s her problem, and it’s all right now. Bodmer returned my phone last Thursday.”

  “Good.” He paused, and I could see that there was still something on his mind.

  “What, Sol?”

  “I’ve never seen you text in class,” he said.

  “You’re right. I do sometimes, but never in her class. That day was an exception. It really was.”

  “A guy, right? That’s what I heard it was about.”

  Why not tell the truth? Soon it would be too dark to see Sol’s face. Too dark to be embarrassed by the pity there.

  “Right. A guy. He’s living in Ireland now. Our time zones are kind of messed up, and we keep missing each other. That’s all. I should have known better than to try it in front of Bodmer.”

  “Same thing happened to me,” he said.

  “Bodmer caught you texting?”

  “Not that. The girl I was seeing in Texas? Suzanne?” He said it like a question, and I knew that I needed to get out of there right now.

  “It’s not like that with Jeremy and me. We’re going to be okay.”

  “Maybe, maybe not. After my family moved out here, I kept trying to contact her, and she never got back to me. She just stopped. Finally, I called her at home, and her little sister told me it was over. Her twelve-year-old sister. Suzanne couldn’t even tell me herself that she was seeing some other guy.”

  “Oh, geez.” I didn’t know what else to say.

  “It’s okay now. All that’s left is the anger. The worst part was not knowing what was going on. It was all that wondering and worrying.”

  “I’m going to keep trying with Jeremy.”

  “How long did you date him?” he asked.

  I tried to ignore his use of the past tense. “We haven’t been seeing each other that long, but when it’s the right person, you know.”

  “That’s what I thought, and we were together two years. Hey, it’s getting cold out here. Would you like to go somewhere and get some coffee?”

  “I can’t,” I said. “I need to spend some time studying the ephemeris.”

  “We wouldn’t have to stay late, just hang out and talk about stuff.”

  Like our failed romances. The Cancer only wanted to spend time with me so that we could exchange broken-heart stories over lattes.

  “Sol,” I said. “This isn’t a good idea.”

  “Why not? Are you still hoping to hear from that guy?”

  Of course I was.

  “I’m just trying really hard to figure out what’s coming down the night of the launch party,” I said. “I ...”

  At that moment, my phone dinged. A text from a number I didn’t know.

  “Good thing Bodmer’s not here,” he said.

  “You’re right about that.” I glanced down at the message.

  need to ask u about capricorn guys

  call me

  now

  AW

  AW? I didn’t know any AW, only ...

  ... It couldn’t be Arianna Woods, could it?

  “Who is it?” Sol asked. “The guy from Ireland?”

  “No,” I said. “You won’t believe this, but I think it’s Arianna Woods.”

  “When did you two get so friendly?”

  “We’re far from friends,” I said. “I don’t know what she wants.”

  “Well then, I guess you’d better get back to her.” His voice was pleasant enough, but his expression was shut down, maybe angry. For a moment, I wondered if he was confusing me with the girl in Texas who had dumped him, and I was glad I hadn’t given in and agreed to coffee.

  “Yeah,” I said. “I probably should.”

  “Go for it. See you tomorrow.”

  I needed Arianna on my side. And now she wanted me to contact her. As Sol walked away from me, his broad shoulders hunched forward, I did just that.

  I answered:

  serious

  caps are serious

  can act cold

  After my text, Arianna called me, sobbing.

  “I need to talk to you,” she said. “Get over here right now, will you?”

  “I can’t,” I told her. “I’m back in Terra Bella Beach. Where are you?”

  “San Fran, of course. He was supposed to meet me here after the cover shoot. But he’s a liar. I can never count on anything he says.”

  “Who?” I asked.

  “Josh Mellick.” She began sobbing again. “For the past hour, I’ve been reading about our signs online, but I can’t figure out what it all means. Get here as soon as you can. I’ve got to know what to do about him.”

  I wanted to ask where her friends were, but then maybe she didn’t have any. At least she was giving me a chance to make up for outing her YUTalk page.

  “Okay,” I told her, and knew what I had to do. “I can’t be there tonight, but I can meet you tomorrow.”

  “I need someone now,” she sobbed. “I need someone to talk to. I really don’t want to be alone.”

  As if there weren’t dozens of people she could call.
“It will take a few hours. Are you sure ... ?”

  “Please.” Her voice was thin, high-pitched and absolutely pathetic.

  “Okay,” I said. “Just tell me where I need to go.”

  CRUSHES: HOW TO GET A GEMINI

  By Logan McRae

  Getting a Gemini guy to notice you is easy. Getting the Gemini to invest in more than a passing interest is a little more difficult.

  They live for communication and the exchange of information, and they frequently change their mind. He might ask you out for coffee and decide it would be more fun to stop for a pizza. If you have to stick to a rigid schedule, the Twin will probably decide to just drop you at home.

  Here are three ways to get him interested: • Talk. There’s little that impresses him more than a girl who can hold her own in conversation, especially if you can teach him something. Memorize some little-known fact about psychology, language, or what they put in strawberry ice cream, and watch those information junkie Gem eyes light up.

  • Have opinions. The Twin doesn’t mind debate and doesn’t mind conceding to an informed and articulate girl. This is one guy who will never tell you to shut up.

  • Welcome the war stories. Most Gems have a bunch of broken-heart stories. Feign interest. Even encourage him to talk about former loves. If he asks about yours (and he will), open up.

  What to say when he asks you out: “That’s a great idea. So what are you doing right now?”

  12

  WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE, THE GEMINI WOMAN AND

  THE GEMINI MAN ARE WORLDS APART. SHE’S FALLING

  IN LOVE WITH EVERYONE, AND BELIEVING THAT EVERY

  LOVE WILL BE THE FOREVER ONE. HE’S FALLING IN

  LUST WITH EVERYONE AND SPEAKING OF LOVE AS IF IT

  IS HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE. THE ONLY WAY TO TRUST

  GEMINI LOVE IS TO GIVE IT TIME. MUCH TIME. BUT

  THAT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING TOO MANY GEMINIS,

  OF BOTH SEXES, LACK.

  —Fearless Astrology

  So, there I was, against my better judgment, alone in the dreaded paint van, rattling, squeaking, and without a heater. Yes, I was cold, in the middle of the night, on my way to an A-list hotel in San Francisco, to meet up with the world’s biggest pop star.

  I wasn’t certain if I would make it. The weather was out of a horror film, and the blinding wind and rain would have blown any decent vehicle off the road. The old Chevy van’s only positive quality was its weight, thanks to my dad’s a/c compressor in the back.

  If the van had a sign, it had to be Earth. Sturdy, predictable Taurus, serious, meticulous Virgo, or solemn, hardworking Capricorn. Thinking about my van’s sign, as a new wave of wind and water hit, made me laugh at myself and this crazy journey I had chosen to take.

  As I wove around the curves and over the hills, I listened to the AM radio until the music fizzed in and out and finally disappeared altogether. Then I tried to remember everything I had read about Arianna and Mellick, the band that had launched her career.

  Cory Scott, the hot and talented guitarist/songwriter, had a thing with her before she began dating Josh Mellick. That triangle was rumored to be the reason she had gone out on her own after the group’s first and last big hit. Arianna had shot to the top, leaving Cory and Josh far behind.

  Finally, the multitiered lights of the Golden Gate flashed in front of me. All I had to do was find the hotel, and I had printed out directions before I left. No turning back now.

  Arianna met me at the door of her suite. She was barefoot and wore a short white dress embroidered with multicolored designs. Even before I entered the room, I could smell the alcohol on her breath.

  “Tequila shots,” she said, as if acknowledging my not-so-brilliant observation. “Want one?”

  “I’ve been driving for three hours,” I told her. “I could use some coffee.”

  “We’ll call room service, but we need to use your name.” She walked back into the suite and motioned for me to follow. “It won’t be a problem since I used it to register.”

  I stopped in the doorway. “You used my name? To register for this room?”

  “Dude, get over yourself, will you? Last time I used the limo driver’s. No one pays any attention to me when I come in wearing a baseball cap and pretend to be someone normal. Hurry up and close the door, will you? It’s getting cold in here.”

  I had driven through the wind and rain to learn more about her astrology chart, and to help her if I could. Now that I realized she was registered under my name, I felt a little weird. If something happened to me here, there would be no connection to her.

  “I said close the door.”

  “I’m not so sure I should,” I told her.

  “I could have gotten you fired, you know that?” She gave me that look again, but the navy eyes were less hostile. “I still could.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  She sighed, and I realized that she was close to tears. “I don’t want to. I’m just saying that I could. Okay?”

  “Okay. I also know that you could go to any number of astrologers to the stars for what you want.”

  “And maybe end up in the tabloids tomorrow. It’s happened before.” She sat down on the sofa and curled her legs under the dress. On the large screen, an image of her DVD, Paradox, played with no sound. “I know I was shitty to you, but you deserved it. I’m willing to give you a second chance.”

  “I didn’t come here because I wanted a second chance, Arianna. I came because you sounded pretty scary on the phone. And because I wanted to help.”

  “I always get like this when he treats me like crap,” she said. “We can’t stay together, and we can’t stay apart. Just tell me if a Gemini stands a chance with a Capricorn, okay?”

  She reached for that tequila bottle again and splashed some into a water glass that was already stuffed to the top with ice.

  “Capricorn and Gemini can be really fine together,” I said. “A Cardinal versus a Mutable sign. He’s take-charge, and you’re flexible. Capricorn wants to lead, and Gemini can’t be controlled. But both signs share a wonderful gift for wit, and it could definitely work.”

  She put down her glass on a dark wood table. “Then why isn’t it working? Why do we always fight?”

  “Maybe this?” I picked up her glass, rattled the ice cubes, and set it down on the table again. “A serious Capricorn is not going to like all of this booze you’ve got, Arianna.”

  “I don’t drink that much,” she said. “In spite of that tabloid trash you’ve heard. I just do it because I get bored. And because he treats me so bad.”

  “How’s that?”

  “He blames me for leaving the band. So does Cory. But I had to. It was the only way I could go after everything I have now.”

  “Didn’t you date Cory before Josh?”

  “Dude, for like seconds.”

  I couldn’t help thinking of Gemini Chili. To these Mutable Air signs, forever was a feeling, and not one that lasted all that long.

  “Cory was always my favorite,” I said. “Of the guys, I mean.”

  “He had the magic, all right, but it was Josh who made me feel safe.” She wiped her eyes. “How did I lose him? How do I get him back? Can you really help me?”

  “I don’t know, but I can try,” I said. “And, by the way, when it comes to love, most Gemini girls are just looking for a hero.”

  “You mean a daddy, don’t you? My dad started a second family a year after he left my mom for the biggest bimbo on the planet. I hate him.”

  “No you don’t.” I thought of my own parents. My mom was out there trying to be the golf queen, resenting the hell out of the fact that she’d been slowed down by having to raise a child. Me. My dad was trying to work hard at the ad agency. Slowed down by having to take care of me since my mom bailed. “You have to forgive your parents. We all do.”

  “I know you’re right, but I am so angry. All I want is Josh. If it can work out with him, the rest won’t matter.”


  “Give me his birth information, and I’ll do a compatibility chart,” I said. “I can’t do it tonight, because I have to drive back home so I can get to school tomorrow. But I’ll get on it as soon as I can.”

  “I need it right away,” she told me. “It’s my only hope.” To have her Rising sign and really dig into her chart would give me the rest of the information I needed, for the column, yes, but also for whatever might be coming down the night of the CRUSH launch party. I’d be helping her in more ways than one, regardless of what happened with Josh and her.

  “I’ll start on it right away.”

  “You really do know this stuff, don’t you?” She pushed her thick hair out of her eyes. “Stacy said you’re trying out for a column.”

  “Yeah, I am.” I didn’t know how much I was supposed to say, but I was only confirming what Stacy had already told her.

  “What do you have to do to get the gig?”

  “Just make some predictions about the launch party. I’ve been forecasting where the stars will be that night, and it could be, well, explosive.”

  “I hope not,” she said, and it was all I could do to keep from telling her that the explosive stuff was in her Gemini/Aries chart. “Stacy’s really stressing, though. She told me about the elevator getting stuck.”

  “More than stuck,” I said. “Somebody turned off the power and cut the phone cord.”

  “Really? You don’t think someone is trying to hurt you, do you?”

  “Of course not, but Alex Keen was in the elevator too, and a lot of people knew he’d be there.”

  She began to fidget with her glass. “Who’d want to harm him?”