Greener Pastures - Alyssa Brugman [32]
When it was Chad's turn to bat, Shelby could tell he was deliberately hitting the ball towards her brothers. She turned to see her father noticing too. He winked at Shelby.
Her mum brought out some salads and took off the Gladwrap covers, screwing the plastic into a ball. The boys abandoned their posts and climbed onto the outdoor chairs.
Shelby's dad brought the meat over to the table in a baking dish.
Chad sat next to Shelby and poured himself a glass of soft drink. She put a plate in front of him, and then served herself some coleslaw.
'Shelby tells me that you went on a date,' her mother said as she handed him a dish of potato.
Three emotions swept across Chad's face in quick succession – surprise, embarrassment and then anger. He glared at Shelby. His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat.
'You set this up. I don't understand. It's just mean. I really didn't think you were like that.' He put the dish down on the table.
Shelby's eyes widened. 'Like what?'
Chad turned to Shelby's parents. 'Thanks so much for the offer. I know it's rude, but I just can't stay.' He pushed back from the table. 'You guys have been really nice to me.'
Shelby's dad blinked. He was as perplexed as Shelby was.
'Wait a second, Chad,' Shelby's mum said. 'I think it's simply a misunderstanding.'
Chad stood in the doorway. He had two bright spots on his cheeks. 'I know it was a misunderstanding and I'm usually a good sport, but . . .' He took a deep breath. 'It hurt my feelings, that's all.' He looked down at his hands. Shelby thought he was going to cry.
'What is going on?' she said.
Chad shook his head again and turned away.
'You should probably go after him,' Connor said.
'No, I don't think I should,' Shelby said, slapping her napkin down on the table. 'He's the one who keeps on walking out all the time!'
A moment later she heard the front door shut.
'Tell us what happened from the beginning,' her mother said, and so Shelby explained about the meeting she had with Chad at The Ledge Café.
'So if anyone is going to be mad at anyone, it should be me, shouldn't it?' she said. 'And you know what else? If I was this girl who he is going on dates with, whoever she is, I wouldn't be too happy about Chad coming around here for tea at some other girl's house.'
Her family stared at her.
'I know what you're all thinking. He's just going on dates with Miss Whoever to make me jealous,' Shelby said. 'Don't you think I could figure that one out for myself?'
'You're an idiot,' Connor said.
17 A Second Opinion
'I want to know who Chad went on a date with,' Shelby said in class the next day. 'Don't call me names. Just tell me who it was.'
Erin was resting her chin on the heel of her hand and staring at the back of Ethan Agnew's head. Mrs Singh's blue marker made squeaky noises on the white-board as she scribbled down their practical task.
'Subatomic particles,' Shelby grumbled.
'Don't be such a negative ion,' Erin said, and then she laughed so hard she hiccuped.
Shelby didn't even smile. She was grumpy because she hadn't had much sleep the night before. She had been going over the conversation that she and Chad had at The Ledge. She'd had an idea at about three in the morning, and she'd dismissed it then, but now she thought she might send it out there and see what happened.
'It was me, wasn't it? When I asked Chad to The Ledge, he thought it was a date.'
'Yes!' Erin grinned at her friend. 'You finally got it.'
'I am an idiot!' Shelby put her hands to her cheeks. 'And then yesterday he must have thought that I was teasing him for thinking it was a date. That was mean. No wonder he got mad!'
'Hence the name calling,' Erin added.
'Since when do you say "hence"?' Shelby asked.
Ethan turned around, found Erin staring and smiled. Erin quickly looked down at her page.
'Shh!' Erin hid her face with her hand. 'He knows!'