Katie Reed’s life was perfect. Scratch that; Katie’s life was just about as near perfect as an 8th grade girl’s life could be. Her dad had a great job, her mom worked on the computer at home, and her sister was in the 12th grade and would be going to a college 200 miles away next year. Katie had a boyfriend who was just about the cutest guy at school. They had been going together several months and he treated her great. All the other girls knew Aldo was Katie’s guy and they should stay clear.

A new girl enrolled in school; no big deal, students moved in and out all the time. She was from California, and was a typical California girl. She was a blonde with a face and a figure like a model. Katie thought she might introduce herself to the new girl (Emma Allen), but “the grapevine” told her even before she saw the girl that she was “phony as a three dollar bill”. Katie didn’t think she would fit “friend” requirements for such a person.

That was OK with Katie. She knew she couldn’t be friends with everybody, so she would stick with her own group. She had good friends … real friends. She had friends that would stand by you and wouldn’t talk about you behind your back or try to steal your boyfriend, so she stayed clear of the California Girl. She was glad they weren’t in any classes together because she figured she would gag every time she heard “OMG!” or “I know … right?”

She smiled to herself as she imagined a conversation between the girl and her friends. “OMG, guess what! Brittney got a zit! I told her she better get to the ER ASAP. She stayed home from school two days! I guess if I ever got one I would stay home for a week.”
So Katie resigned herself to not having a new friend from California. She was OK with that until the very first day the girl arrived and she saw Aldo talking to her between classes. They talked like they were old friends! It was sickening! Then … Aldo hugged her just before they parted to go to their classes.

Katie had to sit down. She didn’t know whether she was more hurt or angry. Students between classes swirled around her as she sat oblivious to their chatter and gossip and comings and goings. The picture of her boyfriend hugging that … that girl kept running through her mind. What could she do? She couldn’t lose Aldo! He hugged her! Ugh! He was covered with California Cooties!

Still in a daze, she got her books together and went to her next class. Aldo waved and smiled at her across the classroom and she managed a feeble smile in return. After class, she left before Aldo could get across the room to talk to her. She avoided him the rest of the day and headed straight home after school without speaking to anyone. It was Friday and she had all weekend to figure out what to do.

She went straight to her room and lay across the bed and sobbed. Everything was great until that … (she couldn’t think of a bad enough word) had to show up! Aldo had him a California Girl now. Katie? Katie who? Oh, yeah. I did go with a girl named Katie. It was quite a while back. God, that seems like so long ago. Yeah, she really had a thing for me.

Her cell phone buzzed. It was Aldo! Of all the nerve! “Hello?”

“Hey, Katie what happening?”

“Nothing.”

“Same here. Hey I just wanted to tell you. You know the new girl from California?”

“She’s cute, ain’t she?”

”What?!”

“Don’t you think she’s cute? Tell you a secret, but promise not to tell. Her parents got her a boob job for Christmas!”

“And I need to know this why?”

“Oh, I just thought it was kind of interesting. Please keep it to yourself, though, OK? She’s coming over to my house in a few minutes with her parents. Why don’t you come over and meet her?”

”What? Are you insane?”

She ended the call and proceeded to block his number. Why the heck would I want to meet his new girlfriend? Come over and watch them hug and kiss? She resumed her sobbing and wondered if all guys were insane.

She put her phone on silent and put it in a drawer. There was no one she wanted to talk to this weekend. No one, that is, unless someone wanted to talk about ways to punish Aldo.

So Katie spent a miserable weekend alone. She figured that anyone who might call would just want to tell her about Aldo and his new girl. She had seen enough; if she could just forget, now. Aldo? Aldo who? I knew a boy way back. Yeah, we went out a couple of times. He had a thing for me. Who was she kidding? She was miserable without Aldo.

She spent the whole weekend sleeping, watching movies, and eating very little. When her mom looked in on her, she just said she felt “kinda tired”. By Monday morning, she looked in the mirror and a tired, miserable girl looked back. It was all she could do to force herself to go to school. She didn’t even try the “I’m sick” route. Her mom would probably have taken her to the doctor.

When she arrived at school, the first person she knew gave her the news that, “Aldo wants to talk to you.” She knew what the news was. Aldo would make a thousand excuses about why they should break up. She also knew that the only real reason was his new California Girl. So she managed to avoid Aldo the entire day. She would catch glimpses of him in the hall and make a quick evasive move. (She was kind of proud of her skill at evasive moves.) If he was going to break up with her, he would have to work at it. After the last class was over, she went to her locker and got the books she needed. When she slammed the locker door, there he was.

“Oh, Aldo.”

“Katie, why are you avoiding me?”

“Well, I assumed you would want to spend time with your new girl.”

“New girl … what new girl?”

“Listen to you! You know what new girl! Your new California girl!”

Aldo laughed. “You mean Emma? Don’t be like that! Emma’s a sweet girl. You should get to know her. The two of you could be good friends!”

“What?! Why the hell would I want to have her for a friend, Especially after I saw the two of you smooching!!”

“Smooching? Me and Emma? Wait a minute. I think she hugged me! I don’t think we would be smooching!”

“Why wouldn’t you be smooching? Aren’t y’all the latest ‘item’?”

“Oh, Emma’s cute and all that, but there’s a bit of a problem I guess you don’t know about.”

“What … is she a guy or something? It wouldn’t surprise me; with her being from California!”

“Aldo laughed again. No, as far as I know she’s all girl.”

“Oh, I guess you’ve been exploring!”

“Oh no. I love Emma, but not like you’re thinking. Emma and I can never be a couple. You see, it’s a problem with my mom.”

“Your mom? Wow, guys come up with some stuff, but I’ll bet this is the best one yet!”

“Wow! I hope I win the prize. Here goes. My mom has a sister. My mom’s sister has a daughter. The daughter’s name is Emma. Does the name ring a bell?”

I got dizzy. I sat down by my locker. “Your mom’s sister is … she has a daughter ….”

“You’re getting there.
”
“Emma is your cousin!”

“Katie, you’re as smart as you are beautiful. I told a lot of people we were cousins the day she arrived. Apparently, you didn’t talk to anyone. I wanted to tell you but you kept avoiding me for some reason. So please don’t say we were smooching. People will think we’re weird!”

“I started crying. Oh, Aldo, I was sick … I was miserable all weekend after I saw you hug Emma! I’m so sorry for the things I said about … well the things I would have said about you if I had talked to anyone! Aldo, I’m so sorry. I love you so much. Tell Emma I’m sorry for the things I thought about her and I hope the evil things I wished on her never happen.”

“Uh oh. I hope you didn’t wish for her to get a pimple. If she got a pimple, She might feel she has no reason to live!”

“No, luckily I didn’t think of pimples. As it turns out, it’s
OK if she keeps going to our school.”

“You’re very gracious. I’m sure she will be relieved.”

“Aldo, Please don’t tell her how I acted!”

“Katie, I wouldn’t embarrass you for anything. As some point, though, I should introduce the two of you.”

“I think I can live through that.”

“She should be able to pick you out of the crowd. I described you for her.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, I told her just look for the most beautiful girl in school.”

“Aldo, I love you so much.”

“I love you, Katie. I love you even more than I love my new “California Girl”.

“You’re so sweet, Aldo.”

Aldo took her hand. “Come on, I’ll walk you home. I have a cousin around here somewhere. Maybe we’ll run into her and I can introduce you.”
Katie was happy about the way things turned out, and vowed from then on to get “the whole story”.