In Love Again Read online

  A deep frown creased Elizabeth's forehead. "Jeffrey will be all right," she mumbled. The truth was, Jeffrey's undisguised sadness was the only shadow crossing Elizabeth's happiness. And, uncharacteristically, she was trying to ignore it. She just didn't know what else to do.

  "I wonder if he'll pine away. Do you think he'll do something drastic?" Jessica asked.

  "Of course not," Elizabeth said. "He's way too sensible. And he's too nice and too good-looking to be alone for long. He'll probably forget about me before you know it." She couldn't help feeling a pang as she said that. Although she was sure of her love for Todd, she still cared about Jeffrey.

  "Ha!" Jessica exclaimed. "I don't think Jeffrey's ever going to forget about you, Liz."

  The girls were quiet as Elizabeth maneuvered in and out of traffic. "Anyway," Jessica said cheerfully, snapping her gum, "I think you did the right thing. I like Jeffrey and everything, but he's a little on the bland side. Whereas Todd is fantastic. And now—well, he has everything now. Absolutely everything."

  Elizabeth frowned. "Here's the library," she said shortly, pulling the Fiat over to the curb to let Jessica hop out.

  "See you tonight!" Jessica said gaily. And before Elizabeth could say another word, Jessica sprinted up the steps and into the town library.

  That night the Wakefields barbecued their dinner outdoors, taking advantage of the balmy California weather.

  "I wish Steve were here. He loves grilled steaks," Alice Wakefield said. Steven, the twins' eighteen-year-old brother, was a freshman at the nearby state university. He came home occasionally for weekends or vacations, but his schedule had been so busy lately that he hadn't had time to come home.

  "Alice," Ned Wakefield said with an appreciative smile, "how is it you manage to put together a meal like this after a ten-hour workday?"

  Mrs. Wakefield worked full-time as an interior designer, and Mr. Wakefield was an attorney. Often, both had to work long hours.

  Mrs. Wakefield smiled at her daughters. "Call it a little daughterly assistance," she said, smoothing back her blond hair.

  Elizabeth waited for Jessica to admit that she hadn't helped with dinner one bit, since she had been at the library until about half an hour ago. But Jessica didn't volunteer that information. She simply beamed while Mr. Wakefield praised the girls for helping their mother.

  In fact, Jessica seemed to take her father's praise as her cue to begin her Lovett Academy campaign speech.

  "Speaking of long hours and hard work," she said, pausing for effect, "I've been giving a great deal of thought lately to the kind of education I'm receiving at Sweet Valley High."

  Mr. and Mrs. Wakefield exchanged amused glances. "Do you mean the new cheers you're learning at cheerleading practice? Or the new handshake at the sorority?" her father asked.

  "I'm serious," Jessica insisted. "A young mind needs an opportunity to expand its intellectual horizons."

  Elizabeth had to stifle a giggle. It was obvious that Jessica had spent the afternoon memorizing Lovett's catalog.

  "What exactly are you trying to say, Jessica?" Mrs. Wakefield asked.

  "I just think I'm the kind of student who needs a private school," Jessica declared. "I need all the benefits of small classes, extra attention from teachers, exclusive teaching methods—"

  "Enormous tuition bills," Mr. Wakefield added dryly.

  Jessica looked outraged. "Daddy! Don't you want me to have the finest education money can buy?"

  "Jessica, I'm a little surprised by this," Mrs. Wakefield observed. "You know that you were always welcome to explore the option of private school. Don't you remember telling us that you'd rather die than leave your friends? That there was more to education than just books? That things like cheerleading meant the world to you?"

  Jessica made a face. "That was ages ago. I'm much more mature now. I realize how important it is to be in the—" She paused, obviously trying to remember one of the phrases from the catalog. "In the right learning atmosphere!" she exclaimed.

  "Remember when Liz was interested in that boarding school in Switzerland, the one with the creative writing program?" Mrs. Wakefield went on. "Weren't you the one who campaigned hardest to get her to stay at Sweet Valley High, where you said she belonged?"

  "Oh," Jessica said, shrugging. "Well, Switzerland's a little extreme. I was thinking of someplace local."

  "Local?" Elizabeth asked with feigned innocence. "What about Lovett Academy?"

  Jessica's face lit up. "Exactly!" she cried. "Mom, Dad, I'm absolutely sure Lovett's the place for me. Think of how refined I'd get. Hanging out with those kids from the country club, learning how to speak Russian and play polo. It's bound to help me get into a better college," she added hastily when she saw the expression on her father's face at the mention of polo.

  Mr. Wakefield raised his eyebrows. "Have you done any research on this, or is it just an idea right now?"

  Jessica looked hurt. "Would I bother you and Mom about something so important without taking the time to look into it first?" No one answered this question, so Jessica quickly filled her parents in on some of the details about Lovett she had learned at the library.

  "Well," Mr. Wakefield began when Jessica had finished explaining, "your mother and I have never felt strongly one way or the other on this issue. We really felt it was up to you girls. If you're serious about Lovett, Jessica, why don't you try to find out more about it? I don't see what harm it could do."

  Jessica grinned. As far as she was concerned, she was as good as admitted to Lovett already! It would only be a matter of time before she would be hanging out at the exclusive private school, meeting fabulous people and starting a whole new life.

  Even though she had been to Todd's house a few times, Elizabeth still couldn't get used to parking the Fiat at the top of the Wilkinses' huge driveway and ringing the bell at the massive front doors of their new mansion. The Wilkinses' old home had been very similar to the Wakefields'—a comfortable split-level house in a pretty part of Sweet Valley. Their new home was entirely different; it was more like a mansion. In fact, home was probably the wrong word to describe the huge place, with its high ceilings, marble floors, elaborate furnishings, ballroom, and Olympic-size pool!

  As Elizabeth waited for Todd to answer the door, she nervously shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She had mixed feelings about the Wilkinses' sudden shift in social status. The raise and powerful position Todd's father had been given meant a new life-style for the whole family. There were parties given by wealthy people in and around town that Todd's father was invited to, parties where Todd was expected to make an appearance. Then there was the question of school. All the children of Varitronics' senior management went to Lovett—it was expected, too. They all had big allowances and fancy cars, and they went into Los Angeles on weekends to hang around in Westwood.

  So far, Elizabeth had been so ecstatic to be back with Todd that she hadn't really stopped to think how these new changes would affect him. But that evening, thinking back over Jessica's conversation with her parents, she wondered if Todd had started to like Lovett better than Sweet Valley High. Could she fit in with his new life? Or would she continue to feel out of place? Then Todd opened the door, and Elizabeth immediately forgot all her misgivings.

  "Hi," he said, his eyes crinkling up in a warm smile.

  One look at Todd and Elizabeth's heart melted. His brown curly hair, his beautiful eyes, his strong jaw . . . he was so handsome. "I've missed you," he said, embracing her warmly.

  Elizabeth felt her heart begin to pound. "I missed you, too. Is that crazy? Just after one day?"

  "We have a lot of time to catch up on," Todd said. He took her hand and led her through the imposing front hall of the new house to the ornate living room.

  "I brought over some homework," Elizabeth said, somewhat apologetically, "and a few things I told Penny Ayala I'd try to have finished by tomorrow for The Oracle. . . ."

  Todd looked upset. "Oh, no. You have wor
k to do? I was hoping we could watch the movie Dad videotaped last night. I haven't even used the screening room yet."

  Elizabeth laughed. "That's right. I forgot about the screening room." There was a small room off the living room with a movie screen that covered the back wall, and a stereo, a video player, and a movie projector. "I guess my homework can wait," Elizabeth said. She giggled as Todd pretended to twist her arm. "OK, OK! I give in! Let's watch a movie!"

  Ten minutes later the two of them were curled up on the soft couch in the screening room, watching the movie that Mr. Wilkins had taped for them. Elizabeth couldn't believe how good it felt sitting there with Todd's arm around her. It was as if they had rolled back time, as if Todd had never moved and there were only the two of them. If it weren't for the glamorous new surroundings, she could almost believe they were back in the Wilkinses' old living room, watching TV.

  "It's so good being here with you, Liz," Todd said when the movie had ended. "I can't believe how lucky I am. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to prove I'm not dreaming."

  "I know how you feel," Elizabeth said softly. "I didn't think people ever got second chances. Todd, when you moved, I was miserable. I missed you so much! I never in a million years thought you'd come back."

  Todd kissed her, and Elizabeth felt her heart begin to pound.

  "Let's spend every minute together that we can," Todd said, hugging her even closer to him. "I hate having to be apart all day long. Let's make sure we spend as many afternoons and evenings together as possible." His eyes were bright with emotion. "I feel like we need to get to know each other all over again. We have so much to talk about. How about a trip to Secca Lake tomorrow right after school?"

  Elizabeth didn't answer. She had an Oracle meeting the next afternoon. Penny wanted to talk to the entire staff about some of the problems she had noticed in the way the paper was written and produced.

  But the look on Todd's face was so intense that she couldn't imagine saying no. Secca Lake was one of their special places. Maybe she could miss the meeting, just this once. Would Penny really be that upset if she wasn't there?

  "I'd love to go to the lake with you," she said. "The only thing is, I promised Penny I'd go to this Oracle meeting after school. I think it's going to be pretty important."

  Todd shook his head. "Don't tell me I'm going to have to wait until tomorrow night to see you! I won't be able to stand it!"

  Elizabeth started to giggle. She couldn't resist the desperate look on his face. "Well, then, how about picking me up at school at four o'clock? I know it'll take you about an hour to drive back from Lovett. And that way I can put in an appearance at the meeting and still get to see you," she suggested.

  She knew deep down that she really shouldn't plan to leave the meeting early. But she just couldn't help herself. Todd was all that mattered to her now. And she was just as determined as Todd was to spend every free minute together, even if it meant cutting back on her activities!

  Three

  Elizabeth glanced nervously at her watch. It was Tuesday afternoon at three-thirty, and she was supposed to meet Todd in half an hour. She hoped that Penny would quickly run through the things she wanted to talk about at the Oracle meeting.

  She hurried down the hallway and opened the door to the office just as Jeffrey came around the corner. She had forgotten that Jeffrey would be at the meeting, but it made sense—he was a photographer for the paper, after all. Why hadn't she realized he would be there?

  Elizabeth had barely spoken to Jeffrey since the night of Todd's party. She said hello to him when they passed each other in the hallway at school, and that was all. In fact, she had a feeling that Jeffrey was going out of his way to avoid her. Not that she blamed him. If he had left her for an old girlfriend, Elizabeth was sure she would have reacted the same way.

  She felt strange about seeing him, too. Right now, for instance, she didn't have the faintest idea what to say. She just stared at him, feeling a blush spread across her face.

  "Hi," Jeffrey said. His expression was serious.

  "Hi. How are you?" Elizabeth asked.

  Jeffrey was about to respond when Penny raced up to them. "Oh, good. You guys are here. We have a ton of stuff to get through. Come on in, and let's get started."

  Elizabeth glanced at Jeffrey, wondering if he was as grateful for the interruption as she was.

  Inside the office, Olivia Davidson was hard at work on the layout for that week's paper. "Hi, guys," she said, waving at them when they walked into the room. She gave Elizabeth a sympathetic smile. "Poor Liz. You really got pounded on today in math class."

  Elizabeth cleared her throat. "Oh, it was nothing," she said, hoping Jeffrey hadn't been paying attention. But when she glanced his way, she saw that he was staring at her with surprise. It wasn't like Elizabeth to get into trouble at school.

  "It figures," Olivia went on. "The one time you don't have your homework done, you get called on first. Isn't that the way it always goes?" Olivia shook her head, her brown, frizzy hair tumbling around her face. She was the arts editor for The Oracle, and a good friend of Elizabeth's.

  Elizabeth wished Olivia hadn't chosen that moment to discuss the way she'd gotten caught unprepared in math class. The fact was, Elizabeth always did her homework diligently. And if it hadn't been for the night before with Todd . . .

  Jeffrey kept staring at her, his green eyes penetrating. Did he guess what was going on? Elizabeth wondered. Was he secretly thinking, You weren't like this when you and I were going out?

  "Let's get started," Penny said briskly. "Mr. Collins has made a list of problems he's noticed with the paper, and some ideas he has, as well. The real point of this meeting is to get feedback from all of you so we can figure out how to make the paper better."

  As she took a seat by the window, Elizabeth could barely take her eyes off the clock near the door. There were only twenty minutes left until Todd would be meeting her outside. If only they had said four-thirty! Or if only there was some way she could get in touch with him and tell him not to come! She couldn't bear the interrupting the meeting to leave early—especially with Jeffrey there, watching her every move!

  Penny started the meeting by listing some ideas she had received from people about revising the layout of the front page using graphics. Rod Sullivan, a junior, who had just begun dating arts editor Olivia Davidson, had submitted some particularly good ideas. Then Penny discussed the school's reaction to the cartoon strip the paper had been running. She suggested adding an advice column to The Oracle, and everyone agreed that was a good idea. Then it was time to talk about the "Eyes and Ears" column, the gossip page Elizabeth had written and edited for a long time.

  "I'm not sure," Penny said, chewing the eraser on the end of her pencil, "but I think it may be time to scrap 'Eyes and Ears' and try something new. What do you think, Liz?"

  Elizabeth shifted in her chair. It was ten minutes to four. There was no way the meeting would be over in time for her to escape without embarrassment. "Actually," she said, taking a deep breath, "I like the idea of starting a new project. But I have to admit I won't be able to go into much detail now. I have to meet someone at four o'clock. Is there any way I can write up my ideas tonight and get them to you tomorrow?"

  "Fine," Penny said. But the look on her face said it wasn't fine at all. It was clear that she was disappointed in Elizabeth.

  Elizabeth didn't blame Penny for being angry. She knew it was wrong to leave such an important editorial meeting. But the thought of seeing Todd again made everything bearable—even the disapproving look on Jeffrey's face when she slid out of her chair at four o'clock.

  "What do you think you're doing?" Amy Sutton demanded, coming up behind Jessica in the school library. "You and I were supposed to go over the new cheerleading routine in the gym this afternoon. It is Tuesday, remember?"

  "Mmm," Jessica muttered, her pen between her teeth. "Listen, Ame, I'm really busy right now. I can't talk."

  Amy ignored her and pul
led up a chair. "Busy with what?" She narrowed her eyes when she saw the Lovett Academy catalog. "What's that? Jess, don't tell me you're really serious about this private school stuff!"

  Jessica scrutinized the first page of the catalog. "Admissions," she read out loud. "Every candidate must take at least three out of five of Lovett's entrance exams in the following subjects: languages, literature, math, science . . ."

  Amy twisted a lock of blond hair around one finger. "I can't believe this. It's one thing to joke about transferring to Lovett, but it's another to start wasting your free periods looking up stuff about admissions!"

  "Rats," Jessica said, setting the catalog aside. "Looks like I'll have to take some admissions tests. But how hard can they be?" she added a moment later, her face brightening. "They probably just want to know who your favorite polo player is and when you're planning your next trip to Europe."

  "I think you should cut this out," Amy advised Jessica. "Those kids are really stuck up. You know they must be bad if Lila says they are!"

  Jessica shrugged. "I know what's best for me, Amy. And right now I know I really need to switch to Lovett." Frowning, she looked around the library. "This just isn't the right sort of atmosphere for me. Take my word for it, Amy, Lovett is."

  "So, are you going to waste the next few months studying for some really grueling entrance exams?" Amy asked.

  Jessica shook her head. "No way! Look, the next test date is two weeks from Saturday." She grinned. "How tough can it be? I'll just brush up on a couple of things, buy a new outfit for my interview, and before you know it, I'll be a Lovett Academy girl."

  When Amy looked doubtful, Jessica added, "And I'll get to know zillions of cute guys to introduce you to. Come on, Amy. It isn't just me I'm thinking of!"

  "Private school," Amy muttered. Then she got up. "I'm going to see if Maria wants to work on this routine with me. No point in waiting around for you anymore. Now that you're going to be a Lovett Academy girl, I guess you won't have time for stupid things like cheerleading!" Amy turned and stomped off toward the exit.