Then Nikki poked Raspberry with her elbow and nodded at someone down the mall corridor.
"You see who I see?" They all turned to look.
"Stuart Gavin?" Alanis said, then nodded. "Yeah, good idea. Stuart Gavin."
A tall, lanky boy with hair the color of faded hay thatched over his head lumbered down the mall. He carried a box under his right arm.
"He's only in the eighth grade," Raspberry said.
"Stuart works for his father. He drives a truck and delivers propane gas after school and on weekends," Nikki explained.
"He's only in the eighth grade and he drives and has a job?" I asked.
"He's like us. He was left behind a year," Nikki said.
"I wasn't left behind," I said. "I wasn't!" Wouldn't she ever believe me?
She shrugged.
"When you meet him, tell him you were anyway. He'll be happier."
"I don't tell lies," I said.
Raspberry and Nikki laughed. "I don't!"
"Take it easy," Alanis said. "They're just teasing you. I'm sure Stuart will like you when he meets you."
"When will he meet me?"
"Tonight," Alanis declared. She turned to her friends. "No sense wasting time. Well have to guide them into a romance-- you know, be Jordan's romance advisers or romance minders."
The other two laughed.
Alanis leaned in to whisper to me.
"We'll make you our Love Project just the way your brother made you his Sister Project."
"Sister Project? What's that?" Nikki asked.
I felt blood come into my face. Alanis saw and said. "Forget about it for now,"
I was happy she didn't tell. I didn't want to say anything about it. They were nowhere near as smart as Ian.
"Well, what's it about?"
"We'll tell you later," Alanis said, then nodded at Nikki. "Go invite him. Tell him to be there at eight and tell him to wash behind his neck."
Nikki's eyes brightened with excitement. She looked at me, then charged off after Stuart Gavin. We all watched her catch up with him and seize his arm. He almost dropped his carton. After she spoke, he looked back at us and shrugged.
Then he walked on.
My heart was pounding with expectation.
"What he say?" Alanis
demanded as soon as Nikki returned.
"He said he had to bring a tank of gas to her great-aunt tomorrow anyway so he'll just bring it tonight and hook it up before we party or right after."