"It's my eighteenth birthday tomorrow," the other girl began.
"Happy birthday," Landon said right away.
"—-as well as my come-out ball."
"Ah, right. Did I forget to RSVP?"
"So you did get the invitation then?"
"Yeah, I did."
Charlotte mentally rolled her eyes at how the conversation was unfolding. Oh, please. She knew exactly why Valentina was asking Landon about her come-out ball right this very moment, but what the other girl didn't know was how much Charlotte hated parties. She would rather eat a bowl of live cockroaches than attend one, but if she were to say that aloud, Charlotte was certain the other kids would only think she was faking it.
"I'm so glad!" Valentina bit her lip, and Charlotte couldn't help but stare. Wow. She had never been the lip-biting type, and she had mad respect for any girl capable of doing so. She just found it so awkward and—-whoa!
Charlotte gaped when the other girl suddenly started twisting like a snake. She had a feeling Valentina wanted to appear shy and fidgety, but...
Nope.
It just wasn't working, and Charlotte quickly reached for an onigiri. She needed to keep her mouth occupied, just to make sure she didn't accidentally laugh out—-oh my gosh! Valentina was now practically slithering as she moved closer to Landon, and Charlotte, feeling like her laughter was about to burst out any second, hastily reached for a crabstick and shoved it inside her mouth.
"I was wondering..."
"Thanks for inviting me," Landon said at the same time Valentina had started to speak, "but I'm afraid I won't be able to attend."
Valentina's twisting motions instantly ceased. "W-Why not?" The other girl's strangled tone made Charlotte want to wince on Valentina's behalf. This was just so awkward, she almost wished she could do something—-
"Because Charles and I always have plans on weekends."
—-or not.
God had apparently heard her prayers, and had used stupid Landon to make things less awkward for Valentina, who was now looking like a snake that had just swallowed a vinegar-flavored mice.
"Charles?"
Charlotte started choking on her onigiri, and Valentina's friends snickered while Landon started pounding her back. She knew he meant well, but he was seriously making things worse since one: he was about to break her spinal cord with those chops of his, and two: he was the reason she had choked in the first place!
Who's Charles?"
Valentina's hiss had Charlotte badly wanting to keep eating her onigiri. Did the other girl seriously not realize how she was very much acting like a snake?
Landon pointed to Charlotte, and if looks could kill, Valentina's glare would've had her six feet under in a heartbeat. Or maybe even sixty, with the way the other girl now looked a slither away from chomping her head off.
Devon gave Valentina a sympathetic look. "If it means anything, Landon has skipped all of our birthdays one time or another as well."
"If we have something that falls on a weekend," Logan added, "we've just learned to count him out."
"And if you really need to get a hold of Landon on those days," Nick drawls, "there's only one place you'll find him—-"
"And that's Charlotte's bedroom," Sean finished with a sly smile.
Charlotte could not believe what the other guys had managed to spout in just ten seconds. It was true that Landon did spend every weekend at her place - well, okay, he was in her bedroom most of the time as well - but all he was doing in her room was read! That was it! Unfortunately!
Enough was enough, Charlotte thought irritably. She turned to Valentina, wanting to clarify things, but Charlotte instead found herself staring at empty air, with the other girl and her friends having already angrily stalked off.
Oh no.
Charlotte glared at Landon and his friends, but all five boys only looked at her with innocent expressions on their too-gorgeous faces. She was badly tempted to give all of them a couple of hard whacks to the head, but since they were still in school—-
"I'm going to kill you guys," Charlotte yelled as soon as they were all in Landon's house and thus safe from the prying and judgy gazes of other kids in school.
Devon hastily pointed to Landon. "Blame him. He was the one who told us we needed to make it seem like you guys were a couple."
Charlotte swung around to face Landon, demanding, "Is it true?"
"Er..."
Landon's younger sister came down to the living room just in time to see Charlotte sucker-punching her brother in the guts. "What's up?"
"You just saw your brother assaulted," Landon growled, "and you're asking what's up?"
"Duh!" Cha-Cha rolled her eyes. "Like I'd ever take your side over Char's."
"You little—-"
Landon was about to go after his little sister when Charlotte stuck her foot out, and he ended up nearly skidding down the floor. "Dammit, Charles!"
Charlotte smothered her laugh and was saved from any acts of retaliation when the Carmichaels' housekeeper bustled in to tell them dinner was ready. Everyone trooped outside to gather around the enormous oak table facing the garden, and it was while they gorged themselves on spicy chicken wings, tacos, and salad that Charlotte finally learned the truth.