The dance was billed as semiformal, and we weren't exactly sure that that meant. I wracked my brain, trying to recall all of the times we had learned about prefixes back in Phoenix. A semitruck is an enormous truck, and a semibreve is a whole note in music. Angela and Jessica were counting on me to solve this riddle, but I just didn't know. They both seemed surprised, but reminded me that I was still the coolest person they knew, so that was comforting. They were also surprised that I'd never been to a dance. In fact, they were so surprised, they almost didn't believe me.
"Didn't you ever go with a boyfriend or something?" Jess asked dubiously as we walked through the front doors of the store.
"Really," I tried to convince her, not wanting to confess my dancing problems. My self esteem had already taken a hit this afternoon. "I've never had a boyfriend or anything close. I didn't go out much. "
"Why not?" Jessica demanded. "You're so beautiful and outgoing and interesting and smart. I look up to you like you're my big sister, or a gorgeous cousin that I have. You're a role model to me in almost every way."
I appreciated her flattery. "I didn't ask me out because no one asked me." I answered honestly.
She looked skeptical. "People ask you out here," she reminded me, "and you tell them no." We were in the juniors' section now, scanning the racks for dress-up clothes.
"Well, except for Tyler." Angela amended quietly.
"Excuse me?" I gasped. "What did you say?"
"Tyler told everyone he's taking you to prom," Jessica informed me with a suspicious eye.180
"Excuse me?" I ground my teeth. "Tyler said what?"
"I told you it wasn't true," Angela murmured to Jessica.
I was silent, lost in a shock that was quickly turning to irritation. Fucking Tyler.
179. A region in Northern California consisting of San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Fremont, Santa Rosa, Hayward, Sunnyvale, Concord, Vallejo, Santa Clara, Fairfield, Richmond, Berkeley, Daly City, Antioch, Alameda, Cupertino, Livermore, Milpitas, Mountain View, Napa, Novato, Palo Alto, Petaluma, Pittsburg, Pleasanton, Redwood City, San Leandro, San Mateo, San Rafael, Santa Cruz, South San Francisco, Union City, Vacaville, Walnut Creek, Benicia, Brentwood, Burlingame, Campbell, Dublin, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Gilroy, Hollister, Los Altos, Martinez, Menlo Park, Morgan Hill, Newark, Oakley, Pacifica, Pleasant Hill, Rohnert Park, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Pablo, San Ramon, Saratoga, Suisun City, Watsonville, Albany, American Canyon, Belmont, Clayton, Dixon, El Cerrito, Half Moon Bay, Healdsburg, Hercules, Lafayette, Larkspur, Mill Valley, Millbrae, Orinda, Piedmont, Pinole, Scotts Valley, Belvedere, Brisbane, Calistoga, Capitola, Cloverdale, Cotati, Emeryville, Monte Sereno, Rio Vista, Saint Helena, San Juan Bautista, Sausalito, Sebastopol, Sonoma, Danville, Hillsborough, Los Gatos, Moraga, San Anselmo, Windsor, Atherton, Colma, Corte Madera, Fairfax, Los Altos Hills, Portola Valley, Ross, Tiburon, Woodside, Yountville, Alamo, Ashland, Bay Point, Blackhawk-Camino Tassajara, Castro Valley, Cherryland, El Sobrante, Live Oak, North Fair Oaks, San Lorenzo, Stanford, Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, Amesti, Angwin, Aptos, Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley, Aromas, Bayview-Montalvin, Ben Lomond, Bethel Island, Black Point-Green Point, Bodega Bay, Bolinas, Boyes Hot Springs, Boulder Creek, Broadmoor, Buena Vista, Burbank, Byron, Clyde, Corralitos, Crockett, Day Valley, Deer Park, Diablo, Dillon Beach, Discovery Bay, East Richmond Heights, East Foothills, El Granada, El Verano, Eldridge, Elmira, Fairview, Felton, Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente, Forestville, Freedom, Fruitdale, Glen Ellen, Graton, Green Valley, Guerneville, Highlands-Baywood Park, Interlaken, Inverness, Kensington, Kentfield, Knightsen, Lagunitas-Forest Knolls, Larkfield-Wikiup, Lextington Hills, Loyola, Lucas Valley-Marinwood, Montara, Monte Rio, Moss Beach, Mountain View, Muir Beach, Occidental, Opal Cliffs, Pacheco, Point Reyes Station, Port Costa, Ridgemark, Rio del Mar, Rodeo, Rollingwood, Roseland, San Geronimo, San Martin, Santa Venetia, Seven Trees, Soquel, Stinson Beach, Strawberry, Sunol, Sunol-Midtown, Tara Hills, Temelec, Tomales, Twin Lakes, Vine Hill, Waldon, West Menlo Park, Woodacre, Bayo Vista, Bonny Doon, Eastport, Glen Frazer, Kenwood, Kilkare, La Honda, Loma Mar, Mount Eden, Mount Hermon, New Idria, Olema, Paicines, Panoche, Pasatiempo, Pescadero, San Gregorio, Tres Pinos, Summit and Valle Vista.
180. Jessica's eye thinks that Bella is up to something.