The remaining days of the week went by fast. Maija didn"t have a chance to talk to Martin, no matter how hard she tried. Things have changed a lot through only a couple of days - she wasn"t the same shy, timid, unnoticed girl that she was on her first day at school. Wherever she went, was it to the cafeteria, to the school library or even to the bathroom, she was followed by a group of no less than half a dozen girls. She didn"t sit alone at her desk anymore, either - Sandra joined her, and two more girls were always sitting at the sides of the desk. When she didn"t understand something of the studied material, everyone would jump out to help her. The boys, on the other hand, showed her respect but didn"t dare to get near her. She should have been happy for this sudden popularity that she has gained - it is indeed so much nicer when people want your company, rather than being alone at school and in the afternoons. Only one thing bothered her - she knew just too well where the interest in her social life came from. Helena spread rumours, and since the stories she told were rather fascinating, everyone were ready to believe in them. Helena, in a very strange way, seemed to know just about everything - it was very difficult to deny what she has said, because the base of her plot was actually true - only that she knew how to twist it in the most interesting way and to gain more and more listeners. What she gained from it, though, remained a mystery.
When Martin passed her by in the hallway, she was surrounded by giggling girls and he was with his friends as well. He usually gave her a little smile and they looked at each other, and then went in different directions. She wandered if the rumours reached the other classes as well. She wanted to visit him on Thursday afternoon but Tommy felt very offended when he heard that going to his rehearsal wasn"t in her plans, so she had to go. On Friday, he asked her to help him to prepare everything for the party, and they have been dealing with it until it was late in the evening.
On Saturday morning she was waked up by voices downstairs. Obviously they had a visit - she probably didn"t hear the bell ring. She dressed up quickly and went downstairs. Surprisingly, she saw Sandra at the living room, carrying a large bag, and Vlad with a thick notebook and a pencil in his hand.
"Hello, dear," - he said, kissing her on the forehead. - "we woke you up, haven"t we? Your friend here says that she came over to help you prepare for today"s party you"re going to. I"ve already warned Tommy to watch well over you. Well, girls, I"m going back to my work - help yourself at the kitchen if you need something."
Saying that, he went up the stairs that could barely carry his weight.
"Hi there," - said Maija, - "what do you mean, help me prepare for the party? Yesterday Tommy and me already did everything."
"No, you silly," - Sandra grinned, - "I meant that we can help each other dress up and all. Sure you"re not going to go to the party wearing your pyjamas and all?"
"Dress up?" - Maija looked at her watch, - "Right now it"s only eight-twenty five in the morning. I don"t think the party will start earlier than in twelve hours from now! But alright, let"s go to my room. It"s upstairs, that way. Needs a bit of cleaning, though, I could use a bit of help."
After putting things in order in Maija"s room, the two girls sat on the bed. Sandra opened the big bag and started unpacking it.
"And what"s that?" - Maija laughed, looking at the clothes that were piling on her bed, - "Did you come to live with us or what?"
"Oh, stop making fun of me. I need you to help me choose what to wear tonight. I was thinking of wearing high heels - see, those red ones, but I want to have fun and I don"t think that high heels will allow me to dance much."
"I didn"t know it was such a big deal," - Maija shrugged, - "I mean, it"s only a party here in the neighbourhood, not a ball of high-class society."
"Well you can call it that too," - said Sandra - "everyone are going to be there, at least everyone from here. I want to look my best. And I have to do something with my hair," - she ran her hands through her bushy red hair, - "look, it"s a disaster. I just hope I"ll fit into this," - she said, holding out a tiny miniskirt.
"I still don"t think you should make such a big deal out of it."
"Oh," - Sandra look at her, surprised. - "you seem so indifferent, you know. I thought you"d be more excited, after all it"s your boyfriend"s party, and you helped him arrange it and all-"
"Tommy"s not my boyfriend." - said Maija, - "It"s just Helena who"s telling stories and embarassing me in front of everyone. I don"t know why she does it, though."
"Well, we all know what Helena is like - it"s not a secret to anyone that she loves gossip," - Sandra agreed, - "a bitter, nasty girl - can’t stand seeing anyone around her happy - but still, you have to admit that this one is very much like the truth, after all Tommy is around you like twenty-four hours a day."
"No need to exaggerate, either," - Maija protested. - "you don"t see him here now, do you? I mostly see him at school, and well, when I go to his rehearsals I"m not alone with him."
Saying that, Maija took a bottle of hair cream that stood on a shelf by her bed. She put some of it on her hands and then tried it on Sandra"s hair, trying to make the restless red curles straighten up a bit.
"Let"s see how that will look, if you try this cream on your hair tonight." - she looked at her work, obviously very pleased. - "Look at the mirror."
Sandra opened her mouth to say something, but was stopped by the ringing of the telephone.
"Pick up please," - asked Maija. - "I need to wipe my hands off."
"Hello?" - Sandra answered the phone, and an expression of triumph spread over her face. - "That"s for you, and guess who!"
Maija wiped the cream off her hands quickly.
"Hello there," - Maija said, taking the phone out of Sandra"s hands, - "who"s that? Ah, Tommy, hi."
"Hullo there!" - Tommy greeted her, incredibly cheerful, - "Just calling you to make sure that you remember tonight"s party. You won"t let me down, will you?"
"Ah, well of course I remember," - Maija answered. - "actually Sandra is here with me, you just spoke to her - we"re preparing already."
"Oh, great. If Sandra needs a ride, tell her she can have one - I"m coming to pick you up with the dudes, so either one of them can take her."
"Pick me up?" - Maija didn"t understand. - "But - you live on the other end of the street, that"s just a couple minute"s walking, no need to bother, really."
"Oh, no," - Tommy laughed, - "you didn"t think we"re going to have the party at my place, did you? Nah, it"s impossible - my mom with her constant headaches, and my dad with his endless preachings - and besides they"d never let me have the house to myself for a night. No, the party is going to be at the garage, the same where we have our rehearsals. You already know that nice shortcut we can take, so we"ll be there in no-time."
At the thought about that lovely shortcut, Maija felt her entire breakfast threatening to come up her throat, but she thought it wouldn"t be wise to mention any of it.
"Oh, alright then," - she said. - "great, we"re settled. See you tonight, Tommy. Yes, thanks, you too. Bye."
At the second she finished the phone conversation with Tommy, Maija noticed a broad grin on Sandra"s face.
"What?" - she asked.
"Not being around you much, not at all," - said the red-head, sounding victorious. - "and not giving you too much attention, either - come on, that"s the biggest pile of rubbish I"ve ever heard! He fancies you, that"s so obvious. You should feel lucky, he"s the coolest and the most handsome boy around, there"s no argument about that. And he"s not so stupid as you might think, either - his bad marks are all a result of laziness and bad company. You can"t compare him to the rest of the Rippers, he"s not a brainless git like them all. They"re not even so much of friends to him - he"s like an authority for them, and the only one they acknowledge, too."
"It"s not that I don"t appreciate Tommy - he"s a good person, and he"s been so nice to me and all, but," - Maija paused, looking for words. - "but I like another boy."
"Ooh, really?" - Sandra looked at her with wide-open eyes, - "Is that someone from the South, or is he from here?"
"No, he"s not from the South," - Maija answered. - " you probably know him. Actually he"s from our school - and he lives in the house right in front of mine."
"Don"t you say!" - gasped Sanni, her blue eyes even wider now. - "Of course I know whom you"re talkinng about - that Costello boy, isn"t it so? But isn"t he from the eighths grade?"
"Yeah, he"s from 8-G," - Maija nodded. - "I met him at the old park, though, not at school."
"But," - Sandra didn"t understand, - "what have you found in him? He"s one grade lower than you, and not to mention that, there"s nothing special about him - certainly he can"t be compared to Tommy!"
"I know," - said Maija, - "but you know what it"s like, when you see at a person something that nobody else can see? I don"t know if you do - at least I didn"t know what it"s like, until some days ago."
"I guess," - Sandra said after a couple moments" silence, - "you"re right, maybe I don"t really understand."
"Anyway," - said Maija with a sigh, - "do you think he"s going to be at Tommy"s party tonight?"
"I think so, yes," - Sandra nodded, - "Tommy"s inviting everyone, well except for Helena maybe - but I think she"ll come anyway, she never had trouble coming where she"s not wanted. But I don"t think it would be too wise to focuse on that boy at Tommy"s party - Tommy will be offended, and the Costello guy will probably end up with a broken nose, or a couple of ribs if Tommy goes a bit too far with drinks, or even worse - and you"ll make Helena very happy with fresh material for gossip."
"I wish I could just stay at home," - said Maija, sitting down on her bed in despair. - "but I can"t do it either, can I? I"ve already promised to Tommy twice. I"d keep on a low profile at the party as much as I can, but now thanks to dear Helena, the whole school thinks that I"m Tommy"s girlfriend."
"I don"t want to depress you even more," - Sandra started carefully, - "but after this party, everyone are going to be more convinced that you really are his girlfriend. And Tommy"s sure not going to deny those rumours, I"d say he"s going to do everything to make them come true. It seems that everyone like the idea of you and Tommy together - everyone at school, and even your dad. You know, things could be so nice if just your taste in boys wouldn"t have been so weird."
"You see," - Maija sighed again, - "I don"t want to complain. I know I"m really lucky - I haven"t spent a week at the North yet, and I already have friends, I"m being asked out, everyone are so nice to me, and living with my dad is so much more fun than with my old aunt - I wish you knew her, you"d understand me completely. I appreciate all of that, but you see, there is also another thing."
"Ah, don"t worry, it will work out eventually, you"ll see," - Sandra said, reaching out for the hair cream, - "let"s go on with our preparations."
Maija was left thoughtful, staring at the fresh-colored wall. Her thoughts were far away - in her mind, she saw herself walking hand in hand with a boy with kind, glowing eyes, brown hair and a sweet smile. Walking down a sunny street on a lovely summer day, struggling to follow a narrow path in the wood, diving into a small, clear lake - and drinking hot chocolate in the living room on a rainy day. Up to lunchtime, Maija seemed to be present only physically. Then, she and Sandra went downstairs to grab some food.
After lunch, hours passed by fast. Soon, they were dressed and ready to go - the clock was showing five minutes before eight. At eight, the girls heard a cheerful honk outside. Maija opened the window, and as it was expected, they saw four motorbikes - Tommy in the lead, the three Rippers behind them. Tommy looked up and waved. Vlad kissed Maija on the cheek, saying:
"Have a nice time, dear."
A minute afterwards they were already outside.