Double Love, chapter 19

Elizabeth checked herself in the mirror one last time. "Looking good, Liz," she told herself, twisting around to see if her tuxedo shirt was tucked in neatly at the back.

She was finally going to have a chance to wear her new outfit, and she couldn't have chosen a better time.

Now for the next step in her plan.

"Jess, are you almost ready?" she called. "Todd will be here to pick us up in a few minutes."

"I don't see why I have to ride to the rally with you and Todd," Jessica grumbled as she came into the room. "I could have driven the Spider."

"Not without the keys, and I guess Mom forgot to leave them." Elizabeth crossed her fingers behind her back. Now for step three.

Elizabeth picked up the glass of water that was on her dresser, and somehow it spilled all over Jessica's white blouse and blue miniskirt.

"How could you be so clumsy? Look what you've done!"

"Oh, Jess, I'm sorry. I don't know how in the world I could have done such a thing. Let me help you dry it off."

"There isn't time! Now what am I going to wear? There isn't another clean outfit in my closet." Jessica moaned.

"Well, since it was my fault," Elizabeth said, guilt and a spark of something else radiating from her eyes, "it's up to me to solve your problem."

"How?"

"I just pressed my best jeans today and my blue button-down shirt that you've been dying to borrow."

Jessica was stunned. "You're serious? You'd let me borrow that outfit?"

"Yes, but just this once."

Jessica made a quick change, then stood admiring her image in the mirror.

"Look at us, Liz. Do you see something funny?"

"No. You look terrific."

"I don't mean that, silly. Look again. If I didn't know which of us was me, I would swear you were me and I was you."

It took all of Elizabeth's ample supply of self-control to keep from bursting into laughter. It was like taking candy from a baby.

"You know, you're right, Jess. You look just like me."

"What is that horrendous noise?"

"It's just Todd's car. He's having a little muffler trouble. Let's go. I don't want to keep him waiting."

The two girls dashed out to Todd. Jessica missed the conspiratorial wink Elizabeth and Todd exchanged because she was too busy complaining about being seen in such a gross car.

By the time they drove to school, parked the car, and walked over to where the crowd was gathered, Elizabeth was ready to put step four of her plan into action.

The Droids were entertaining the crowd before the football rally started, and Dana Larson was belting out a number in true Droid fashion.

"Excuse me a minute, you guys. I have to see Dana about an article on the Droids. I'm going to try and catch her at the end of this number. Be right back." She hurried off into the crowd.

"I've got to go, too, Todd. I want to talk to Lila and Cara." She started off, but Todd grabbed her arm.

"Don't tell me you're deserting me, too, Jess. You can't leave me here all alone, friendless and unwanted," Todd teased with mock sadness. Then he gave Jessica his most charming grin.

"Oh, don't be silly, Todd. You know practically every single person here." She smiled up at him, the flirt in her unable to resist a good-looking guy's smile. She sighed. "You're a nut, Todd, but I'll stay until Liz gets back."

"Thanks, Jess. That will make Liz happy." I'll say it'll make her happy, he thought, smiling to himself.

Elizabeth made it over to the bandstand just as Dana finished her number and stepped down to the ground.

"Hey, Jess," Dana said, snapping her gum, "every time you wear that tuxedo outfit, you make the other fashion types around here look like they're wearing horse blankets."

"Thanks, Dana. It really is me, isn't it?" Elizabeth said, flashing a truly glorious Jessica Wakefield smile.

"Sure thing, Jess."

Elizabeth grinned to herself. It was working!

"Dana, I have the most sensational announcement for you to make about the 'Eyes and Ears' column."

It was a tradition that, every year, if the "Eyes and Ears" author was unmasked, the guilty party was thrown, fully clothed, into the school pool. Elizabeth couldn't remember any previous columnist escaping the students' playful punishment. Somebody always leaked the secret, at just about this point in the semester. Elizabeth suspected it was Mr. Collins and that her time was almost up. Well, this year, somebody else was going to spill the beans.

"I know who writes the column," Elizabeth said, imitating Jessica perfectly.

"Terrific, Jess. We have time for a little dunking before the rally starts. Who is it?"

"My sister. Liz is the author."

"And you're turning her in? What's the matter, you two have a fight?"

"No, no. It's just that sometimes she seems a little too good, you know? A little dunking won't hurt her."

"You're right. Besides, she's a good sport. Where is she?"

"Where else? Over there with Todd Wilkins, where she always is."

"OK! Let's tell the world the news." Dana jumped back onto the bandstand, grabbed the mike, and held up her hand for attention.

"Listen up, you guys! Have I got news for you! What do we do to the writer of the 'Eyes and Ears' column?"

"Dunk him!" the crowd roared.

"Well, go get her. It's Liz Wakefield-and she's standing right over there with Todd Wilkins!"

Everyone turned to look. Jessica stood rooted to the ground. "Oh, no, Todd, they think I'm Liz. Help me, Todd. Stop them!"

Smiling broadly, Todd stepped away from her.

"Rules are rules, Liz. She's all yours, guys."

Two linebackers got to her first. One took her arms, the other her legs. They headed for the pool, followed by a laughing crowd.

"No! No! No! I'm not Liz, you jerks! I'm Jessica!"

One of the guys laughed. "Give me a break, Liz. I saw your sexy sister talking to Dana at the bandstand. I think she's the one who turned you in."

"One! Two! Three!" Jessica was thrown screaming into the middle of the pool.

Elizabeth made it down to Todd's side at the pool in time to see a sputtering, incensed, and very wet Jessica surface.

Elizabeth grinned down at her sister triumphantly. "You were right, Jessie. You certainly did look like me today."

"You planned this!" she shrieked. "You planned this whole rotten, mean, contemptible trick! I'll never forgive you, not if I live to be a hundred and thirty-seven years-"

"Bye, Jess." Elizabeth and Todd strolled off, arm in arm.

After the rally, Elizabeth and Todd finally said good night-a long good night filled with kisses and sweet words, and still more kisses.

Elizabeth watched Todd drive off, then went in, closed the door, and leaned against it, sighing happily.

The sharp ring of the doorbell announced Enid's arrival. Elizabeth had invited her friend to come over after dinner and spend the night. Elizabeth opened the door. There stood her friend, tears streaming down her face.

"Enid! What's wrong?"

"Liz, I don't know what to do. Something terrible has happened. I can't even tell you, it's so awful. But I know Ronnie is going to hate me, and I could just die! I'm afraid I'm going to lose everything."