My heart sinks when my mom and I pull up to the enormous house.
Lisa
Wait — your new clients are the Bristols?
I don’t mind helping Mom with her housekeeping business.
But I cannot let Nate Bristol see me cleaning his house.
Nate is the captain of my school’s football team.
He and his friends are all super rich.
His crowd looks down on people like me.
And now I’m literally going to have to scrub his toilet.
Lisa
Is anyone home right now?
Mom shakes her head as she unlocks the front door.
Mom
The owners said they’d be out all day.
Lisa
Let’s finish before they get back.
While Mom tackles the kitchen, I head upstairs.
The first bedroom I find has to be Nate’s.
A jacket in my school’s colors is draped over a chair.
I vacuum and dust as fast as I can.
All I want is to finish this job and get out of here.
A yell from behind me makes me drop my dust cloth.
I gasp and whirl around to see…
Nate Bristol in the bedroom doorway.
He’s tall and gorgeous, with curly brown hair and dark eyes…
And right now, he’s only wearing a towel.
Nate
What are you doing in here??
Water drips over his wide shoulders.
I tell myself to get a grip and stop staring.
Lisa
I didn’t think anyone was home!
I put up a hand to smooth my disheveled ponytail…
But it’s no use. I’m a dusty mess.
A fierce blush rises in my cheeks.
Nate
I had football practice this morning…
He glances at the dust cloth on the ground.
Nate
So, you’re the new housekeeper?
Wait, maybe he doesn’t recognize me.
Maybe I can get out of here before he realizes we know each other…
Lisa
I help her out on weekends.
Lisa
I’ll get out of your way.
I pick up the dust cloth and try to leave…
But Nate is still in the doorway.
Panic surges in my chest.
Lisa
Nope, I don’t think so!
I scoot around him into the hall.
I pause, wishing I could put the dust cloth over my face and hide.
Nate
You go to Central High, right?
Nate
We’re in the same physics class!
Now I wish I could shrink down and disappear.
Nate
What did you think of that quiz last week?
Lisa
The one about torque?
Nate’s eyebrows shoot up.
Nate
I don't understand that stuff at all.
Nate
And if I don’t pull my physics grade up…
Nate
I might be off the team.
Lisa
Well, I should get back to work.
I point down the hall, hoping Nate will let me escape.
Nate
I feel really weird about you cleaning my house.
Nate
Maybe you could help me with physics in return.
In all the times I’ve helped my mom…
Something like this has never happened.
Lisa
I guess that would work.
Nate
Let me put some clothes on, and we’ll get started.
I kind of wish he’d stick with the towel, to be honest.
But I give him a few minutes to pull on a t-shirt and jeans.
Then we head to his parents’ bedroom…
Where he vacuums while I dust.
He volunteers to scrub the toilet while I clean the mirrors.
Nate
How come I don’t see you around more at school?
Nate
Aside from physics class, I mean.
Lisa
I guess we just run in different circles.
Nate
Come sit with us at lunch on Monday.
I whip around and stare at him.
Lisa
You’re not being serious, right?
Lisa
Look, Nate. Nothing against you, but…
Lisa
Some of your friends aren’t exactly nice to me.
I gesture to my cleaning supplies.
Lisa
I’m not rich like all of you.
Lisa
Life is…different for me.
Nate
I never thought of that.
Blushing, I turn back to the mirrors.
They’re huge, just like everything in Nate’s house.
I can’t quite reach high enough to clean them.
Lisa
Do you guys have a step stool?
Nate’s voice behind me is soft.
He stretches around me, reaching the parts I can’t.
I watch his reflection as he works.
And I realize he’s not the person I assumed he was.
He’s not like his friends.
When the mirrors are clean, I turn to face him.
Nate
Sit with us at lunch on Monday.
Nate
If anyone isn’t nice to you…
Nate
I promise I’ll deal with them.
My heart flutters in my chest.
Nate
If I’d known they were giving you a hard time…
Nate
I would have stopped them already.
Nate
No one deserves to be treated like that.
Nate
You and your mom work hard.
Nate
You deserve respect.
But not from embarrassment this time.
Nate
Will you sit with us on Monday?
He tips his face toward mine.
Nate
Will you go out with me sometime?
Not quite believing my boldness…
I brush my lips against his.
His brows tilt upward as he waits.
Lisa
I’ll help you with physics, too.
Nate
That would be perfect.
Just then, I hear my mom calling from the hall.
Lisa
I’m here! Just finishing up in the bathroom!
But before I can, Nate catches my hand.
He pulls me in for a quick kiss.
It leaves my head spinning.
Oh the way home, Mom glances at me.
Mom
Thank you for your help today.
Mom
I always appreciate it.
Mom
I know cleaning houses isn’t easy for you.
Remembering how Nate’s lips felt against mine.
Lisa
Sometimes it’s not so bad.
Lisa
Today it all seemed…
