“Seriously?”
“It’s only the truth!!”
Harley and I were catching up over lemonade. “I’m so glad we’re back,” I said.
“Me too,” he said. “I can’t wait to introduce you to Alex.”
“She seems . . . intense,” I told him.
“She can be.” He scratches the back of his neck. “She has a lot of brothers.”
“I wish I had brothers.” I’ve always wanted a large family. It’s always been so boring and quiet.
“Well, you’ll always have me,” Harley said. “I may not be your brother, but I am your best friend.”
“Backatcha.”
“So, what else is new with you?” Harley asked.
“I . . . joined a writing club . . . I started painting . . . “
“Meet any new people?” He waggled his eyebrows. “You know what I mean.”
I looked at him for a few seconds, silent. “Um . . . no. Nope, not one,” I lied. “W-what about you?”
“Oh, yeah, I have,” he said. My heart started to ache. “Her name’s Kir-- Kingsley. Kingsley. Y-y-yeah, Kingsley.”
I blushed. He almost said Kira!! “Cool, cool. Does she go to our school?”
“No . . . um, yes. But . . . she doesn’t know I exist.”
“Oh.” But I do know he exists!
“Yeah, I just admire her from afar, y’know?”
“Totally.”
“Yeah.”
I took a deep breath and shook off my heartbreak. “What’s she like?”
“Oh, she’s beautiful.” He smiled at me and looked in my eyes the whole time. “She’s really smart, too. And funny. I’ve overheard her talking to her friends, and her voice is very strong and soft at the same time. I heard her at the school play auditions. She got the lead, she was so talented. I think she likes me. A lot.”
I tried my best to hold back my tears. “She sounds perfect.”
Harley looked at me long and hard. He looked at his feet, then back at me. “Yeah, she really is,” he said softly.
He and I just stared at each other for a minute, although we couldn’t tell.
“Harley! Dinnertime!” Harley’s mom called.
“I guess I should go,” I said.
He stood as I stood. He walked me to the door.
“See you tomorrow, Harls,” I said.
“See you,” he said.
We hugged and I was on my way.
When I got home, my dad was making dinner. “Hi, Daddy,” I said. “How was your day?”
“Oh, hi, sweetie,” he said. He kissed my head. “You’re home a bit late. Where have you been?”
“I was at Hope’s,” I said. I hate lying. I really do. I just can’t tell him. I can’t.
“I made your favorite,” he said. “Chicken pot pie.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I had a really good day, Daddy. I really did.”
He smiled at me. “I’m so glad to hear that, honey. Can you start setting the table?”
As I got out the utensils, I thought of how happy I was to see Harley today. I was so happy to know he liked me.
I’m powerpassed! I know there isn’t a single Kingsley in our school. You can’t fool a powerpassed.
Which meant I couldn’t fool my father . . .
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