hummus. “I simply thought you’d be interested to know that
a very cute boy was interested in you. And I may have mentioned that we were going to go to his track meet this Friday.”
“We’re going because Levi wants to check it out.”
“Yes, and while Levi checks out the team he wants to be on
next year, you can check out Ian.”
“He’s a freshman.”
Danielle tapped her index finger against her lips for a
moment. “Good point. What would someone at the bottom of
the high school food chain want to do with a gorgeous girl
like you?”
“That’s not what I meant.” I didn’t know what I’d meant
exactly.
“All I’m saying is that he asked about you and that I said
we’d be at the meet on Friday. No big deal.”
“Right.” I was making too big a deal out of it.
“Yes, no big deal at all.” Danielle gave that smirk that let
me know another one of her patented zingers was coming my
way. “Now do you care to explain why your cheeks are so red?”
I always went to Levi’s mom when I had a question of the
female variety. But I didn’t feel comfortable asking her what
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to wear to the track meet. I knew she would’ve probably been
excited to help me, but I wasn’t sure how excited she would be
about my having feelings for somebody. Anytime Levi and I
got into one of our little bantering conversations, I’d catch our parents giving one another those looks. Those aren’t-they-so-cute looks. I was sure she’d be happy, but another part of me thought she wanted Levi and me to be together.
As much as I didn’t think Ian was into me that way, I also
realized that maybe I wouldn’t be so preoccupied with Emily
and Levi’s relationship if I had one of my own. I did love
distractions.
So I went to the only other person I trusted for girly advice:
Emily.
I sent her a quick text that I was coming over, and left for
her house. I was too excited to wait around for a response. It
wasn’t unusual for either Emily or me to stop by the other’s
house unannounced.
I was only a few steps away from the front door when it
opened. For a split second I assumed Emily had seen me
approaching the house. But someone else stepped out of it.
Troy.
“Hey, Macallan!” he greeted me. “How’s it going?”
The door swung open and Emily jumped outside. “Hey,
what a surprise!”
“I sent you a text,” I stammered, trying to make sense of
what I was witnessing.
Emily waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, no worries. Troy
was getting the, ah, homework assignment we had in
history.”
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Troy looked at her weird. “Yeah, sure. Catch you later.” He
walked down the street like he didn’t have a care in the world.
“It’s not what it looks like,” Emily assured me once we got
to her room.
“Then what was it?” I asked. I refused to sit down next
to her on her bed. I folded my arms and waited for her
explanation.
“Troy and I were just hanging out. Honestly. I’m trying to
get to know him better. Last time I checked, that wasn’t a
crime.”
“What about Levi?”
“Levi knows.” She picked up a magazine on her nightstand
and started flipping through it like we were done with this
conversation.
We were not.
“Levi knows what?” I prodded.
“He knows that Troy was coming over today to study.
They’re friends.”
“Yeah, some friend.”
“It’s complicated.”
I was so sick of that excuse. Because that’s all it was: an
excuse. “Then explain to me. Because honestly, Emily, I have
no idea what’s going on with you lately.”
Emily dropped the magazine as if I was being the unrea—
sonable one. “I’m just confused, that’s all. And I’d appreciate it if you weren’t so hard on me. We can’t all be perfect like you.”
I glared at Emily. I didn’t appreciate that she was trying
to turn this around on me. This had nothing to do with me.
Although it felt as though it did.
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She could tell that I was still waiting for a response.
“Listen, I like Levi, I do. He’s so sweet and cute. But I also
like Troy. So I’m spending time with Troy just to see if,
you know . . .”
“No, I don’t know.” I could practically hear the icicles cover
each syllable as they came out of my mouth.
Emily sulked. “I like them both. I want to make an
informed decision before I choose.”
“Are you being serious right now? What you’re doing to
Levi is completely unfair.”
“I know.” Emily looked sad. “I do. I promised myself that I
had to make a decision by graduation.”
“That’s over a month away,” I reminded her.
“Please, you’re not going to tell Levi what’s going on,
are you?”
I got up and headed for the door. “Really, Emily? I wouldn’t
even know where to start.”
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Where to start?
I got it. When somebody tells you you’re seeing things that