Good.
Because, seriously. The last thing I want is my friends to be mad at me because I’m friends with Brooks.
The girls start gossiping about the first day, so I pull out my phone real quick to see if I have a text from Brooks.
We’ve been texting all day. I have a few texts waiting for me.
CHARLIE: Call me tonight. I miss you and need to hear your voice.
Yeah, ditto.
I miss my brother so much.
ME TO CHARLIE: Absolutely. I’ll call around 10pm my time.
I look at the other messages.
ESTAINE: Want to hang out?
BROOKS: What are you doing? Meaning, I hope you’re doing nothing because I want to video chat with you and see your beautiful face.
OMG.
He thinks I’m beautiful.
Gah.
ME TO BROOKS: It’s girls’ night. I’m hanging out with my friends. Maybe you know them? Teagan, Zoey, Penelope, Samantha and Layla. Anyway... raincheck? Because even though I think you’re delusional for telling me I have a beautiful face, I still want to video chat.
ME TO ESTAINE: Can’t tonight. It’s girls’ night!
Just as I hit send, my phone is yanked from my hands.
“Hey!” I protest.
“Estaine,” Teagan says, grinning at me as she passes my phone back. “You’re smiling really big.”
Oh, thank God.
They think I’m this happy because I’m texting Estaine.
I’m not quite ready to tell them about Brooks yet.
“We’re just friends,” I say.
It’s the truth.
Estaine is very attractive. And he’s a nice guy. But he’s not Brooks.
“So, you can tell me you’re not at least a little attracted to the guy?” Teagan asks.
“Of course I’m attracted to him. The guy is a walking Abercrombie ad,” I say.
“I knew it!” she says, pumping her fist up.
“Aw, you two will make a cute couple,” Penelope says.
“I know, right?” Teagan says. “I so knew Estaine was crushing on you.”
“You think?” I ask, genuinely curious.
I’m not very good at knowing if a guy is into me. Unless the guy is very direct about it, like Brooks is. And even with Brooks I’m unsure if he really does like me.
“Absolutely,” Teagan answers. “Besides, why else would he want to hang out?”
“Because we’re friends,” I say. “Friends hang out.”
“Just trust us,” Penelope says. “He’s into you.”
Yeah, I’m not so sure about that.
10pm.
The boys are... irrelevant.
“Hello.”
Charlie answers on the first ring.
He was obviously waiting by the phone for me to call.
I love that he was.
“It is so good to hear your voice,” I tell him.
Seriously. It’s been too long. I just want to see him. Give him a hug. And never let go.
Family should never be separated.
Stupid terrorists.
“I miss you,” Charlie says.
“I miss you, too,” I say. “Like, a lot. I kinda wish you were here. Boarding school is actually kind of fun.”
“Wow. I never thought I’d hear you say that,” he says. “There must be a guy involved. Is there? I need his name, address, some references, and a background check. I have to know if he’s good enough to date my sister.”
“There are lots of guys here,” I say. “Like, really hot guys.”
“But there is one in particular,” Charlie says.
“Maybe,” I say.
“Which means yes. Just tell me,” he says.
“Fine,” I say, as I pace back and forth in the stairwell. “His name is Brooks. And he has the bluest eyes. And his smile. Oh, my gosh, Charlie, I have never, ever felt like this before. It was, like, love at first sight.”
“Love?” Charlie asks.
“You know what I mean. Attraction. Like magnetic, earth moving, attraction,” I say. “And I know he felt it, too. We’ve been texting nonstop. The only problem is he goes to West Raven Academy and I go to East Raven. Our schools are rivals, so I can’t tell anybody about him. Everybody thinks I like this other guy who goes here.”
“Wow. Two guys. I’m impressed,” he says.
“Shut up.”
He laughs. “My little sister is a playa.”
“I am not.”
“Tell me about the other guy,” Charlie says.
“Um, we’re just friends,” I say. “I mean, he’s hot. Like, super-hot. And he goes to East Raven. But he’s not Brooks.”
“You’ve known these guys for three days, Phoenix,” he says. “Maybe you should get to know them before you make a decision. The magnet guy could turn out to be a jerk.”
“Possibly,” I say, hoping that’s not the case. “But either way, I want to be both of their friends.”
“Speaking of friends... have you made any?”
“Actually, yes,” I answer. “Well, I’m starting to. I’m friends with my roommate, Teagan. She’s on the soccer team. And we just clicked right away. I’m also friends with some girls from the dance team, Zoey, Penelope and Samantha. We all hung out tonight. It was awesome.”
“Are they hot? Because, you know, I’m single now,” Charlie says.
I roll my eyes, even though he can’t see me. “You’re always single.”