“Does she hate me?” Ava asked.
I didn’t know how to answer that. “I think she’s over it.”
Ava nodded. “Good.”
We were both quiet. We ate some more popcorn.
“If I could take back what I did, I would,” Ava said. “I never feel that way about anything. But I feel that way about this.”
This made my heart melt a little. Because I knew I’d probably grown a little bit through the whole Mint experience, but I wasn’t sure Ava had. Until now.
“It was a mistake,” Ava said. “But you can’t undo your mistakes.”
It meant a lot to me to hear that Ava wanted to take back what she’d done.
“Are you still going to come to my concert?” Ava asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “I’ve got tickets.”
Ava smiled and reached toward my hand. She gave it a squeeze. “I overheard Leslie telling Robin that our school parties are going to have a disco theme. That’s awesome. Did you come up with that?”
“Ava!” I said. “I can’t confirm anything related to our parties until we announce.”
She also said everybody was going dressed as a mood. Ava really was an expert at eavesdropping and snooping.
“Leslie is fierce and Robin is fun and you’re organic? How did you end up with that? If I had to pick a mood for you, I’d say you’re delightful or playful or organized.”
I shrugged. “I can’t confirm or deny any of this. But I will say that after researching online, the costume opportunities for organic aren’t as bad as you think.”
Ava smiled. “I’m dressing up as theatrical.”
I smiled back.
“Should we go get Lucia and Rachel before they eat their weight in gelato?”
“Yeah.” I smiled.
Awroo! Awroo! Awroo!
“Haven’t you changed Todd’s ringtone yet?” Ava asked. “We gave him a wolf howl as a joke.”
“I know,” I said. “But I kind of like it now.”
Ava rolled her eyes.
“Hi, Todd,” I said.
“I thought I’d check in with your slumber party,” he said. “Are you having a good time?”
“We’re having a great time!” I said, reaching over and pinching Ava.
“Ouch!” Ava said.
“Sounds like somebody is in pain,” Todd said.
“Hi, Todd!” Ava yelled.
“That was Ava,” I said.
“Is that going okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said.
“I’m going to check on Rachel and Lucia,” Ava whispered as she hustled out of the living room.
“Bye, Ava,” I said, so that Todd would understand that we were alone now.
“Too bad it’s too cold to sleep outside on your trampoline. Jagger and I would totally crash your party again.”
“That’s sweet,” I said. “But you’ll have to wait until the warm months.”
Todd laughed and I couldn’t stop smiling. I loved making Todd laugh.
“What do you think you’ll be doing at lunch on Monday?” Todd asked.
His voice sounded really flirty and it made my stomach spin. “Eating,” I said.
“With me?” he asked.
“Is that what you want?” I teased.
“When two people are going out, they usually eat lunch together,” Todd said.
I was so excited. Todd was finally asking me to go out with him.
“Then we should sit at the same table for sure,” I said.
“Cool,” Todd said.
And I really agreed.
“Hey, can I ask you a favor?” Todd said. He sounded a little nervous.
“Yes,” I said. I had no idea what it could be.
“Since Mint left, we need a person to play the part of Miyax trying to escape the helicopter hunters,” he said. “Mr. Guzman said we won’t be penalized if we perform with just three people, but we’ve got all the props and stuff. What do you think?”
What did I think? “Of course I’ll be your Miyax,” I said.
“Maybe I could come over tomorrow and we could practice,” Todd suggested.
“I think you should,” I said.
“Then I will,” he said.
“You’re such a flirt!” I said.
“I only flirt with people I’m going out with,” he said.
And those were the sweetest words I had ever heard.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am indebted to all my cool friends who have joined me in a bunch of life-changing adventures: Kristin Scheel, Joen Madonna, Maria Finn, Nina LaCour, Christopher Benz, Brandi Dougherty, Shelagh Fritz, Ulla Frederiksen, Fred Bueltmann, and Tracy Roberts. Memories of the bears, deep water hydrofit, the mountain lion, mini-cot, burrowing owl, baby goats, Alcatraz gardens, and Sam’s cake will remain with me forever. Many thanks to the übertalented Heather Daugherty and Vikki Sheatsley for making my book look überamazing. And many thanks to Sarah Evenson for giving me helpful information about squids and art. And many thanks also to Patrick Wolff for answering all my questions about cellos and cello cases and cello injuries. Thanks to Rachel Belnap for helping to spark my middle school imagination. Of course I am thankful again to my kind, amazing, beautiful, and hardworking agent, Sara Crowe. You are a bright light in my life always. Last but not least, I owe unending thanks to my husband, Brian Evenson, who enriches my life every day with his love and encouragement and quesadilla-making abilities.
KRISTEN TRACY grew up in a small town in Idaho surrounded by cows. She did not think this was cool. And that’s why you won’t find any cows in this book. She is the acclaimed author of the middle-grade novels Camille McPhee Fell Under the Bus, The Reinvention of Bessica Lefter, and Bessica Lefter Bites Back, as well as the young adult novels Lost It, Crimes of the Sarahs, A Field Guide for Heartbreakers, Sharks & Boys and Death of a Kleptomaniac. She lives with her husband, Brian Evenson, in Rhode Island in a tree-lined, cowless city, where she is very happy. Visit her online at kristentracy.com.
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