I start laughing and then I’m bouncing on my toes too. “I kissed him!”
“You kissed him!”
“Also, I told Caleb’s dad to fuck off.”
April stops bouncing. “What the hell happened when I was gone yesterday?”
I hold onto my backpack straps and take a deep breath. The school is just up ahead and we always stop talking about personal things by the time we cross this road so that no one overhears us. “It’s a long story. A crazy long story that might involve losing The Magpie.”
April’s eyebrows pull together. “You’re kidding.”
I shake my head. “I wish. I’ll have to tell you during lunch, okay?”
“No way. No freaking way.” April grabs my elbow and tugs me toward the right, turning onto Main Street. “We’re getting coffee,” she says as she picks up speed.
“But…first period?” I say, but I walk alongside her. “The bell rings in ten minutes.”
“It can wait.”
If she wants to ditch class for some Starbucks down the road, I’m perfectly okay with that. I’ve been a model student for the last month. I can screw up one class period.
The moment we place our coffee orders, Jonah texts me.
Jonah:I have some preliminary plans for The Magpie. Want me to give them to you now so you can look over before we talk at lunch?
Me:I’m not at school…I’m at Starbucks.
Me:Please don’t be mad!
Jonah:Why’d you skip?
Me:I told April a very brief description of what happened while she was sick and she’s dying for details.
Jonah:Cool. Can I come?
I tilt my phone to April and let her read his text. “Absolutely,” she says, taking my phone from my hand and texting that word back to him. “I want to hear all about the hanky panky you two have been up to while I was gone.”
We sit at a table in the corner that has a view of the window facing the school, just in case any teachers or principals decide to come in here looking for students who are skipping. Jonah shows up a few minutes later, his hair a little messy from the wind.
“Hey,” he says, sliding into the chair next to me. He gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and I blush from head to toe.
April grins. “Spill your guts, kids. I need details!”
After Jonah assures me he doesn’t mind missing first period, we all make a promise to talk just for this hour and then get back to school for second period. Missing one measly math class shouldn’t have Mrs. Reese freaking out or anything. I’ll say I was sick and needed to come into school late, or blame it on cramps.
I start with the beginning, and tell April everything that happened yesterday. I kind of skim over the romantic parts of the day with Jonah because I don’t want to give away all of our special moments to other people. Jonah helps me tell the story in places, and when we’re done, April is just as pissed off as I am about Jack Brown’s offer to buy the store and the sleazy way he tried to get his son to win me over.
“So although I fear this is hopeless and totally won’t work,” I say, eyeing Jonah who gives me a reassuring smile, “Jonah thinks we can come up with a plan to save the store.”
“Damn right we can.” He places his notebook on the table. To my surprise, he hasn’t concocted a spreadsheet on the computer or anything, he’s just written a ton of stuff in his super small but very neat handwriting.
“We’re going to do a community outreach,” Jonah says. “Most of the store’s business is from tourists and beach goers, but how many citizens of Sterling bother to go shopping on the boardwalk on a daily basis? Not many.” He taps the paper. “We’re going to bring the whole town to you. The Magpie will become a place to stop for all of your gift giving, book buying, trinket desiring needs. We’ll have a book club, and student discounts, and social media campaigns. It’s going to be great.”
I study over his ideas, many of which I’ve never thought of myself. They’re also really good. April throws in some ideas as well, and Jonah adds them to the list.
When we’re all coffeed up and walking back to school, I get a text.
Mom:Sorry babe. I’ve decided to sell the store.
