“Because I asked you.”
“So?”
“So?” Daisy mimicked. It made me smile, becausethatwas so sisterly. “Go check on him. Make sure he hasn’t cracked his head open on his dollhouse again.”
Junie, with a dramatic sigh, dropped her pipe cleaners and got to her feet. “Sure, motivate me with anxiety.” Sheshot Daisy a glare as she walked by. “That’s manipulation, you know.”
“Oh, and telling me you’ll starve if I don’t feed you Cheetos isn’t?”
Junie stuck her tongue out.
Daisy ignored her again. “Sorry,” she repeated to me, dropping her head onto the couch cushion. “See, this is why we meet atyourhouse.”
“I like it. It feels homey.” And I’d meant it, but I wasn’t sure how she was able to stay sane dealing with it all day, every day, honestly. Four siblings—fourloudsiblings. Junie seemed like an angel at the moment, but I’d witnessed firsthand how big her lungs were before. I was worried for Daisy after next week, when the kids would be out of school for the summer. “If you ever need a break, you know, I’d be more than happy to?—”
Daisy started shaking her head. “Ah, I’m good, I’m good. Penn’s going through the wholeooh, I’m such an angsty teenager, I hate everyonephase, and Junie likes to countereverything, and I’d never put you through that. But I appreciate the offer, girl.”
“Well, just know it’s a standing one.”
Daisy smiled, then sat up straighter. “So. I’m guessing we’re not having a No-Jamie-Allowed meeting for no reason.”
Right. After school had ended—thelast day of school, which still was wild—I’d asked Daisy if I could come over.WithoutJamie. Some conversations really didn’t need brothers, especially ones involving my love life.
I decided to dive straight into it. “Carter came over onWednesday. He told me he doesn’t like me romantically, but wants to be in a fake relationship so his parents get off his back.”
Daisy shook her head a little, as if the information was physical as it hit her. “Woah. Okay.Notwhere I thought we were going, but—afake relationship?” She wrinkled her nose. “That’s kind of ironic, seeing as how you were trying to pressuremeinto one.”
“I know. I told him I had someone perfect in mind?—”
She threw a cheese puff at me. “You did not?—”
“—but alas, he was too set on me.” I gave my eyes a sarcastic roll. “He wants me to meet his parents at the birthday party tomorrow, charm their diamonds off.”
Daisy nodded, rolling a cheeseball in her palm. “Which is a win-win, since you want to get in favor with Dr. Pembleton anyway.”
“I don’t know if I do.”
“Dude, sincewhen?”
“Since I decided I like Beck.”
Daisy choked. “Since youdecided?”
“I decided I was allowed to.” I leaned forward. “Ever since he came back, I’d been telling myself I couldn’t like him. Didn’t like him. That I’d be tanking my entire future if I liked him.” Now I sat back, giving one sure nod. “And I’ve decided that I’d rather give up some abstract future than him.”
Daisy stared at me, cheese puff in her palm, looking like she was debating lobbing it at me. “Spell nonsensical.”
“N-O-N-S-E-N-S-I-C-A-L.”
“Oh, great, so youarestill my best friend and haven’tbeen abducted by aliens.” And then she did throw it at me. “N-O-N-S-I-N—whatever. That’s you right now. YoulikeBeckham Jennings?”
“Yeah.”
“Like, you want to kiss him and stuff?”
“Daisy—”
“It’s a valid question! I mean, Iknewit, too—I knew I could feel that simmering romantic tension—but I never thought?—”
