“Yeah, yeah, okay. Whatever.”
Maddy huffs, shaking her head as she makes the turn toward our neighborhood. “You need to care more about the things that matter.”
“Aunt Maddy, you’re the one with the brain to make the business better. It’s not me.”
She looks at me for a beat. “But it can be.”
I’m not appreciating the pep talks everyone’s throwing my way.
I quickly unlock my phone and text Kai.“Where the heck are you? Your dorky brother is on the way to my house!”
Six
PeoplealwayssayVictoriaFalls is a small town, but it’s sprawling. Nothing proves its size more than our journey home. It’s still surprising our neighborhood is considered part of Victoria Falls. From here, we may as well keep traveling until we reach Logan’s Point. This weird wave of embarrassment fizzes inside me. I never enjoy the reminder of where Mom, Maddy, and I come from.
Now the feeling of not being good enough comes from Milo being in the car. Kai visits our house plenty, and he’s such a part of our family, I never question what’s in his head. But the other boys never visit. Even Kai’s parents always give excuses not to stop by.“Oh, it’ll be easier if we gather at our house. We have more room.”I wonder what they say about our home when we’re not around. Will Milo judge us because of what his parents have been saying? Getting those looks at school is one thing, but to have it in our home…
That’s how I know Mr. Stuffy came by our house before I met him. He was way too cool about our tiny, non-flashy home.
When we finally arrive home, I move inside quickly. Not only do I still want out of this ridiculous uniform, but I’ll also avoid the look in Milo’s eyes when he steps inside.
After I get changed into sweats, I move to the kitchen, where Maddy flicks through papers at the kitchen counter and Milo sits at the table.
“Milo, here’s Jamie’s grade report,” Aunt Maddy says, holding out the paper as she approaches Milo.
“Maddy,” I scold.
She hushes me, standing by Milo. “There’s a few classes where she’s at a C plus,” she tells Milo. “They’re her good classes. I think her first step will be to get her other classes up to a C plus. At least her grade average will be better. If she then can work her way into the Bs, she’ll be doing a lot better.”
Milo nods, looking over my grades. “We can do that. So, we’ll work on math, history, and English first.”
“Great,” I mutter, sitting opposite Milo.
“Are you in any of those classes with her?” Aunt Maddy asks.
“History and English.”
“He’s in the genius-level math class,” I remark dryly.
Aunt Maddy pats Milo on the shoulder and moves back to the counter. “That’s why we’re so lucky he’s here. Thanks again for helping, Milo.”
Milo’s lips press together, and he nods. His face flashes with a pinkish hue. “It’s no problem,” he mumbles.
I tilt my head, watching Milo sit his backpack on his lap and rummage inside. “Do you feel cramped here?” I ask.
He looks up at me. “Huh?”
“It’s not a big house like yours.” I can’t help myself. I need to know if he’s looking down at me. “Our dining table is in the kitchen and our couch is six feet away. Do you think that’s weird?”
His arms rest on his bag and his expression draws blank. “No. Should it?”
My elbows rest on the table as I lean forward. “I was just wondering what was your first impression?”
“I dunno. I don’t remember.”
“What do you mean? You just walked in.”
His eyes narrow in confusion. “But it’s not my first time here.”
