“Really?” I pounce on the box and rummage through the treasure. “Oh, wow!” I hold up a resin bracelet. “This will be fun to sort through!”
“Sofun,” Kristen mutters.
I remember a similar sneer from the popular girls at high school. They refused to wear their skirts at the right length when the nuns were out of sight and teased me ruthlessly because I obeyed the rules. Those girls hated me. Every last one of them.
I don’t understand why, but I know I’ve somehow made an enemy out of Kristen.
10
Gusty conditions outside the nail salon
The salon has adeal on Wednesday after five. Happy hour, but for nails. Half price.
Happiness fizzes in my chest when I peek at my wriggling toes. I grin. It’s been a long time since I indulged in a pedicure, but I adore the watermelon pink that the nail tech convinced me to try. It’s summery and girly. It’sbrave.
I carefully step out of the salon, glancing at my sandals, still nervous about smudging the polish even though I know it’s dry. I jiggle the strap of my bag into place on my shoulder, look up and—
Of course.
Kristen marches down the sidewalk, heading straight for me in her blazer and skin-tight business skirt. She slows as she gives me her usual critical scan from head to toe.
“Elsie.” She makes no attempt to smile. “Howwonderfulto see you again sosoon.”
A brittle laugh lodges in my throat.Wonderful?Not how I’d describe this.So soon?Way too soon. We saw each other at the community center last night. I’ll see her there again tomorrow. A third encounter this week is one too many.
“Were you getting your nails done?” Kristen smirks. “Oh, honey.” She leans over to tap a condescending pat on my arm. “Did you have to wait for the half-price special?”
I press my lips into a hard line. I hate this. I can afford a pedicure, but I’m careful with my money at the moment. I need so much. A car. A down payment on a little house where the stairs don’t threaten to snap under even cautious steps. I want to establish roots here. That’s worth going without a few nice things for a bit longer.
“Hosko!”
Relief floods me to hear Sawyer’s voice. I can’t hold back my wide smile.
“About time I found you.” Sawyer slips between Kristen and me. “Come on. We’ll be late.”
“Hey, Sawyer!” Kristen is a chameleon when my friend is around. Her voice transforms from a hissing viper to the sweet chirp of a baby bird.
“Hey,” he says.
That one word is all he gives her before his hand settles on my shoulder, steady and reassuring, and he steers me forward. I go willingly, heart pounding, but I’m barely keeping up with him as he moves us down the sidewalk.
Heels click behind us. Kristen jogs a few steps to catch up. “I was thinking of bringing along some Chinese tomorrow night for everyone,” she puffs. “Will you be there?”
“Yeah.” He’s not slowing down. “We’ll be there.”
“We?”
He nods at me without pausing.
“Oh. Elsie’s coming.” Kristen’s carefully controlled sweetness drops for a second. “Howgreat.”
He nudges me to move a little quicker, and I match his pace.
“Bye!” Kristen calls.
Sawyer’s hand drops from my shoulder once we’re far enough away, but he stays close.
I readjust my bag and glance at him. “So, where are we going?”
