“I get it,” Cora says. “Oh, they’re calling us to board. I’ll be home soon. Tell Lila I love her, and I have something for her.”
I try to smile, try to get excited about my sister thinking of her daughter while she’s been gone. But she’s been more mentally absent lately, and Lila can sense things are off.
“What’s wrong, Avery?” Lila asks, padding into the kitchen in her pajama pants.
“Just trying to keep the flooding under control,” I say with a quick smile. “What are you doing up so late? I thought you were asleep.”
“I couldn’t sleep. And you weren’t in your bed when I checked.”
I soften a little. “I heard the dripping and wanted to see what it was. Let’s go back to bed, okay?”
“I can’t sleep,” she says, with more volume.
Breathing out a sigh, I say, “Okay, what’s on your mind?”
“Nothing.”
Exasperated, I pinch my lips together for a couple of seconds. “There’s got to be something bugging you, or else you would be asleep at eleven o’clock on a school night.”
Lila lets out a long, shuddering breath. “I don’t want to go to school tomorrow.”
“Is it because of Joey?” I ask.
“No. I didn’t do an assignment.”
I put my hand on her upper back and nudge her toward her room. “Well, I’ll wake you up early, and you can finish it before school.”
She digs in her heels, making it harder to move her toward the bedroom door. “What about Kylie?”
“What about her?” This conversation is all over the place, and I’m scrambling to try and find the common thread that pieces them all together in her brain.
“Will we ever be friends again?”
I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut as I watch her lips try to keep still.
“You might. But not everything is certain. Have you asked anyone else to eat lunch with you? What if we invite a few people over this week for a girls’ night?”
Lila gives me a pout before saying, “What would we do? Our apartment is so boring.”
I have to take a breath before I lash out at her complaints. “We can get out the nail kit and do nails, have a movie or game night, or come up with a bunch of different ideas.”
Her hard exterior seems to melt in front of me, and I smile. A small victory for me tonight when I’m already exhausted.
“Are you going to date Max?”
I freeze, not having expected that question. “No. What makes you think that?”
“Just how you were laughing and talking with him this afternoon. I’m not sure whether to warn you away or hope that he kisses you.”
I blink several times, my brain glitching as it tries to process her words. “Um, well, I doubt kissing will be involved. He’s working on a project that involves our home, so that’s about as close as we’ll get.”
“I think he would be good for you.” She makes it sound like she’s got a talent for seeing the future.
“First you were worried he’s a serial killer, and now you want me to date him? Not that it’s going to happen, but why the change of heart?”
“You don’t look as sad when you’re talking to him.”
I raise my eyebrows. “You’ve barely seen me talk to him. Besides, taking care of you is a full-time job. Just don’t get suspended tomorrow, okay?” I say with a sly grin.
