“You have my word.”
An hour later, Caela sat on top of a dumpster, peering through the lens of her new camera at the back of Grady’s head as he sprayed bright red paint onto the dingy gray brick of the movie theater’s back wall. He hadn’t told them what he was painting yet, saying it would be a birthday surprise.
“He’s gotten better.” Eliza leaned against the opposite wall, her rich, russet skin glowing in the summer sun that filtered down into the alleyway. She was technically meant to be playinglookout, making sure no one caught them since it was midday, though Grady had assured them no one would be back here at this hour. “His art, I mean. He’s gotten a lot better since those first stick figures he painted on the side of the school in eighth grade.”
“He’s been taking art lessons with my dad,” Caela said.
“Ugh. I’m jealous.Iwant to take lessons from your dad.”
“You don’t do art,” Caela pointed out.
“I’d start if it meant getting some alone time with Mr. Conroy.”
“Ew!”
“Kidding!”
“You’d better be.”
She filmed for a few more minutes before powering off the camera and looking over at her best friend, who, in turn, was looking at Grady.
“He really is talented,” Eliza said.
Caela swallowed and fidgeted with her camera strap, eyes darting between her two friends, before asking a question that had been on her mind for a while. “Are you two … ?”
Eliza turned toward her, one eyebrow raised as she looked over the top of her sunglasses. “Are we … ? What?”
Caela lowered her voice. “Are you … you know … ?”
“Wait—me and Grady?”
Caelanodded.
“No!” Eliza quickly dropped back to a whisper, inching closer to the dumpster as she shook her head. “Oh my God, no. Absolutely not. Why would you ask that?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Just … a vibe, I guess.”
“The wrong vibe,” Eliza assured her. “We’re friends. Just like you two are. Besides, if anything did happen—which it hasn’t—you’d be the first to know. Obviously.”
It was embarrassing how relieved Caela was to hear that. It wasn’t like she really thought anything would ever happen between her and her best friend. She was pretty sure Eliza was straight, after all. But still. She wasn’t sure she was strong enough to watch her two closest friends get together while crushing on one of them.
“Done!” Grady shouted, seemingly oblivious to the conversation going on behind him. “Take a look.”
Caela turned toward the wall, where Grady had graffitied a pair of pursed red lips, complete with highlights and shading to create some dimension.
“A kiss for the birthday girl,” he said, walking over to stand beside Caela as she pulled her camera back up to film the finished product. “What do you think?”
“It looks great,” she said. “You really are getting good.”
“Thanks.This one’s in your honor.”
“I’m flattered.”
“Crap. Guys,” Eliza hissed, “I think someone’s coming.”
Sure enough, the sound of footsteps could be heard from down the side of the theater, and a second later an employee, middle-aged with messy salt-and-pepper hair, appeared with a bag of garbage in his hand. He spotted the new art on the wall first, his mouth falling open in surprise, before he caught sight of them.
“Run!” Eliza yelped, grabbing Caela’s hand. Caela managed to grab Grady’s arm, and the three of them took off down the alley, leaving the man yelling after them.
