Page 11
I frown. “Why were you upset?”
Talia drums her fingers on the table, her dark purple nail polish chipped. “I got into an argument with my mom.”
“Oh. That sucks. My mom and I argue sometimes too. What were you fighting about?”
I think she’s going to ignore my question until she speaks. “I asked her for some new shoes for school. My current ones give me blisters and…she lost it. Called me an ungrateful brat and said we didn’t have the money for new shoes.”
Oh. I’m not sure how to respond.
She catches my expression. “It’s fine. I should’ve known better than to ask.”
My mom isn’t normal, but she’d never speak to me like that.
I lean forward in my chair. “Well, Momma’s cooking chili, and our neighbors say it’ll cure anything, so maybe it’ll make you feel better. But if not…” My words fade when an idea pops into my head. “Wait here.”
I’m on my feet before she can react and sprinting up the stairs and into my bedroom. When I have what I need, I race back down, sweaty and out of breath.
“Here.” I unfurl my fist, revealing a few crumpled dollar bills. “I don’t know the cost of girls’ shoes, but maybe you can put this toward buying a new pair.”
Talia’s wide eyes dart from my outstretched hand to my face. “Why would…why would you do that?”
“Do what?” I tilt my head.
“Help me. You don’t even know me.”
I know more about her than she’s aware of. For example, she has two steady friends who she sits with at lunch. On Tuesdays, she orders macaroni and cheese from the cafeteria and eats the melted cheese topping last. Her nervous habit is twisting her hair around her pencil. Last April, she sat next to me on the bus and she offered me a stick of gum. I never unwrapped it and it still sits in the drawer of my bedside table.
My shoulders jerk up and down. “We could be friends, and friends help one another out.”
Talia’s face flickers with surprise. “Friends?”
“Yeah.” I grin at her, hoping it doesn’t come across as desperate.
Her silence makes me think otherwise. I’m not a popular kid, but I’m not uncool or anything.
No wonder I’ve never kissed a girl if this is how I go about it. I’m about to backpedal on my metaphorical bike and ride far, far away from this whole conversation when she finally speaks.
“Okay.” Her hesitant smile hits me square in the chest. “Let’s be friends.”
I smile wider than ever before.
Being her friend will have to do. For now.
Later, when Talia has gone home and I’m helping Momma do the dishes, I’m still grinning like the Cheshire cat.
“You haven’t stopped smiling since she walked out of the door.” My mom nudges me. “You like her, huh? She’s a sweet little thing.”
“Like her?” I look at my mom, face serious, voice confident. “That girl is gonna be my wife one day.”
MY ONCE AND ONLY
Momma’s words sing true
Because the moment we met, I knew
Once and only, you looked so lonely
Let me fill that void
