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“You don’t even match half the time,” Emil said, motioning to Bones’s red hoodie and brown beanie. “Maybe your mom used to dress you.”
“If I matched, it would look like I was trying too hard.” He stood and stretched. “On that note, I’m out of here. Heading down to Spence and Henners’s room, if you’re trying to find me.”
As he went out the door, I said, “Don’t worry, we’re not,” at the same time as Emil spouted off something similar. “Jinx!”
Emil cracked up. “God, what an idiot. I’m so glad you came.”
“Me too.”
Soon enough Leah and Justin showed up, and cheap wine and gummies were passed around. This time I took a swig of wine for courage. I wasn’t sure why I was feeling so nervous.
“You must bang up your hands a lot,” Justin said, pointing out the Band-Aids on my thumbs. I had gone to town on them last night in anticipation of this weekend.
I almost said it was from work since the junkyard could also bang up your hands, especially if you forgot to wear gloves. But the wine was feeling good, so I decided on honesty. “The truth is, I have a bad habit of chewing my cuticles until they bleed.” I looked away, immediately regretting the admission. The silence in the room spoke volumes.
Until Leah cleared her throat and said, “God, I thought I was the only one with bad habits. I would twirl my hair so much as a kid I had a bald spot.”
My gaze sprang to hers. “How did you stop?”
“I still do it sometimes when I’m stressed. But I started doing meditation, and that works wonders. It was what my therapist recommended.”
“Really?” I felt a tidal wave of relief.
She nodded. “I use a free app. I’ll help you set it up; maybe it’ll help you too.”
“It’s worth a shot.” I never considered meditation, but I was excited to try it.
When Leah embraced me, I was momentarily surprised but returned the gesture wholeheartedly. When Justin and Emil joined in, it turned into a silly group hug, warming my stomach. Maybe the fact that I wore secondhand clothes and lived in a trailer park didn’t have to matter to some people. It certainly didn’t to Henry, and definitely not to Emil either.
Maybe I’d be brave enough to share more of myself with my new friends.
We headed out the door and then across campus toward the soccer field, where the carnival was set up. It would’ve been hard to miss the installation of the Ferris wheel and booths during the week, which created a buzz from students leading up to Friday afternoon.
The immediate order of business was a search for food since we’d all agreed on the way over that we were starving. The first stand we spotted near the entrance worked fine for us, and soon enough we were sitting down at a picnic table with our nachos, hot dogs, and hoagie sandwiches. Or subs, depending on whom you asked.
As I savored my sandwich, I noticed Henry and his friends entering the festival. When our eyes met, he smiled and waved, and I returned the gesture.
“How do you know Henners again?” Leah asked, and I shifted uncomfortably.
“We met back in middle school.” Emil nudged my leg under the table, likely telling me he had my back.
“Ooh, look who showed up,” Emil announced, motioning toward Jessilyn and a few other members of the cheer squad. “Maybe she’ll take a ride with Justin on the Ferris wheel.”
Justin laughed. “What are we, twelve?”
“Pretty much.” Emil stuffed another chip in his mouth.
Leah and I laughed too as we watched Justin watch his crush dreamily. Damn, did I look that lovesick about Henry? Probably. It wasn’t like I could stop myself from seeking him out as he and his friends made their way farther inside the carnival.
When my phone buzzed with a text, I knew it was him.
Have you ever had an elephant ear?
Too rubbery and hairy for me, I replied with a snicker.
Good one. I’ll assume that’s a no. Meet me by the stand in an hour, and we can share one?
Sounds good.
