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My phone buzzes. I glance down to see a text from Austin.
“Who’s that?” she asks.
“Austin.”
Stephanie puts her pencil down and looks at me. “Seriously, Em, how do I compete with all these hot guys vying for your attention?”
I cross my arms. “It’s not like that with Austin”
“Emma, you are blind! It’s exactly like that with Austin! He wants you. He’s always wanted you!”
“I don’t get why,” I say, sitting up on my bed.
Stephanie grabs her phone and flips the camera around. She holds it up so I’m staring at my own face. “That is why,” she says. “How can you not see how beautiful and amazing you are?” she asks.
I push the phone away. “Stop it, Steph.”
Stephanie pockets her phone and shakes her head. “What does Austin want?”
“He wants to know if I can help him study for the AP Biology test,” I say.
Stephanie swings her legs over the edge of my bed and begins putting her books away in her backpack. She cleans up her notebook and shoves it in on top.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“I’m not going to be a third wheel.”
“Steph, come on, he just wants some help with studying. There’s no reason why you can’t stay.”
“You are unbelievably brilliant in school, but really boy stupid.”
“Hey,” I say.
“Emma, the smartest guy in our class does not need help with AP Biology. He doesn’t need help studying. He’s just looking for an excuse to spend time with you.”
“But it’s just Austin,” I say.
“Yes, just Austin. The boy who started wearing contacts for you. The boy who blushes and smiles every time you enter a room,” she says, shaking her head. “You need to figure out who you’re going to the dance with. You can’t do that with me here.” Stephanie swings her book bag over her shoulder and walks toward my door. “Call me later and tell me how it went,” she says. “I’ll let myself out.”
I look at Austin’s message again. I type in a quick response, inviting him to come over. I push send. From downstairs, I hear the front door open and close. The phone in my hand buzzes. Austin is on his way.
I grab the books off my bed and carry them downstairs to our dining room. I plop them on the table as the doorbell rings. That was fast. I walk through the entryway and pull the door open.
“Hey, Emma,” Austin smiles. My heart begins to pound in my chest.
He got a new haircut. Combined with his perfect, metal-free smile and his contacts, Austin looks like a completely new person. Gone is the little boy I used to play hide-and-seek with.
“Hey Austin.” I return his smile. “I love your new haircut.”
“Thanks.”
I move aside and he walks into my house and straight through to the dining room. “Is this where we’re working?” he asks.
“Yup.” I sit at the other end of the table and pull out my biology book. “Where do you want to start?” I ask.
Austin slides his books down the table, closer to me. “I think the lighting is better down here,” he says.
I try not to smile. Maybe Stephanie was right.
