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“That’s not what happened,” I said, laughing again.
“So maybe I took some creative liberties.” She shrugged. “Bet the kissing part will happen this weekend, though.”
I cringed. “I’m still unconvinced he’s not bringing me out there for some kind of prank that’ll go viral on social media later.”
Sadie shook her head at me. “He’s not like that.”
I hoped she was right.
My eyes landed on a dark blue swim top with ruffled straps. I held it up for Sadie to see. “What do you think about this?”
Her eyes widened. “It’s beautiful.”
“You think?” I asked.
She nodded, coming around the clothing rack to take it in. She held it up to my chest. “The color is great with your skin tone, and it’ll bring out your eyes.”
I smiled, still in disbelief that I had a girlfriend to go shopping with this soon after moving to a new town. I could go a whole year at a new school without finding someone as welcoming as Sadie had been. She’d admitted to me earlier that she had social anxiety, which explained our awkward first encounters. And why she declined going on the rafting trip with me.I don’t want you to have to babysit me the whole time,she’d said.Have fun with Diego.
As if I could have fun with him when just the thought of spending a day with him and his friends had my nerves on edge and my mind spiraling with thoughts and doubts.
“You should bring a wrap to wear with the suit,” Sadie suggested, moving to a different rack. “That way he has something todrive him crazy.”
My cheeks flushed for the millionth time that day. “Maybe not then. Not sure I could handle another run-in like that.”
She stared at me over the next rack with a coy grin. “You could totally handle it.”
“Okay, maybe I can, but maybe not the aftermath.” I didn’t do relationships. I’d learned early on that the second you got attached to someone, you’d have to leave. The only people I’d been able to count on were my parents and myself.
“My mom always says, ‘Don’t count your vases before the kiln’s done baking,’” Sadie said.
I laughed. “I think the phrase is ‘don’t count your chickens before they hatch.’”
“Either way. Just go with the flow tomorrow. Maybe something happens; maybe it doesn’t. You can trust your future self to handle the outcome either way.”
I studied Sadie for a moment as she continued flipping through the hangers. That advice had been surprisingly wise. And true. None of the worrying I’d done about my dad getting hurt during a deployment had prepared me any more for his injury. But Mom and I had figured it out—not perfectly, by any means, but we were all still standing.
“I think you’re right.”
“But text me every detail,” she said. “I’ll live vicariously through you.”
I laughed. “Let’s hope that’s a good thing for you.”
* * *
My mom was more excited for the rafting trip than I was. She even sent me to the store with her card to buy waterproof makeup I could wear. After she made breakfast for us Saturday morning, she came upstairs to my room with me and helped me do my hair and makeup.
We decided on French braids—which would look okay whether I was wet or dry, and she carefully applied eyeliner and mascara to bring out my eyes.
“You look so much like your dad when he was your age.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Did he wear guyliner?”
She giggled and took out her phone. “I think I have a photo somewhere.” She flipped through the thousands of photos she had saved until she reached a photo of them together at their senior prom. I tried not to remember that I came nine months after that date.
They were adorable—Mom was smaller than now, but she still had lots of curves and big full cheeks that stretched with her smile. Dad looked every bit the linebacker he’d been in school—well over six feet tall with broad shoulders and a strong jaw.
I studied him for a moment, noticing the similarities in our hair color, our face shape, and even our lips. “I have your eyes though.”
