said, throwing my balled-up straw wrapper at her.
The waitress came at that moment with our milkshakes, and my cheeks flushed bright red. “Sorry,” I mumbled.
She smiled as she set a strawberry shake in front of me. “Kids will be kids.”
To avoid talking, I stuck the straw in my shake and took a sip. The sweet, cold drink filled my mouth, and I closed my eyes as I smiled. Why couldn’t my mom see the value in food like this? It was amazing.
Zara set her milkshake down. “What if you just asked him?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, stirring my thick drink.
“If you don’t understand his motives, other than just being a nice guy, just ask him.” She shrugged.
“You make it sound so simple.”
She shrugged again. “It is. As long as you don’t mind hearing the answer.”
I thought about it for a moment, then something popped into my mind. “Jordan, what did Chester say he found cleaning?”
She nearly gagged and let her straw out of her mouth. “No way am I repeating it.”
The rest of the time we spent together having fun and begging Jordan for answers, but I still kept thinking about Zara’s suggestion.
For the next week, Ray stayed true to his word and met me in the parking lot each morning. Although we didn’t talk much, his steadfast presence was comforting. On the one-week mark, he asked to carry my backpack.
I narrowed my gaze. Now I had to ask. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
I stopped between a line of cars and let out a frustrated sigh. “Can you please stop answering my questions with questions.”
“I don’t know, can I?” He had an amused smile on his face that made me smile too.
I hit his arm. “You’re annoying.”
“And I’m carrying your backpack.” He extended his hand, and I stared at it for a moment.
“Really?”
He nodded, and I slowly slipped the strap off my arm, resting it in his hand. He hauled it over his other shoulder with ease, but I felt completely naked now without the weight of my schoolwork—of my responsibilities—on my shoulders.
Again, it felt like every eye was on me, seeing Ray carrying my things. Boyfriends carried things. Ray wasn’t my boyfriend though. He wasn’t exactly my friend either. What was he?
A nice guy, I decided. With a rough exterior.
Twenty-Nine
When I got home, the twins were practically bouncing off the walls. They’d changed out of their school clothes and were wearing their big puffy dresses from last Easter.
They ran by me, giving me identical high fives, and I continued to the kitchen. “What is going on with them?” I asked Mom.
She turned from the stovetop and grinned. “They got a callback!”
“What!” I cried, then turned my head to the living room to shout, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
They came bouncing into the kitchen and said, “WE DID IT!”
Laughing, Mom said, “Get out of here, you Tasmanian devils!”
They happily obliged, and I sat at the counter. “That is so good! When is it?”
“Next weekend,” she answered. “I already asked Rosie, and she said she’s feeling good enough to come over. Maybe we can finally get that dog food out of the garage.”
I nodded. Not that I had anything against my aunt, but I knew where her allegiances lie. Just like I’d always be there for my sisters, she’d always be there for hers. Which meant she wouldn’t be there for me if it conflicted. And with my parents, it usually did.
“She’ll be here Friday evening and stay until we come back.”
“And after that?” I asked. “What if they get the part?”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Mom said. Ever since the twins started acting classes last year, it was all about getting to play a role, not about what happened after. Why could she take things as they came with the twins when every part of my life had to be explicitly planned out?
But arguing with Mom was like trying to prove a point to a brick wall. I could speak until my face turned blue and bang my forehead against it as long as I pleased, but none of it would matter. So I decided to change the subject instead.
“Where’s Cori?” I asked. She was usually home by now. “I didn’t see her in the living room.”
“Volunteered to help out your dad.”
I smirked. Sure that’s what she was doing. Not checking out the cute new stocker and doing everything she could to make Dad’s worries come true.
“I have to say,” Mom added, “I