My Kind of Crazy - Robin Reul Page 0,15

freeing, actually. In the best-case scenario, things work out. And in the worst-case scenario, you set the girl’s lawn on fire and make the evening news.

I’m not much of a religious guy, but I gotta say that hearing about Amanda’s website feels like somebody upstairs is giving me a do-over, the chance to make things right. At the same time, I’m sure he (or she) is laughing his (or her) ass off, amused at how I get myself into these situations.

“Earth to Hank!” Nick’s waving his hand in front of my face. I snap back to reality.

“Sorry, man. I completely spaced out. What did you say?”

“I said the downside of winning is I’d actually have to go to prom.” We close our lockers and head out of the gym toward the quad. “Hey, you wanna go to Ziggy’s and grab a burger after school?”

Ziggy’s is this amazing hole-in-the-wall hamburger joint in town that makes the most incredible kick-ass chili cheese fries. But they are known for their How High burger. It’s two patties topped with mozzarella sticks, jalapeño poppers, a fried egg, potato chips, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and secret sauce. If you can eat the whole thing, they take your picture and put it on the wall. Nick and I have made a pact to do this someday.

“I can’t. Gotta work. Rain check?”

“No problem. Another time. Maybe you could invite your friend.”

“What friend?” I’m thrown for a minute because he’s pretty much the only person that I talk to.

“That chick with the frizzy hair who hates grapes.”

“Peyton?”

“Yeah, Peyton.” He clears his throat and bobs his head. “She seems pretty cool.”

“I haven’t seen her.”

“Well, when you do, tell her I said hi.” The corners of his mouth tease at a smile, and I can’t help it. I burst out laughing.

“You like Peyton?” It comes out like an accusation, and I instantly regret it because his face becomes stony and one eye locks onto me while the other glares menacingly over my shoulder.

“Why’d you say it like that? What’s wrong with her?”

I start to tell him and then snap my mouth shut like a fish. I can’t. It would mean unraveling the whole story of how we met and everything that I know about her, and how she told me she’d never shown anyone any of that stuff before, like she trusted me. Even though it was weird, there was definitely something cool about how she opened up to me.

The fear in her eyes the other afternoon flashes in my mind. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget it. My stomach churns every time I think of it, and I silently wonder if she’s okay. As much as I want to talk to Nick about it, that doesn’t seem right. I can’t explain it, but I feel oddly protective of her.

“Nothing. She’s all right,” I counter quickly. “I’ll tell her the next time I see her.”

“Excellent.” Nick nods.

And then I find myself saying, “I might swing by her house later on my way to work. You know, check in and see what’s up. I’m passing right by there anyhow.”

So much for not getting involved.

7

My bike practically glides to Peyton's on autopilot, navigating the now-familiar potholes and curves. My shift at Shop ’n Save starts in a little over an hour so I’m dressed for work in my uniform, a bright banana-yellow polo. Nothing says “blend in and be low key” like a guy wearing a blinding polo and riding a bike through a neighborhood he doesn’t live in. I’m practically a beacon.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. Okay, a lot nervous. I don’t want that Pete guy to see me and get Peyton in trouble. He didn’t strike me as the kind of person who would invite me in for a glass of milk and freshly baked cookies. Probably not even a warm beer and some stale peanuts.

But something keeps tugging at me, needing to know that she’s all right. I don’t actually have to talk to her. I could just sneak up to the house and assess the situation. Once I’m certain that she’s fine, I can take off. She doesn’t have to know I was ever there. No harm, no foul.

Technically, I wouldn’t be getting involved; it would be more like satisfying my curiosity. Nothing wrong with that.

When I get within sight of Peyton’s house, I jump off my bike and walk it to the giant bush, engaging the kickstand and propping it up