want this guy…”
Hazel scowled as Lulu and I exchanged amused looks. It was clear to all of us what Emma was doing. The girl was definitely not subtle in her passive-aggressive ways, but it worked.
“I don’t get what you even want me to do,” Hazel said.
“Try to make him see you as a girl,” Emma said.
Hazel stopped eating long enough to give her friend a look that was hilariously unimpressed. “What do you want me to do, have a makeover or something? This isn’t some teen romcom, Em, and I am not living in some montage sequence.”
Lulu snickered, and I grinned at Hazel as I took another bite. Oh, this was good. More fun than sitting at home and watching TV, that was for sure. Hazel was kind of hilarious when she was riled up…
“Would it really hurt to put on a little lipstick?” Emma said, waving a hand in the general direction of Hazel’s bare face. “Maybe take your hair out of that unattractive ponytail one day?”
Hazel frowned as she reached for her ponytail as if the clump of hair had felt the verbal blow.
“It’s no use, Em,” she said.
Hazel had half turned to face her friend, and for the first time all evening, it seemed like she’d forgotten I was here long enough to drop her guard. “A little lipstick isn’t going to change my personality.”
Emma’s expression turned fierce. “He doesn’t like your personality? Who is this creep?”
My thoughts exactly.
But I managed to keep my disgust to myself as Lulu leaned forward to offer support. “Why wouldn’t he like your personality? You have a great personality.”
Hazel blushed slightly, and I fought a grin. I loved her blush. She was so strong and stoic, so when a hint of pink started creeping up her neck and into her cheeks—well, it was like watching a tiger play with a bunny in one of those YouTube videos. Fierce and adorable all at once.
“It’s not that he doesn’t like my personality,” she said. “It’s just...I’m not his type, that’s all.”
“What’s his type?” Lulu asked.
She shrugged. “Someone who’s...fun.” She sort of sneered when she said that word, her nose wrinkled up in a cute little expression that fell somewhere between confusion and disdain.
I couldn’t help it. I laughed. More of a chuckle, really, and it was under my breath, but it had her snapping her head in my direction with a wary glare.
I held my hands up in innocence. “What? It’s just...how dare he like girls who are fun?”
I saw Emma bite her lip as she tried not to laugh as Lulu nudged me with her elbow to tell me to cut it out.
“Okay, ha ha,” Hazel said with a roll of her eyes. “I’m glad you all find this so very amusing.”
“It’s not that,” Lulu said.
“You just made ‘fun’ sound so…” Emma trailed off.
“Criminal,” I finished.
“Exactly.” Emma said.
Hazel’s lips pressed together as she regarded the three of us. After a heartbeat, she finally said, “So, I guess you see now why it’s hopeless. I’m just going to wait until this passes.”
“What? No!” Emma leapt forward so suddenly, Hazel jerked back in surprise. “You can’t give up. You’ve never liked a guy before. This is a big deal. If you like him, he should like you back.”
Hazel eyed her friend doubtfully. “I don’t think that’s how it works. And besides… I might have a crush, but I’m not so desperately in love that I’m going to change who I am for some guy.”
I had no idea why that sentiment made me want to do a fist pump.
For the record, I’d never before pumped my fist. Not for any reason.
But right now… watching this kick-butt chick tell her friends how she’d never change for some dude. Yeah, I was mentally fist pumping to Eye of the Tiger and envisioning the comics line about this badass swimming phenom who sidelined as a spy for the CIA.
“Maybe you don’t have to change…” Lulu said slowly.
“Of course she doesn’t,” Emma said. “She shouldn’t.”
“But you could show this guy a different side of yourself. Just… make a change in appearance.” We all stared at the cute redhead, and she whipped a magazine out of her bag. “It’s all about appearances, right? I mean, Emma and I and all our friends...we all know how fun you can be.”
Hazel’s brows drew together in clear confusion. “You think I’m fun?”
“You can be,” Emma said. “When you let loose. And you have a great sense of humor, and you know how to