be a seven
DreOfTheDead: would it be bad if it meant something to me?
PrezMamasBoy: I don’t know.
PrezMamasBoy: I don’t think so.
PrezMamasBoy: However, I’m not sure it would mean the same thing to you that it did to me.
Dre leaned his roller against the wall and turned around. “I thought it didn’t mean anything.”
We were alone in the room but not alone in the house. There were people on the other side of each wall, so I lowered my voice to make sure they couldn’t hear me. “You know how I am.”
“I know who you are, Dean. Maybe better than anyone else. And I’m not sure I’m saying what you think I’m saying.”
“What are you saying?”
“Just that I like hanging out with you. That’s it. Nothing more. More would be bananas, right? You’re not into anyone like that, and our parents are sworn enemies.”
Dre’s hyperbolic nature was a constant source of amusement. He could probably make grocery shopping sound like an adventure at the end of the world. “First of all, our parents are political rivals, not Montagues and Capulets.”
“So I brought my dueling sword for nothing?”
“Second,” I said, ignoring him. “It’s not as if I’ve never been attracted to anyone before. I have had crushes.”
“Oh.”
I had thought that knowledge would make Dre feel better, but it seemed to have had the opposite effect. He wore an expression that looked like I’d mugged him for his phone and wallet.
“Fine,” Dre said. “Whatever. It’s still not like we can hang out like friends or whatever.”
“We’re hanging out now.”
“But this was a one-time thing.”
“We are two bright young men,” I said. “Surely we can concoct a way to run into one another again. We could arrange a different volunteer opportunity.”
Dre picked up his roller and continued working. “How many times do you think we can pull this off? It’s not like we’re in the same state that often.”
“It happens more than you think,” I said.
A devious gleam crept into Dre’s eyes, and he got out his phone. “Where are you next week? I’m in Iowa on Monday.”
I shook my head. “Wisconsin.”
“Lucky you. How about Tuesday?”
“Pennsylvania.”
Dre’s smile began to fade. “California.”
“I’m in Georgia on Wednesday and Boston on Thursday.”
“Chicago on Wednesday.” Dre stopped. “Boston?”
I nodded. “My mother’s meeting with a group of women in the tech industry. I’m not sure I’m even going.”
“You have to go,” Dre said.
“Okay,” I said. “Why?”
Dre looked like he was going to begin bouncing off the walls. “Because I’m going to be in Rhode Island checking out RISD. My dad was gonna go with me, but he’s gotta be in DC that day. I’ll be by myself.”
“I still don’t see how that helps us.”
Dre threw up his hands in exasperation. “You applied to Harvard, right?”
“Obviously.”
“Then go to Boston with your mom, but tell her you want to tour the school.” Dre kept pausing like he thought I was going to finish his thoughts, but I had no idea where he was going with this.
“So we’ll both be touring a school,” I said. “Then what.”
Dre pressed his lips together and looked at me like I was a shelter dog nobody wanted. “We’re not going to do the tours,” he said. “Boston is, like, less than an hour by train from Rhode Island. We’ll ditch the tours and meet up, and then we’ll have the whole day to spend together.”
In theory, I saw how it could work, but before Dre had finished explaining his plan, I had already come up with a dozen reasons it wouldn’t work. “I don’t know. What if someone recognized us?”
“We’ll wear disguises.”
“What if my mother finds out I didn’t go on the tour?”
Dre laughed. “Harvard isn’t going to call your mom and rat you out for ditching the tour.”
The idea of spending more time with Dre was appealing, even if it was also slightly confusing, but using a college tour as a cover was a solid plan. “It’s risky.”
“If you don’t want to, then just say so.”
“It’s not that!”
“Then let’s make this happen!” Dre was so eager it was infectious.
“Okay,” I said. “But can we agree to put the politics aside? I want to spend time with my friend Dre, not Andre the son of my mother’s enemy.”
“I’m not sure it works like that,” he said. “But we can try.”
“Then I will make the arrangements.” I let a cautious smile sneak onto my face. The day hadn’t gone as smoothly as I’d hoped. There was a lot we didn’t agree on and I was confused about my