Felipe: Nothing. We just . . . did not get a friend vibe on Wednesday.
Um. WHAT?
I stare at the messages box, stunned. Not a friend vibe. And from Felipe too, who’s way less likely to be joking.
Drew: dude, have you seen the way she looks at you?
Jamie: uh
Drew: okay, here’s a question. When you’re alone, does she touch your arm and stuff? Lean into you? things like that?
I think about Wednesday, when Maya was so upset about Sara. The way she collapsed into my arms and stayed there, and how she laced our fingers together when I grabbed her hand. But that doesn’t count. She was upset. And I was comforting her!
But the way she kept drifting near me on the walk afterward was . . . kind of flirtatious, maybe? And the tiny couch she picked at Target yesterday was definitely built for physical contact. Unless that was unintentional. Probably unintentional. Definitely.
Felipe: She texts you a lot right??
Jamie: yeah
she actually called me yesterday
For eight hours and twenty-five minutes.
Drew: DUDE
like on the phone?
Jamie: well at first it was about a protest idea
Drew: uh, she could have texted that shit. She likes you
But she can’t. There’s no way. Unless—
Maybe? Maybe? I mean, Drew and Felipe are probably just trying to make me feel like less of a loser. But then again, they’ve always been brutally honest about my lack of game. So.
Maybe?
Felipe: Is she going to the bat mitzvah?
Drew: oooh good call
Jamie: I don’t think so—haven’t brought it up
with maya OR with my mom
Felipe: Well I think your mom just made it clear that she approves haha
You should invite her! see what she says
Jamie: I don’t know
I can picture it. Maya wincing. Maya biting her lip. Oh. Jamie, I don’t want to give you the wrong impression. I really love us as friends. Maya patting my arm. I think you’re a really great guy and everything, but . . .
Drew: Don’t overthink it!! just be casual.
Jamie: okay! Sheesh
Give me a minute
Maybe if I did it over text. Kept it really casual. I mean, it would make the bat mitzvah a million times more bearable having her there. After all, Felipe and Nolan have each other, and God knows Drew will be busy hitting on my cousin Rachel. And the thought of dancing with Maya, hanging out with her all night, maybe sneaking off somewhere to be alone—and if she does like me—NOT that she does.
Okay. No big deal. Gonna just—
Jamie: Hey, I meant to ask you
Do you want to come with me to Sophie’s bat mitzvah?
WITH ME? With me with me with me with me. Seriously? Why am I like this?
Ellipses. Maya’s typing. Okay.
God. Why did I say with me? Why?
Maya: Oh!
More ellipses.
Shit.
Okay, I can’t do this.
Jamie: Was just thinking we could pass out flyers and stuff!
Cool. Just like Mom expressly forbade. Awesome. This is going great.
Maya: Are you sure? I don’t want to mess up the numbers or anything!
Oh, right, the flyers!! That makes sense
Jamie: You wouldn’t be messing up anything! You should come
Maya: Okay! That sounds awesome. Thanks, Jamie!!
I lean back in my chair, pressing my hands over my eyes, just breathing. Wow.
I mean, I did it!
Sort of.
Drew: did you ask her???
what did she say
Jamie: she said
Felipe: The suspense!!
Jamie: she said sounds awesome
Drew: SHIT
Felipe: What did I tell you!!
Jamie: as friends though! Not a date.
Not a date. Definitely, definitely not a date.
Drew: we’ll see
Chapter Twenty-Two
Maya
“Busy day?” my dad asks. He’s making coffee and scrambling eggs. “You’re up way too early for summer vacation.”
“It’s ten in the morning.” I glance at the clock.
“At your age, I hibernated until lunchtime.”
“I can’t imagine you sleeping in. You’re such a morning person.”
“It’s your fault.” He takes a sip of coffee. “When you were a baby you woke up every morning at five. Screaming. As if there was some important meeting you urgently needed to be at. Ever since then, I get up at five and hit the gym. You sleep trained me pretty good.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be! Look at these guns.” He flexes his arms.
“You are ridiculous.” I roll my eyes and laugh.
“Canvassing with Jamie today?”
“We’re doing something different.” I pull up the flyer Jamie and I designed and formatted. We were up late last night FaceTiming and figuring it all out.
My dad squints at the screen. “Love, not hate. Say no to H.B. 28. . . . It takes thirty seconds to be a hero. Call your state senator today!”