Everyone's a Critic by Rachel Wise

with Sam on Friday. But I know you guys are seeing two shows for the review.”
    â€œWait—seriously, why are you asking? Pasty, can you still make it on Saturday night?” Michael asked, looking at me with a genuinely worried expression.
    â€œYeah, of course,” I said, feeling somewhat more relaxed.
    â€œAnd we’re not asking for any particular reason,” Hailey added. “We’re just making conversation.”
    â€œOh. Well, in that case, I’m going with a couple of guys on the baseball team,” he said, and took another bite of pizza.
    â€œCool,” I said. Wow, some conversation we were having. My mind raced for something else to say.
    â€œSorry to eat and run, but I have to meet Jamal. He wants to see my language arts notes.”
    â€œOkay,” I said.
    â€œSee you Saturday night, Paste. Don’t be late,” he said, flashing another adorable smile ashe stood and picked up his tray.
    I got a fluttering feeling in my stomach. Even if he hadn’t asked me on a real date, we were still going out together on Saturday night, just me and Michael. Who knows what would happen?
    â€œI won’t,” I said, trying to give him a sparkly smile back, praying I didn’t have spinach stuck in my teeth.
    â€œShe won’t!” Hailey called while he was walking away.
    I couldn’t keep my mouth shut anymore.
    â€œHailey, remember how I said I had something to tell you yesterday? And then Allie came in and went psycho on us?”
    â€œSure,” she said, smiling, her legs pulled up on her chair.
    I took a deep breath. I seemed to be taking a lot of those lately.
    â€œWell, I didn’t forget what I wanted to say. I was just a little afraid. But I have to be honest.”
    Hailey put her legs down, and her face got serious.
    â€œWhat’s up?”
    â€œYou need to dial down the Michael plans and pushing me closer to him and all that. It’s driving me crazy!”
    Her face went red. She looked as though I had punched her.
    â€œI thought you wanted my help,” she said, her voice shaky.
    â€œI did. I do! I love scheming about boy stuff with you. But it’s just gotten to be a bit much lately. I can handle Michael myself sometimes.”
    â€œWell, you’re always complaining how you never get to spend enough time with him. Maybe I’m tired of listening to that all the time. Maybe that’s gotten to be a little too much for me. If you guys would just go on a stupid date, I wouldn’t have to listen to you complain all the time.” She crossed her arms and pressed her mouth shut.
    â€œYou said I should be honest!” I was starting to feel awful.
    â€œFine, see how you do on your own,” she said, getting up. She took her stuff and started to leave.
    â€œHailey, come on,” I called, standing up.
    She turned around and held her hand up. “I think we need a little space. How’s that for honesty?” she said. I stopped in my tracks and watched her walk out the cafeteria doors. That went well.

    That night in bed, I was still trying to piece together what happened. We didn’t see each other after the scene in the cafeteria. She had practice after school, and I went straight home. All afternoon, while I did my homework, I kept sneaking glances at the computer, hoping she’d IM me, but no such luck. I didn’t IM her, either.
    I wrapped my down comforter around me tight. I could hear Allie’s faint singing over the fan I had switched on to drown out her voice. So much for saying what I really was thinking, but maybe Hailey was right. Maybe we did need a little space from each other.

Chapter 8
SCHOOL PLAY OPENS, EVERYONE SURVIVES

    It was finally Friday, the day of the first performance of the play. Hailey and I hadn’t really talked since our big argument. We’d managed to avoid each other yesterday. I didn’t even go into the cafeteria at lunchtime. Instead I hid out