seen wrinkles on his forehead.
Oh God, I thought to myself. I’m giving Owen Wilder wrinkles.
“That’s a great idea, Hannah!” interrupted Mateo.
I turned to see Mateo staring at me hard. I played along.
Thank you, Matty!
“What’s a great idea?”
Mateo closed the magazine, tossing it aside. “Hannah was just telling Bruno that we should all hang out at her place sometime. You know she has that giant TV we can play video games on.”
“That sounds like fun.”
I was surprised Owen spoke up first. And actually said yes. I thought he’d never want to hang out with me after being so cold just now. My heart felt heavy with guilt.
Hannah looked over at me. “You in, Annabells?”
I didn’t turn my eyes away from Owen, just nodded. “Yes.”
If Bruno didn’t realize that my attention was on his best friend and not him, he was blind.
“Great!” Hannah said, slapping her hands together. “You can’t come over tonight but definitely Friday.”
“We seem to live for Fridays,” Bruno commented with a grin.
“Yup,” Hannah agreed.
“Friday it is then,” Owen said softly as he stared back at me.
He was doing it again, that alien thing.
Only this time I think I was too.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“W HAT WAS THAT?”
“What was what?” I feigned ignorance.
“Don’t give me that,” Mateo stated, as we walked side by side. It was after school and we had just dropped Hannah off at her place so Matty and I were alone.
He clutched the straps of his backpack, eyeing me suspiciously. “There was some serious tish happening between you and Owen. What have I missed?”
“Nothing.”
“I don’t think you having an intense conversation in hushed tones nothing. I don’t think Owen referring to you by your first name nothing. Or the way you two were looking at each other. I swear, you two are my own soap opera. Now spill.”
I couldn’t help it. Everything rushed out my mouth like an avalanche as I confessed to Matty. The Carolyn incident, Owen’s defense, the hug right after.
We were standing in front of my house, Mateo looking up at me as I stood on the front porch. “I can’t believe you never said anything about Carolyn. Hannah’s gonna have a field day.”
I sighed, knowing that the trio could never really keep secrets from each other for long.
“Can you reel her in for me?” I asked. “I don’t want her to get in trouble because of me.”
If there was one thing to know about Hannah, she loved fiercely.
And defended fiercely.
Matty nodded once. “I can handle Hans. Remember the plan? We’re all gonna graduate together. We’ll leave no man behind.”
I grinned. “Love you, Matty.”
“Love you too, Annabells.” He took off his backpack and unzipped it, then taking out a piece of paper, presented it to me.
“Here.”
I grabbed the paper and looked down at it, smiling so wide I thought my face would rip apart.
It was a drawing of Owen and me at the movie theater. Sketched in pencil, Owen and I sat next to each other, each with mischievous grins on our faces as he whispered in my ear.
“Matty,” I exclaimed, looking at my friend. My heart felt so full, I wanted to burst. I rushed down the steps and tightly wrapped my arms around him. “It’s beautiful.”
“Well,” he shrugged and I knew he was slightly embarrassed. “I was keeping it for when you needed it and I think you need it. Whatever it is that’s going on, I know you’ll figure it out.” He gestured to the drawing.
“You looked really happy there, Bells.”
After finally saying goodbye to Mateo, I rushed inside my house and up into my room. Dropping my bags on the ground, I fell onto my bed and with arms outstretched in the air, stared up at the drawing of Owen and I. Then I hugged it to my chest, smiling.
I did look happy.
I had to admit, I couldn’t wait until Friday.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“T RUTH OR TRUTH?”
“Why is there no option?” Owen asked Mateo as he sat across from me in
Oh God, I thought to myself. I’m giving Owen Wilder wrinkles.
“That’s a great idea, Hannah!” interrupted Mateo.
I turned to see Mateo staring at me hard. I played along.
Thank you, Matty!
“What’s a great idea?”
Mateo closed the magazine, tossing it aside. “Hannah was just telling Bruno that we should all hang out at her place sometime. You know she has that giant TV we can play video games on.”
“That sounds like fun.”
I was surprised Owen spoke up first. And actually said yes. I thought he’d never want to hang out with me after being so cold just now. My heart felt heavy with guilt.
Hannah looked over at me. “You in, Annabells?”
I didn’t turn my eyes away from Owen, just nodded. “Yes.”
If Bruno didn’t realize that my attention was on his best friend and not him, he was blind.
“Great!” Hannah said, slapping her hands together. “You can’t come over tonight but definitely Friday.”
“We seem to live for Fridays,” Bruno commented with a grin.
“Yup,” Hannah agreed.
“Friday it is then,” Owen said softly as he stared back at me.
He was doing it again, that alien thing.
Only this time I think I was too.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“W HAT WAS THAT?”
“What was what?” I feigned ignorance.
“Don’t give me that,” Mateo stated, as we walked side by side. It was after school and we had just dropped Hannah off at her place so Matty and I were alone.
He clutched the straps of his backpack, eyeing me suspiciously. “There was some serious tish happening between you and Owen. What have I missed?”
“Nothing.”
“I don’t think you having an intense conversation in hushed tones nothing. I don’t think Owen referring to you by your first name nothing. Or the way you two were looking at each other. I swear, you two are my own soap opera. Now spill.”
I couldn’t help it. Everything rushed out my mouth like an avalanche as I confessed to Matty. The Carolyn incident, Owen’s defense, the hug right after.
We were standing in front of my house, Mateo looking up at me as I stood on the front porch. “I can’t believe you never said anything about Carolyn. Hannah’s gonna have a field day.”
I sighed, knowing that the trio could never really keep secrets from each other for long.
“Can you reel her in for me?” I asked. “I don’t want her to get in trouble because of me.”
If there was one thing to know about Hannah, she loved fiercely.
And defended fiercely.
Matty nodded once. “I can handle Hans. Remember the plan? We’re all gonna graduate together. We’ll leave no man behind.”
I grinned. “Love you, Matty.”
“Love you too, Annabells.” He took off his backpack and unzipped it, then taking out a piece of paper, presented it to me.
“Here.”
I grabbed the paper and looked down at it, smiling so wide I thought my face would rip apart.
It was a drawing of Owen and me at the movie theater. Sketched in pencil, Owen and I sat next to each other, each with mischievous grins on our faces as he whispered in my ear.
“Matty,” I exclaimed, looking at my friend. My heart felt so full, I wanted to burst. I rushed down the steps and tightly wrapped my arms around him. “It’s beautiful.”
“Well,” he shrugged and I knew he was slightly embarrassed. “I was keeping it for when you needed it and I think you need it. Whatever it is that’s going on, I know you’ll figure it out.” He gestured to the drawing.
“You looked really happy there, Bells.”
After finally saying goodbye to Mateo, I rushed inside my house and up into my room. Dropping my bags on the ground, I fell onto my bed and with arms outstretched in the air, stared up at the drawing of Owen and I. Then I hugged it to my chest, smiling.
I did look happy.
I had to admit, I couldn’t wait until Friday.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“T RUTH OR TRUTH?”
“Why is there no option?” Owen asked Mateo as he sat across from me in
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