Landry in Like by Krysten Lindsay Hager

suggested it, or did he just want to hang out and watch a show together?
    Landry: I’ll have to see. My mom kind of sees through everything, so not sure.
    Vladi: What if you told her you were going with Kendall and that Steve and I would be there, too? That way it’s not being shady, but you’re still letting her know you’re there with Kendall and not on a date. Be completely honest about it. She’s met me already and maybe she’d be cool with it.
    It was so thoughtful that he wanted to be open about it and not have me lie to my mom. I knew Kyle and Yasmin used to pretend they were going with friends and actually they would go and meet each other instead. Kyle would tell us in math how he’d make up some crazy backstories for them. Kinda sweet that Vladi wasn’t like that and didn’t want to lie. However, I’m not sure that would win brownie points with my mother. She’d say, “But you’re supposed to be truthful. How does that make him a better person? And you’re only fourteen. No dates, ever!”
    And then ground me until I was thirty.
    I wrote him back that I’d ask her. He sent back a smiley face.
    Vladi: Kendall said she already had plans for next weekend, but she wants to hang out so she’ll email you. Can’t wait.
    He added two more smiley faces and I could feel a dopey smile spread across my face.
    â€œWhat’s with you? Are you smiling and up to something or constipated? I can’t tell from here,” my unromantic mother asked, peering into the living room.
    â€œNothing. Just got a text from Vladi.”
    â€œWhat did Mr. Wonderful want?” she asked.
    Tell her now and risk her shooting down the idea or take a chance? Hmm.
    â€œHe said his friend’s sister likes me,” I said.
    â€œOh?”
    â€œYeah, that Kendall girl I met at the mall is his friend’s sister. I almost fainted when I found that out. But she told me Vladi talks about me a lot.”
    â€œWait, that day you met her at the mall… was Vladi there, too?” she asked narrowing her eyes.
    â€œNope, she and I just met to go shopping, but he wondered if you’d be cool with us all going to the movies together sometime.”
    â€œLike a date?”
    Leave it to my mother to get all technical about it and need to label it.
    â€œIs that what it would be? I guess you could call it that. I was just thinking it would be four friends at the movies together.”
    â€œLandry Lilyanne Albright, neither one of us is that dumb,” she said. “I don’t know. You’re awfully young for that. I always thought sixteen would be the age I’d let you date.”
    â€œBut to me a date is the guy coming to pick you up in his car and going on some romantic dinner thing. This would not be that at all and you know him. He’s a nice guy. You said that yourself, Mom.”
    She was twisting a piece of her straight blond hair, which was what she always did when she was unsure about something.
    â€œThat’s true, but he’s a ninth grader and you are just in middle school,” she said.
    â€œBut a lot of my friends go out with guys. Well, some do, and Vladi wanted me to ask you directly and not just meet up all shady-like and pretend we’re just hanging out with friends.”
    â€œI don’t know. I have to think about it.”
    â€œAshanti’s parents let her have Jay over to study and stuff, and they watch TV together afterward,” I said.
    â€œYes, but they’re right there in the house with them.”
    â€œSo can Vladi come over then?”
    Mom sighed. “Let me think it over. I have to talk to your father about this.”
    â€œHe’ll say no. You know he will. He gets so uber-protective since he’s not here all the time because of his work.”
    I hated the fact my dad still hadn’t found a job at a hospital in town and was living back in Chicago in our old apartment. He