crew for the play.
AbyAngel99: I said no.
AbyAngel99: Now she’s mad.
BlueSkyBoi: Why’d u say no?
AbyAngel99: After passing out in front of everyone? No way!
BlueSkyBoi: Can see that. And wasn’t ur friend Faith just doing it to get friendly with that girl, Grace?
I can’t believe Luke remembered that. Wow. My own parents don’t remember what I tell them about my life from one day to the next. Probably because they’re only half listening to me most of the time.
AbyAngel99: Yeah. Plus, now she’s crushing on this guy Ted on the crew. I bet I’d just end up being the third wheel.
BlueSkyBoi: Well, I’m kinda glad ur not doing it cause it means you’ll have more time 2 talk 2 me.
AbyAngel99: Me 2, I guess.
BlueSkyBoi: So what do ur parents do?
AbyAngel99: My mom’s a dental hygienist and my dad’s an accountant.
BlueSkyBoi: Do u get along with them?
AbyAngel99: Okay, I guess. My dad’s like a total workaholic right now. He started his own business last year. We hardly ever see him, especially at tax time.
BlueSkyBoi: Brothers and sisters?
AbyAngel99: Younger sister, who is, without a doubt, the Devil’s Spawn.
BlueSkyBoi: LOL!
AbyAngel99: Srsly! She’s got 666 behind her ear. I checked while she was sleeping.
BlueSkyBoi: Ur too funny, Abby. You’ve got such a gr8 sense of humor!
AbyAngel99: How bout you? Sis or bros?
BlueSkyBoi: 2 older sisters.
AbyAngel99: Do u get along w them?
The pencil cursor hangs there. I wonder if he’s going to answer me. Finally, he types.
BlueSkyBoi: 1, yes. The other … not so much.
AbyAngel99: Yeah, well. U can choose ur friends …
BlueSkyBoi: Haha! How’d u get 2 be so smart when ur only 14?
BlueSkyBoi: That’s what I love about u.
Omigod. He used the L word. No one’s ever used the L word to me except my parents and my grandparents. Oh, and Faith, but that doesn’t count because that’s just best-friend talk.
BlueSkyBoi: Ur so much more mature than other girls ur age. That’s why I really enjoy talking to u. I wish we could …
“Abby, it’s time for dinner.”
Mom opens the door and comes into my room and I quickly minimize the chat screen so she can’t see my conversation with Luke.
“Can’t you knock, Mom? I mean, I could have been changing or something. Aren’t I entitled to a little privacy?”
Mom tilts her head and gives me one of those annoying I’m-such-a-cool-understanding-mom smiles.
“I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t think. Sometimes I forget that my little girl has …
blossomed
into a young woman and doesn’t want her mom seeing her in her underwear anymore.”
Sheesh. At least she didn’t use the words
puberty
and
menstruation
. There was a time when I was afraid to get in the car with her because she kept trying to bring up “my changing body,” like I’d actually want to talk about that with
her
.
“It’s okay,” I say. “Let me just finish this sentence and I’ll be down in a minute.”
“Don’t be long,” Mom says. “It’s your favorite — spaghetti Bolognese.”
As soon as she’s gone, I open the chat screen and read:
BlueSkyBoi: … talk all the time.
BlueSkyBoi: ?? You still there?
I type, fast and furious.
AbyAngel99: Sorry, had a P911.
BlueSkyBoi: I figured.
AbyAngel99: GTG dinner.
BlueSkyBoi: Bon appetit!
BlueSkyBoi: BTW, u don’t talk to anyone about us, do you?
AbyAngel99: No, why?
BlueSkyBoi: People might not understand.
BlueSkyBoi: They don’t realize how special u are and that’s why … Well, I know you’ve got to go, so I’ll save this convo for when we have more time.
I’m not even hungry for dinner now. I just want to know what Luke is going to say to me about “us.” But Mom is shouting my name from downstairs.
AbyAngel99: I wish I could talk more now, but I really GTG. Mom’s shouting. TTYL.
BlueSkyBoi: I’ll be thinking of u. Constantly.
AbyAngel99: Me too. Byes!
I barely taste my dinner, and I toss and turn all night, wondering what Luke was going to
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