Page 26 of Eye of the Beholder
“Do you want my help or not?” she says, putting a hand on her hip. “I’ll make it short. Thirty minutes at most. No writing section.”
I pause, thinking quickly. This is my chance to bring it up. “In return,” I begin, and she starts to shake her head. “In return,” I say loudly as she opens her mouth to protest. “You and I are going to have to assess your current socialization techniques. Which will happen one week from today.”
I watch as her face falls and her eyes become suspicious. “What’s one week from today?”
I chicken out.
“We’ll talk about it later,” I say. “I’ll see you here at four.”
“Fine,” she says, still looking suspicious. There’s a silence for a second, and then she adds, “I’ll bring you a number two pencil.”
She smiles sweetly at me and hangs up.
I just stare at her for a second, and then I can’t help it—I laugh. Her smile widens, she shrugs, and then she’s gone from the window.
She’s funny. When did that happen?
I try to think back, and I realize slowly that she’s always been funny—when she speaks. She just doesn’t speak very much.
What else is in her head that no one ever sees?
I sit back on my bed and stare at Jack’s number before calling him. Here’s what I’ll say: I’ve got a friend I think he might like. I’ll ask what he looks for in a girl. Done. Easy.
I call him before I get a chance to put it off again, getting more comfortable on my bed as his phone rings. My eyes stray to my window again as I wait for him to pick up, but Mina is long gone.
“Hey, man,” he says.
“Hey,” I say.
“What’s up? I have to go in a minute.”
“That’s fine,” I say quickly. “I was just thinking and I realized there’s a friend of mine—a girl—I think you’d like.”
Jack hesitates and then says, “What’s she like?”
I need to turn this question around, because I don’t know how to answer. “Well, what do you like?” Even with how casual I’m trying to act, the question sounds stupid.
“I don’t know,” he says, and I can picture him shrug. “I just want a cool girl. Pretty. Nice, I guess. Not annoying. What’s your friend’s name? In case things with Virginia don’t work out?”
If he wants someone nice, things with Virginiadefinitelywon’t work out, but I don’t say that. “Hey, sorry, someone’s on the other line—I’ll just talk to you later,” I say instead. It’s a lie, but it’s all I’ve got right now.
“Yep,” he says. “Later.”
I hang up.
Okay, that went as well as I could have expected. It didn’t give me a ton to work with, but I got a bit.
“Lydia,” I say, leaving my room and making my way downstairs. “Are you still here?”
“She just left,” comes my mom’s voice. “Hi, sweetie.” She kisses me on the forehead and then bustles into the kitchen, carrying two large bags of groceries. “What are your plans for today?”
“Mytutoris coming over at four,” I say, smiling and stressing the word. “You owe me money.”
My mother’s eyes twinkle. “I thought that would incentivize you.”
It wasn’t just that, but I don’t say anything. I just nod.
“Did you get Mina?”
