When four o’clock rolls around, my watch beeps, and I know Danny’s not going to notice, so I slip on my sandals and trudge downstairs, making lots of noise with every step so he can’t ignore me.
There are snack wrappers all over the coffee table, and Jesse’s sitting back on the tan sofa, but Danny’s up near the TV on his knees. He gets sucked into the screen, as Nan says.
“Danny, we have to get Fia now.” I wave my arms from the other side of the living room.
He nods like he hears me, but doesn’t take his eyes off the TV. Jesse quickly sets down his controller, though.
“I should get going anyway. My dad will be home soon.” He puts his snow cone cup in the sink and thanks us for the snacks. At least he has manners.
Nan would like him, I think to myself.
“See you at school tomorrow!” He waves to my brother while I stand in the kitchen, arms crossed.
“Nice to meet you, Penny.”
I smile politely. “You, too.” My stomach feels weird, like there are butterflies in it or something.
“Danny!” I hiss at him, and he drops his controller and stands in a zombie-like state.
As Jesse’s walking to the foyer, I whisper to my brother, “You should invite him to the beach on Saturday.”
He looks at me with a blank stare.
“It’s the nice thing to do. He’s the new kid.”
Danny races to the front door, and I stay put, straining my ear to hear their conversation.
“Hey, on Saturday we’re going to Wrightsville Beach, want to come with us? I’ll check with our Nan, but I don’t think she’d care.”
Jesse doesn’t reply right away. Maybe he thinks we’re weird. But then his voice cracks like Danny’s does sometimes.
“Yeah, totally. I just have to check with my stepmom.”
The front door opens and shuts moments later, and Danny comes back into the kitchen with his shoes slipped on.
“Julia’s been gone like a month, and you’re already trying to steal my new friend?”
I exhale dramatically and shuffle past Danny, grabbing his arm to pull him toward the door. “We can share friends, idiot. Jesse’s cool.”
He doesn’t object, because he knows I’m right.
We walk to the neighbors’ house to get our little sister, whose face is pressed against the front window. Her red pigtails look very messy. Maybe she’ll let me practice my braiding on her if I bribe her with a snow cone.
We don’t talk about Jesse on the walk there or back.
And I definitely don’t mention that he is kinda cute…
When we get home, Fia lets me braid her hair, then she plays with her dollhouse in my bedroom while I sit on my bed and makethree friendship bracelets. One for me, one for Danny, and one for Jesse.
I hope he likes blue and green.
5
Penny
NOW
These boots were not made for walking, not at this pace, but I can’t slow down now. I can’t put distance between me and that house fast enough.
