up. You’re just jealous because you don’t have anyone to spend time with but your hand.”
Kevin grabbed his bag. “Dude, I’d never be jealous of a key ring with a tree in it.”
I shrugged. “Unless it came attached to a girl with nice legs and a great smile who showed up to your meets with a pink sign.”
He held the locker room door open for me. “The legs I’d take, but all the rest of it, pass. I’m not cut out for girlfriend drama. That’s all you.”
I clenched the key ring in my hand and thought of Ani’s excited face when she gave it to me. How she’d held my hand for too long before pressing the stone into my palm. How she’d babbled about connection and the universe bringing us together at the right time. How she kissed me afterward like she wanted to kiss me for the rest of my life. Yeah, she was worth every bit of shit Kevin gave me.
•••
“So girls’ weekend?” I said to Ani over the phone later that night. I was lying on my bed, trying to gather the energy to get some homework done.
“Yes. Tomorrow night, movie with Mom. Saturday with Kate.”
“How come you’ll see a movie with your mom but not me?”
Michael’s clarinet warm-up seeped through the wall between our rooms. I shifted my position on the pillow and stretched my legs over the edge of the bed to swing myself up.
“Mom’s already heard all my stories. I don’t have that much to say to her. Especially since you got all prickly about me telling her about you.”
I laughed. “Well, Ani, there is a limit.”
“So you say. Anyway, Mom knows everything about me. But I still have lots of things to say to you.”
“Yeah. Like what?”
She laughed a little. “I don’t know. Don’t put me on the spot like that. I’ll probably think of something as soon as we hang up.”
“Okay. I gotta do some homework anyway. But call me this weekend.”
“Of course, Bumble. You know you are invited to the party on Saturday.”
Raver party? Pass. “Yeah, I don’t think so. You all can go ahead and have your girl time.”
“Ha. We will.”
“But if it sucks, you can call me. Or you know . . .”
“Aww, you’re gonna miss me, baby? Don’t worry, I’ll call. Actually, I’ll do even better. I’ll plan something for the two of us on Sunday.”
Family commitment. Mom’s voice bled into my brain, but it was overshadowed by the promise of a full Ani day.
“It’ll be fun. And different,” Ani teased.
“Yeah,” I said. “I’ll have to juggle some things, but I can probably swing that. You better make it worth my while, though. I’m talking a real plan. That involves food and doesn’t involve me handing over the keys to my Jeep so you can practice driving.”
“A real plan. I’m on it. I’ll let you know details when I have them ironed out. Now hang up.”
I barked out a laugh. “What if I don’t want to?”
“Michael’s playing. Go listen to him. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Good night.”
“Good night, Bumble, I love you.”
Before I could say anything, she clicked off. I love you . Of course she’d say it on the phone like it was no big deal. And of course she wouldn’t ask for it back. That was how Ani rolled. But my stomach flipped over and I felt like I had to pee in the good way that happens when something incredible has occurred. I love you. She’d said it first. I flipped open my phone and quickly texted her.
I love you too.
I stared at my phone and less than a minute later her response pinged.
I know.
8
I’d checked my phone at least three dozen times before finally seeing Ani’s number pop up.
“What the fuck? Where have you been? Why didn’t you text me when you got to Kate’s last night?”
I didn’t want to sound like an asshole, but she was three hours late for lunch and I was starting to feel like a chump sitting around waiting for my girlfriend. I’d blown my family off and was missing extra time in the pool because Ani wanted to have a picnic. Her big
Kevin grabbed his bag. “Dude, I’d never be jealous of a key ring with a tree in it.”
I shrugged. “Unless it came attached to a girl with nice legs and a great smile who showed up to your meets with a pink sign.”
He held the locker room door open for me. “The legs I’d take, but all the rest of it, pass. I’m not cut out for girlfriend drama. That’s all you.”
I clenched the key ring in my hand and thought of Ani’s excited face when she gave it to me. How she’d held my hand for too long before pressing the stone into my palm. How she’d babbled about connection and the universe bringing us together at the right time. How she kissed me afterward like she wanted to kiss me for the rest of my life. Yeah, she was worth every bit of shit Kevin gave me.
•••
“So girls’ weekend?” I said to Ani over the phone later that night. I was lying on my bed, trying to gather the energy to get some homework done.
“Yes. Tomorrow night, movie with Mom. Saturday with Kate.”
“How come you’ll see a movie with your mom but not me?”
Michael’s clarinet warm-up seeped through the wall between our rooms. I shifted my position on the pillow and stretched my legs over the edge of the bed to swing myself up.
“Mom’s already heard all my stories. I don’t have that much to say to her. Especially since you got all prickly about me telling her about you.”
I laughed. “Well, Ani, there is a limit.”
“So you say. Anyway, Mom knows everything about me. But I still have lots of things to say to you.”
“Yeah. Like what?”
She laughed a little. “I don’t know. Don’t put me on the spot like that. I’ll probably think of something as soon as we hang up.”
“Okay. I gotta do some homework anyway. But call me this weekend.”
“Of course, Bumble. You know you are invited to the party on Saturday.”
Raver party? Pass. “Yeah, I don’t think so. You all can go ahead and have your girl time.”
“Ha. We will.”
“But if it sucks, you can call me. Or you know . . .”
“Aww, you’re gonna miss me, baby? Don’t worry, I’ll call. Actually, I’ll do even better. I’ll plan something for the two of us on Sunday.”
Family commitment. Mom’s voice bled into my brain, but it was overshadowed by the promise of a full Ani day.
“It’ll be fun. And different,” Ani teased.
“Yeah,” I said. “I’ll have to juggle some things, but I can probably swing that. You better make it worth my while, though. I’m talking a real plan. That involves food and doesn’t involve me handing over the keys to my Jeep so you can practice driving.”
“A real plan. I’m on it. I’ll let you know details when I have them ironed out. Now hang up.”
I barked out a laugh. “What if I don’t want to?”
“Michael’s playing. Go listen to him. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Good night.”
“Good night, Bumble, I love you.”
Before I could say anything, she clicked off. I love you . Of course she’d say it on the phone like it was no big deal. And of course she wouldn’t ask for it back. That was how Ani rolled. But my stomach flipped over and I felt like I had to pee in the good way that happens when something incredible has occurred. I love you. She’d said it first. I flipped open my phone and quickly texted her.
I love you too.
I stared at my phone and less than a minute later her response pinged.
I know.
8
I’d checked my phone at least three dozen times before finally seeing Ani’s number pop up.
“What the fuck? Where have you been? Why didn’t you text me when you got to Kate’s last night?”
I didn’t want to sound like an asshole, but she was three hours late for lunch and I was starting to feel like a chump sitting around waiting for my girlfriend. I’d blown my family off and was missing extra time in the pool because Ani wanted to have a picnic. Her big
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