“I totally am,” Skyler mouthed to me, a twinkle in his eyes.
“You’re right, we’re being antisocial,” I called out. “We’ll be right down.”
Skyler didn’t move. I gestured toward the edge to encouragehim and he put his hands behind his head like he had all the time in the world.
“I love that you don’t think I’ll climb over you,” I said.
“You’re right, I don’t.”
“Oh please, that’s easy.” But really it wasn’t. The ceiling was low and he wasn’t thirteen years old anymore so he took up more room than I’d been anticipating. As I hovered over him in an attempt to exit the small cubby, he was laughing at my effort. “You’re the worst,” I said.
He reached up, took me by the waist, and helped me finish my exit. Standing on the floor, my insides fluttering, I tried to gain my head before I joined Paisley on the couch.
“Hi,” I said. “What are you up to?”
“Why do you have a goofy smile on your face?” she asked.
“Do I?” I tried to force it away but could only manage to turn it into a regular smile. At least I hoped. I nodded to the book in her hands. “Do you need me to draw some of your findings?”
“Yes, please.”
***
“You are so good!”
I handed Paisley back the sketchbook. “It’s a flower.”
“A good one!”
“You just want me to draw more.”
“So true.”
“Too bad you can’t just draw in your interview,” Skyler saidfrom the captain’s chair. “How could anyone deny you entry into their school when they see how happy you are drawing?”
I wished I could just draw in my interview too. Or just spout off video games I’d spent hours playing. It would make my life a whole lot easier.
That thought must’ve registered on my face because Skyler said, “Don’t listen to me. You’ll do fine.”
“She didn’t say anything,” Paisley said.
I held up my bracelet. “Best friend powers.”
Skyler held his up as well from across the RV and made an exploding sound.
“You two are weird,” Paisley said.
According to Skyler, that was a good thing. I smiled. Maybe it was.