But this morning Max is gone again, and even though he’ll be back soon Leo is clearly in no mood for whatever is in these envelopes.
I open mine, then stare at the piece of paper in my hand, surprised to find a bizarrely formal request for us to appear at Teddy’s apartment today at four o’ clock sharp for a presentation. It’s signedTheodore J. McAvoywith a funny-looking flourish.
“This can’t be from Teddy,” Leo says flatly, puzzling over his own invitation. “The guy barely owns a pen. There’s no way he went to a stationery store.”
“What are the odds this is a prank?”
Leo doesn’t answer. He just shakes his head, turning the paper over in his hand. “What kind of presentation could it be anyway? ‘How to Fritter Away Your Lottery Money on Needlessly Expensive Card Stock’?”
On the way to school we continue to speculate.
“Maybe it’s more of an announcement,” Leo says, walking with his fingers hooked into the straps of his backpack. “Maybe he’s buying an island. Or investing in space travel. Or maybe he’s gonna tell us he’s off to explore the world.”
A shiver runs through me at the thought of this last one.
When school is over I meet Leo near the bike racks, and together we start the walk to Teddy’s. It’s the kind of spring afternoon that makes you forget about the winters here, the sky so blue it looks almost fake and the trees crowded with brand-new leaves.
“So you and Max,” I say, and he smiles involuntarily. “You’re good?”
He nods. “Getting there.”
“What happens next?”
“I don’t know. He’ll be home for the summer, so that’s all I’m thinking about for now. After that I guess we’ll have to see.”
“Yeah, but what does that mean?”
“It means we’ll see.”
“Right, but—”
“It means,” he says, “that I don’t really know. Maybe it’ll be good or maybe it won’t. Maybe it’ll all blow up again once we’re apart next year. Maybe he’ll break up with me, or I’ll break up with him. Maybe we’ll live happily ever after. Or maybe we won’t.” He shrugs. “I’m taking your advice and trying to pretend there isn’t any sort of scoreboard. Which means it doesn’t make sense to worry about it so much. Instead I’m just gonna try to live it and see how that goes.”
I nod. “Well, I have a good feeling about it.”
“Weirdly enough,” he says with a smile, “so do I. And since I’m attempting to be more positive and operating under the assumption that I’m going to be spending more time in the Show Me State next year, I decided I’m gonna pick up some extra design work this summer so I can start saving for a car.”
“You’re going to be spending more time in Missouri?”
He frowns at me. “Michigan.”
“I’m pretty sure the Show Me State is Missouri,” I say, trying not to laugh, and he rolls his eyes.
“You don’t have to be right abouteverything,you know.”
“Just geography,” I say agreeably. “And your love life.”
As we near Teddy’s building I look up toward his bedroom window.
“I wonder how long this will take. I’m supposed to be at the soup kitchen later.”
“I think you’ll be fine,” Leo says. “We’re talking about the guy who set the record for the shortest oral report in South Lake High School history.”
“Ah, yes,” I say, trying not to laugh. “His four-second presentation on the subject of brevity. That was a classic.”
When we reach the door Leo pushes the buzzer, then we both stand back and wait for Teddy’s usualhulloto crackle out over the speaker. Instead there’s a burst of static, then a voice, brisk and only vaguely familiar: “May I ask who’s calling?”
Leo and I exchange a mystified look. He leans forward again, his mouth close to the speaker. “Teddy?”
