She kicked her foot, staring at the floor.“Everyone likes him.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s how it goes, Dad.He’s popular.Everyone wants to be his friend.Everyone wants him to notice them.”
“I know you think I don’t understand what things are like.And to a point, I don’t.I will never know what it’s like to be a teenage girl.It’s times like this I really wish your mom was here.But she wouldn’t understand what you’re going through either.She’d know better than me, but things are different now.But I still remember the popular kids.”
Harmony resisted an eye roll.
“Who is your best friend?”
“Maggie.”
“And what would you think if Maggie all of a sudden became popular?”
Harmony clenched her hands tight, rolling her lips in.
“It looks like you’re angry.Would you be mad?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why would you be mad?”
“Because I want to be popular.”
“Would Maggie still be friends with you if she became popular?”
Harmony drew a breath, her head tilting to the side.“Well, yeah.I guess.”
“So why would you be mad?”
Harmony shook her head.“I guess I wouldn’t.”
“I know you, kid.That was your first thought.Why?”
“Because that’s how it works!I was friends with Leah, then she got popular, and we haven’t talked since.”
“Was Leah as good of a friend as Maggie?Because I don’t remember Leah being here anywhere near as much as Maggie.I don’t remember the two of you talking the way you do with Maggie.There are a lot of differences.Don’t you think?”
Harmony kicked the floor again.“Yeah, I guess.”
“Why do you want to be popular?”
“Because everything is easier for the popular kids.”
Dad shrugged.“I don’t agree.I think everything is easier for the smart kids.Being popular is temporary.What happens when you leave high school?What happens when you leave college?Get a new job?Things change constantly in life.”
“There are popular people everywhere, and when you’re popular, that never changes.”
He laughed.Not in mockery, but full of humor.
Harmony couldn’t imagine what he found so funny.
“Sweetheart, everything changes.All the time.And that’s a great thing.But don’t chase invisible metrics.Don’t chase after things that are temporary.”
“But it’s not.”
“Yes, it is!”
