Patrick: Ha-ha-ha yeah
Sara: My Favorite Vacation: The Time I Took Pearl to the Barbie Museum
Patrick: Oh god
Sara: Don’t act like you hated it!
Patrick: Ha-ha-ha-ha XD
A new notification makes my phone vibrate, the alert appearing at the top of my screen. The message is from a number I don’t recognize. I swear, if this is one of my dad’s friends trying to get hold of him through me again—
Unknown Number: Hi, I heard you’re interested in joining the Newspaper Club
Huh, that’s weird. This isn’t Rose’s number. I’d know, because I saved it to my contacts earlier. But I guess I could see who’s messaging me.
Sara: who diz???
Unknown Number: Sorry, this is Joe Yang from school
I bolt upright. My heart accelerates, a rapidba-bump,ba-bumprocking in my chest. No,surelyI didn’t read that correctly. So I peek at the message again, rereading it. Then I reread it once more just to make sure I’m not hallucinating.
There’s his name. Joe Yang.
Joe Yang from school is textingme, Sara Lin, about Newspaper Club.
What on earth?! What do Ido?
This is what my brain sounds like: AHHHHHHHH.
Before I can think of a way to solve this problem, another text arrives.
Unknown Number: Sorry, Rose gave me your number since I’m in charge of applications
Joe Yang has my number because Rose gave it to him! I could run twenty laps around the park right now. Pure elation zips up my spine as I add his name into my contacts, then position my thumbs to reply.
Sara: Oh, hey! No worries!
Sara: Wazap?
I cringe. Wazap? Why the heck did I write that? Why the heck did Isendthat?
Joe: Just letting you know you can submit your entry to me
Ack, why have I forgotten how to text like a regular, functioning human? What do I write back? Should I send something short, likeokay—or is that too cold?
Wait. I’ve got it.
Sara: Okay
Sara: : )
There, a smiley. That’s pleasant.
Joe: Can’t wait to read it!
Joe: Loved your history paper ; )
I gasp. A winky face? From Joe? Joe who loved my paper?!
