We look away from one another. I really need to talk to my mom about that static. Maybe I need new clothes or something.
“What’s with your obsession with Brianne?” he says after a few minutes of silence.
I quirk a brow. “What do you mean?”
He shrugs. “Seems like you care a lot about who she’s into and all that.”
“No, no. It’s not like that. I’m not, like, spying on her or anything. But sheispopular and kind of makes a big show when she has a new boyfriend.” I stop to take a breath. “Looks like she chose you. If you want to hang out with her, I won’t mind.” Lie, but I know guys who look like Adonis would rather spend time with their equal counterparts.
“Nah.” That’s all he says.
I gape at him. “Why? I mean, she’sBrianne.”
“That doesn’t mean anything to me.” He slips forward. “We’re up.”
The artist, Patty, an older woman who’s been painting faces as long as I can remember, smiles at us. “Hey, Artemis.” Her gaze glides to Ryan. “Who’s this?”
Oh, gosh. Does she think he’s my boyfriend? I might have complained to her last year as she painted me into a cat that no guy gives me the time of day. I was into theCatsmusical back then, which kind of annoyed the heck out of my brother because I wouldn’t stop singing “Memory.”
And now Patty’s forming all these theories and conclusions about Ryan and me.
“This is Ryan Rogers,” I tell her. “He moved here a few weeks ago.”
Patty smiles. “Nice to meet you, Ryan. So what’ll it be, kids?” She motions toward the sample pictures on the table.
“You choose, Ryan,” I say.
He picks up a paper with different options. Most are different animal faces, but she’s got many emojis, characters from movies, books, or video games.
“That’s okay, you choose,” he says.
“I don’t mean to rush you, but you need to decide quickly,” Patty tells us. Yeah, the line behind us seems to have doubled in the last five minutes.
I pick another paper off the table. This one isStar Warsthemed. “Yoda is cool.”
Ryan looks at me. “You’re intoStar Wars?”
I roll my eyes. “Not by choice. I mean, it’s cool and all, but I’m not very into it. Ever since we were little Jason made me sit through all the movies when we had movie night. So I know a thing or two about it.” And I made him sit through a ton of romance movies when it was my turn to pick. I wonder if that’s why he’s such a good boyfriend to Jenna.
“I’ll be Yoda, too,” Ryan says to Patty.
He wants to match with me? Does he know that’s something couples do?
A bright smile lightens Patty’s face. “Two Yodas coming right up.”
All I can think about when she’s dabbing my face with green goo is that we’ll match. No matter how many times I tell myself it doesn’t mean anything, a part of me is hoping it does. Ryan is so confusing and mysterious, but that just makes me want to get to know him.
Is he trying to send me some sort of message? That he wants to get to know me, too?
Ugh, I’m definitely reading too much into this.
“All done,” Patty says after a few minutes. She holds up two mirrors so we can look atourselves. Wow. Pretty neat as usual, but there’s something different about it. Or maybe it’s me.
“Thanks,” Ryan says, reaching into his pocket for his wallet.
Patty waves her hand. “No payment needed.”
“Everything at the festival is free,” I let him know. I turn to Patty. “Thanks.”
