Will she know me—like I know her?
Her eyes bounce from the girl beside me to my face once more, and in the process, she freezes. She’s as still as a statue, her eyes wide and unblinking on me.
Oh yeah, she recognizes me.
I return my gaze back to the girl’s book as if I’ve noticed nothing. What am I supposed to say—Hey, remember me, the stranger who kissed you outside the bar?
She taps her notebook once more. “Moni,” she says, and Braids peers over at her. “It’s your turn.”
Moni hands her book over to me. “Don’t lose my place,” she says.
I nod, holding the book open to where she left off, and lean my back against the wall. I’m two feet away from Moni and the songbird. I’ve got a front-row view. Nope, I’m not going anywhere.
“Hi,” Songbird says, her lips rubbing together as her eyes bounce to me once more.
I skirt her gaze, lifting my eyes to the ceiling—real smooth, Callum Whitaker.
“Miss Conrad got permission from your mom for me to ask you a few questions for a paper I’m writing. Do you mind?”
Moni shakes her head. “I’ve seen a romcom,” she says, referring to the question that I’m certain poor Briggs got wrong. “I have two older sisters.” She tilts her head as if this fact explains everything.
“Great.” Songbird slips another look my way. “Do you know how your parents met?”
“In school. His family didn’t approve. It was a wholeCrazy Rich Asianskind of a thing.”
“You’ve seen that movie?” Songbird asks, her honey eyes wider than before.
“Most of it. Mom came home and made us turn it off. But his family doesn’t like the girl. And Daddy’s family never liked my mom. They said she wasn’t Ivy League enough for Dad. But Mom said Dad never went Ivy Leagueand only graduated because she did half his homework. She says they fit like a glove, and Nana and Papa can take a back seat.”
I snicker and Songbird’s eyes find mine. These girls are funny. Have I laughed since Simone left?Huh… come to think of it, have I laughed since the day I met Simone?
I quickly look down at the page I’m holding open for Moni, an elephant in a tutu. I study the simple illustration as if it’s the next great American novel and could possibly be Zev’s new favorite. He’s the reader.
“That’s great,” Songbird says to the girl. “Good observation.”
“I am very observant,” Moni says. Her eyes drag from Songbird to me. “For instance, that guy over there. He isn’t reading my book. He’s been watching you.”
Moniisobservant. She’s also a tattletale.
Seven
Speed-walking aroundseveral small children on the ground, I make my way over to Rosalie. “Serendipity on Second Street,” I forcefully whisper to my bestie. “Serendipity on Second Street!”
Rosalie furrows her brow. My serendipitous moment is sitting on the floor in her classroom and she’s frowning at me.Rosalie!!!Less frowns. More explaining.
“Fran,” she hushes in a scolding tone. “We have two more minutes of quiet reading time. Shh.”
I don’t have time to even roll my eyes at her ridiculous comment. Instead, I lower my voice even more and say just above a whisper, “Serendipity on Second Street,” while shaking Rosalie’s arm.
“If you’re going to lose your mind, you have to do it after school hours. Do you have any idea how many things an elementary school teacher is thinking about during the school day?”
“Rosalie!” I hiss—and not quietly. “Myserendipitousmoment that happened onsecondstreet last weekend is sitting in your classroom.”
“Wait.” Those blue eyes come to understanding and turn to bright, beautiful marbles. “The soccer player?” she hisses just inches from my face. “The professional athlete sitting on my classroom floor is the guy who kissed you?”
“Whoa. Professional what?” Did she say athlete? Did she say professional? That smiley man in the back of the bar was cute. He smelled heavenly. He kissed like I’m guessing Zac Efron would. But professionalplusathlete? We just went fromGrease 2toJerry Maguire, people.
“Are you sure?” she whispers, but with our quiet chatting, half of Rosalie’s class has decided that reading time is over. They are giggling, talking, and rolling on the ground—no wonder the woman is serious about not disturbing quiet time.
