“I like doing it.”
“I really appreciate it.” I swallow. “I get it, though. For real. You feel like people don’t really see you.”
I know what that’s like. Stage managers are supposed to be invisible.
“Yeah. Exactly.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, Jasmine isn’t that shallow.”Historically, her boyfriends have been the shallow ones.I guess that’s what happens when you date from the inflatable backyard dating pool.
Liam bites his lip, like he’s about to say more, but then he straightens and looks past me. Jasmine and Bowie are headed our way, Bowie with a pie.
“What are you two talking about?” Jasmine asks. “Nothing bad, I hope.”
I shake my head. Liam scratches the back of his neck, giving me a huge whiff of his chlorine scent and deodorant. Jasmine probably smelled it through the whole meal.
She gives Liam a sweet smile. “We’d better get going.”
***
That night, I sit up in bed, going over my trig homework. I’m not part of the Toxic Math Fandom, but I try to do well, because you need math a lot in Theatre.
As I’m calculating another tangent, my phone buzzes. Liam.
Thanks for dinner tonight!
Sure!
Thanks for coming.
Thanks for inviting me.
And congrats again!
Thanks
And then there’s three dots. They appear and disappear and reappear so many times my phone locks itself. I turn back to my homework.
But then it buzzes again.
You really think I should ask Jasmine out?
Yeah
She likes you...you know that right?
I kind of figured.
You sure?
I can’t believe I’ve turned into Jasmine’s wingman. But she’s my sister. I want her to be happy.
Positive
11
“How’s the fit?” Denise asks the door.
I really like Denise, maybe even more than I like Dr. L. She’s super smart, but not the kind of smart that demands to be acknowledged: more the kind of smart that makes you want to bask in her knowledge in the hopes of absorbing it via photosynthesis. She’s got porcelain skin, hazel eyes, deep dimples, and hair that would probably be curly if it wasn’t buzzed short. She’s in a black Foo Fighters T-shirt that stretches across her big boobs and bigger belly.
