She had a vibrator in her overnight bag?
I grip the doorknob.
I rest my forehead against the door.
But no.
No.
Her magnetic pull is so strong. If the earth had an ego, wouldn’t it try to break free from the sun’s power over it? Just to prove that it could? Despite what would happen to all life as we know it?
I successfully accomplished Step Three-B.
I’m going to stop while I’m ahead.
And jerk it in the shower by myself, like a boss.
CHAPTER 11
JOHN
TEN YEARS AGO
We dominated this statewide mathematics competition. Owned it. Not a big surprise, but satisfying, nonetheless.
All the other guys on the team are trying to hit on the only girl, Marcy. She’s always touching my arm and laughing really loudly whenever I say anything. Literally anything. When I said, “Does anyone here have a pen that actually works?” she giggled hysterically. I needed a pen to write with. In what world is that funny?
Monty’s sister is here with Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery. It looks like she’s got ballet after this. Her hair is up in a bun, and she looks even more annoyed and impatient than usual. Most siblings in the audience are staring at their phones, but Olivia is practicing her arm and foot positions, or whatever they’re called.
It’s funny. She’s such a delicate little thing, but she always looks so tense. She’d be really pretty if she didn’t have that scowl on her face all the time. Although I can’t assume that she’s scowlingallthe time, she certainly is when I’m around. Lucky for her, I’ve always found it adorable.
She notices me watching her and rolls her eyes. I can’t think of one time in the past decade that she’s ever made eye contact with me andnotrolled her eyes. I think… I think I’m going to miss her when I go to MIT. Is that right? Yes. I will. I’ll miss Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery too. I’ll miss Monty, even when he’s on the same campus. He’ll make new friends, and I’ll be studying more than he will, and we won’t see each other as much. This is exactly why I didn’t skip grades. I’ll never regret that.
But I have been missing Tiny Dancer already. She’s usually at her friend’s house now since they started letting her go to sleepovers, so I don’t see her much anymore. It’s too bad we were never in high school together. I would have found it very entertaining, thinking up different ways to annoy her in public places.
She has always been like a little sister to me.
Is that true?
No.
Maybe a cousin.
Mr. Montgomery keeps looking at his watch. They’re coming over. I’ll have to lie about my parents.
“Mr. Brandt! Congratulations.” He extends his hand to shake mine.
“Mr. Montgomery. Thank you for your support.”
“It was fun!”
A snort from Tiny Dancer.
“It was,” he insists. “I just wish I understood more of what you kids were talking about up there.”
“Well, not many people do, sir. Don’t feel bad.”
Another exaggerated eye roll from Olivia.
