“Hey, guys.”
Jake and Sean looked up. The can of Surge slipped from Sean’s fingers and spilled all fizzy on the carpet.
Ezra was standing in front of them, the New and Improved Ezra. The Confident Ezra with a smile that could light up Vegas. The Ezra that had everyone’s attention right at that moment. He had the same outfit on from yesterday, his bookbag slung across one shoulder, and he stood tall, completely at ease, with one hand in his pocket.
He wasn’t invisible at all. Everyone was noticing him.
He smiled at Jake. And then at Sean. “Hey, Sean.”
Sean was speechless for a second, then he said, “Uh, hi.”
“I really like that shirt on you,” Ezra said smoothly, running his fingers through his hair. “It really brings out the deep blue inyour eyes.” Then he smiled a dimpled smile and gave Sean a sly wink.
Jake’s head turned in sync with Sean’s as they both watched Ezra walk up the rows to his seat.
“Whoa.” Sean gasped. “I take backeverythingI said.”
“I bet you do,” Jake muttered under his breath.
Sean had to clean up his spilled drink, and Jake didn’t help him. It was because Sean kept ogling Ezra in between the seats, and it made Jake so mad. And then choir practice started and when they all stood up to sing “Old Man Noah,” Jake caught Ezra looking over at him in the corner of his eye. Ezra was smiling as he sang, and Jake smiled back—until he realized Ezra was looking at Sean. While the two of them exchanged glances and grins, Jake forgot the words to all their songs and tripped over the notes. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that got worse as practice went on.
Then when it was over, he had to watch Sean practically hurdle over the seats to get to Ezra.
Jake watched them from the other side of the choir room, talking and smiling, then he put his music away, and quietly walked out alone.
It was their second to last tutoring session.
Jake couldn’t focus, even when Ezra showed him the practice test he’d made for him. All Jake could think about was that Ezra and Sean had a date this weekend. It was all going to happen for him. He was going to get what he’d wanted.
And it looked like Jake would too.
So, Jake didn’t know why he felt so bad.
Even though Jake’s end of the bargain was over, Ezra was keeping his by getting Jake ready for test day next week. Thatevening, they were in Jake’s room because Jake’s roommates had taken over the table downstairs with a poker game. It sounded like they’d gone out, though.
The hour flew by, and Ezra began to pack up his books. Jake didn’t want their time together to end just yet.
“Hey, um,” Jake began. “You want to go to Sharkey’s? They’ve got darts.”
Ezra shrugged. “I’ve got a project due in the morning. Better not.” He stood up from Jake’s desk. “Remember to go over the practice test. It’ll help.”
“Yeah.” Jake stood up from the beanbag chair he’d been sitting on. He slowly walked with Ezra to the door. “Did, um, did you want anymore, like, advice or anything?”
Ezra’s manicured brows furrowed. “Like what?”
Jake shrugged. “Just, like, if you have any questions. For when you go on your date and stuff.”
“I think I’ll be able to talk to him now. And don’t worry, I won’t mention anything about bugs.” He smiled the dimpled smile, and Jake got that funny feeling in his stomach.
“So, you think he’ll go to that dance with you?”
“I hope so. I haven’t mentioned it yet.”
Jake looked around his room and got an idea. “Well, how about”—he walked over to his boom box and shuffled through his CDs—“slow dancing. Have you ever slow danced with anybody?”
Ezra looked at him warily. “No. But it’s basically just swaying around.”
Jake put a Boyz II Men CD in the boom box and skipped through the songs to “End of the Road.” He went over to Ezra. “You want to practice? So you’ll know how to dance with Sean?”
