Less than ten minutes later, they sat at a table in the pizzeria, each with three slices and a twenty-ounce bottle of Coke. Jimmy was halfway through his second slice before he stopped inhaling it. After a gulp of his soda, he asked, “So, who’s the girl who put that goofy expression on your face a few times today?”
Andy’s eyes widened, and he almost choked on a bite of pizza before he managed to swallow it. “What are you talking about?”
Jimmy grinned. “Dude, I’m only a few years older than you. I know what it’s like to be distracted by someone you’re interested in, even when they’re not around. So, what’s her name? Or his name? If you’re into guys, that’s fine. Doesn’t matter to me either way.”
“Uh, he’s a she.” Flustered, he felt his cheeks burn. “I mean, she’s a girl. Her name is Kelle. We go to school together.”
“Nice. Are you dating?”
“No, we’re not.” He sipped his drink as he eyed the older guy sitting across from him. Since his parents’ deaths, he no longer had a father figure to talk to about girls and stuff, and he had questions he needed answers to. He couldn’t have those kinds of conversations withhis sister—it would be too embarrassing. His friends were out, too, because they’d probably tease him if they knew how inexperienced he was with girls. Mr. Malone was nice, but most likely old-fashioned. And it would be a cold day in hell before he went to Brian Malone for help.
Even though they’d only met that morning, Jimmy was easy to talk to and would be gone in a few days anyway. “Can I ask you something?”
“Shoot.”
“How... how do you know if a girl really likes you?”
“Ah.” Jimmy nodded as if everything made sense for him now. “First big crush, huh?”
He dropped his gaze to the table, shrugged, and hoped the guy wouldn’t figure out he was still a virgin. He’d been on a few dates before—to parties or hanging out with other couples—and even got to second base with one girl, but that was as far as she let him go. He wasn’t as cool and smooth as the jocks were when it came to the opposite sex. “I guess.”
“Does she talk to you and not just about school stuff?”
“Yeah. We talk when we hang out with our friends, but it’s more than that lately. We’ve been talking on the phone a lot the past few days. We’re both into gaming and have been teaming up on Fortnite. She’s really good. And she’s been texting me—like what schools she’s thinking of applying to, or how her parents drive her crazy sometimes, or just random stuff that popsinto her head. And it’s not all about her—she asks me questions, like about what my summer plans are and how things are going with our house. Yesterday, she said maybe we could hang out at the beach one day. I don’t know... it feels different, like she actually wants to talk to me, not just... you know, kill time or whatever.”
Andy trailed off, realizing he’d been talking way too much. He grabbed his soda and took a long drink, hoping it would ease the burn on his face.
Jimmy grinned around a mouthful of pizza. “Dude. You just said more about this girl in thirty seconds than you’ve said about yourself all day.” He leaned back in his chair, eyeing Andy as if he had just solved a puzzle. “You’re gone for her already.”
“I am not,” Andy protested, way too fast.
With a chuckle, Jimmy shook his head. “Sure, you’re not. But it sounds like she’s into you too.”
Andy’s stomach fluttered with a mix of hope and nerves. “But... how do I know if she just wants to be friends or if she wants to be something... well, more than friends?”
“Trust me, you’ll know,” Jimmy said, leaning back in his chair. “It’s in the little things. If she laughs at your dumb jokes, if she remembers stuff you’ve said, and if she finds reasons to hang out with you—alone—that’s a flashing neon sign.”
He tried to picture it—Kelle leaning in across the library table, her smile lighting up just for him. Thethought made his throat tight. “So... what do I do if she does like me?”
“You be yourself. Don’t try to be some smooth player. Just... pay attention to her. Ask her questions. Read her body language. If she wants you to kiss her, trust me, you’ll know. And if you’re still not sure, ask her out on a date and use that word, so there’s no miscommunication.”
He let out a nervous laugh, staring down at his soda. He wasn’t sure he’d ever feel confident enough just to blurt out, “Do you wanna go out on a date?” to Kelle. But hearing Jimmy talk made it sound almost... possible.
Jimmy wiped his hands on a napkin and shrugged. “Look, Bing, the truth is you’re gonna screw it up sometimes. It’s a fact of life. Everyone does. But if she likes you, she won’t care. She’ll give you another shot. That’s the good part about first crushes—they don’t expect perfection. But there’s one thing you have to remember.”
“What’s that?”
“If she says no?—”
“I know,” he interrupted, “keep trying.”
Jimmy glared at him and sighed. “That’s not what I was about to say. If she says no, then that’s your answer. Don’t be one of those dudes who harass or stalk a girl or get mad because she turned you down. Don’t call her a bitch or bad-mouth her to other people. No is no, not ‘maybe’ or ‘keep trying.’ If she just wantsto be friends, then you’re gonna have to respect that. But from the sound of things, she’s really into you, and you’ve got a chance.”
For the first time all day, Andy felt like maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t completely hopeless. He nodded, chewing slowly on the last piece of crust as the advice sank in. “Thanks, Jimmy.”
“Anytime, kid. If it works out, save me an invite to the wedding.”
Andy groaned, but he couldn’t help grinning too.
