She shrugs. “You’re being secretive. My parents talk like that when I’m not supposed to know what they’re talking about.”
Cameron cocks his eyebrow. “What do you think we’re talking about?”
“If it involves glitter and honey, I don’t think I want to know.”
“You’re not supposed to know things like that, Nova Star!” I sputter. “ButGlitter & Honeyis a song.”
She gives me an absolutely disbelieving look. “Aunt Zhuri, I’m in middle school. I know a lot of things.”
“Things you shouldn’t know,” I mutter.
“Maybe things have changed then.” Nova gives me a devious smirk. “It’s been a really long time since you were in middle school.”
I tickle her side while she squirms and laughs. “I’m not even thirty yet! I’m younger than your mother.”
“What about him?” she asks, jabbing her thumb toward Cameron.
He chuckles. “Sorry, Nova. Won’t be thirty until January.”
“I didn’t realize you weren’t that much older than me.”
He looks at me curiously. “When’s your birthday, Z?”
“May fourth.”
Cameron looks positively giddy right now. “Please tell me you’re aStar Warsfan.”
I throw my head back and groan. “I’m not, but I’ve gotten, ‘May the fourth be with you,’ for years now.”
“I can’t believe you don’t likeStar Wars,”he gasps, hand to his chest as though I’ve physically wounded him.
“Oh my God,” I laugh. “I didn’t realize you were such a nerd, Kovacic.”
“It’s a classic,” he asserts, finger pointing directly at me.
“It’s not my thing. ‘Luke, I am your father?’I’ll pass.”
He crosses his arms as he stares me down. “That’s not the line, Hart.‘No,Iam your father,’is the real line.”
I decide to tease him now. “You were totally Darth Vader for Halloween before, weren’t you?”
“Yes. Been Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, too.”
“Of course you have,” I shake my head.
“Just you wait, Z. I’ll make you dress up as aStar Warscharacter for Halloween this year.”
“There aren’t any black characters.”
“Ahsoka was played by Rosario Dawson.”
“I don’t even know who Ahsoka is.”
“I’m just gonna paint my nails and ignore this,” Nova says to herself, and Cameron and I both laugh.
“Come on, Kovacic,” I say. “Let’s get these manicures done.”
nineteen
