“Why do you have to be such a know-it-all all the time? Fine, we’ll change the name. How about something withworm? A lot of parasites havewormin the name.”
“How about we stop calling me a parasite entirely?”
“Even a muscle-growing, brain-building kind?”
“Yes. And how do you figure anyway?”
“Well. I used to spend my weekends here watching movies in my room. Ever since you moved in, we go places, we talk about stuff. I’m moving and thinking. Those are the exact parasitic perks I attributed to you.”
“Huh.”
“What doeshuhmean in this context?”
“I’m mildly less insulted.”
“Oh, good. I did mildly mean to insult you as well as compliment you, so...where are we going anyway?”
“What do you mean where are we going? I was following you.”
It was Saturday afternoon and Adam and I were apparently wandering aimlessly around the neighborhood. It was one of those perfect snowy days. Everything was blanketed in white, and the snow had that iced edge to it that made it glitter in the bright sunlight and crunch underfoot. There was no wind, no clouds. It was the kind of cold that made everything, including the air, feel clean.
Adam hadn’t bothered with a hat or anything beyond his coat with the fleece collar. I was already regretting my scarf. It was almost too warm.
“We could walk around,” I said. “Shoot the breeze, chew the fat, bandy words.”
“That’s all we do anyway. Not all we do, but whatever we’re doing, we always talk.”
“I know, but you realize there is still a ton we don’t know about each other. We sort of skipped the usual Q&A that most people go through.”
Adam laughed. “’Cause we knew we were going to be stuck with each other regardless.”
“Exactly.”
“It worked out though.”
“As far as you know. What if you find out I’m a closeted Trekkie or I discover you’re a Bronie?”
“What’s a Bronie?”
“A guy who likesMy Little Pony.”
Adam’s voice boomed, “WHO TOLD YOU?” When I stopped laughing, he said, “See? It’s too late. We’re already friends.”
“I still have questions.”
“I guess I do, too. You never told me much about that film program.”
I hunched my shoulders a little. “It’s not a big deal,” I said, fiddling with the zipper on my jacket. “There’s a thing in LA for high school students. If I get accepted, I’ll get to learn all about moviemaking and, in my case, directing.”
Adam’s eyebrows rose and I couldn’t tell if he was impressed or thought it was stupid.
I hunched my shoulders more. “Like I said, it’s not a big deal.”
“You’ll get accepted. You’re super bossy, and that music video you showed me was incredible.”
I bit back a smile and scrunched up my face. “Am I really that bossy?”
“Oh yeah, but isn’t that like a prerequisite for a director?”
