“Idon’tknow.”
“Me neither.” I started playing again, and this time Sarah successfully snatched the guitar from myhands.
“I don’t know because I don’t know Michelle like you do. But you’ll never know if you keep sulking down here instead of talkingtoher.”
“Fine. But let’s say I talk to her. Let’s say she convinces me she’s a new person, that she’s not that mean girl anymore. How can I trust her? How can I know she’s not deceiving me for another one of herschemes?”
“You can’t know. I think this is one of those moments where you take a leap offaith.”
“And if I’mwrong?”
“Well, then I guess you’ll get to be jaded like the rest of us,” Sarah answered with ashrug.
“And what made you so jaded, littlesister.”
“Nope. This conversation is not about me.” She stood up and started moving toward the stairs, taking my guitar with her. “You can have this back after you talk with Michelle, and not a minutesooner.”
I laid back on my bed. When did my sister become so wise? As the older brother, I should have been the one dispensing advice or threatening to beat up anyone who hurt her. And yet, somehow, Sarah was the one pointing out just how stubborn I was acting by not giving Michelle a chance to explainherself.
She’d told me she didn’t take rejection well, and I had not only spurned her affections, but I had done it publically in front of two girls who obviously had a historywithher.
Taptap,tap.
I jumped up and grabbed my phone. Maybe it wasn’t too late to sit down and talk with Michelle. I at least owed her the opportunity to explain everything I’d heard the night before. She’d tried with tears in her eyes, and I’d been the monster when I didn’t let her tell her side of thestory.
Me: Canwetalk?
I didn’t expect an immediate reply. If I was honest with myself, I wasn’t sure if I anticipated a reply at all, but within minutes my screen lit up with a text fromMichelle.
Michelle: It’s fine, Rainier. This summer was fun, but we both know we can’t makeitwork.
Me: Justanhour.
Michelle:I’mbusy.
I stared at my phone trying to formulate a response that never came. I calledJenny.
“Rainier, is everything okay?” Her voice was filled withconcern..
“Yeah, everything is fine. You’re working,right?”
“Uh,huh.”
“Is Michelleworking?”
“No.”
“Is she on the schedule fortoday?”
“What’sgoingon?”
“Jenny,” I said her name with urgency. “Is Michelle workingtoday?”
“No,but–”
“Great, thanks” I interrupted beforehangingup.
I got dressed, ran my fingers through my hair, and ran up the stairs. I couldn’t be sure if Michelle was busy or avoiding me, but I needed to make an effort with her. And I needed to do it now before I lost mynerve.
