Cameron’s mom is incredible. I want a mom like Cam’s. When we ask her to make our shirts and tell her what we want, and why we’re doing it, her face lights up like Christmas morning. She has lots of ideas for us, and she doesn’t know what the word no means. “Mom, you want us to do that in front of half the school?” Cam questions.
“Yes! Don’t you love it? Your girlfriends will love it. They’ll think you’re strong and muscular, and they’ll blush and giggle, and it will be so cute. You have to do it.”
Cam shakes his head, defeated. “I told you,” he leans over, whispering to me.
I shrug. I’m just grateful she’s doing this for us. I’d jump out of a cake if Mrs. Winters wanted me to, as long as I can do it tomorrow. While we’re working on our sixty-second dance, number two of Cameron’s sisters, who are married, show up to help his mom make the shirts. His sisters fawn over him, tease him about having a girlfriend, and then disappear downstairs to help his mom.
He raises his hands, exasperated. “Every time, without fail.”
“She’s a lifesaver, though. This is turning out better than our plan for the assembly,” Tyler says.
“I know your mom gets over-invested in your life, but you’re lucky, Cam. You really are.” I pat him on the back.
“Thanks for the reminder, Ford. She is a great mom.”
“Cameron’s mom has got it going on,” Tyler sings while dancing in a circle.
“Don’t make me hit you, T.,” Cam says. But we’re all laughing.
35. Check Yes
When I come downstairs Monday morning, Ford’s sitting at the counter eating French toast. “You’re early,” I say, kissing his cheek.
“Just excited to start my day. You know how much I love school.” Ford smirks, then shoves a fork full of food in his mouth.
“Yeah, that wasn’t suspicious at all.” I fix myself a plate and sit down next to him.
“If I said I was excited about our English test today, would that convince you?”
I laugh. “No.”
“You have a test today?” Beth asks, looking surprised.
“Yeah, it’s onWuthering Heights. I’m not worried. I read the book and studied. Did you study Cross? Or are you going to cheat off me again?”
Ford puts a hand over his chest. “I’m offended by such a grievous attack on my character. I’m an honorable gentleman.”
“Oh jeez, someone take away his thinking cap. It’s warping his reality—again.” I lean close, patting his cheek. “You’re in the wrong century, Stud, by 200 years. Snap out of it.”
Ford closes the small distance between us, kissing me with sticky lips. “Only if you promise to let me cheat off you.”
I shove him away. “The day you need to cheat off me is the day…well, I don’t know, but I’m sure something horrible will happen.”
“What are you two going on about?” Jack comes upstairs looking annoyed.
“Clark was just begging to cheat off me during our English test first hour.”
“Oh, my gosh. You’re so vexatious sometimes.” I pick up our empty plates and put them in the sink.
“Vexatious?” Ford looks at me, his forehead wrinkled.
“I keep telling you to invest in a dictionary. Maybe youshouldcheat off me in English. And don’t forget my points,” I say as I grab my backpack.
“Vexatious, annoying, vexing, displeasing, or irksome,” Ford says, reading the definition from his phone. “You get max points for that one simply because I had no idea what that word meant.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you sit in your room and read the dictionary for fun?” Jack asks, then gulps down a glass of orange juice.
