Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys)(23)

And she says she does want.

She asks if I want to hang out because she’s free and it was fun last time. I try to play it cool but I probably seem pretty eager, but it’s okay since technically she’s the one doing the asking, so I’m in.

I try to think of awesome places to suggest but my mind’s completely blank. Luckily Jane suggests we see a movie, which is great. She wants to see this foreign animated film, which doesn’t exactly sound like a good date movie to me but it’s great she’s so interesting and also that she doesn’t want to see something inherently crappy. It’s playing at the Los Feliz 3 so it takes us a while to find parking but we’re good on time, and when we get to the theater she lets me buy her ticket and popcorn and soda, so it’s clear this is a date. It’s got to be, with the buying of stuff, right?

The movie’s actually pretty good, and at one point it gets kind of sad--though I don’t cry or anything--but I can tell Jane’s getting kind of emotional, and I kind of nudge her to see if she’s okay and she gives me the best smile and then leans her head on my shoulder.

Unfortunately the movie is almost over! We do sit through the credits so that’s really good, though at some point during them she sits up all the way and stretches, so that’s over. I have to go to the bathroom really badly but I don’t want to lose momentum so I just walk out of the theater with her and ask if she wants to go to House of Pies or Fred 62. She checks her phone and says she should probably actually get home so if I could just drive her back to her car that would be great.

So I do, and the whole way I’m getting up the nerve to kiss her, but the best I can do is ask if she’s going to the fall formal. She says she is, to see us play!!

Okay, then, something can happen at the dance. It’s all lining up.





CHAPTER THIRTY


Reid is waiting by my locker on Monday morning, and I am 99.9 percent sure it’s because I left the Passenger Manifest for him in our secret spot (i.e., my house’s mailbox on Sunday nights because no one ever looks there) last night. I’d detailed my date or whatever it was with Milo pretty fully.

“He’s getting you an ID?” Reid waves his hands around for, I guess, emphasis. It looks like he’s attempting to land a plane in the hallway. “Riley! Do you know how long I’ve wanted an ID?”

I maneuver past him to get into my locker. “No, I don’t know how long you’ve wanted an ID. A while?”

“Yes, a while. I can’t believe you didn’t think to ask for me, too. Who are you going to shows with if I can’t go? Or Lucy or Nathan?”

“Um, Milo? I thought that was pretty obvious.”

“Fine.” Reid scowls. “See you later.”

If I were him, I’d probably be jealous, too. But considering Milo’s doing me a huge favor, I feel weird asking if he’ll get an ID for Reid, too.

Ted rounds the corner. “Hey, Riley.”

“Hey! How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun?” I say in the overly loud voice that seems reserved for all interactions with Ted.

“Not really. Just boring stuff. What about you?”

“Band practice; besides that, the same,” I say, because it doesn’t feel right to talk about Garrick or Milo in front of Ted. Obviously.

“See you in Spanish?” he asks.

“Well, yeah, and in history class first.” I smile at him because oh my god it’s cute you sort of made a mistake, Ted. “And if you need a ride tonight, I’m totally free after school.”

“Thanks,” he says, and takes off down the hallway.

Just then Lucy walks up to me. “You’re always talking to him lately,” she says.

I’m surprised that she’s noticed but also thrilled! Ted and I talk enough that it seems like always. “I guess, kind of.”

“Because of Yearbook?” she asks. “Or is it something else?”

“What do you mean?” I ask. “Homework?”

“No!” Lucy laughs and glances around like she’s making sure no one’s listening. “Is something up with him? Something”—she grins and raises her eyebrows—“sexy?”

Lucy would have made the exact same joke pre-Nathan, I KNOW THIS, but now it’s different. And I don’t know how to answer because nothing specifically sexy is up with him, but I have to believe Ted and I are maybe in our phase of witty repartee that’s headed directly to more straightforward sexy things. So I just shrug and leave it at that.

I sit down next to Garrick in chemistry, and he smiles at me in a manner I believe to be beyond our old level of Chemistry Partner Friendliness. Considering the rapid decline in amount of making out on Saturday night, I’m happy to see this.

“Hi,” he says. “Are you busy tonight?”

Whoa! This is unexpected.

“Actually I am,” I say. “I have a thing.” Probably the possibility that maybeI’lldriveTedtohismom’sofficeafterschool doesn’t actually qualify as a thing, but it’s what I’ve got.

“Oh, okay.” He glances around just like Lucy did, checking for any eavesdroppers. “It’s really over with Sydney. If you didn’t believe me, I promise it’s true.”

“No, I… I believe you. I was just surprised by the whole you-dating-a-TV-star thing. Maybe we can hang out later this week?”