P.S. I Like You(19)

Fourth period I was an office aide—the much-coveted position that usually only seniors got. It was basically busy-work and no homework, not the noblest elective, but a free period was a free period. And helping out Mrs. Clark wasn’t so bad.

I was making my way through the crowded halls to the office when I saw Lucas ahead of me. He was several inches taller than everyone around him. He turned at the end of the hall. I turned, too. It was time to say something … anything to him.

The second I made that decision my heart kicked up a notch.

It’s okay, I said to myself, Just say hi, make sure he knows you exist.

That wouldn’t be hard. Hi was a harmless word.

Lucas pushed open a door on his right and I nearly followed him right through it until it swung shut and I saw the blue symbol of a man on the outside of it. I had almost walked right into the boy’s bathroom. Apparently I was a stalker now.

I doubled back around and bumped into Isabel. Which was a relief. I needed an intervention or, at the very least, a lecture about why silently following boys was creepy.

Only Isabel wasn’t alone. A boy was beside her. David. Isabel smiled eagerly at me.

I sighed. Were we really going to do a take two? Isabel didn’t know how to give up.

“Lily!” Isabel said in a fake innocent tone. “Look who I ran into.”

“Hi,” I said.

“Hey,” David replied, hands in his pockets. “How are you?”

“Pretty good. Did you get all the pee out of your sock?”

“I threw it away.”

“Oh. That was another solution.” A bit of an overreaction in my opinion, but maybe it smelled worse than I imagined it might.

I looked at Isabel. She had a smile on her face like she was witnessing the cutest thing she’d ever seen. Isabel made a horrible matchmaker. I hoped she didn’t have her heart set on this as a career.

“I didn’t mean to kick it, by the way,” David added, looking at the ground. “The rabbit. I just … it just surprised me.”

I smiled. “My brother will be relieved to know this. Although you should probably avoid him for a while. My brother, that is. Oh, and the rabbit, I guess.” Not that David would ever want to go to my mad house again.

“She’s just kidding,” Isabel clarified.

“Yes. I am.” I had probably sounded rude. I was glad Isabel got my sense of humor so she could translate for me.

“So … anyway, about that Chemistry assignment,” David said, turning to Isabel, and I realized this was how their conversation had probably started, how she had gotten him to follow her over here.

“I can help you with it. Lily and I meet in the library on Wednesdays after school to work on Chemistry,” Isabel said.

We most certainly did not.

“Why don’t you join us this week?” Isabel went on.

“Okay, sure.” David smiled a little at me and I softened. Maybe he was just shy and uncomfortable. I could understand that and have some sympathy for the poor guy. We could be friends. Maybe a few more conversations would bring out his real personality. “Mr. Ortega is going to be the death of me.”

“Me too,” I said. “Do you guys have Chemistry together?” I glanced from David to Isabel.

“No,” Isabel said. “I have it fourth period, and David has it second.”

“And I have it sixth,” I said, almost to myself. We were each in one of the three junior Chemistry classes. The only three that existed. So my mystery pen pal was in one of their periods. One of them knew exactly who sat in my seat. All I had to do was open my mouth and ask … and forever ruin Chemistry. This was the one thing I’d been looking forward to for the past week and a half. I was not going to ruin that with my curiosity. I’d already told Isabel I didn’t want to know who my pen pal was. And I really didn’t.

The late bell rang then. David, Isabel, and I all went our separate ways. I smiled as I hurried toward the main office. I was one step closer to Chemistry class.



I didn’t have to look under the desk to find the note anymore. My hand went straight to it. I’d even become an expert at unfolding it quietly and placing it just so under my single sheet of notepaper. I didn’t even think Lauren realized what I was doing. I held my breath and read:

Track 4 is my favorite too. And also, Track 8 on Blue is amazing. You were right, not depressing at all. (I’m not just saying that because the cool guitarist in my new band said she likes it the best.)

By the way, I don’t play guitar so there will be no stealing your solo time here. That means it’s official, right? We need a band name now. Something overly sweet like Rainbows & Roses. Then all our songs should be angry. It will make for a good contrast. I have a lot of angry material right now—awful stepdad, distant mother, and absent father. That’s some solid fodder, right? Here, I’ll come up with a good first line right now … Parents (a pause in lyrics for a dramatic guitar solo for you) are (pause for drum solo) lame. Hmm … maybe I shouldn’t be the lyricist either. My musical skills don’t translate to a band. Where does that leave me? I can stand in the background and dance. Oh, also, if Mr. Ortega catches me writing you this letter, I am committed to shoving it in my mouth and swallowing. I hope I can count on the same commitment from you.

I smiled. After the buildup of the whole weekend and all morning anticipating this letter, I was worried it would disappoint. It did not. It was cute and funny and a little sad. I wished there was something I could do about the sad part to make him feel better.