Page 24 of It’s All in How You Fall
Sunny smiles, eyes sliding to Peregrine’s. “Maybe we should make this a weekly thing.”
“Definitely,” I agree, trying not to feel as if these two already have a weekly thing and I’m being tacked on.
The waitress appears with water—two with ice, one without—and we resoundingly order three vegetarian bibimbap. Some things never change.
When Bridgette leaves and silence descends, I’m extremely eager to get any attention off me. I take a sip of my water, set it back down firmly in front of me, and drill my forever BFF with the same unrelenting gaze I give the middle distance before a tumbling pass. “So, Per, speaking of Northland soccer players with whomI do not have a thing, I saw Ryan Rodinsky the other day.”
Peregrine stills, kimchi frozen halfway between the little dish and her lips. “You mean the Ryan Rodinsky who can’t pull the fucking trigger?”
Sunny’s face scrunches with a social math equation. “Wait. Is this the science partner? The one whose sister is the Northland quarterback?”
“The one and only, who spent all last year flirting with Peregrine in biology.”
Peregrine shoves the kimchi into the side of her mouth. “I’m not sure I completely understand the definition or point of flirting, because if that’s what it was, it didn’t work because he’s had my numbersince March.”
“Oh shit.” Sunny’s eyes are wide as saucers. “You’re telling me yousaw himnearly every day after giving him your number for, what, three more months? And didn’t call him on his bullshit? Or text him yourself?”
Peregrine shrugs but her features go cat-like. “If he wants to call me, he knows where to find me. Until then, he can just keep on rotating through Northland’s entire cheer squad while trying to ignore the fact that I’m the one he’ll be smiling at throughout all of AP chem next year.”
“Wait,” I say, brows lurching together and a halting palm thrown in the air, “did you just miss a chance at a chemistry in chemistry joke, Peregrine?”
“Oh my God, I think I did,” Peregrine admits with a laugh as she presses the back of a hand to her mouth to keep in her recently deposited kimchi.
Sunny lifts a brow. “You must really like him.”
“Or have low blood sugar.”
And just like that our food arrives, steaming and glorious. Piling the remainder of the kimchi into our steaming stone bowls, we dig in.
11
The weekend is a blur of the farmers’ market and Sunday movieday—a special matinee ofForrest Gump—and then suddenly it’s Thursday.
Aka tennis day.
Somehow, between my engagements, I found time to stretch and watch a few more hours of Wimbledon. And though Alex is probably right—the best in the world sure do make it look easy—I’m actually super stoked to try another ball sport.
Though I won’t put it that way. I’ve learned my lesson.
The rumble of the Challenger’s engine hits our cul-de-sac just before three, and I’m out the door before he’s all the way in the driveway. Sunglasses, sneakers, skort, and yet another gymnastics-themed tank top. This one is black and has the names of all the winners of the World all-around title from the United States up through 2021 listed in lowercase white lettering. (Individual all-around doesn’t happen during Olympic years for some reason.)
Kim + Shannon + Chellsie + Shawn + Bridget + Jordyn + Simone + Morgan.
As I open the car door, I can tell Alex is trying to read the names and put it all together, but when I slide onto the pre-towel-covered seat, he doesn’t ask. Instead, he simply moves a used protein powder shaker bottle out of the way and gestures that I fill the cup holder with my water bottle.
“Such a gentleman—picking me up, covering the hot seats, harboring my drinks.”
“It pays to have a sister,” he says, teeth flashing.
Funny, but somehow I don’t think Nat would answer the same about me. He won’t give me credit for anything, and Alex doles it out to Lily Jane like it’s nothing.
Alex smells of soap and deodorant, and the air is blasting, swirling it all around. I feel like I’m being aired out among pine trees and I love it. It’s currently ninety-five degrees and I’m going to need all the Swiss Alps bliss I can get.
We get to theTin the road and rather than turn right toward the club, Alex turns left. Toward our high school.
“Not Northfield?”
“Spend all my time there. Thought Northland would be better.”
