Page 11 of How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend
“You two know each other?” the young girl asks. It could be his sister, if he has one.
I nod now that it’s out there. Eliza! That’s her name.
“More like acquaintances.”
“Oh.” Mrs. Marcus seems bewildered. I can’t blame her. First your kid is in a coma—I think that’s what they said—and then you learn he has a supposed enbyfriend. She looks from Eliza to her husband, worry etching creases in her cheeks. “We didn’t know about, you know… Why wouldn’t he tell us?”
“I don’t know. Maybe…” Mr. Marcus stumbles, “…hewasn’tready?”
“They also saved his life,” the doctor interrupts out of nowhere. I hadn’t noticed her enter, but she’s giving me a warm smile, so I’ll let it pass. I use the moment to check her name tag. Dr. Melody Kline. Okay, Melody, doctor,saved his lifemight be a stretch. I should have warned him so it never even happened. “Had they not acted so fast, the damage could have been much worse.”
It’s like Dr. Kline is trying to butter me up for Hayden’s family. Help lessen the impact and make all this new information more palatable.
“You saved his life?” Grandma tilts her head and smiles at me. “That’s good enough for me.”
“I’m sorry, I just thought… You know what? It doesn’t matter.” Mrs. Marcus steps toward me. “If Hayden loves you, then you’re family.”
Loves? That’s a bit much. We could have just started dating. Loves? That’s much too big a step. My head feels like it’s beginning to wobble.Breathe, Kenzie.I feel myself sinking deeper into the pit. Which is weird, because I’ve wanted to be Hayden’s for months, but this? I wasn’t planning on this.
“It’s okay.” I squirm. What do I say to that? And a coma? The thought is racing through my head. Like an actual coma? “Thank you.”
Suddenly I’m an introvert. This is so not me. Sure, when Hayden walks in the shop I get cold feet and my words make no sense, but that’s because it’s him. This never happens otherwise. I can talk to anyone. But here I am, completely at a loss for what to say. And worse, why am I going along? It’s not true. This is going to blow up so bad in a second. Plus, I’m supposed to be home. I have to go. That’s it. That’s how I get out of here.
“I gotta go.” I start stepping toward the door. “My mom’s waiting on me.”
“Can I get your number, dear?” his mom asks, and holds her phone out.
I pause.
“So I can keep you up on how he’s doing,” Mrs. Marcus says. Her head tilts and her dark brown eyes glint suspicion. Or maybe that’s just my head talking.
Should I just make an excuse and leave? No, that would be rude.Just do it.I grin nervously and accept the phone. I am in so much trouble. I take her phone and tap in my number.
“I think he’d want us to keep you in the know,” she says as I hand back the phone.
I nod and scoot backward.
“Thank you,” I say, dipping my eyes to the floor. “I really have to go now.”
5
“You’re not going to believe what happened tonight!” I yell at my phone.
Kaitlynn’s on the screen. She’s lying in bed with her face propped between her hands. Immediately I get the side-eye.
“What did you do?” she asks.
“What didIdo?” I adjust my hold on my phone so she can see the string of photo cards hanging from my bedposts and the K-pop light sticks arranged along the wall. It looks better than the nightstand. Especially with Nicholas from &TEAM’s soul-piercing gaze in the middle. “What do you mean, what didIdo? Why do you assume I did something?”
She raises an eyebrow and stares me down. Finally she breaks. “Please tell me you didn’t destroy the espresso machine. I can’t deal with that when I open tomorrow.”
“No, no!” I wave it off. I am clumsy, but come on. I roll my eyes and brace myself before revealing what actually happened. “I, well…I’m Hayden’s enbyfriend now?”
The video chat goes silent. Kaitlynn raises her chin from her hands and squints. She pooches her lips, then opens her mouth but stops short of speaking. Then again. And again.
Just say it! Whatever it is, just say it! Please!
“Was that supposed to be a question?” she asks.
