Page 75 of How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend
“Focus, Kaity!”
“Sorry.” She pouts.
“What I was trying to say is that maybe you’re right.” I pause to clarify. “About the getting my mind off them part.”
“Duh. I don’t know why that always seems like such a surprise to you.” Kaitlynn raises a brow at me.
“But how?” I ask.
I ignore her and start listing the things I could do to getthemoff my mind. First, stop saying or thinkingtheirnames. Second, something fun. I could go to a movie. Hmm… What’s playing? I could bake a cake for Kaitlynn’s mom. She loves my layered lemon and lime cake. Go for a drive? No. That’s just more empty time to think.
“The park?” Kaitlynn suggests.
“Hell no! It’s too cold for that,” I say just as the bell rings again.
“Yep, we’re late,” she complains and then lists another idea. “Go on a drive?”
“Nope, already crossed that one off the list,” I tell her.
Maybe do some light trespassing somewhere abandoned. Nope, I don’t need Mom even more upset with me.
“Well, I can’t read your mind. Ouija board?”
Ooh! I could have a Sandra Bullock movie marathon tonight and make Mom join me. That actress is amazing. She also happens to star in my all-time favorite movie,Practical Magic. Or maybe…
Oh! I have it! I throw my hand up, pointer finger extended.
“We can have one of our baking nights!” I’m pretty sure anyone in the hall who’s late for class like us could have heard that.
“Oh yay,” Kaitlynn deadpans. “I can’t wait.”
“And a movie! Come on! It’ll be fun! And you get to help me!” I tell her.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” She rolls her eyes. “What are we watching?”
I give her one of my big cheesy grins, the type she hates. She huffs and I let out the tiniest little giggle.
“Practical Magic,” she sighs. “I get to pick the music.”
I nod, and you know what? I think I’m already feeling better.
22
“I have the strawberries and blossom water!”
There’s no time to hear the door swing open before Kaitlynn yells her presence.
“Orange blossom, right?” I yell from the kitchen. The last time she went to the store without me for ingredients, she came back with yellow cake mix instead of the powdered sugar in my text, plus a ton of candy.
“Of course, of course!” Kaitlynn lumbers around the corner with not one but three reusable grocery bags in tow.
I stop and huff. “What did you get?”
“The necessities.” She shrugs, dropping them on the kitchen table behind me. Her hands dip inside the first bag and she starts pulling things out. “The strawberries. Can’t make our margs without them.Orangeblossom water.”
I squint, examining the clear bottle while she lowers it to the table. Okay, good. She got the right thing.
“Chips. Your favorite.” Kaitlynn lifts a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, then an orange bag. “Cheetos for me. And of course, candy.”
