Page 61 of Cherry Tree Ranch

After changing into comfy clothes and lying in bed for an hour to process, I hear Emery come in. We’re having a chick-flick night, something we haven’t done in years. Both she and Mom knew I’d need to stuff myself full of snacks and cry over sappy movies.

Emery and I snatch candy from the pantry as Mom starts popcorn. Emery guides me to the couch where we plop down, and I get a message from Cash.

Can we talk? he writes. I can call or we can go somewhere after the awards ceremony.

I can’t. Emery’s here, I write, listening to kernels of corn pop, pop, pop in the pot. The sound rattles my over-stimulated nerves.

OK, I understand. But I need to tell you how sorry I am. I can’t believe I dragged you into this fiasco.

I begin typing. It is a fiasco and I don’t want to I pause.

“What should I say?” I turn to Emery.

She shrugs. “I don’t know… What do you want?”

This is borderline genuine talk about feelings with my sister, and I’m shy to admit what I want.

“I want … him. But not all that other mess.”

“Tell him, then.” She shrugs and picks only green M&Ms out of the bag.

I delete what I wrote before and send: I like you a lot, Cash. But I can’t be a part of that mess. That was a truly terrible experience.

He replies quickly. It was and I wish I could express just how sorry I am. I completely underestimated how that would blow up. Kaylee’s the one who looks after the accounts and I didn’t realize how invested our followers are.

Then he adds: What about when all this media hype dies down? I’d really like to take you out, even if it’s not to the dance.

I take a breath. I don’t know. I need some time, I write.

I’ll wait as long as it takes. Congratulations on second place. I wish you would’ve won.

How’d you know?

Hid in the back and watched you get your ribbon.

I sigh, feelings of both regret and tenderness edging in.

“What’d he say?” Emery asks when she sees my face.

I show her the screen.

She crunches the candy coating of her M&M. “That’s sweet.”

I cover my eyes and talk into my hands. “Yeah, but he also put me in the middle of this mess. He could have waited to ask me to the dance. He could have just told the fans he didn’t want to kiss Kaylee in public, but nooo – he turned it into a circus instead.”

I savour the sweetness of a piece of liquorice, chewing hard and fast to keep tears from falling again. Looking back at the day, I can’t believe I did all that. Most of all, I can’t believe I said no to Cash, who I’ve been wanting to say yes to for weeks.

Emery clicks the remote, choosing a movie while Mom finishes the popcorn with butter and salt. “What’s so great about him, anyway? I mean, I get that he’s hot.”

I comb my fingers through my hair. “It’s hard to describe. It’s so different with him – it just feels natural. Like I’ve known him for ever.”

“I’ve never felt that way about a guy,” Emery sighs.

As she begins sectioning my hair, she talks to me about the guys she’s dated – most I know about, but some I didn’t, especially the college guys.

“Why haven’t we ever talked about boys like this?” I ask, excited to have a sisterly conversation instead of a spat.

I hand her a clear hair tie, and she wraps it round the end of the braid.