Page 44
Story: I'll Be the One
He glances away and runs his hand through his hair. “It’ll make coordinating practices a lot easier this week. You said you wanted to practice during the week as well, right? Since we’re so short on time.”
I’d totally forgotten I said that during practice. Was that what Henry had been nervous about this entire time? “Oh, sure!”
I type in my number, and he texts me a quick message. My phone buzzes.
Henry’s mouth slides into a lopsided grin. “Okay, good,” he says. “So you didn’t give me the number for the Rejection Hotline.”
I snort. “I don’t hate you, you know. At least not yet. Talk to me a week from now and that might change.”
Henry raises his eyebrows at me in mock surprise. “Guess you’re not one for ‘friendly competition.’”
“We can be friendly,” I amend. “But I’m still going to win.”
He laughs, and his smile is so genuine that it makes me grin, too.
Wow, I think before I can stop myself.I wish he smiled like that more often.
I look away to add his number to my contacts. Or at least, that’s what I tell myself I’m doing.
“Is this your personal number?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Henry replies, sounding puzzled. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Well, I don’t know. Aren’t celebrities supposed to be reallysecretive of their personal information or something? The last time you called me, it was from a ‘No Caller ID’ number.”
“Oh, I was actually using Portia’s phone because I didn’t have mine with me. And she likes to keep things private since she has kids. As for me, well...” He grins. “Iamsecretive. You’re the only person I’ve shared my number with in a long time. The only person besides Portia and Steve that I’ve genuinely interacted with for a long time, really.”
He winces, as if he’s mentally kicking himself for admitting the last part to me.
“Wait,” I say. “What do you mean? Do you... not have any friends?”
“Not anymore. The last real ones I had were from school. Before my parents decided to homeschool me.”
“Oh... did something happen?” I’m trying so hard to be sensitive that my voice goes way higher than usual. Hearing rumors that someone is friendless is one thing, but hearing them say it directly with their own mouth is a totally different, way sadder experience.
Just then, the car rolls to a stop.
“We’re here,” says Portia.
Unmistakable relief crosses Henry’s face.
“See you later, Skye,” he says.
Another day, another mystery, I think as I slide out of the SUV.
“Skye!”
I startle, because I wasn’t expecting anyone to be home. Butthen I remember. Dad’s back this weekend. It’s not his regular week to be home, but he promised he’d be home to watch the premiere with me.
Sure enough, when I turn around, I see that Dad’s out in the garden, pruning some of the bushes. Or at least, he was. Now he’s just staring slack-jawed at the SUV as it drives off, his shears frozen in midsnip.
“Ya,” he whispers, as though Henry and his staff could hear us from miles away. “Whose car was that? Is it some celebrity’s?”
I give Dad a wary look, since I don’t know how much he knows about pop culture.
“It’s Henry Cho,” I say. “He’s a model—”
Dad gasps. “Henry Cho? I follow him on Instagram!”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44 (Reading here)
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87