Page 5 of Places We've Never Been

CHAPTER 2

“You all packed?” Mom asked me.

“What?” I’d been staring at the front door while everyone chatted, wondering if once Skyler got off the phone, he’d come in and show that even if he didn’t want to be in an RV, he at least was happy to see me. “Oh, yes. Just let me get my stuff.”

Willow really was tucking notes into my suitcase when I got back to my room. “Well?” she asked. “How was the grand reunion?”

“Um…” I put a hand to my forehead.

“What isthat?” Willow pointed at my wrist. “I haven’t seen that in years.”

I twisted the bracelet. A faded letter on each of the blue beads spelled outbest friends.“It’s funny and nostalgic. Me and Skyler were going to laugh about it together.”

“And did he think it was funny and nostalgic?”

I pointed out the window. “I haven’t seen him yet. He hasn’t come in, but he will.”

Willow’s brows popped up. “Oh.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“No, what?” I zipped my suitcase closed and hefted it off mybed.

“Here I was worried he was going to steal my best friend. I guess I didn’t have to worry. He’s grown up into a bona fide jerk. Did we see signs of this early on? Are we proud, or no?”

“Funny.”

“It wasn’t a joke.”

I waved a hand through the air. “No, Skyler is…was…the nicest, funniest boy I knew. Whatever. It’s fine. He’s just on the phone. Maybe he’s getting summer homework or something. It’s obviously important.”

“Ooh, maybe it’s his parole officer. Or maybe he’s talking to a sick relative or is learning he really can get the demon horn on his forehead removed.”

“Demons havetwohorns.”

“He’s a single-horned demon, trust me on this.”

I shook my head with a smile. “Well, I’m going to load this on the RV and then we’re taking off.”

“Hey, Norah?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what? It’s fine. I’ll be sending you goofy pics of me and him soon.”

Willow took me by the shoulders and looked me in the eyes, straight into my heart like only a best friend could. “I know this wasn’t how you thought this would go down. And I know herepresented a part of childhood for you that you’ve never fully told me about, but if his present self turns out to be a jerk, his past self can still be really important to you. You can still have that magical collision thing, okay?” She clapped her hands together.

“Thanks,” I said, and gave her a hug.

“Now, I expect you to bring me home a couple souvenirs from this trip, so choose wisely.”

“Don’t get into trouble while I’m gone.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” She swiped up her bag and followed me out of my room this time and through the house. The living room had emptied into the front yard, where my dad was helping load luggage and my mom was walking around the outside of the rental RV, obviously checking it out. It was early June, but the hot summer of Fresno had already descended. The weeds growing in sidewalk cracks and orchards were already yellow instead of their spring green.