Page 128 of Pride High 3: Yellow

“Oh my god, I love it!” Whitney clapped happily. “Although when they heal up, I want to see you in hoops instead of studs. That would be so cool!”

“What about me?” Omar asked. “Think I should get mine pierced?”

“No way,” she said. “Youarea stud.” Then she laughed before adding, “For real. I’m always telling myself, ‘Whitney, don’t make excuses to touch his chest. You wouldn’t like it if a boy did that to you.’ Although I wouldn’t mind running my fingers through your hair again.”

“I’m surprised you remember that,” Omar said with a grin. “And go ahead.”

“Really?” Whitney didn’t wait for an answer. She splayed her fingers and dug into his hair, like someone scratching a dog behind the ears, which is probably why Omar began thumping one of his legs.

“Arroooooo!” he added before panting happily. “Your eagle claws feel great.”

“Thanks!” she said. Something in the distance caught her eye. “Ugh! I have to go. I’ll see you guys in school, okay?” And with that, she spread her arms and raced off again with a, “Screeeeee!”

Anthony shook his head while watching her rejoin her family. Then he turned to Omar. “If things don’t work out with Silvia,” he said, smoothing his friend’s hair back down, “you definitely have options.”

“I do?” Omar asked, his brown eyes confused.

Anthony felt his pulse pick up again before he tilted his head in the direction Whitney had gone. “She likes you.”

“Really?

“Yeah. Trust me. I’m intimately familiar with the symptoms.”

Omar grinned, but he was still staring in Whitney’s direction. Then he shook his head. “Nah. I’m not going to rush into anything again.”

“You make it sound like you’ve already broken up with Silvia.”

Omar glanced at him and away again.

Anthony leaned to block his view so he was forced to make eye contact. “Is that what you’re going to do?”

“I don’t know,” Omar replied. “I’m still trying to figure everything out.”

“Okay,” Anthony said, feeling slightly panicked, because he cared about his best friend. But he also liked Silvia. They were close friends now, and he worried that Omar would feel betrayed when learning that Anthony wanted it to stay that way.

CHAPTER 21

April 26th, 1993

After descending the stairs, Mindy consulted the old wind-up clock in the living room. Then she ducked into the guest bathroom by the front door to check her appearance, even though she had just done so upstairs. The long journey from there to here hadn’t made a difference, she noted without surprise. Her ginger hair still curled around her ears, and her makeup appeared to be freshly applied. Which of course it was. She just didn’t know why, since Diego was taken.

Mindy thought of the diamond earrings he’d tried to give her and felt a flush of excitement. Why did all the best guys have to be gay? Or dating another guy, since Diego claimed to like girls. Did that mean her? She had no intention of finding out, but hewasone of the few boys who had called her pretty, and she didn’t want to disappoint. She wondered if that was pathetic before deciding that she didn’t care. Mindy returned to the living room, sat on the couch, and turned on the TV, flipping through channels until she heard someone knocking. Most people rang the bell. When she opened the door, Diego was a massive shadow edged by daylight.

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair,” he said.

“I’m notthatkind of princess.” Mindy stepped aside and gestured for him to enter.

“Who would you be then?” he asked.

“Cinderella,” she said instantly. As a child, she used to cast spells on pumpkins using a plastic magic wand, hoping to turn one into a coach that would whisk her away to her own personal Prince Charming.

“Glass slippers always seemed like a bad idea to me,” Diego said as he glanced around the entryway. “Even worse than those wooden shoes that foreigners wear.”

“Clogs,” she said automatically. “I agree with you about the slippers. Imagine how weird my feet would look squished into them and pressing against the glass.”

“Let’s empty a couple pickle jars and find out for sure,” Diego said.

“No way!” she replied with a smile. “Would you like something to eat though? Or to drink?”