Page 15 of The Publicity Stunt

“Nothing.”

“You keep looking at me.”

“You said you were gonna show me your comic today.”

Oh … right.

April gets distracted by Peter Parker having a full-blown emotional breakdown, but that sweet respite lasts about two seconds. “So, where is it?” she asks.

“It’s not ready yet.” A lie.

“I still wanna see it.”

“It’s a blank page. There’s nothing to see.”

“You’re lying.”

My brows arch. What the hell? Does this girl have some sort of X-ray vision for thoughts? Oh, wait … that’s just telepathy. “I’m not lying.”

“It’s okay if you’re embarrassed. I won’t make fun.”

That does it. “You wanna see a blank piece of paper? Because I can show you a blank piece of paper.” I get up, forgetting that April’s still leaning on my arm. She falls face first into my pillow.

I ignore her muffled cry and rifle through the mess on my desk, trying to find a goddamn blank sheet of paper. Shit, I must’ve used them all up.

“Just so you know,” she says, slowly sitting up against the wall next to my bed, “this is so not fair. You were the one who said you’d show it to me today.”

I shoot her a look. “Well, fuck me. It’s not ready yet, Moore.”

“Why won’t you show me?”

“I told you it’s not done.“

“Bullshit!” she yells. “I promise I won’t say anything bad. I just wanna see it. Pleeease?”

I accidentally knock over a stack of papers and the first two pages of my comic slip out. April must see the momentary alarm on my face, because the next thing I know, she leaps off the bed and lands right on top of the fallen papers. Like Captain America when he jumped on a live grenade.

“April, get up.”

She shakes her head vigorously. “Let me see your comic and no one gets hurt.”

“You have five seconds, and then I’m gonna pick you up myself.”

With her head down, she mumbles, “Walk away, punk.”

Good God. That would probably sound more threatening if it wasn’t for her unicorn hat and its tiny googly eyes staring up at me. I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. “Fine, I’ll show it to you.”

April perks up instantly, clutching the fallen stack of papers to her chest tightly. “Really?”

“But only if you give me something in return.” I plonk my ass down next to her.

“What?” She tightens her grip around the sheets. “A pat on the back for a job well done? My unconditional support, no matter how bad it is?”

“Nah, none of that crap.” I narrow my eyes and slowly lean forward, my elbows resting on my knees. The movie goes on playing and I edge closer. “I want you to take off that hat.”

April’s eyes move to my chest and her smile fades. “What?”

Keeping my eyes locked to hers, I point a single finger at her head. “Give it to me.”