Page 27 of Crazy for this Girl

“All the time.”

“Okay.”

“And if the other one is lying, we call out a word.”

My eyes widen a tad. “A word? And that does what exactly?”

“It calls the person out and they have to tell the truth or this whole friendship was a complete lie.”

“How will we know if the other person still isn’t lying?”

“You just can’t. This bond is sacred.”

“Will one of us get struck down by lightning or something?” Cal gives me an exasperated look. “Well, what if the lie is hurtful? Or…if it change things.”

He turns his head back and forth, not accepting of anything getting in our way. “Nothing changes between us, ever. Even if it’s hard. If you become a country music lover in the next few months—” he shrugs—“I have to accept that.”

“And if you grow up not knowing what one plus one is?”

The corner of his mouth lifts a tad. “I know that’ll be a hard pill to swallow, but you’ll have to accept it.”

“This won’t work. It’s stupid.”

Cal moves closer, and I curl my toes into the sand to keep from moving. “It will work. And if I grow up to be a serial killer, you gotta be my alibi.”

I snort. “And if I marry a basketball player, you’ll welcome it?”

Cal smiles, but it’s laced with arrogance. “You’re not stupid enough to do that.”

Probably not.

“What’s the word?”

He shrugs. “You pick.”

“Good Charlotte.”

“Hell no.” He thinks for a moment before saying, “It’s blue.”

“Blue?”

He bobs his head. “Blue. Like your eyes”

“How about dumb?”

His lips quirk into that boy-next-door—literally—smile. “Blue, dummy.”

Dear Cal,

I seriously can’t stand you.

There are no words in the English language that can describe how odd and insane you are by the things you say in your letters. Where you come up with these things is astounding, and I think the California sun is beginning to burn the good brain cells in your head. You should be concerned because I am for you.

Square slices of pizza are NOT better than triangle.

They’re the same.

It’s PIZZA.