Page 53 of The Seemingly Impossible Love Life of Amanda Dean

“Hey. I’m not incompetent,” Mandy said.

“That’s not what I’m saying,” Mom said. “I’m just going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, Mom.” She walked over to her mother and kissed her cheek. “Now go back to bed, and we promise to clean up.”

Mom glanced at Isa.

“Cross our hearts.” Isa made a crisscross sign over her chest.

“Okay. Don’t stay up all night.” She kissed Mandy on the forehead and headed back toward her room.

Mandy and Isa quietly finished mixing the cookie dough, measuring it out, and cleaning up, and while the cookies were baking in the oven, Mandy turned out the kitchen light so it wouldn’t attract any more attention from Mom. The only light was from inside the oven and the full moon shining in from the skylights. Mandy hopped up on the counter, and Isa stood between her legs.

“I’m going to miss you while you’re gone too,” Isa said.

Mandy pulled her in. “I won’t be gone forever, and when I get back, I’ll meet you in Boston.”

“I know, but it’s just a long time apart, you know?”

“I’m going to miss you too.” She rested her chin on the top of Isa’s head and hugged her tightly.

“What if I went with you?” Isa’s voice was so quiet Mandy wasn’t sure she heard her right.

“You want to come with me? To England?”

Isa pushed back just a little and gazed up at Mandy. “Do you think that’s weird?”

Mandy shook her head. “No. But it won’t be long until you have to be at school, so I’m just not sure it’s worth it to go for such a quick trip. Not that I don’t want you to go,” Mandy quickly added. “I do. I’d love to spend three months in Europe with you, but you have school.”

“Yeah, but…what if I defer my start? I’d only be behind one semester, and then we can go to England and do what you need to do. And then we can go and be in Boston for me.”

The sweet scent of baking cookies mingled with the smell of Isa’s shampoo. Could it really all be that easy? Isa coming with Mandy would be a dream come true. “And you could just start late? You wouldn’t lose your spot?”

“I’d have to figure out some financing stuff, but yes. I could totally just start later without losing my spot.”

Mandy studied Isa’s face—her bright eyes, her lifted brows. “So you’re going to England with me?”

Isa smiled up at Mandy. “I’m going to England with you.”

Instead of squealing for joy and risking waking up her parents, Mandy leaned down and kissed Isa. When she pulled away, the blush on Isa’s cheeks made Mandy’s heart swell. Yes, she was completely and irrevocably in love with this girl. “This is going to be the best trip ever.”

This summer had truly becomethe best in Mandy’s entire life. Once Isa decided she was coming with Mandy, each day held a new kind of excitement. Late-night sleepovers turned into late-night make-out sessions. Holding hands during movies underneath a giant tub of popcorn. Sitting at the bookstore, knees touching while they perused the new releases section for Isa or the magazine rack for Mandy. Or sometimes they would just drive around, find a secluded place, and sit in the back of Mandy’s car so they could be alone to talk about anything andeverything—but there they could also tangle themselves up in each other’s arms, which also sometimes led to more making out.

The stack of clothes on the chair in the corner of Isa’s room got bigger and bigger as the days passed. She kept adding things to pack on their trip, thinking she would need everything. Mandy hadn’t started packing even though they’d be leaving in just over a week. She had used a good portion of her “spending money” to help pay for Isa’s ticket, but it was worth it. If she had to miss a meal here or there, it was fine as long as Isa was with her. But Mandy had more than enough, with all the “gifts” she had gotten from her parents’ friends for graduation—this trip was already well funded.

Isa had a map of Paris sprawled out in front of them, and they both lay on their stomachs on Isa’s bed, leaning on their elbows, feet intertwined.

“We have to see the Eiffel Tower,” Isa said, pushing aside their open bag of M&M’s to grab a gold foil sticker, affixing it to the spot on the map. That was how they marked the places they wanted to go—with stickers that, according to their color, prioritized the location. Gold was the highest level, so this meant it was a nonnegotiable sightseeing spot. They each were allowed one per map, and this one was Isa’s.

“We also have to go to Centre Pompidou.” Mandy affixed her own gold star on the map.

“You promised we wouldn’t just go to museums.”

“But this is Centre Pompidou.” It wasn’t the Louvre, which of course Mandy had to go to too, but still, she needed to see the collection they had there and this building that people either loved or loved to hate. “I can’t be that close and not go.” She leaned over and kissed Isa on the cheek.

“Mandy,” Isa whispered. “What if Abuela walked by?”

“We’d hear her coming first. Don’t be so paranoid.” Mandy nudged Isa with her shoulder and then fed her an M&M—a green one. “And I promise my next pick won’t be a museum. Okay?”

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