Page 7 of Heartfelt Goals

“So you ran into Dustin?”

“In the elevator where my body aroma wascontained…”

“So speaks the author?”

“Body. Aroma,”Laurel stressed tearfully. “My deadline is Friday, and I’ve got eight chapters to write before then. It’s been three days – the same clothing for three days – no shower, no brushing my teeth, and I ran into your super-hot brother in the elevator. I could justdie…”

“From a fungal infection?”

“You’re not even funny.”

“I’m hysterical, and you know it. How’s Kendall?”

“Snarky, lovable, and morphing into a teenager before my eyes.”

“That bad, huh?”

“We had a painful discussion of words to never say to CPS, the school teacher, or the court system…”

“Ouch.”

“I know. Parenting is hard.”

“You’re not her parent – you’re her older sister and guardian.”

“Who’s being forced to parent.”

“Then don’t be one, be a friend.”

“Oh my gosh, we could not be friends – she’s too sarcastic, too dramatic, and…she’s me.”

“We’re friends,” Madeline chuckled. “I happen to love you to pieces.”

“I seriously don’t know why sometimes,” Laurel muttered, rubbing her brow. “What am I going to do about your brother? How can I avoid him if he’s living in the same building. I should move. I should definitely move because I cannot take seeing himwith some floozy or letting him see me like this… it’s just too much. If he says ‘hello’ again – I’m likely to knock him out with my breath. I have groceries, too. This means I’m gonna have to dart to the elevator, pray like heck that he’s not going to use it, and then somehow get to my place so I’m stinky-safe, Madeline. I need to bestinky-safe!”

“And you can then shower.”

“And Iwillshower,” Laurel confirmed listening to her friend’s laughter. “You can talk me down at any moment now.”

“I think you should ask him out.”

“DUSTIN?”she shrieked in horror – only to hear Madeline’s laughter once again. “Okay, you win. You need your head examined because Icannotask your brother out.”

“Why?”

“First off – he’s amazingly hot. Secondly, still hot. Third, he could have anyone in the world, so why would he want his little sister’s spazzy friend… oh, and don’t forget number four –HE’S HOT.”

“Which is why you should ask him out.”

“I do not need the emotional trauma.”

“Why would it be that?”

“Because he’d say no in a heartbeat, and then I would combust, like ‘human-implosion-due-to-rejection-majorica.’It’s a thing – look it up.”

“No, it’s not. You know you are awfully…theatrical. I see where Kendall gets it.”

“I’m bowing right now. In my head, I am epically bowing.”

---