Page 23 of The First Play

With a soft laugh, I update my sister. She already knew about the puking thing. I’d told her about the girl from the party, and she’s seriously stoked for me.

“I knew you liked her big. You’ve been managing to bring her up in every conversation we’ve had in the last two weeks. You do realize that, right?”

“No.” I snicker. “Was I seriously doing that?”

“Yes. And it’s taken you a millennium to ask her out. Geez, you’re slow.”

“Why didn’t you tell me to get on with it?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t want to pressure you.”

I smile my appreciation, and we say it all with one look.

Then she grins at me, leaning closer to the screen. “So, this date tomorrow. Are you still in the ‘testing the waters, trying to figure out if you really do like her’ phase? Or are we going full-blown ‘I want to impress the shit out of her’?”

I laugh. “The second one. Definitely the second one.”

“Okay.” She raises her eyebrows. “You asked for it. Get ready to take notes, dude.”

“WE KISSED”

CHAPTER 9

SIENNA

I had no idea what to wear on this date and only changed like five times. In the end, Mom came to my rescue and talked me through a bunch of outfits until we’d put together something that said, “I’m ready for some fun, but I’m not expecting you to spend too much money on me.”

“What if he’s thinking fancy restaurant?” I worry my lip. “And I’m standing here in jeans and a T-shirt.”

“It’s a fitted T-shirt, and you have your leather jacket. You look stunning,” Mom assures me. “And if he was thinking fancy restaurant, he wouldn’t be picking you up at three.”

“She’s right.” Dad walks into the room, munching on an apple. “A three o’clock pickup saysfun times and hot dogs.”

“Really?” I wrinkle my nose. “I hate hot dogs.”

“He’s not going to feed you hot dogs.” Mom snorts.

“Who doesn’t love hot dogs?” Dad stretches his arms wide, his mock incredulity making me giggle. “We did something wrong with her, Bethany.” Mom starts laughing too. “I blame the Thai food.”

“Or the Indian.” She shrugs, getting in on the joke… much to her glee.

“It could have been that goat’s milk you fed her in Sardinia. She lived on that stuff for months.”

“True fact.” Mom turns to wink at me.

Dad’s frown is disappointed. “We raised the American right out of her.”

“Oh, stop it.” I roll my eyes. “I’msoAmerican. I love country music, blue jeans, and pickup trucks.” I grin. “I love pizza and apple pie and… and football.”

“Ha!” Dad laughs. “You only just started liking football, and that has nothing to do with the game and everything to do with the quarterback.”

Mom’s doing a terrible job of fighting her laughter as she grabs my hands. “He is cute, though, Senny.”

“I know, right?” I beam. “So cute.”

Cupping my face, she kisses the tip of my nose and lets out an excited squeal. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Me, too, kid.” Dad wraps his arms around Mom and me, squishing us into a group hug that’s making me giggle… until the doorbell rings.

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