Page 47 of Resisting the Grump

RAE

My best friendwas sprawled out on a flannel blanket under our maple tree. Her brown curls fanned out behind her like a river of chocolate spirals, and her hand was dramatically thrown over her face, shielding her from the sun. A speaker softly played our favorite playlist from the porch, and between the two of us, we had a few notebooks scattered.

“Did you keep any journals or physical evidence of any of your crushes?”

Nora let out a small grunt, then slightly sat up. “No.” Her dark brows caved as she considered something, and then she slapped her forehead. “Wait…that’s not true.”

Smiling, I cut into the notebook, seeing the confessions of love and obsession begin to fall to the blanket in tiny pieces. “I knew I wasn’t the only messed up person on the planet who documented her obsession.”

“No”—Nora pointed a finger at me— “you’re definitely on your own with all this, but I did create a Pinterest board.”

My notebook dropped into my lap and plopped to the blanket. “What?”

Nora stared off to the side, while nodding. “A wedding board.”

“I have to see it!” I dove for her phone.

“Noooooo.” She batted my hand away, but I was already gripping it.

“Rae, let it go! Oh my gosh, you can’t!”

“You saw my humiliation, it’s only fair!” I stood, holding the phone up in the air like I couldn’t get service.

Nora settled in, folding her legs together, criss cross applesauce style, while tucking her arms in tight. She looked like a toddler throwing a tantrum. “You don’t even know my password.”

“You’ve had the same one since middle school,” I muttered in response, navigating to her Pinterest app.

I heard Nora mutter a curse word from her pursed lips.

“Oh my God.” I froze in place, my mouth dropping at the images before me.

Nora jumped to her feet. “You have to understand that I put most of it together when I was drunk!”

“Nora-Bora, you were stone cold sober when you did this, don’t lie.” I slid my finger along her screen, staring at the lavender colored gowns she had selected for her bridesmaids, and relishing the dog carrying the ring down the aisle.

“You don’t even have a dog!” I continued swiping and flipping while Nora let out heavy sighs from the blanket.

“In my alternate reality, where my crush adores me and wants to marry me, we have a cute little dog who’s like a son to us and would be our ring bearer.”

It was cute, her wedding idea. Stringed lights, outdoor, small, lots of green ivy and potted plants. I could envision all of it, and the more photos I looked at, the more wistful I felt, until…

“Is this…wait a second, is this what he looks like?”

Nora squealed, jumping to her feet and throwing herself on my back. “You weren’t supposed to scroll down that far!” She reached for the phone, but my arms were longer.

“Rae, give it back!”

I was laughing so hard, half crouched with her on my back, that I couldn’t breathe.

“Two things: first…I have to know who this crush is, and second, where did you find that photo?” I sputtered, my eyes watering while I stared at the man in question. He had blond hair, long enough to be pushed under his backward hat. He had striking blue eyes and a drool-worthy jawline that was firm and pronounced. He reminded me of a surfer.

“It’s on his website. I found it when I was working with my dad. So yeah, I sort of saved the image, and then created the pin, but the board is private. He’ll never see it.”

“Okay, so there’s a real actual person who—"

“What are you two doing?” my mom suddenly called from the kitchen window, interrupting us.

We both spun, chiming in unison, “Nothing.”

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