Page 161 of Pride High

“No. Not really.”

“Oh.” Omar jerked his head toward their usual table. “Let’s go sit with the guys.”

Ricky shook his head. “I want a change of scenery.”

“Everything looks the same from here,” Omar said, sitting down across from him. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Ricky lied. “I’m great.”

“Okay.” Omar stared at him a moment before shrugging. “You’re coming to my birthday party, right? It’s this Sunday. I wanted to rent a hot tub. My parents shot me down, but it’s still going to be epic, I promise.”

“Who else is going?” Ricky asked.

“Everyone,” Omar said. “Dave, David, Anthony, Cameron—oh!—and this guy Ghalen from our journalism class who says he can eat fire and swallow swords. He does it at the Renaissance Festival with his dad each year. They have an act they put on or something. Anyway, lots of babes too. Silvia will be there. You can finally meet my girlfriend. Plus…”

Ricky tuned him out. He didn’t want to be at a party with people he didn’t know, and he sure as hell didn’t want to be around the people he did know. Anthony and Cameron in particular. He wished it could just be Omar and him, spending the night together as friends. That’s what he needed more thananything. A best friend. Omar was taken though, by the same guy who seemed to have it all.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Omar said. “You seem kind of pissed.”

Probably because Ricky was glaring in Anthony’s direction. “I’m fine,” he said, forcing a neutral expression. “I just need some peace and quiet to think.”

“All right, man. I’ll leave you to it.” Omar stood, his dark eyes questioning. “Come to my party though, okay? I’ll be bummed if you aren’t there.”

Ricky nodded, hoping it didn’t count as a promise, because there was only one place he wanted to be. Home.

— — —

Ricky shoved scrambled eggs into his mouth, wanting to get breakfast over with so he could return to his room where he’d spent the weekend so far. He had more planning to do! The details still eluded him. He would need his parents’ help. But before he asked for it, he wanted to anticipate any misgivings they might have and figure out a counterargument. That way they couldn’t say no.

“What time does your friend’s birthday party start?” his mother asked. “We’ll give you a ride before we head out.”

“Later,” he said, being deliberately vague. “Where are you going?”

“I’m taking your mother on a date,” Ken said. “Turns out that I haven’t been doing my part in the romance department.”

“Gross,” Ricky grumbled.

“He didn’t mean it like that,” Ami chastised. “We simply haven’t had much free time since the move. There was so much to prepare, and even more to organize once we were here. We’ve finally caught up and can relax.”

“Don’t you ever miss Colorado?” Ricky asked with a tight throat.

His mother peered at him, as if reading his thoughts. “Of course,” she said. “But we both like it here. Don’t we?”

“Yes,” his father replied. “At least, I think I will once my head stops spinning.”

“Will we ever go back?” Ricky asked. “Like for the summer maybe?”

His parents looked at each other in concern. “We might takea vacation there eventually,” Ken said. “But we don’t have family in Colorado, so we thought a trip to see Grandma and Grandpa in Seattle would be—”

“What about the friends we left behind?” Ricky interrupted. “Shouldn’t we go see them?”

“We’d like to,” Ami replied, “but your grandparents are getting older. You always like our trips there, don’t you?”

“Sure” Ricky said, “but I want to see my friends. Jeremiah especially.”

“Oh,” his mother said, sounding surprised. “Have you been talking to him again?”

Ricky felt a familiar ache in his heart. “No. I’m scared that we’re losing touch.”

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