Page 61 of Salty, Spiced, and a Little Bit Nice

What challenge?

I never challenged you to anything.

Are you hallucinating?

Making your next birthday THE best you’ll ever have, what else?

My heart stumbled. Was he implying that he’d be around for my next birthday?

As friends, Ellie. As friends. Remember the Stay on Track Plan?

Yours is in October, right?

Very impressed you remembered.

Of course I did. I remembered everything about him.

I memorized everything.

All the mostly useless facts about my fake boyfriend.

Although there are still things I don’t know about you.

Like what?

Your favorite book,

favorite movie,

What your last meal would be,

And I still don’t know who your childhood crush was.

There was a long pause before his reply popped up.

Maybe I’ll tell you that last one, if you tell me yours too.

I hesitated, then typed my reply.

You know who mine was.

The blue check marks appeared, followed by the longest, the most excruciating silence.

But that’s ages ago and doesn’t matter anymore! So we can forget about that, right?

Also, Zac Efron.

Not ashamed to say I can recite every line from high school musical 1 2 and 3…

I released a relieved breath when he started typing back.

Good choice

Even I think he’s gorgeous.

Your turn now

Childhood crushes don’t matter anymore.

---