Page 148 of What I Like About You

It was to separate myself from my Book Famous grandmother.

I didn’t know I’d get so popular. I didn’t know he’d become so important to me.

I was ready to tell him myself, I swear.

I was just scared.

I’m sorry.

It feels good, talking to Molly and Autumn. It probably would have felt even better if I had trusted them before it all fell apart.

“Is there a chance of, like—will he ever forgive me?” I ask.

Autumn shrugs. “Maybe. But he’s hurt and stubborn and the best grudge holder in the universe—even better thanMolly.”

“It’s true. When I was eight, Nash had one of those, like,motorized kid cars and he legitran overmy Barbie dream house. He felt so bad, he burst into tears. I didn’t speak to him for three months. That Chanukah, Nash got one of those fancy glass Harry Potter chess sets, right? Well, the first time we played it, I dropped a few of the pieces and Harry’s head fell right off. Nash didn’t speak to me forfourmonths.”

“He’s over it now,” Autumn assures me as she crumples her cupcake wrapper into a ball.

Molly swallows a sip of water. “Barely. Nash wallows. It’s a character flaw, but he usually comes around.”

“I didn’t break his rook, Mol,” I say.

Autumn covers her mouth full of water with her hand—like she wants to burst into uncontrollable laughter. Water dribbles down her chin, but she manages to swallow most of it. Her hand doesn’t move from her mouth and she is silent cackling like crazy.

Molly and I stare at her, expressions blank.

“Am I the only one who thought that sounded dirty?” Autumn asks.

“Clearly,” Molly says.

“A hundred fifty percent yes,” I say.

Our trio of laughter is loud and I know I’m still a work in progress, but I’m learning. Friendship—realfriendship—isn’t easy. It’s destroying Barbie dream houses and screaming in movie theater parking lots and screwing up, sometimes badly. It’s a mess of lines drawn in the sand and questioning loyalties and answering difficult DMs. It’s making comparisons and exposing insecurities.

But it’s also bowling by our own rules. Laughing until ourstomachs cramp and tears stream down our cheeks. It’s knowing that I have people, real people, from all over the country in my pocket, always a text or tweet or lunch table away when I need them. It’s knowing the world might be a trash fire, but it’s less trash when there are people to help navigate the darkness.

Friendship is messy. Hard. Infuriating. Awesome. Fragile. Durable. Impossible. Worth it.

Always worth it.

BookCon, Morning

Elle Carter

BOOKCON DAY. Totally wish I could be there. Kill the panel! Network! Steal all the ARCs!

8:59 AM

Amy Chen

ESPECIALLY THE NEXT QUEEN OF STONE BOOK FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND WHOSE FORGIVENESS YOU’RE STILL EARNING

9:01 AM

Samira Lee

Subtle, Amy. Also, pretty sure you can’t steal an arc!!

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