Page 21 of What I Like About You

“What?” I ask.

Ollie’s eyes are fire. “You couldn’tnotbe Kels for one day? We hadn’t even been here for an hour and—”

“Nash is here.” I blurt out. I know Ollie is pissed at me but I need someone else to know.

Ollie blinks. “What?”

I wrap my arms around my knees, letting my toes sink into Aunt Liz’s mattress. “I, um, kind of met him at the library—and I’mshook, Ollie. Seconds after I learn that I’ll be hosting Ariel Goldberg’s cover reveal, I look up and Nash is justthere,like, trying not to laugh at my reaction.”

“Wait, pause on Nash—you got the cover reveal?”

We bump fists and I smile because in the middle of this mess, I can’t forget something good happened today. Something amazing, actually. Ollie holds out his hand. I pull up The Email and he reads it and can’t stop smiling and wow, it feels so good when he’s proud of me. He repeats “This is so great!” probably half a dozen times before relinquishing my phone.

Ollie flops down on his back so he’s staring at the ceiling. Scout lies on his stomach and it’s too adorable.

But then he says, “Okay, back to Nash. What did he say?”

“Oh. I mean, I didn’t tell him.”

He turns his head toward me. “Wait. Didn’t tell him about the cover reveal?”

I stare at my knees. My eyes are burning a hole in my right kneecap and I’m silent one beat too long.

“Halle.”

“Ollie.”

“He’s your best friend.”

“You’remy best friend.”

“Nope.” He sits up so fast, Scout is startled. She jumps off the bed with a quiet yelp and retreats out my ajar door. I wish I could follow her right out and away from this conversation.

I look at Ollie, who has the sternest expression I have ever seen on a fifteen-year-old. When Ollie is disappointed in me, I forget thatI’mthe older sibling.

“So, what? You’re just going to spend all year pretending you don’t know everything about him?”

“I—I don’t know, okay? I haven’t exactly thought that far ahead.”

“I repeat:He’s your best friend.”

“Online—and maybe it should stay that way. IRL me will ruin everything.”

He crosses his arms. “That is literally the stupidest thing I have ever heard.”

Ollie doesn’t understand, because Ollie is braver than I will ever be. Ollie’s gut reaction would’ve been to tell Nash—and he would’ve beenexcitedto do it. It would never even cross his mind to keep himself a secret from his best friend, not for one second.

“You’ll tell him, though? Once you know him better?”

“Yes,” I say, and it’s the second time today I lie instantly.

“You have to promise. If you become friends, you’ll tell him the truth.”

“I promise.” I pinky swear for added believability.

“Also promise you’ll apologize to Gramps.”

I nod. That, at least, is a promise I can keep.

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