Page 41 of With a Little Luck

“Jude, finally!” says Penny. “How was your—” She stops, staring at me. Then she looks at Lucy. Back to me. Then trades a wide-eyed look with Pru, who has stopped spreading jam onto a piece of toast.

“What?” I say, suddenly self-conscious. I look down at my clothes.

“Drip check,” Penny says knowingly. “Is this for Maya?”

“No.I just … I thought …” With an uncomfortable glare, I grab a waffle from the freezer and put it in the toaster. “Shut up.”

“I think it’s sweet you’re getting dressed up for a girl,” says my mom.

“You’re all acting like I’m wearing a suit and tie or something. It’s literally just a sweatshirt.”

“One that is remarkably lacking in tears, stains, or logos pertaining to any media franchise,” says Pru.

“And I like those pants on you,” says Mom. “They fit well.”

My cheeks are sweltering. Why is this waffle taking so long?

“I’m just trying something new,” I say.

“Yeah, for agirl,” Penny insists.

“How was the concert?” asks Dad, and I’m not sure if he’s grilling me on my date or trying to help me by changing the subject.

“Good,” I say.

“What was good about it?” Mom asks.

The waffle pops. I grab it, bouncing it from hand to hand until it cools. “Sorry, can’t talk. We’re going to be late.”

I snatch the keys from the counter and head out. I pause halfway down the steps that lead to our small back alley. Turn around. March into the kitchen.

Pru is smirking, holding my backpack out for me. I take it from her with a grumbled thanks.

“You do look nice,” she says quietly as we file out to the car. Then she106opens her mouth as if to add something else, but seems to think better of it.

“What?”

She shakes her head, her hand on the passenger side door. “It’s not abigchange, but it’s enough that people are going to notice. You’ve always hated being noticed, but lately …”

I swallow hard. I’m still blushing, and that was just from my family noticing me.

But I survived being the center of attention during that stupid coin-flip experiment.

I survived asking Maya out in front of the whole class.

If people notice me just because I’m wearing something other than a Hellfire Club T-shirt? I’ll survive that, too.

No—I won’t just survive. I willbathein their attention. I will guzzle it down like a pint of ale at Bork’s Tavern. And I will like it.

Because the sort of guy who deserves Maya is the sort of guy who isn’t afraid of a little attention.

And starting now, I will make myself that guy.

107

Chapter Fourteen

“Are we still on for recording Ari’s video tonight?” Pru asks aswe get out of the van.

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