Page 131 of The Friend Scheme
And I can’t stop thinking about what we’d do in a room together.
And you promise not to ask about my family when we’re away?
I promise. If you ever decide you want to open up to me, then I would love that. But I’d get it if you don’t ever want to. I just want to go back to having fun with you. That’s what this is about.
This is maybe the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. A vacation. To my favorite city.
And just thinking about it is enough to make my heart swell.
A weekend away. From the city, from the war.
I don’t think Dad will let me go, though.
But I think it’s worth a shot.
It’s been a day, and I’ve decided Luke is my best shot at getting Dad to let me go on the LA trip with Jason.
I knock on his door. I knock hard, because I know a lot of the time he has headphones in.
“What?” he calls.
“Can I come in?”
“Yeah, sure.”
I open the door. Luke’s been playing his guitar. He’s still holding it, but he’s taken his headphones off. He’s wearing his college T-shirt.Go Gators!I go inside and close the door behind me. Eddie’s dozing on the end of his bed. I give him a head scratch.
“What’s up?” asks Luke.
“I need a favor.”
“It’ll cost you.”
“I know.”
He strums on his guitar. “What do you want?”
“You know the girl I’m seeing?”
“The one who totally isn’t Cass, you mean?”
“Yeah, her. Well, we sort of have this weekend away planned.”
“Oh shit,” he says. “You guys really are serious now?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
He smiles. “Nice, man. When are you going to let me meet her?”
“Soon, maybe. But I need your help. I want to go on the trip, but I don’t think Dad will let me go.”
“Oh, he definitely won’t.”
“I know. So I was wondering if you have any idea of how I could get him to let me go.”
“Hmm.” His eyebrows furrow. “I guess I could say you and I are going on a trip?”
“What do you mean?”
