The thought of telling her terrifies me. It could mean the end of Toby and me before we even figure out what this is between us. “Maybe you’re right. We’ll wait. For a little while.”

He nods. “Now let’s get you out of here.”

“Without flat out lying,” I add.

“And how do you plan to do that?”

I go through the layout of the house in my mind. Other than the bathroom, Tori’s room, and Toby’s room, the only room upstairs is the master bedroom. What reason could I have for being in there?

“Does your mom make her bed right away?”

“Um, I don’t know. Why?”

“What if I make your parents’ bed and leave a thank-you note behind? I doubt Tori looked for me in there.”

“Make their bed? One, that’s just weird, and two, you’ve stayed over plenty of times and you’ve never made their bed.”

“I give up.” I sit down on his bed. “I’m going to have to tell her.”

“I’ll go keep her in her room. You just walk right out the door.”

“And how do I explain where I was later when I’m at the mall with her?”

“I don’t know, but it will give you time to figure it out. The longer you stay here with your car parked in the driveway, the worse this lie is going to be.”

He’s right. This is a big mess, and I’m not going to figure it out right now. I nod. “Let’s do it.”

“Give me two minutes, and then go.”

“Thanks.”

He smiles and walks out of the room. I watch the clock, and exactly two minutes later, I slip out the front door. Mrs. Michaels is nowhere around, and Mr. Michaels is so absorbed in the news that he doesn’t even see me leave. Now I just need to come up with an excuse by the time Tori calls.

***

The only thing I can think to do is fake being sick. I text Tori and tell her I wasn’t feeling well. I was throwing up in the downstairs bathroom. She insists she checked for me there, but I tell her we must have just missed each other. So, now my shopping trip is down the tubes, and I’m stuck with this shirt I’ll never wear. Oh well. That’s the least of my problems. Being fake sick means I can’t see Toby. Not that Tori would buy me studying on a Saturday anyway.

I stay in all weekend. Mom thinks I’m really sick and makes me her famous chicken noodle soup, so it’s not all bad. And Sunday night, I finally get a text from Toby.

Toby: You’re not really sick, are you?

 

Becca: No.

 

Toby: Good. Study date tomorrow night?

 

I’m going to have to purposely start messing up in trig or Tori is going to wonder why I keep working with Toby. He’s such an awesome tutor that I actually understand what I’m doing now.

Becca: Sure.

 

Toby: Everything ok?

 

Becca: Yeah.

 

Toby: Want to meet me for ice cream?

 

Becca: Now?

 

Toby: Why not?

 

I look at the clock. A little after nine.

Becca: Where?

 

Toby: You know the stand on Mountain View?

 

Becca: Is it open yet ?

I can’t remember when they open for the season.

Toby: Opening weekend.

 

Becca: See you there.

 

I check my hair in the mirror and grab my keys. Dad’s asleep in his recliner with the TV blaring, but Mom is drinking tea and reading a book.

“Where are you off to?”

“Going to get ice cream.”

“I guess you’re feeling better?”

“Yeah. Two days of rest worked wonders. You want me to bring you back anything?”

“No. I’m calling it a night soon. Don’t stay out too late, okay? And tell Tori I say hello.”

“Night, Mom.” I give her a quick kiss and leave before she corners me in a lie.

I drive to Mountain View and pull up to the ice cream stand. It doesn’t even have a name, which I find really funny. Mom says some guy who grew up here a long time ago opened the stand and even though it’s changed owners a few times, no one bothered to name the place. That’s Lansfield for you.

Toby is sitting in his Accord with two cones in his hand. He motions for me to join him, so I walk over and get in the passenger side.

“You hungry?” I ask him.

He hands me a cone. “Vanilla and chocolate swirl with rainbow sprinkles. Did I get it right?”

I nod. “I’m impressed.”

“Don’t be. Just because we never really hung out together doesn’t mean I haven’t known you all my life.”

“Still, it’s nice that you cared enough to notice.”

“You’re starting to drip.” He points to the side of my cone, and I quickly lick the ice cream before it gets all over his car.

“Let me apologize now for getting sprinkles everywhere,” I say.

“Don’t sweat it. I’m doing the same.”

“Chocolate sprinkles, huh?”

“Stick with me and I’ll convert you. Rainbow’s got nothing on chocolate.”

I laugh. “I beg to differ. They make your tongue rainbow colors.” I stick out my tongue.

He smiles. “Touché.”

“You like that word, don’t you?”

“Maybe a little.” He laughs. “Mom swears I used to pronounce it tushy when I was little. She thought it was adorable so she didn’t bother correcting me until some little girl told her mom I said something about her ass.”

I giggle, choking on sprinkles.

“You okay?” He sits up and pats me on the back.

“Fine. Sprinkles got me.”

“Chocolate ones don’t do that.” He raises his eyebrow and licks his ice cream.

“No, only the rainbow ones are deadly.” I shake my head, feeling more at ease around him.

“I thought I was going to have to give you mouth-to-mouth.”

I wouldn’t have objected. “Better luck next time.”

“Ooh, the real Becca Daniels came out to play tonight.”

“What are you saying? You don’t like the way I normally act?”

“Not saying that at all. I’m just glad you’re loosening up around me.”

I polish off the last of the sprinkles. “It’s easier to relax when Tori isn’t down the hall.”

“I agree.”

We finish our ice cream in silence. Not awkward silence, though. It’s peaceful. We’re enjoying each other’s company.

When I finish, he cocks an eyebrow at me. “You’re not eating your cone?”

“I never do. The ice cream and sprinkles are the best part. Why fill up on a cone?”

He reaches over and takes it from me. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go running out on me.”

“I wouldn’t think of it.”

He dumps my cone, and his, in the garbage and heads back to the car. “It’s cold out there tonight.”

“It’s not even officially spring yet and you just ate ice cream.”

“Right.”

“I thought you were supposed to be some super genius.” I nudge him with my elbow.

“Certain things cloud my judgment.”

“Oh? Like?”

“Hot girls sitting in my car.”

“Are you hiding them in the back seat?” I turn around, pretending to look.

“What has gotten into you tonight?”

I have no idea. “I guess I feel like I can be myself around you now.”

“Why?”

I shrug, not feeling quite so confident anymore. “Because I know my crush isn’t so one-sided.”

“It’s definitely not.” He brushes his fingers across my cheek before cupping my face and pulling me toward him. His lips press against mine, lingering there. It’s not the heart-stopping kiss we had in his bedroom, but it still gives me chills. When he pulls away, it takes me a minute to catch my breath.

“I have to tell you something,” he says.

“No good conversation ever started with those words.”

He sighs. “Tori told me a long time ago that she doesn’t want me dating her friends.” Are we dating now? “She even made me promise.”