13 and Counting by Lisa Greenwald

Author:Lisa Greenwald
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2019-05-20T16:00:00+00:00

23

KAYLAN

MRS. ETISOF WAS OUT OF town for a few days but now she’s back and I’m ready for some real talk with the best next-door neighbor in the history of the world.

“Kaylan, my love,” she says with outstretched arms as I run up the few stairs to her front porch. “How are you, my dearie?”

I sit down on the rocking chair next to her even though it’s snowing and pretty cold. I zip my coat up tight and pull my hood over my head.

“Well, I’ve been great, except for a few things. But we’ll get to that in a minute. I actually have something important to ask you.”

“Yes?” she sings.

“Well, my mom agreed to this already, so don’t worry about that, but I want you to paint a mural in our basement.” I lift my eyebrows. “It’s not going to be right away because Ryan and I still need to do some cleaning. But my mom says when we finish cleaning it out, you can paint. And I think it would be so super awesome.”

“I see,” she says, smiling. “Certainly a very exciting proposal.”

“I know!”

“What would you like me to paint?” she asks. “And would you want to help, too?”

I pause to think a minute. “Umm. I could maybe help, but I’m not the best painter. I’m thinking something cool. Maybe like squiggles and designs and stuff. Or maybe our street. Or maybe the Brookside Pool. Who knows? Something fab, though.”

“Oh, it will be fab.” Mrs. Etisof laughs. “You’ll let me know if you think of any other ideas, okay?”

“Totally.” I smile.

“So what else can I do for you, my dear?” She picks up her mug of tea and takes a sip. I don’t know how she’s still sitting out here. I am freezing down to my bones. My teeth are chattering.

“I think Ari loves Jason now,” I tell her. “What should I do? I don’t think I love Jason. I don’t even think I care that much. But Cami keeps making it seem like it’s such a big deal, like I’m supposed to be upset, so I don’t really know.”

Mrs. Etisof slow-nods like she’s thinking everything over. “I see.”

We sit there quietly for a while and the only thing on my mind is when I can suggest that we go inside.

“Kaylan, may I offer some advice?” Mrs. Etisof asks finally.

I nod. My teeth chatter but I try to quiet them.

“Trust your feelings. If you’re not bothered by it, that’s okay. It seems to me that some people, like your friend Cami, maybe, like to make trouble. Which is okay. But you don’t need to make trouble, too.”

I giggle. “Yeah. Very true.”

“You know what people mean when they say ‘trust your gut’?”

I wobble my head from side to side. “I think so.”

“So that’s just it,” she tells me. “Trust your gut.”

“Got it.” I smile. “I have to go, Mrs. Etisof. You’re not freezing out here?”

“Not a bit. But go. Let’s talk soon about the mural.”

I nod. “Thank you so much.”

I run down the steps and back to my house and sigh with relief when I’m back in the warmth.

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