Summer of Brave by Amy Noelle Parks

Author:Amy Noelle Parks [Parks, Amy Noelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Published: 2021-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

Different Now

At home, I freak out about what to wear. Because I want to look pretty. And okay, if you want to get right down to it, it’s not just that I want to look pretty.

I want to look pretty for Knox. There. Not so scary to admit.

At least to myself.

I pull on a green polka-dot sundress. It’s super cute, but too fancy for playing games with friends, and Dad was already edgy about letting me go over there at night. Who knows what he’s thinking after how weird he was about Knox last night and that talk I had with Mom about Colby this morning. The thing about having Committed Co-Parents is they still seem to spend a whole lot of time sharing news about me.

I change into black capri leggings and this floaty navy top my mom got me on a trip of hers. I’ve never worn it before. Wide straps curve over the shoulders, and the top is tight across my chest, but the rest billows out around me.

It’s good. I like the shape of me in it. When I was doing gymnastics, I was all straight lines and muscles. But I’m softer now. I gained ten pounds when I stopped going to the gym every day. I know from locker-room conversations and magazines I’m supposed to be all sad about this, but I’m not. I like it.

I put my hair up into a high ponytail like Prisha’s and put on just a tiny bit of makeup. I usually don’t wear any because Vivi always notices and makes fun of me, but I don’t think it’s so wrong that I like the way I look with a little lip gloss and mascara.

When I go into the kitchen to say goodbye, Dad looks up from the skillet, and his eyes widen. “You look nice,” he says. “Grown up.”

“Is that okay?” I say. Maybe it’s too much?

“Yeah. Just unexpected. Lots of changes this year.” I can’t tell what he’s feeling about this.

He turns the flame down on the burner and faces me, still holding the spatula. “Knox’s mom said you’re going to eat there? With Vivi…and this Colby.”

“We’re having pizza,” I say, waiting for the real question. Which had better not be about Colby.

He looks at the ground. “Things are pretty rough for Knox right now, huh?”

Oh. Thank goodness this is what he wants to talk about. Not me and boys and growing up.

“She told you about Mr. Donohue?” I ask.

“Yeah…and…” He looks at the ground again, and my relief turns into worry. Is he going to use this as an excuse to tell me about who he’s seeing? I want him to be honest. I do. But I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about this.

My parents always juggled their schedules so one of them was home with me. I haven’t had a babysitter since I was tiny, so I don’t have to worry about that. But what if it’s a teacher? That would be awful. My brain runs through a slideshow of all the women who teach at the middle school.

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