I have no idea what that means, but I think it’s a slight at me. As in, Holden would never be interested in me, but Harrison might be.

“Let’s go, girls!” I turn around to see my parents, Sally, Regan, and the twins, have all piled into the minivan. I climb into the way back and move a few toys off the seat before buckling in. My dad pulls out of the lot, and I keep my gaze firmly fixed on the road ahead, not the group gathered in the corner of the parking lot.

It was fleeting between us. Temporary. I knew that all along. But I admit to myself, just for a moment, that I wanted it to be more. Want it to happen again.

* * *

“This tastes funny.” Sydney holds a spoon out to me.

I take a bite of the chocolate chip cookie dough she’s offering and chew. Swallow. “Did you add salt?”

“I think so?”

“Syd,” I groan.

Sydney is usually as fastidious as I am. But when it comes to certain things—namely baking—she’s totally scatterbrained.

“I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

I’m less confident, but I continue rolling balls of dough anyway. The trays of cookies get slid into the oven and then we end up at the kitchen counter, sipping on the hot chocolate Sydney made when I first arrived. I lasted about an hour amidst the chaos at my house, unpacking and finishing one assignment that’s due tomorrow, before crossing the street.

“So…was it wild?” she asks.

I’ve been preoccupied with rescuing her baking project since I crossed the street to her house an hour ago. We haven’t discussed the senior trip beyond the few texts we exchanged while I was gone.

“It was different,” I answer. “It felt grown up, you know?”

Sydney bobs her head. This feels very different than talking about the senior trip with Maggie. Sydney is more similar to me. She’s not expecting any crazy stories and she would be shocked to hear I have any.

“I roomed with McKenzie Howard, so that was interesting.”

“Was she nice?”

“Yeah. I think so. She wasn’t trying to become best friends, but she didn’t ignore me or anything.”

“So you guys talked?”

“Do you want to use the bathroom first? Was most of it.”

Sydney laughs. “How was the city?”

“It was a little overwhelming. But energetic. It was like you stand there and can just soak it all in.” I fill her in on all the sights we saw and all the places we went to, then admit, “I played Truth or Dare.”

“Really?” Sydney’s tone is a mixture of shocked and excited.

“Yeah. Finn invited me when he came by the room to get McKenzie.”

“Finn? Was Holden there?”

“Uh, yeah. He was.”

“He wasn’t rude to you, was he? I know you guys are…”