And sure, maybe I don’t get the love of lacrosse, but I’d still listen to Miles talk about anything. He could read from my physics textbook and I’m sure it’d be interesting. I guess the difference between the two of us is that he seems like he’s into everything and I don’t care unless there’s singing.

“I suck at sports,” I finally say, running a hand through my hair. My fingers snag, so I yank them out, trying to hide my wince. “I think I’d get hit in the face every time I got on the field.”

He laughs, licking his ice cream. It’s dribbling onto his hand now.

“Everyone gets hit at some point. It’s part of the fun, Simone.”

I love the way he says my name. It’s like he’s never heard anything like it before. God, if he’s never heard Nina Simone, I don’t know how this is going to continue.

“I’d rather stick to my musicals, thanks.”

“How many classics are there?”

I lean back. A woman with blue weights in her hands runs past. It occurs to me that this could be considered a date. It’s surreal that I’m on an actual date with Miles. It’s not a super-dramatic, grown-up one, with candles and flowers and fancy dinners. But we’re together at a place other than school. A breath hitches in my chest. I’ve spent a lot of time with Miles since the note, at school and now outside of it. Could the note be an empty threat? As much as I hope it is, I have no way of telling.

The easiest thing would be to leave. I could tell him that I don’t feel well, maybe ignore his calls until school on Monday. But I like Miles. I like watching him smile and eat ice cream like a weirdo. It feels right. If I don’t have to give him up, I’m not going to.

“Well, Hamilton is probably going to be a classic, but I think the rule is that you have to wait a few years,” I say, folding my hands together. “There’s The Phantom of the Opera, which is the first musical everyone sees on Broadway. Oh God, West Side Story, definitely. It came out in 1957 and really had a big influence on the way musicals were choreographed and staged and everything. And definitely Les Mis. They revive it so much that everyone can see it, really, but it’s completely epic. And Guys and Dolls! It’s pretty funny. Oh, and A Chorus Line. It’s about a bunch of dancers getting ready for an audition, and it won like a ton of Tony Awards before Hamilton did. It was revolutionary.”

He’s staring at me, eyebrows raised.

“What?” I bite my lip. “You don’t have anything to say?”