“Since you offered, do you know what special attributes I have that set me apart from others?”

Neil looks thoughtful for a moment. “How many do you want?”

“Ha ha,” I say. It was stupid for me to even bring it up.

But Neil starts listing off items on his fingers. “You’re really smart, a good listener, you’re really funny, and since you’re sometimes quiet—which I know how hard it is to get a word in around my family—it makes it extra funny when you say something hilarious. Um”—he gestures around the Dorns’ house—“you do a lot of things for others.”

“I’m getting paid to be here,” I remind him.

“Yeah, but you do extra things like clean the kitchen. Nina always tells my mom how horrified she is that the house is cleaner when they come home. So that makes you a really hard worker as well. Is that helpful? Because I can continue.”

I feel my cheeks reddening. While it’s sweet for Neil to say all those things, it’s sort of embarrassing.

But I did ask him.

And I like hearing those things from him.

“It’s nice of you to say.”

“Well, it’s the truth.” He’s looking at me expectantly.

I drop my gaze. “Yeah, I, ah …” I pause, trying to refocus my thoughts on the topic at hand. “I have no idea what they’re looking for. Most people applying for this scholarship will be smart. That doesn’t make me stand out.” I feel my shoulders tense from the stress. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I try to tell myself that it will be fine and it will all work out. What if it doesn’t?

“Is everything okay?” Neil asks.

“Yeah.” I want to change the subject and not think about scholarships or essays.

There’s something that’s been in the back of my mind since lunch. Okay, I may have spent a lot of this afternoon thinking about it. And, well, he’s here in front of me, so might as well give it a shot.

“You know who else is really smart?” I wiggle my eyebrows at him. “Dana.”

Neil leans back in the chair. “Yes, she is.”

“So what’s going on with you two?” I put my index fingers together in a kissy motion.

Neil gives me a look to show me that he’s not remotely amused by my childish antics. “No. We’re just friends.”

“That’s not what I heard,” I tease. Although I’ll admit I absolutely don’t want there to be anything going on between them.

“Well, I’m telling you there’s nothing.” He clenches his jaw.

“Sorry,” I reply. I hate seeing him like this. “See, I’m not that funny.”