Page 16 of Last First Kiss

With the treadmill, at least. Jordan increases the speed. He builds a steady rhythm.

“Whyis Braylon planning to end your life?”

Denz holds up a white mug to the camera. It says,NOBODY LIKES A SOGGY BOTTOMin bold text with a Union Jack underneath.

Jordan shakes his head. Braylon’s influence over Denz has reached new levels of ridiculousness.

“I drank the last of Braylon’s tea,” Denz whispers. Like Braylon’s somewhere hiding in the shadows, waiting to toss Denz out the window.

Jordan’s confident Braylon wouldn’t. He shrugs. “So? Buy him some more.”

“I can’t. It’sfancytea. From the UK.”

“Tea is tea.”

A hysterical laugh slips past Denz’s lips. “You obviously don’t know Braylon.”

“Is that why you called, cuz? Do you need help picking out a headstone?”

“I called,” Denz says, annoyed, “because I knewyouwouldn’t call me. Today’s the big day, right?”

Jordan grins.

He’s never had a real best friend. The kind you meet on the first day of kindergarten. That you share crayons and juice boxes and secrets with. Go through every new and awkward phase of childhood together with. That one person you fall out with in high school over switching lunch tables and then still cry with during graduation.

Jordan has had close variations of friends. Guys from the basketball team. His classmates. Yazzie. But no one like Denz.

Braylon once told Denz that family doesn’t count as friends, but Jordan disagrees. His cousin is the only person who knows Jordan’s best and worst sides.

Well, the only one besides maybe Jamie.

But Jordan’s not thinking about him right now. Or, like, the rest of today. The rest of the week or month.

There’s not a square available on Jordan’s calendar for Jamie Peters.

“Jordan?”

He flinches at Denz’s concerned voice. “Hmm?”

“Are you freaking out?”

Jordan snorts. “I’m not freaking out.”

“Because it’s okay if you are.”

“I’m not freaking out,” he repeats.

“If you’re having stress diarrhea, it’s cool. Very normal. Last year, when I was—”

“Denz, I don’t have stress diarrhea!”

Jordan winces. He might’ve shouted that a little too loudly. Instead of looking around to confirm if everyone is staring at him, he focuses on Denz.

“I’m fine,” he hisses.

Over the rim of his mug, Denz stares skeptically. “If you say so.”

“I do.”