Page 20 of Grown

Sticking to cartoons for now.

What? What about The Mighty Ducks? Classic!!

That’s a Disney movie?

Girl, you kidding? You ever been to Disneyland?

Nah, too expensive for all us to go. Always wanted to tho!

They got this part that shows how they made all their movies. You see Swiss Family Robinson?

No but maybe we can watch that one together someday.

There’s an air bubble, like he’s thumbing a response then stopped midthought.

Silence.

“Shit.” I gasp, heart plunging into my stomach.

The Littles yelp. “Oooo! Bad word!”

“Sorry, guys.”

Shea arches an eyebrow. “You OK?”

“Uh... yeah. Forgot I have practice in the morning.”

Shea doesn’t buy it but doesn’t push. She grabs the remote out my lap, and rewinds a few beats. Genie is singing,“You ain’t never had a friend like me.”

I try to ease back into the movie, but I can’t focus. Did I say too much? Come off too strong?Too strong? He’s Korey Fields, dummy! He’s not into you! Get that through your head.

After the movie, I change the Littles for bed, sing them a song, and shower. As soon as my head hits the pillow, my phone vibrates with a text.

Maybe

Burying myself under blankets, I let out a gleeful shriek, eyes glued to the message.

Maybe! With a kissing emoji!

I stay up studying the message, interpreting the various layers of its meaning. Body buzzing, I may never sleep again.

On Instagram, Korey posts a video of him in a studio, singing Luther Vandross. I like the video.

Within minutes... he follows me back.

Chapter 13

Biology

“You look how I feel,” Gab says, yawning into her sleeve as we enter biology. “Busy weekend?”

“Just didn’t get much sleep.” I once again spent most of the night scouring Korey Fields’s social media. Then I went down a rabbit hole of his old home videos, playing drums in his church band. Even as a young teen, he was hot.

My phone buzzes. Korey.

How’s ur day?

The question is a loaded gun, shot in broad daylight for all to see. I want to duck and hide, pull the invisible covers over my head. How can such a simple question feel so... complicated? I’m so many things. Mostly, I’m the definition ofAretha Franklin’s “Day Dreaming.” Grandma loved that song. Daydreamin’ and I’m thinking of you...