Page 42 of Troublemaker: The Big Picture Edition

EMILIA: And obviously, yes.

EMILIA: A lot, yes.

EMILIA: But I’m still getting my bearings here at a new school. And the other reasons I gave last month still stand. Plus, I’m not ready to get stabbed in the face by Miss Farrell.

ALEX: I can be surprisingly discreet if necessary.

EMILIA: Alex. I can’t seem to hide how I feel about you. No matter how much I try. And I can’t ask you to wait for me. But I am asking you to wait for a better time.

ALEX: Do you want me to stop texting you?

EMILIA: I like texting you. Can we be friends?

ALEX:

EMILIA: Please?

ALEX: Yes. As long as you’re good with me being the kind of friend who is constantly picturing you naked.

EMILIA: I could use a friend like that around here, to be honest. Franklin is constantly picturing me with different clothes on. I’m just a disappointing Barbie to him.

ALEX: I have to go make Ryder dinner now. Good night, new friend.

EMILIA: Good night, naked friend.

EMILIA: Shit, I meant new friend.

EMILIA: Let’s say we’re pen pals instead.

EMILIA: Good night.

EMILIA: Hey. Ryder seemed uncharacteristically low-key at school today. I hope you don’t mind me asking if he’s okay?

ALEX: Hi. He’s okay. We FaceTimed with his mom last night, but she was kind of unfocused. It was a short call. He’s starting to miss her, that’s all.

EMILIA: I’m sorry to hear that. Poor guy.

ALEX: He’ll be fine.

EMILIA: He’s a remarkably upbeat boy, isn’t he?

ALEX: He is. I hope he stays that way. Has he been behaving himself in class lately?

EMILIA: He has. To a degree.

ALEX: Uh-oh.

EMILIA: It was kind of cute, actually. I had them talk about someone they admire today. He talked about you, of course. He said you’re very good at barbecue. Any kind of meat. He said you say the secret’s in the sauce.

ALEX: All true.

EMILIA: He said you’re teaching him how to barbecue but he’s not allowed to do it himself yet. And that you told him that “real men know how to barbecue.”

ALEX: Also true.

EMILIA: And then he looked right at me and said, “So if you want some real man meat and special sauce then you should come to my dad’s house for dinner. ANDdessert.”

ALEX: But also very true.