Page 32 of Smile for the Camera

Another laugh bubbles out of me. “Someone should tell them that.”

“They’re not gonna listen. They still give me the side-eye for the holes in my shirts.”

“I’m still impressed you spoke up to them, especially in front of our whole class. I just want to talk in front of people without getting scared.”

“I can do that. Got some tricks my dad taught me for performing onstage.” He offers his hand to me. “So, you help me with SAT stuff and I help you with your presentations. Deal?”

“Deal.”

We shake on it. His hand is warm and calloused, probably from playing guitar.

“I’m available before 6:00 PM on weekdays. Does that time work for you?”

“Definitely.”

“Sweet. Maybe you can watch my band when we’re done with SAT and presentation stuff.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Just as Jase turns away, I call his name again. “Need me to bring you more pencils next time?”

He crosses his arms and twists his lips to the side. “Need me to give them back to you after?”

I shrug. “Doesn’t matter. I have a million.”

Jase snaps his fingers into a downward arc. “Damn. Got me there.”

Chuckles fizz between us. I wave while he nods goodbye.

Chapter Eleven

I wonder if it was a good idea to relate my practice questions—Jase is reading them right now on notebook paper—to my personal interests.

“Disney movies?” Jase raises an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Do you have something against them?” I say a little too defensively.

I glance at the question I wrote. Last night, I spent hours agonizing whether my question—Which of the below would be true about the mean number n when the girls watch the Disney princess movies and Disney animal movies all together?—sounded challenging. I probably could’ve used questions from my SAT textbook or online practice exams, but instead, my creative mode activated.

“I’ll have you know that they are beautiful movies with magical animation and visuals,” I add. “The characters are always whimsical and fun. They make me laugh and I can relate to a lot of them.”

Before, I couldn’t even tell Jase how it’s going. Now, here we are again in Blossoms, surrounded by tables occupied by people painting watercolor landscapes and sketching animation, all while I’m defending my position on Disney movies.

For a second, Jase just looks at me. Oh, great. He probably thinks I’m weird or childish. Suddenly, his face breaks with a laugh, and I can’t tell if it’s the you’re-so-pathetic kind or the you’re-so-funny kind.

“There’s nothing wrong with them, I swear,” he says. “I guess I didn’t know you’d be a Disney person.”

I cock my head to the side, then hold up my tote bag, Mulan dangling in front of Jase with her sword out. Since I have a Disney-themed question, my Mulan tote bag was the most appropriate to bring.

“Ah, Mulan, great choice,” Jase says. “She’s a baddie.”

“Exactly. My sister and I watch that movie every chance we get. When we were kids, there weren’t a lot of Asian girls, much less Filipinas, represented in movies, especially as the heroes. While Mulan is Chinese, we could still relate to her because she’s Asian, and it was nice seeing an Asian girl who could fight against a man half her size and save not only her country but her family. I’m not brave or a baddie like Mulan, but seeing an Asian girl be just that made me feel like I could be.”

The funny thing is, as Jase nods and says “yeah” the whole time I talk, all attention locked on me, I don’t feel nervous or scared. I can’t quite describe what I’m feeling right now. Maybe unnerved? Comfortable? Whatever it is, I hope I can feel this way when I present.

“Nice,” he finally says. “I tried climbing up a tree like Mulan did when she snuck into the palace. Fell down and fractured my arm. Had to wear a cast for eight weeks.”

“Yikes.”

“I know. Wearing that cast wasn’t fun but climbing that tree sure was.” He glances down at the paper, then looks back up. “I also really like Stitch.”