Free Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

use another opinion on our new routine. I’m the captain of the cheer squad.”
    Derek flashes her an appreciative glance. “I don’t know much about cheerin’.”
    Monika eyes his physique. “So, Derek . . . do you play sports?”
    “Not anymore.”
    “Really? With that body?” Bree cocks her head to the side for a better view of Derek’s backside. “Well, then, you must work out. A lot.”
    It sounds like Derek is coughing, but it’s obvious he’s covering up a laugh. “I jog and lift weights.” He shoots me a mocking look. “And I try to stay away from ice cream, Skittles, and cookies for breakfast.”
    “What’s wrong with a little comfort food?” I ask him. “It’s good for the soul.”
    “I’ll bet.”
    “So, Derek,” Bree interrupts. “How do you like Chicago so far? I know we don’t technically live in Chicago, but you’ll get used to us suburbanites claiming Chicago as our own.”
    “It’s all right, I guess,” he answers. “Let’s just say I don’t plan on claiming Chicago as my own. I’m fixin’ to move back to Cali the first chance I get, then join the Navy after graduation.” After glancing at me again he says, “Well, I’m gonna see if I can get the lawn mower started. It was nice chattin’ with y’all.”
    Bree raises an eyebrow after Derek puts his earbuds in his ears and pushes our old, beat-up mower out of the garage.
    “What?” I ask.
    “Derek is dreamy, Ashtyn. With a body like that he’ll probably end up as one of those Navy SEALs. How sexy is that!”
    Sexy? Dreamy? Derek is not what dreams are made out of. More like nightmares, where the girl is continually being annoyed by a boy who haunts her. “He’s not all that.”
    My friend looks at me as if I’m nuts. “Umm, did you take a look at those biceps, and that hair . . . and those eyes? Oh, my God, those blue eyes could make any girl melt.”
    “He needs a haircut and was totally showing off his body,” I counter.
    “I, for one, am grateful for his body. It’s beautiful to look at. I’m going to ask him if he wants to hang out tomorrow night. Maybe I can get a look at those abs up close and personal.” Bree practically skips over to Derek in haste, as if another girl will steal him away from her if she doesn’t act fast.
    Soon she’s laughing at something he says.
    “Girls are gonna be all over him, huh?”
    Monika nods. “Oh, yeah. He’s no Trey Matthews, but he’s super cute.”
    “I don’t know.” I put my hands up when she looks at me like I’m nuts. “Okay, I’ll admit Derek’s kind of attractive if you’re into that California surfer-slash-cowboy look, but he’s not my type at all .”
    I look down at my charm bracelet, a reminder of my boyfriend. It doesn’t escape my attention that I haven’t heard from Landon since Friday night when he dropped me off. I should miss Landon more than I do. I don’t know why I don’t. The past few days have been a whirlwind of change, and it’s like I’m trying to catch up but I’m moving in slow motion.
    “What’s going on with you and Landon, anyway?” Monika asks. She’s got a sympathetic look on her face as if she expects me to break down and cry any second. I feel more like screaming at the top of my lungs. “For a minute I thought you two were breaking up on Friday night.”
    I ignore the feeling in the pit of my stomach, because I’m not sure what’s going on with us. I know he likes his space when he’s stressed out, so I’ve left him alone, but every day we don’t talk I feel more distant and disconnected.
    “Landon and I will be fine. We’ve just hit a rough patch.”
    Monika tilts her head to the side. She gets that look when she’s overanalyzing something. “Do you and Derek have something going on?”
    I can feel my face getting hot just thinking about it. “No way. Why would you say that?”
    “I don’t know.” She shrugs. “I just sense a strange vibe between you two, and it’s weird that you’re hating