Free When It Happens by Susane Colasanti

you.”
    “You don’t know?”
    “Look,” Laila says. “Sara’s my best friend. Even if she told me she liked you? I couldn’t tell you.”
    “She said she likes me?”
    “No, I said if she said she did, I couldn’t tell you.” Laila sighs. "Why do you want to know, anyway?”
    “Wouldn’t you want to know if someone liked you?”
    “No.”
    “Why not?”
    “It would be useless information. I’m not allowed to date.”
    “Oh.”
    Anyone else would be completely mortified to admit what she just said. But Laila sits there, scuffing her sneakers against the ground like it’s nothing.
    “Is that it?” she says. “You want to know if she likes you just to know?”
    “No.” I squint at the sun.
    “Then why?”
    I turn to look at her. This is Sara’s best friend. Maybe if she sees that I’m for real, she’ll help me. But Josh is right. I don’t want to come off like some demented lunatic, all liking a girl so much who I don’t even know.
    “The thing is . . . I think I might . . . like her.”
    “Yeah,” Laila says. “I think I got that part.”
    “I know it sounds crazy and she obviously likes Dave, but I like her.”
    Probably for the first time in her life, Laila says nothing.
    "That’s why I want to know if you think I have a chance with her.”
    “That’s interesting, because last time I checked you weren’t even friends.”
    "We’re not. I mean, we talked last year. Sort of.” I sound like an idiot. But I don’t care.“And she’s too good for Dave. The guy’s a dickhead. He’s—” I could go on. But now’s not the time.
    “I don’t really know Dave, but Sara didn’t even sit with us in lunch today. I get the feeling he needs a lot of attention.”
    “I’d definitely be more flexible about that.”
    “But you don’t even know her,” Laila says. “How can you like someone you don’t even know?”
    “But see, that’s the thing. I feel like I already know her. Haven’t you ever felt so connected with someone that you just click right away?”
    “No.”
    "Oh. Well, you should try it sometime.” I give her my most charming smile. “It’ll change your life.”
    Laila gives me a weird look. "Why are you telling me all this?”
    “Because I’m hoping you’ll help me. And I trust you.”
    “You do?”
    “Yeah. Shouldn’t I?”
    “No, you can. I won’t tell anyone.”
    “Thanks.” Now for the hard part. “There’s this other thing I want to ask you. . . .”
    “Yeah.”
    “Would you switch partners with me in Music Theory?”
    “What? No! And be with Robert? Are you completely insane?”
    “Not completely. Just enough to ask you for a huge favor that would change my life.”
    “No, that is way beyond a favor. I’d say this request would require you to be my personal slave for the rest of the year.”
    "Hey, if this works out, I’ll be your personal slave for life.”
    “Why should I help you?” she says.
    I try to find the right words to make her see that this has to happen. "It would give us a chance to find out if this is what I think it is.”
    “And what’s that ?”
    I take a deep breath. “Something real,” I say.
    Laila doesn’t say anything.
    “So?” I slide off the bench. I kneel on the ground. I reach out for her hand. She laughs. “Will you do it?”
    “I’m not saying I like this,” Laila says.
    “Of course not.” I shake my head violently.
    “You don’t even know her. And you’re weird. And you’re not her type.”
    “All true.” I nod vigorously.
    “I’m only doing this because Sara’s my best friend.” Laila stands up and hucks her bag over her shoulder.
    “Deal?” I say.
    “Deal,” she says.
    We shake on it.
    I race to the music room. Mr. Hornby’s still there, all hunched over his desk. I’ve never really talked to him. He’s notorious for throwing a tantrum at the most minor thing. I heard he even takes off points for yawning. So I have to be extra careful how I play this. Of particular difficulty will be