Free Small Medium at Large by Joanne Levy Page A

“You’ll do great this time. Just think. It can’t be any worse than that last one.”
    Let’s hope.
    â€œWell, that’s true,” Dad said in a rare show of optimism.
    â€œI’ll see you later.”
    â€œWhere’re you off to?”
    I swallowed and quickly blurted out: “Oh just to the Beanery to meet Alex.” It wasn’t even a lie. Alex would be there.
    Dad had enough going on. I didn’t need to tell him I was meeting a boy. And I especially didn’t need to tell him I was meeting this boy to give him a message from his dead father.
    Alex met me on the corner and we proceeded to the café. Understandably, I was nervous. Really nervous. I mean, it’s not every day that you summon a hottie to meet you outside of school to tell him his dead father wants to talk to him. And even though it was easy to give my dad advice when it came to
my
love life, I really had no clue what I was doing.
    â€œWhat if he doesn’t show up?” I asked Alex.
    â€œHe’ll show up.” She seemed very sure of it. Which made my stomach do a big flip.
    â€œWhat if he
does
show up?” I asked.
    She stopped walking. “What is wrong with you, Lilah?”
    I frowned. “He’s very cute.”
    She shook her head. “And?”
    â€œIt’s a little intimidating.”
    She started walking again. “You shouldn’t be intimidated. Just remember you’re legit.”
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œYou have a real reason to contact him. His father really wants to talk to him.”
    â€œThat’s true,” a man, presumably Mr. Finkel, said.
    Okay, so now I was embarrassed, discussing all of this with his father eavesdropping. “Can we please get some privacy?”
    â€œSorry.”
    Alex looked around. “Oh, you mean…”
    â€œYeah, Andrew’s dad is already here.”
    â€œOh.”
    We didn’t talk for the final two blocks. I opened the door and we walked into the noisy café. There were sounds of espresso machines and cash registers and lots of people talking.
    â€œWhat are you going to have?” I asked Alex.
    â€œIced cappuccino, you?”
    â€œJust an Italian soda. But I’ll buy. It’s my treat today.” I wouldn’t normally splurge, but Dad had handed me a ten before I’d left the house.
    Alex smiled and thanked me.
    â€œGo get that table over there,” I said, pointing to a small bistro table in the back.
    She shuffled off and I turned to the barista to order.
    â€œOh look, it’s cargo pants,” I heard from behind me. I turned. Yep, because I had that kind of luck, it was Dolly Madison.
    I wasn’t even
wearing
my cargo pants. But either way, I ignored her and ordered drinks for me and Alex.
    â€œDidn’t you hear me?” she said.
    I looked back at her. “I heard you. You didn’t ask me a direct question, so I didn’t think you were looking for a response.”
    That shut her up.
    For about four seconds.
    â€œDon’t you know this is an eighth-grader hangout?”
    â€œOh, I’m sorry,” I said, trying hard not to sound sorry at all. “I must have missed the sign on the door.”
    Speaking of the door, at that second, it opened and Andrew Finkel came walking in. “Oh,” I must have said out loud.
    Dolly followed my gaze and looked toward the door.
    â€œOh, what is this, some kind of date?” she said really loud. Loud enough for Andrew to hear.
    I blushed.
    â€œNO! It’s NOT a date,” I said, looking at Andrew to make sure he knew I was really clear. His cheeks were red, too. Probably even redder than mine were.
    He looked away. It was very cute.
    â€œSix fifty,” the barista said, bringing me back to reality. I paid for the drinks and took them from the counter.
    â€œWe’re over here, Andrew,” I managed to say without fainting before I turned to join Alex over at the