Free The Mermaid's Mirror by L. K. Madigan

it had to be about Max. Once they were inside, Pem burst out, "Guess who called me?"
    "Hmm, let me see," said Lena. "The president?"
    "Stop!" said Pem, pushing her shoulder. "You know it was Max."
    "I'm stunned."
    "I was so nervous I could hardly breathe! We talked for, like, half an hour."
    "Really? What did you talk about?"
    "Oh, you know. We were just talking. Nothing special. About school, and music, and surfing. He said we should hang out sometime."
    "Hang out? He actually said 'hang out'? He's in college! Shouldn't he be a little smoother with the ladies by now?"
    Pem cracked up. "Probably. But I like that he's not smooth. He even said that college is totally intense, and he kind of misses high school."
    Lena reached for a comb, trying not to feel annoyed that they were talking about Max, as usual. She had wanted to tell Pem all about her first time surfing, but clearly Pem's conversation with Max was far more thrilling to her than anything else. "So ... are you going out with him?" She worked the comb through her salt- sticky hair.
    "I don't know. It was just a phone call."
    "Today it's a phone call, tomorrow you're cruising around in that muscle car of his."
    Pem giggled. "Can you just see my moms' faces when he drives up in that thing, all loud and kicking out blue exhaust?" Pem made engine-revving sounds. "'Uh, yeah, see you later, Mrs. Er ... Pem's mom and Mrs. Pem's other mom. I'll have your daughter home early.'" She imitated the sound of tires peeling out.
    "Yes," continued Lena, imitating Max. "I'm here to take out your fifteen-year-old daughter in my luuuuv machine."
    "I think having two moms is going to make it even harder to date than having the usual parent-combo," said Pem. She fiddled with the braided anklet on her leg. She and Lena had made yarn anklets a couple of years ago. Pem's was three different colors of pink, in keeping with her penchant for all things Jeannie- esque.
    Lena didn't answer for a minute, just combed her hair, then she said, "Maybe. They don't want you to date until you're sixteen, I know, but that's pretty standard."
    Pem frowned. "I don't want to wait that long, though! I won't be sixteen for four more months. You're lucky."
    "I am?"
    "That your parents let you start going out with Kai."
    "Well, that was different. Kai was already
there.
They knew him. In fact, they didn't even know we were together until my mom saw us kissing on the beach one day, and the cat was out of the bag. Now they're always trying to make us hang out with them in the family room, instead of in my room."
    "Still," said Pem. "How can I make my moms let me go out with Max?" She blushed. "If he asks, of course."
    "Pem. He's going to ask. He's just too lame to come right out and do it."
    "He's not lame!" Pem gave Lena a playful punch on the shoulder. "He's reticent."
    "Reticent?" Lena laughed. "Vocabulary much?"
    "Dude, you know I can't even help it. With a mom who teaches English, I'm doomed."
    "Or fated."
    "Preordained."
    "Destined."
    They giggled.
    "I smell garlic," said Pem. "Let's see what Mama Mia is making for dinner."
    "Okay, but first I need to get the salt water off me," said Lena, heading for the bathroom. "Do you have an extra towel?"
    "They're in the cupboard," called Pem through the door. "You can wash off the sand, Leen, but you can't wash off that smile. You'd better cheer down before you see your parents."
    ***
    The next day Max was waiting for Pem after school.
    Lena saw him leaning against his car in his trademark Hawaiian shirt, glancing around casually, as if to say, "I just happened to end up parked here in front of my old high school. No reason."
    But Lena knew instantly he was here for Pem, and turned to tell her.
    Pem, of course, had already seen him, since she had super-strength Max Radar. Her face was alight. "Oh, my God," she whispered.
    "I know!" Lena whispered back.
    Just then Henry, Max's brother, walked up to the car.
    "Oh," said Pem. "Maybe he's just here to take Henry home."
    "No