Free True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager

about their plans for the weekend. I knew they didn’t mean to leave me out. I just wasn’t part of their group. It wasn’t their fault my own group didn’t want me anymore.
    We went into the room with the dead guy picture, and Peyton grabbed my arm. She said if a decomposing mummy freaked me out, then I’d never sleep again if I saw the painting. She led me past it, and Antonio said we might want to skip the next room with the sculpture of another dead person.
    â€œYou guys can meet us at the gift shop. I’ll mark the map for you so you won’t get lost again,” he said. I was starting to like him until I realized the gift shop was practically around the corner. How stupid did he think we were?
    Devon’s tour group came into the gift shop next, and we started looking at the jewelry. Devon decided to buy this cool woven bangle bracelet, and India and Peyton decided to get one, too. I wanted a bracelet too, but there were only three. Instead, I bought a postcard of a Monet painting to send to my dad.
    When we got back to the car, Peyton asked Tori if she’d mind sitting in the front seat. Tori looked annoyed, but she got in the front and Peyton and I had fun on the ride back, which seemed a lot shorter than the ride down. I started to head to the bus line when we got to school, but Devon offered me a ride home.
    â€œLandry, do you want to come over to my house tonight?” Peyton asked. “We’re going to watch movies.”
    I wondered if she was just asking me because India had mentioned it in front of me, but I said I’d love to and then felt stupid for looking so excited. Devon’s mom said she could take me to Peyton’s tonight, and I said my mom could probably bring us home. Devon said she was going to wear her new black sweater with her new jeans tonight. I went through my closet trying to find something cute and fairly clean. Mom was happy to see I’d be off the couch for the evening, and she let me borrow her sweater.
    â€œWho am I taking home? Tori?” she asked as she rifled through the mail.
    â€œNo, Devon,” I said.
    â€œIs Tori going? Because I could take her home since she’s right on the way.”
    â€œShe’s not friends with these girls,” I said.
    Mom asked how Tori and Ericka were, and I didn’t want her to know they weren’t talking to me. I said Tori had a bunch of soccer stuff going on and Ericka had a new babysitting job.
    â€œWe’ve been e-mailing each other,” I said.
    â€œUh-huh,” Mom said, reading a bill. “What time should I pick you up? Eleven-thirty?” I nodded and went to get ready.
    ****
    Peyton led us into her family room, which had two long navy couches facing one another, a square coffee table, and cream colored bookcases covering the whole wall.
    â€œI went out with my dad, and we got a couple of movies. We got the new Evan Reynolds one for India, the new Blake Alderson one for Devon—”
    â€œThank you,” Devon said as she helped herself to some potato chips.
    â€œâ€”and The Mummy for Landry,” she said. “Just kidding.”
    I took a snack cake and two slices of pizza and settled down on the sofa next to Peyton to watch Take Back the Skies II . Devon was sitting on the couch across from me with her legs tucked up underneath her.
    â€œBlake is so amazing,” Devon sighed.
    â€œIsn’t he, like, way older than your dad?” Peyton asked.
    â€œIt doesn’t matter, although I hate his tattoo,” she said through a mouthful of pizza.
    I said Blake looked a little bit like Peyton’s dad, and they all cracked up.
    â€œWatch her if she leaves the room because my dad’s not safe,” Peyton said.
    â€œEw, what’s wrong with you people?” Devon said, laughing.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with us? Um, we’re not the ones with crushes on our friend’s dad,” said India.
    After the movie, Mom came