Free As You Wish by Robin Jones Gunn

“Hi! I thought that was you. Hi!”
    At first Christy assumed Katie was talking to her, but Katie’s focus was on Matthew. Christy began to make the introduction. “Katie, this is—”
    â€œMatt. Yes, I know. Hi! How are you?”
    Then Christy made the connection and nearly dropped her tray. “Is he Matt number fourteen?”
    â€œYes, Matt number fourteen!” Katie beamed. “I’m so embarrassed, Matt. I don’t know your last name!”
    â€œKingsley,” Christy and Matt answered in unison.
    â€œI guess I’m embarrassed, too.” Matt looked at Christy and then back at Katie. “Have we met before? Do I know you?”
    Christy watched as her best friend’s heart crashed to the floor.
    â€œMatthew,” Christy said with a hint of scold in her voice, “this is my roommate, Katie Weldon. You two met last year after a baseball game.”
    â€œOh,” Matt said slowly. An awkward pause followed, and then Matt said, “You want to sit with us, Kathy?”
    Katie’s green eyes turned to ice. “It’s Katie, not Kathy. Katie Weldon.”
    Christy quickly pulled her friend to the side and said over her shoulder, “We’ll join you guys in a minute.”
    Matt headed for the table, and Christy winced when she saw Katie’s pained expression.
    â€œKatie, I am so sorry!” Christy whispered. “I never in a million years imagined that your Matt number fourteen was the same as my Matthew Kingsley.”
    â€œYour Matthew Kingsley?” Katie sputtered.
    â€œWe grew up together in Wisconsin. I had a huge crush on him in elementary school.”
    Katie stared without saying a word.
    â€œI told you about him. I know I did,” Christy said.
    â€œNo, you didn’t. I would have remembered if you told me about Matt.” Katie’s face turned red. “Did you see the way he looked at me? I can’t believe it! I committed to memory every word from the conversation we had last June. And then I wasted my entire summer dreaming about him. What a loser!”
    Christy wanted to put her arm around her friend, but Christy was still holding her cafeteria tray. “You’re not a loser, Katie.”
    â€œI didn’t mean me, I meant him! Matt number fourteen Kingsley is . . .” Katie paused. She lowered her voice and said, “He’s the loser. He could have gone out with the cutest, most adorable, most fun-loving redhead on campus, but he just lost his chance.” With a swish of her hair, Katie turned and marched off.
    Christy stood still, watching as Katie went to the frozen yogurt machine. Apparently, she planned to drown her sorrows in an extra-large chocolate mocha swirl.

5 Christy felt awful as she carried her tray to the table and sat beside Todd in the noisy cafeteria. Matt had taken the empty seat on the other side of Todd, and the two guys had introduced themselves and were talking as if they were close friends. Katie had left the cafeteria with her frozen yogurt in a plastic foam cup.
    Determined to remedy what had just happened, Christy tried to think of ways to smooth things over with Matt and Katie. She thought of setting up a double date with them or taking Matt aside and explaining how much Katie liked him. None of her ideas seemed like a good one.
    It wouldn’t have been so bad if he hadn’t called her “Kathy.” He could have at least pretended he remembered her when he saw how excited she was to see him. Why are guys so clueless?
    â€œHey, Christy,” Matt said, “do you want to go to Riverview Heights with Todd this afternoon?”
    She nodded since her mouth was full. Why is Matt asking me? I already told Todd I would go.
    Apparently Todd had invited Matt along. The three of them left the cafeteria and drove to the church in Todd’s van. From the conversation that was still going at a livelypace between Matt and Todd, Christy discovered that