Free Black and White and Gray All Over by Rachel Wise

clueless, like not realizing it’s sort of an impolite thing to ask someone that.
    â€œWell, it’s . . . my mom’s actually a writer, and it’s her editor and his wife, who’s an agent. I think they’re neat because they know all sorts of famous literary people and they like to talk books all night long and gossip about authors!”
    â€œWow!” I breathed. I couldn’t imagine a night like that. “That’s so cool that your mom is a writer. What does she write?”
    â€œOh, fiction. Short stories. She’s had a novel published. She writes for British Vogue sometimes and Tatler ,which is a magazine back home.”
    â€œThat’s so cool! How come you never said so?” I asked. I was actually kind of hurt that she hadn’t shared that with me at lunch the other day, or ever.
    Kate shrugged. “It’s . . . I don’t know. It’s her gig, you know?”
    â€œIs she famous?” asked Hailey, her eyes agog.
    Kate laughed. “To a very small group of people, yes.”
    â€œWow. Cool,” said Hailey. “I can’t imagine wanting to write.”
    â€œHailey, come on!” I said.
    â€œReady, girls?” asked my mom. “Is Kate coming along?”
    â€œThanks, Mrs. Martone, but I’m going to stay home tonight. Sam and I have plans for tomorrow, though. Have fun, girls!”
    â€œYou too! Take notes!” I said.
    â€œUgh! Notes! My least favorite thing about journalism!” Kate laughed. “Besides research!” She laughed again.
    â€œBye!” we said.
    Outside, Hailey and I were quiet as we put thebags in the car and climbed in. After a minute, my mom laughed. “Cat got your tongues back there, girls?”
    I realized it was quiet. “No. I was just thinking. It’s weird that Kate hates notes and research and she’s a journalist, right?”
    â€œWhy?” asked Hailey. “I hate them, too.”
    â€œBecause those are like two of the main things about being a journalist, along with interviewing people and writing. That’s pretty much it. It’s just weird that you’d hate fifty percent of what you do.”
    â€œSome people hate more than that,” said my mom. “And they get up and go to jobs all day long where they hate seventy-five, eighty, one hundred percent of what they do.”
    â€œThat would stink,” I said.
    â€œYeah,” agreed Hailey. “Almost as much as having a friend who makes all kinds of plans with other people without telling you.”
    â€œWhat? Hails! Come on!” I laughed. “Are you mad I’m doing something with Kate tomorrow?”
    My mom turned up the radio to give us some privacy, and she began singing along, loudlyand with the wrong words. I cringed and wished Hailey weren’t mad right now so we could share a look and giggle about my mom. Insane Mom Thinks She’s Hip: Top 40 Her Ticket to Loony Bin.
    But Hailey shrugged and looked out the window silently for a moment.
    â€œI asked you first!” I protested.
    â€œYou just have so much more in common with her,” said Hailey. “I just know you’re going to end up liking her more and dump me.”
    I swatted her. “Don’t be ridiculous! No one could ever replace you! And anyway, how do you think I feel with you hanging out with Jenna all the time?”
    â€œI only started hanging out with Jenna because you were with Michael all the time,” said Hailey.
    I wanted to giggle at the expression “got Jenna,” but I knew it wasn’t the right time. It would only make Hailey madder. She gets self-conscious if she thinks I’m teasing her for being dumb (which she isn’t and I never do). “Well, as long as we each know we come first,” I said.“Deal?” I put out my hand for her to shake.
    She looked down at it like she wasn’t going to take it; then she quickly spit into her