Free Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking? by Belle Payton Page B

yours?”
    Nearly fifty cut-glass bottles of various shapes, colors, and sizes crowded a sleek white vanity topped by an enormous mirror in an ornate hot-pink frame.
    Charlotte nodded. “I love scents. We once went on vacation to the south of France, and I got to design my own signature scent. Want to smell it?”
    â€œPlease!” Alex positioned herself alongside Charlotte at the vanity. As Charlotte sprayed and dabbed perfume after perfume on the inside of her arm, different scents crowded the air. Floral. Citrus. Woodsy. One hung top of the other.
    Ava’s stomach churned. “I need air,” she squeaked.
    â€œWait! Charlotte’s going to show us all her lip glosses. She has over one hundred! Her mom is a makeup executive. How cool is that?” Alex asked, her words running together.
    Ava stepped over to the window. It was covered by a sheet of brown craft paper. Someone had taken a red marker and drawn a pattern of rectangles on it. They looked amazingly like real bricks.
    â€œWhat’s this?” she asked Charlotte.
    â€œKeeping NYC in and Texas out,” Charlotte declared. She began to say something else and then grimaced.
    â€œYou’re a great artist.” Ava stared at the fake wall, unsure what it meant exactly. The perfume cloud was making her eyes water. Ava peeled up the bottom flap of the paper, which hadn’t been taped securely to the sill. Could she open the window and get some air?
    Outside she spotted a thin, dark-haired boy shooting a basketball. Shooting it badly. The ball kept hitting the backboard. But that didn’t matter. Ava knew this was the perfect excuse. “Is that your brother? Can I go check out your backyard?” she asked.
    â€œSure thing. Alex and I will be right out,” Charlotte promised.
    Ava couldn’t escape fast enough. She hurried down the stairs, said hello to a woman wiping the counter in the kitchen, who she assumed was Carmen, and headed out into the late afternoon sunlight. She took big gulps of fresh air.
    â€œHey,” Ava said, approaching Ben. He looked about nine years old. She nabbed the basketball as it ricocheted off the backboard yet again. “Can I play too?”
    Ben shrugged. “Sure.”
    Ava aimed, then let the ball glide off her fingertips and swoosh through the hoop.
    Ben watched in openmouthed amazement. Then he grinned, and they began to play. Ava liked how easy it was with guys. Especially if you could throw a ball.
    She still couldn’t figure out Charlotte. All afternoon, she’d been so nice. The way she’d been earlier in the week when Ava had first met her. Ava wanted to ask her why she was so rude to Emily and Lindsey, but so far the time hadn’t seemed right. And maybe it didn’t matter.
    â€œYou’re good,” Ben said as Ava sank another basket.
    â€œMy big brother taught me,” she said. “Let me give you some tips. Your weight is too far back in your heels. Try it like this.”
    Ben mimicked her stance. He sent the ball toward the hoop. It bounced off the rim.
    â€œCloser!” Ava cried, going for the rebound. “Whoa!” She lost her balance and stumbled as a blur of curly black fur streaked across the lawn and into the shrubs bordering the yard.
    â€œHarvey! Harvey!” Carmen stood by the back door, waving her arms. “He escaped again! Ben!”
    Ben took off after the dog. Ava hesitated, then hurried after both of them.
    Together they trampled through the bushes. Twigs scratched Ava’s shins. She kept going. She spotted Harvey’s black fur up ahead.
    Suddenly Harvey made an abrupt turn, circling the edge of the property. Ava and Ben twisted back through the bushes. Carmen stayed on the stone patio, yelling for the dog. Harvey didn’t seem to hear or care.
    â€œGo right. We’ll corner him!” Ben told Ava.
    Ava broke right. She felt as if she were on the football field running a play. But a dog was