Free Everybody Bugs Out by Leslie Margolis Page A

in the middle of the go-cart races.…
    Even when we went out for pizza afterward, I couldn’t tell them because Yumi’s parents were at our table, and her baby sister, Suki, and her grandma. (Not the one who lives in Hawaii.)
    Mrs. Tamagachi seemed sweet and all, but no way was I going to talk about liking a boy in front of someone’s grandma. It’s just not done.
    After lunch and then another hour at the arcade, we headed back to Yumi’s for a “make your own party hat” craft, then a “make your own sushi” dinner and then a “make your own sundae” dessert, followed by a “make your own sleepover.”
    By the time we’d rolled out our sleeping bags, I figured I’d waited long enough. Not only was I exhausted from making so much stuff, I also knew that if I didn’t say something tonight, I’d never get the chance to. But for some reason, I kept stalling.
    The timing never seemed right. Not even after Rachel brought up the school dance. “Two weeks and counting until Valentine’s Day,” she said, looking at her watch. “Ticktock.”
    â€œDigital watches don’t make that sound,” said Emma.
    Rachel whacked her in the head with a pillow. “It’s a figure of speech, smarty-pants.”
    Emma laughed. “I never understood that expression—smarty-pants. How can pants be smart? Or legs, even?”
    Everyone groaned, and justifiably so.
    Then Rachel started up again. “You guys, this is serious. We need to make plans.”
    â€œEasy for you to say. You’ve already got a date,” said Claire.
    â€œI know,” Rachel said. “I just wish it was with Erik. Or at least with someone who was more like Erik. Like his secret twin.”
    â€œErik has a secret twin?” I asked.
    â€œOnly in her dreams,” said Emma.
    Rachel turned to me and asked, “Has he asked Hannah to the dance yet?”
    â€œNot sure,” I said, which was technically true. I didn’t tell Rachel that when our other classmate, Becky, asked Hannah about the dance, Hannah had changed the subject fast, without answering her.
    â€œYou should be happy you have a date,” said Claire. “Looks like I’ll be going solo, unless Yumi lends me one of her dates.”
    â€œWhat?” Rachel and I asked at the same time.
    Yumi blushed. “I kind of got asked.”
    â€œBy two guys,” said Claire.
    â€œAnd you didn’t tell us?” asked Emma.
    Yumi took off her party hat and tossed it aside. “It seemed too braggy to mention and I don’t know what to do.”
    â€œWell, who asked you?” asked Rachel.
    â€œDante and Ezra,” Yumi said.
    I felt a stab of envy, even though I didn’t know who either of these guys was. “I can’t believe you have two dates.”
    â€œNo, I’ve got none,” said Yumi. “Yes, they both asked me, but I haven’t given either one of them answers.”
    â€œSo which one do you like?” asked Rachel.
    â€œNeither.” Yumi shrugged. “I mean, they’re both nice. Dante is a better baseball player, but Ezra is really funny. And not just gross armpit-fart funny or check-out-how-far-I-can-shoot-a-spitball hilarious. He’s much more sophisticated.”
    â€œToo bad you can’t go with both of them,” said Claire.
    â€œWell, technically you can,” said Rachel. “The dance will be crowded and it’s not like they’re even friends. So you could agree to meet them both there and just make sure they stay on opposite sides of the gym. Then you can run back and forth between songs, maybe changing dresses with each guy.”
    â€œWhy would I have to change dresses?” asked Yumi.
    â€œI don’t know,” said Rachel. “Maybe to match each corsage?”
    Yumi shook her head. “That sounds like a nightmare.”
    â€œOr an old Brady Bunch episode,” I