Free Infinite in Between by Carolyn Mackler Page A

school, watching me.”
    Gregor groaned. He tried to imagine that happening to him. It was too horrible to think about. “What did you say?”
    â€œI said ‘Back it up, Mom.’”
    Gregor winced. “You said it like that ? What did the girls do?”
    â€œThey were laughing like crazy.”
    â€œHow was your foot?”
    Gregor’s dad smiled as he turned off the faucet. “Two broken toes. I couldn’t run cross-country for the rest of the season. But the girls seeing it was probably worse.”
    Later that night Gregor sat on his bed with his journal open in his lap. No denying it, his dad had been a dork in high school. The “Back it up, Mom” story was total proof.
    He chewed on his pen cap. He could hear his parents oohing and aahing in the other room as Erica modeled her prom dress. Russell was a junior, which was why Erica was going to the prom even though she was only a sophomore.
    The thing was, Gregor’s dad had been a dork, but he’d eventually grown taller and gotten his braces off. He went to Reed College out in Oregon and then Cornell Law School. That was where he met Gregor’s mom. They got married and moved back to Hankinson and bought a house and had kids and this really nice life.
    Gregor imagined a similar situation playing out for him. That was what he was planning to describe in his journal, except when he started writing, this was what came out instead:
    April 11
    Condoms
    He scribbled that out so that no one could ever see it. Even the word condom freaked him out. Sure, he got boners, but to imagine needing a condom was insane. That would mean a girl was in the picture. And whenever Gregor thought of a girl, he thought of Whitney. Which was even more insane.

ZOE
    â€œYOU NEED A thing,” Aunt Jane said to Zoe.
    They were hanging out in the kitchen, waiting for the mac and cheese to finish baking. Zoe had made the béchamel sauce by herself.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Zoe picked a chunk of Gouda off the cutting board and popped it into her mouth.
    â€œInterests,” Aunt Jane said. “Sports, music, a cooking class. You need to do something, start hanging out with other kids. Your grandmother loved cooking, you know. She passed it on to me. I can look into some classes. . . .”
    Zoe shook her head. No, she wanted to say. I’m not ready. I can barely make it through seven hours of school without wanting to fall asleep. That was how it had been since she’d gotten back from California. She was even supposed to return to Hankinson, but then New Year’s happened and everyone decided it was better for Zoe to be here while Sierra figured her life out.
    Her phone rang. It was Whitney Montaine.
    â€œA girl from school,” she said to her aunt.
    â€œGo ahead and answer,” Aunt Jane said. “We’re not eating for a few minutes.”
    â€œNo, it’s okay. I can—”
    â€œThis is what I was just saying. You need things in your life. Answer your phone.”
    Zoe hurried into the living room so Aunt Jane couldn’t listen in.
    â€œHello?”
    â€œHey, Zoe? How’s it going?”
    Of all the girls at Hankinson, Whitney was definitely the nicest. Whenever Zoe braved the cafeteria, which was maybe once a week, Whitney waved her over. Whitney picked her in gym, and she was always inviting her out with her and her friends. But Zoe never said yes. Whitney was too gorgeous and perfect. Being around her made Zoe feel blurry.
    â€œA few of us are going to the mall tomorrow night,” Whitney said. “They’re having a sale on prom dresses. But it’s not like we’re only looking at dresses.”
    Zoe knew from the lunch table that Whitney was going to the prom with a popular senior, Tripp, who was Brock Sawyer’s older brother. She’d broken up with Gus when Brock’s brother asked her to the prom. Brock was the cute guy who used to go out with Kyra. Kyra