probing for one afternoon?â Simon teased. âYouâve got my favorite color, my career goals, the name of my first petââ
âDearly departed Peanutââ Nat cut in, mock-somber.
âAnd now you know where I was born. Youâve got enough data for an E! True Hollywood Story .â
âI just want to be thorough,â Natalie replied.
âI really want to run a piece in the Visiting Day newspaper issue, and this interview is like my audition. It has to be great.â
âI just hope Jesse thinks Iâm as fascinating a subject as you do,â Simon joked.
âWho said I think youâre fascinating?â Natalie quipped. I mean, I do, but . . .
âItâs written all over your face, Goode,â Simon said.
âItâs nice that youâre so confident,â she said, trying to recover. She glanced at her watch. âOh! Free choice is almost over. I want to go grab Alyssa before swim.â
âSure thing,â Simon said easily. âGet ready for next week, when the tables are turned and you are subject to my inquisition.â He put his index finger to his chin in a Thinker sort of pose. âIâm going to catch up with Ben and Gabe.â
âSounds fun!â Natalie chirped. It really did. Mainly because it was fun just being around Simon, no matter what they were doing.
She tucked her notebook and pen under one arm and wandered over to where Alyssa and Tori were sitting. It looked like Alyssa was interviewing Tori, even though Tori wasnât on the newspaper. It must have been just for fun.
But if it was just for fun, what was that slight echo of jealousy churning in Natalieâs rib cage?
âFavorite flavor of jelly bean would have to be . . .â Tori drummed her fingers against the table and stared off at an imaginary point on the horizon. âOohâI love that buttered popcorn one. I mean, it really tastes like buttered popcorn!â
âWell, Alyssa wonât go for that,â Nat cut in, grinning. âShe likes to keep her salty and sweet separate.â
Alyssa raised an eyebrow at Natalie. âYou donât know everything about me, you know,â she said somewhat pointedly.
Nat swallowed. Alyssa hadnât said anything rude or especially harsh, but, for some reason, a sudden chill had come over Nat. Of course she didnât know every last little thing about Alyssa. But they were best friends. That in itself meant that Nat knew a lot. More than a lot.
âUm, okay, then,â Natalie said, making a huge effort to recover from the hiccup of weirdness. âSo whatâs your favorite flavor, then?â
To Natalieâs great relief, Alyssa broke into a smile. âPink grapefruit. Itâs true. Iâm a fan of the pure sugar rush.â
Natalie giggled. âSimon likes that one, too.â
Alyssa nodded slowly, collecting her own notebook and pencil. The cold freeze had come back over Nat. âNow, see, Simon you know everything about. That , I can believe.â
This time there was no mistaking the edge in her voice. But Nat had no clue what to do about it. This was Alyssa, after all. They had never had a fight before. Ever.
âUm, whatâs that supposed to mean, Lyss?â Nat asked uncertainly. She looked from her old friend to her new friend. Tori, in turn, suddenly seemed extremely interested in her shoelaces. And uncharacteristically quiet.
Alyssa shrugged and ran her fingers through her inky, dyed-black hair. âNothing. Never mind.â She looked Natalie directly in the eye. âLetâs go back to the bunk and get ready for free swim.â
All at once, Nat was relieved Normal Alyssaâmagazine-reading, horoscope-loving, free-swim-sitting-out Alyssaâwas back. Nat was so grateful for this abrupt change of heart that she decided not to make a thing out of the random burst of crankiness.
Everyoneâs entitled to one, now and then, she