Free My Boyfriends' Dogs by Dandi Daley Mackall

everything. “Be happy for me.”
    â€œI am. Honest. I think it’s great that you’re getting to know Went. You haven’t known him very long, though, right?”
    â€œHow long does it take to fall in love?”
    Her gaze flew to the ceiling. She was quiet for a full minute. “I guess you’re right. It doesn’t take very long to feel like you’re in love.”
    I knew she’d understand. Mom and I didn’t just look like sisters. We could talk like sisters, like friends. “Were you thinking about my father?”
    She nodded, then reached over and sort of stroked my hair. “You have his hair, you know. Your father was something else, Bailey. Probably still is. But there’s a lot more to real love than feeling like you’re in it.” She sighed and stared into my eyes. “Your dad and I felt it all right. Maybe that’s why I want you to be careful.”
    â€œMom. We’re not doing anything we have to be careful about, okay?” She and I had had “the talk” more than once. Mom had a way of saying what most mothers probably say to their daughters—don’t have sex until you’re married. But the way she said it made it sound like a “do” instead of a “don’t,” like sex was handcrafted by God. And if I used it the right way, then sex would be this beautiful thing waiting for me to share with one man for the rest of my life. So I shouldn’t waste it on anyone else. That way, I’d live happily ever after with my husband—like Madagascar day geckos.
    â€œI didn’t mean that —although I do mean that, too,” she added quickly. “The no-sex rule is still in play.”
    â€œAgreed.”
    She stared into her mug as if she could read tea leaves. “I’m just saying . . . it won’t be easy since you feel like you do, but you need to be careful with love, Bailey. Once it gets physical—you know, kissing . . . touching—it can take over and take you where you weren’t planning to go. That’s all.” She gulped her tea. “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to bed.”
    Â 
    I didn’t hear from Went Sunday, so when he came over with Adam Monday morning, it was all I could do not to fling myself into his arms. We fell into a steady routine after that, beginning with our glorious walks to school. On Thursday it started raining halfway to school, and we ran, hand in hand, laughing while rain drenched us. Before we got there, Went stopped and held me. We kissed in the rain and could have been starring in our own romantic movie. My times alone with Went were magical.
    It was just that other people got in the way. Once we were at school, I had to share my boyfriend. Even though Went and I were clearly together, it didn’t stop Carly and Meagan and a dozen other girls from playing up to him.
    â€œI hate the way he ignores you when Carly or the Dave Crew come around,” Amber complained. It was Friday, and we were eating lunch with Went, but he’d moved to the end of the table to talk to Dave. Carly just happened to be there, too. They were all so loud the cafeteria police kept giving them the evil eye.
    I leaned across the table so Amber could hear me. “He can’t help it if people like him so much.” I glanced at Went. He looked hot in jeans and a yellow polo shirt, with this wooden-bead choker necklace that only he could have gotten away with in Millet, Missouri. “Can you blame them for wanting Went?”
    â€œNope,” Amber answered. “But I can blame him for cutting you out like this. Soon as those guys are around, he treats you like he could take you or leave you, and he chooses to leave you.”
    â€œHe’s not like that, Amber,” I insisted. “He’s different with me.” I whispered across the table, “Amber, he loves me.” He hadn’t said it, not in those words.