Free Queen of Likes by Hillary Homzie

such a cool photo. I’d get so many LIKES with that. People love dog shots. “I want to take a photo so badly, but I can’t.”
    Dad puts his arm on my shoulder. “Look, I’m not giving you back your phone, but I have idea.” He strolls over to the cabinet in the den. “I got this five years ago.” He pulls out a digital camera. “It’s just sitting here gathering dust. It’s a good one. Why don’t you use it?”
    I peer at the camera. I have no idea how to work it. There are so many buttons. “Maybe,” I say.
    â€œYay! Karma’s home!” Suddenly Toby is pounding halfway down the stairs. “Want to see what I built?”
    Closing my eyes, I think about the science lab report I have to write up and the social studies questions and math I have to do, even though I’m beat from doing all of that Hebrew. Oh, and I have to do a summary of a short story for language arts. Summaries are so stupid. I mean, it’s a short story. That’s why it’s short, so you can read it quickly. I always, always have Floyd next to me when I do my homework.
    Ugh.
    I glance up as Toby thumps partway down the stairs. “Want to see what I made?” he asks again.
    â€œCan you answer your brother?” Dad strolls all the way into the hallway, sits on the bench beside the shoe basket, and scoops out his loafers.
    â€œCan’t. I’ve got homework in four subjects. Oh yeah, and studying for Hebrew too.”
    I pull out my folder with my Hebrew in it. It’s Shemot , the first book of Exodus . That’s the part I’m going to read and discuss for my bat mitzvah. It’s when Moses flees Egypt and goes to Midian. He’s in trouble and has to leave everything behind. He basically says he’s a stranger in a strange land. No friends. No family. No more prince of Egypt. My eyes gaze at the Hebrew letters. I know how to pronounce them, but I don’t know what more I could say about Moses in front of hundreds of people.
    Sometimes I feel that, in general, I know how to say things but I have no idea what anything means.
    Feeling Peace
    After dinner Mom has a work meeting, so Dad bikes with Toby and me to Salt & Straw, our favorite ice cream shop, which has really awesome and wild flavors. I get strawberry with cilantro lime cheesecake. Toby picks sea salt ice cream with a caramel ribbon, and Dad chooses goat cheese marionberry habenero. We’re sitting down at a little wooden table and Dad takes a photo of us holding our cones. He starts to send it to Mom when his phone rings.
    â€œIt’s your mother.” Dad glances down at the screen. “How do I not lose what I have and answer the call?”
    Toby leans across the table. “I’ll show you.” He grabs the phone and starts talking to Mom.
    Dad throws up his hands, laughing. “Okay, guess I’m officially clueless. My second grader knows more than me.”
    I nudge Dad with my elbow. “Toby does know more.”
    Suddenly Dad gets a sly look on his face. “So tell me about this boy.”
    â€œA boy?”
    â€œYes, I’ve heard you talking about him.”
    â€œWhat boy? What are you talking about?”
    â€œOn the phone with Ella. I’ve heard you many times. Discussing a crush.”
    â€œDo you mean Auggie? Puh-lease. Because he’s more like my archenemy.”
    Dad shakes his head. “Nope. His name start with an F .” He snaps his fingers. “Floyd. That’s it. When I picked you up from school, I overheard you say how much you like him, and miss him, and . . .”
    Then my brother and I start laughing so hard we practically hyperventilate.
    Dad shrugs. “What? I know I’m clueless, but you’ve got to tell me what’s so funny.”
    â€œFloyd is Karma’s phone,” says Toby, who’s clutching his stomach because he’s laughing so hard.
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