Almost There

- 1 -

"What?"

"Pizza Guys?" As they exited the classroom, Rebecca turned to walk backward for a few paces, fixing Tess with an incredulous look. "They're the best pizza chain in town. Get your parents to order in. Their crust is the best."

Tess frowned. "One: we don't have that chain in Minnesota. And two: my mom is addicted to cooking. I barely ever get pizza, unless it's some kind of gourmet sun-ripened tomato flatbread tragedy."

Rebecca grinned. "Well, you will now! It probably costs extra, but your mom won't even notice. Send me pictures when you eat it so I can pretend I'm you. Most of the food they serve at my high school can't even be identified."

Laughing, the girls made their way down the musty basement hall of the old library. They passed a drinking fountain that hadn't worked all summer and yellowing posters that appeared to date from the '80s.

Tess wouldn't miss this place.

Upstairs and outside, it was painfully bright. Tess squinted as they stepped into the sun.

"That's my brother. He's on time for once," Rebecca said. She headed toward a beat-up gray car idling out front, calling, "'Bye! Text me!"

"'Bye! Tell your brother he should buy you Pizza Guys to celebrate your grade!" Tess called back. She smiled, but as Rebecca drove away, her smile faded.

She was already lonely. And this year, at a new school halfway across the country from her old one, she'd be lonelier still.

"Hey."

Startled, Tess turned to see a boy from class standing a few paces behind her, just outside the library door. He had sandy brown hair and brown eyes, which were squinted slightly against the bright sunlight. Tess thought his name was Isaac, but they had never spoken. "Hi."

"Theresa, right?"

"Tess." She was used to correcting people; it wasn't that she didn't like her full name. She just didn't feel like a Theresa.

"I'm Isaac." He extended a hand. Tess took it and they shook briefly as he continued, "Congrats on making it through the worst summer ever."

"Right?" Tess laughed. "Thanks. You too."

"What were you in for?"

Tess could feel a blush creeping across her face. She hoped Isaac didn't notice, but with her pale, freckled skin, her blushes were never subtle. "Just needed the credit. I didn't get it last year, and I won't have time in my course schedule this year."

"I know, stupid question. That's why we're all here, I guess. I flunked it last year. Barely. I missed, like, one assignment and the teacher gave me an F." He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I've been wanting to introduce myself. I realized today's our last day. That means it's my last chance to introduce myself to the cute redhead."

It took Tess a moment to realize that he'd called her cute. At a complete loss for words, she fumbled for a response.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you," he said, but his grin implied that he wasn't sorry. He had dimples. "What school do you go to?"

Tess stammered, "Eagle Point."

He cocked his head. "Oh. I've never seen you there."

Oh, no. It was his school, too? Tess didn't know what to say. "I'm new. I mean, this is my first year. My first year there. I'm a senior." She winced. "What I mean is...I moved into town a couple months ago."

Isaac was still grinning, and Tess couldn't tell if he was being friendly or if he was laughing at how he had flustered her. He said, "Wow. Senior year in a new school? That's harsh. But I'm an Eagle myself, so it's not like you won't know anyone. Maybe I'll see you around?"

"Yeah," Tess said. "Yeah, that's great."

"Great. 'Bye, Tess." He turned and headed toward the parking lot of the library, dipping a hand into each pocket. The left came out with a set of car keys, which he spun on his index finger, and the right came out with a cell phone, which he bent his head to check.

Tess had noticed Isaac, of course; he was cute—it would have been hard not to notice. But she had never considered for a moment that he might also have noticed her. Besides, she'd been focused on simply getting through the class, and she was shy, to boot. Making friends hadn't been much of a priority.

The beep of a horn broke into Tess's moment of reflection. She turned to see her mother's red Camry pulling up in front of the library.