Best-Case Scenario

Chapter Ten

"You're using your Senior project as your greatest accomplishment? Risky," Kali says.

She has her laptop propped on her stomach and is laying back against the beanbag chair I dragged down to the living room from my bedroom. I'm sitting at the computer desk reading over hers that focuses on her success in school despite being gay, black, and having anxiety in a small town. It's a little clunky but my edits are coming out nice.

"It fits," I say. At least I hope it does. The essay prompt said talk about a project that inspires you or started a period of personal growth. I'm doing my project about children's therapy in different classes. Kali found a therapist easily due to her dad having a job at the college, but kids in poor homes have a difficulty finding the services they need in a reasonable time. I hope it makes me a bit more aware if I become a therapist myself.

I finish hers off and wait. Kali nods to me over the laptop and types furiously. She looks up. "Alright. Trade."

I go to lay down on the floor while she takes my seat. Kali received her laptop from her dad as an early graduation present last year. It's definitely a "please don't go off the deep end again. Here's a present to make homework easier," and it's nice to have. I'm stuck using my phone or the family computer.

I read over her comments. I clear up the grammar and spelling mistakes then save the draft for later. Finn's supposed to join us Friday in school to do this again, but Kali and I wanted to start earlier and since Tuesdays are for us, there's no point in ignoring the existence of homework.

Kali already has given up and has slid down to the living room floor with me knocking my elbow with hers as I reach for the fruit and yogurt my mom left for us. I dip a strawberry in.

She's tapping her fingers on the carpet and when I look at her to see what's up, she's staring back at me, head propped up on her hand. "I saw you and Finn getting cutesy today."

Finn and I had study hall again and were able to study outside on the back benches, but Kali would have been in English class.

I poke her. "You were supposed to be in English class."

"I was. You know people can see those benches, right?"

I try to keep eye contact, but I blush. Deeply. "Come on. We aren't that bad."

She doesn't stop smiling. Great. We really are that couple.

To distract her from anymore teasing, I reach over and gently tug at her hair, the curl straightening out before springing back up. "Are you growing it out?"

She closes her eyes. "I don't want to braid it down. Trying to see how long I can go without cutting it."

"I like it this length," I admit. She usually keeps it super short but now it tumbled almost to her shoulders.

"Me too," she says.

We lay there in silence, me tangling my fingers through her hair and her hands laying on her stomach slowly moving up and down. Our feet point toward the window and I watch the leaves on the maple tree dance in the breeze. Some of the fall colors were out, the red and orange beginning to take over the green.

My phone buzzes and I consider ignoring it, but I take my hand out of Kali's hair and grab it off the floor.

A picture of Finn's eyes and the caption I can't wait to see you tomorrow. See if you can get anymore gossip from Kali. Still reeling from the no Isa thing.

Kali moves her head on my shoulder so she can read it too.

"Gossip? Isa? Oh my god, I haven't thought of her in a while," she says.