Reader, nothing is sweeter in this sad world than the sound of someone you love calling your name.
—Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux

Wednesday, May 27, 5:32 p.m.
Back from Brynn’s

When I left the cemetery, I decided to go to Brynn’s house. Even though she hadn’t apologized to me, I wanted to tell her I thought it was nice she’d told Sophie she was sorry for the way she treated her.

When she opened the door, I didn’t even bother with a greeting. “I heard you apologized to Sophie.” Brynn slowly nodded. “That was cool.” I gave her a thumbs-up.

Brynn came outside and sat down on her front steps and I sat next to her. “It doesn’t really change anything,” she said.

“I know. But it made Sophie feel better.” I paused.

“What?” asked Brynn, like she knew I was about to say something.

I shrugged. I didn’t really want to say what I was thinking.

“Are you wondering why I apologized to her?” asked Brynn.

“That’s not it.” I debated saying more. I knew Brynn was going to get mad, but it was now or never. “What I don’t get is why you didn’t apologize to me.”

Brynn shifted like she was uncomfortable sitting on the brick front porch. “Why am I the bad guy? You did things wrong too.”

“Yeah, I know,” I said. “And then I apologized for it.” I blew a hair off my face and stood. I don’t know why I’d bothered coming. I guess part of me hoped Brynn would apologize to me too. I could see that wasn’t going to happen.

I started to walk toward the street. “Wait.” Brynn followed me to the sidewalk. “I’m sorry,” she said when she caught up to me.

She stayed quiet for a long time, and I didn’t say anything either. The next move was hers. Finally, she spoke up. “This isn’t easy for me. I’ve wanted to apologize to you. I’ve thought about doing it a bunch of times, but I didn’t even know where to start.”

I looked at Brynn, and her eyes were starting to tear up. But just knowing she was sorry wasn’t enough. I had to know why. I sat silently, hoping she’d say more.

Brynn looked down and picked at a hole in her jeans. “I know I didn’t handle things well last summer when Billy and I started going out at camp and I didn’t tell you. I was scared you’d be mad. But I’m sorry. I wasn’t being a good friend.”

She inhaled like she needed air before she moved on to the next topic. “Then when Sophie moved here, I also wasn’t nice to you. I guess I was jealous you had a new friend. I felt like I was being replaced.”

She looked at me, and I could tell what she was about to say next was hard. “And I’m sorry I blamed you when Billy broke up with me and started going out with Sophie. I know it wasn’t your fault.”

“Brynn, it’s not that simple,” I said.

Now it was her turn to be quiet while I talked. I reminded Brynn what happened when she came to my house the day after Thanksgiving and accused me of causing the breakup with Billy. “You yelled so loud that everyone in my house heard you say our friendship was over. And when we were at the diner on New Year’s Day, you lashed out at Sophie, Billy, and me.” I looked at Brynn. “You told me you hated me.”

Brynn’s face was ghost-white. “April, I’m really sorry.” She paused. “For everything.”

Then Brynn started crying. “I would understand if you don’t forgive me. I’m not trying to make excuses. I was just upset about the breakup with Billy and your friendship with Sophie.” She wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her T-shirt. “Everything changed when she moved to Faraway.”

“It didn’t have to,” I said.

Brynn nodded. “I see that now. But I . . . I guess I just didn’t know how to deal with it when it was happening.”

“I get that,” I said. But there was one last thing I needed to say. “Why didn’t you come to Gaga’s funeral?” I hadn’t planned to bring it up, but this was my chance to get all of the things that were bothering me off my chest.

“I’m so sorry,” said Brynn. “My parents wanted me to go, and I wanted to go. But after everything, I figured you wouldn’t want me there.”

“I wanted you there,” I said. Then I paused. “Gaga would have wanted you there too. She loved you.” It was true.

When I said that, Brynn really started crying. “April, this might sound crazy. But can we just start over? I’m so sorry about everything that happened.” She wiped her eyes. “Could we try a fresh start? Please?”

I didn’t have to think about it. After I broke my leg on the ski trip, Gaga gave me a speech about the healing power of forgiveness. I knew what she’d want me to do, what I needed to do. “I’d like that,” I said.

She looked surprised, like she hadn’t expected I would be so understanding. Before I could say another word, she reached over and gave me a big hug. “Thanks, April.” Then she got a look on her face I knew well—it meant that Brynn was formulating an idea.

“Uh-oh. What is it?” I asked.

Brynn stood straighter. “We should go back to camp.”

“Huh?” No part of what she’d said made sense to me.

Brynn continued. “I can ask my mom to call the camp and see if there’s still room for both of us if we want to go. But it’s a package deal. I’m only going if you go.” She paused. “I’d really like to try to be friends again, and camp is the perfect place to do it.”

My mind was reeling. I had already decided I wasn’t going back to camp. In my mind, it wasn’t even a possibility. But until recently, neither was the fact that Leo would be going to Costa Rica, or that Brynn and I might have a chance at being friends again.

Still, I had plans to be here this summer and work at Mom’s store, and I was signed up to take a Driver’s Ed class that starts next week.

I told Brynn about my job and the class. “I can’t go,” I said.

Brynn shook her head like neither of those things should prevent me from going. “You could reschedule the class and talk to your mom about working at the store when you get back from camp!”

“Wow,” I said, mostly because I wasn’t sure what else to say, but also because I was reminded that some things never change, like Brynn’s ability to come up with a solution for pretty much anything—especially if it’s something she wants to see happen.

Brynn bit her lip. “Can I try that again?” she asked, like she was aware of how she’d sounded.

When I nodded she continued. “I’d really like for us both to go to camp, but I get that you already have plans. So maybe if you could just think about it, that would be cool.” She raised a brow. “Better?” she asked.

I had to laugh. “Much.”

8:05 p.m.
Called Leo

I’ve been thinking about apologies since I left Brynn’s, and I realized there’s someone I owe one to—Leo. I haven’t spoken to him or answered any of his texts since he told me two days ago he’s going to Costa Rica. To be fair, it wasn’t like I had this sudden realization I needed to apologize. I knew I did.

So tonight I called Leo and I got right to the point.

“I’m sorry I haven’t called or texted you back. And I’m sorry I wasn’t excited for you when you told me about doing research in the lab in Costa Rica.” I paused. “I should have been, but it threw me for a loop when you told me you’re leaving.”

“April, there are three possible meanings of the expression threw me for a loop,” said Leo. “It’s a reference to boxing, cattle roping, or riding on a roller coaster.”

I laughed. “I know what you’re doing. You don’t want me to feel bad. But I do.”

“To be honest, I’m flattered you like me enough to be upset I’m leaving. I was only upset that you were upset.” It was such a sweet, Leo-ish way of looking at things.

“I’m going to miss you,” I said.

“I’ll miss you too,” said Leo. “But the good news is that when I get back, we’ll still have six weeks to spend together before I go back to school.”

“Are we going to spend all that time talking about monkey brains?”

Leo laughed. “Even better. I’ll show you pictures of them.”

“Ewww!” I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Actually, when I come back from Costa Rica, I’m starting a new research project,” he said.

I groaned. “Isn’t one per summer enough?”

“This one is of a more personal nature,” said Leo. “I am planning to learn as much as I can about you, April Sinclair.”

I wasn’t sure if his line was a setup, but I took it as one. “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me,” I said in my most flirtatious voice. I thought it was a pretty good line, but I liked Leo’s return even more.

“It sounds like the most fun research I’ll be doing all summer.”

9:10 p.m.
One more call

When I hung up with Leo, I knew there was one more call I needed to make.

I hadn’t spoken to Sophie since the day she left. I still can’t believe we spent a year being best friends and not having one fight, and the day she left, we ended our time together by having a fight in front of my whole family. Now that I’ve had a few days to think about it, all the things we said to each other seem so stupid. I wanted to set the record straight, so I called her.

But as soon as she picked up, Sophie beat me to it. “April, we’re boneheads.”

The way she said it made me laugh. “Agreed,” I said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Billy.”

“No, it’s OK. You weren’t the one who should’ve told me.”

I had to agree with that.

“The day you left, I called Billy when I got home from the diner. I was so mad at him. I told him he should have told you sooner. He felt bad about the way it happened,” I said. “He knew you were upset about leaving, and he didn’t want to make you feel worse.”

“It’s fine,” said Sophie. “I should have known it wasn’t going to happen. I think I just wanted to believe there was something from Faraway I could take with me.” She paused like she was trying to decide what she wanted to say. “April, I’m really sorry. Maybe I was jealous your summer was working out and mine wasn’t.”

Suddenly I realized there was something she didn’t know. “Well, my summer isn’t exactly working out the way I’d thought.” I told Sophie about Leo going to Costa Rica and about Brynn apologizing and asking if I wanted to go back to camp.

“Wow!” said Sophie. “I leave town and the drama starts.”

I laughed. “Something like that.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Sophie.

“I don’t know,” I told her truthfully.