I’m really glad some things don’t have to change. Chiles rellenos for one. Hanging out with my bestie for two. Sinking into the chair in Kiara’s room after supper feels like being tucked in. Like getting an A on an essay. Like finding red hair in the bathroom. Comfortable. Right.
I tell Kiara about Sherry’s new school interest, and she’s delighted. I send Sherry a text to tell her where I am. She replies, Awesome! I knew you’d work it out. The college is huge. I got lost, and this really hot guy helped me out. Later!
I show the text to Kiara. We laugh. And then she takes over. A week of missed conversation pours forth. Most of it centers on Javier.
“His answers to our quiz were very cool.”
“True.” They were.
“And I did this new online quiz, right?”
“Of course you did,” I reply.
“It was about finding your soul connections.”
Oh man.
“But guess what?” Her eyes are round. “That’s not the same thing as a soul mate.”
“Really?”
She nods. “Soul connections can happen all over the place. With food, places, friends, animals…the list goes on. So here’s what I’m thinking. I don’t find Javier attractive.”
“No?”
She shakes her head. “No. He’s not my type.”
“Your type is more like Liam?”
She wrinkles her nose. “Not. He’s way too into himself. I have coyote spirit wisdom, right? I can’t be tricked by appearances.”
How could I ever have thought about giving up this friendship?
“So forget about him,” Kiara says. “But Javier. He’s interesting. And smart. Don’t you think?”
I nod. I do.
“So I’d like to get to know him better. And I was thinking I might…”
“Give him another quiz?” I ask.
She frowns. “I thought about it. But I decided I just want to talk to him. Maybe be his friend. In case he’s a soul connection.”
I’m not ready to share Kiara with someone else yet. An uncomfortable jealousy rises up in me. I swallow it down. “Oh?”
“Yeah. And I think you’d like him too. Or he’d like you.”
“But—”
She holds up a hand. “I know. Guys aren’t in the plan. I get it. But Jane, that is so racist.”
I gape at her. “Racist? Ugh. Kiara…”
“Ha. I knew that would get a reaction. I know it’s not racist, okay? I mean, obviously. But it’s sort of like that. You won’t associate with guys just because they’re guys.”
Should I admit that I’ve already had doubts about that part of my plan? “Yes, but—”
“No buts! All I’m saying is, who doesn’t want to be friends with someone who wants to invent a time machine? Or whose perfect day is go on safari and feast and sleep under the stars?”
“Or whose future plans are to follow their curiosity?” I mutter. That boggles my mind. Because it doesn’t really sound like a plan. Except it is.
“Yeah! I think that might be my plan too. So here’s what I want to do.”
She tells me. I listen. And I decide I’m good with it. The next day at lunch, we ambush Javier in the hall. We walk up to him with a book we got from the library—The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. We ask him if he’s read it. We haven’t read it, but he has. And it’s like turning on a tap. Javier talks. And talks. About time travel. Where and when he’d like to go. About how changing one little thing can have ripple effects. About how hard it would be to be stuck in a place and time where you don’t know anyone. How unpredictable the future is.
I’m fascinated. I could listen to him for hours. I love the way he waves his hands around to make a point. His curly hair vibrates, and I want to touch it. His eyes shine with delight. But when I glance at Kiara to share my wonder, I notice that her eyes have glazed over. I nudge her with my elbow, and she starts. She looks around like she’s searching for the exit and spots Lexi coming down the hall. Then she blurts, “So, Javier. What do you think about traveling to the African savanna?”
His eyes widen. His head bobs. He starts talking about a goat-grazing project on the grasslands. Kiara looks horrified.
I’m amazed at how informed he is. I slip in a question. “So the goats actually improved the grasslands?”
Javier turns to me. “Yes. But the grazing must be rotated.” He begins describing how the farmers manage this. I listen.
It takes me a moment to notice Kiara has run away. I’m forced to make a decision. I hold up a hand. “Javier?”
He stops.
“Can we talk about this again sometime?”
He nods. And smiles. He has a wonderful smile. I probably smile too—I’m not sure. And then I go after Kiara. When I catch up to her, she’s sulky.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“You were right. Guys are a waste of time.”
“Not all of them,” I protest. “Javier’s incredibly smart.”
“Yeah. Maybe too smart. And he talks too much.” She catches my eye and shakes her head. “Don’t even, Jane. I know, okay? I do it too. But obviously, there can only be one motormouth on the scene. Two together is a tragedy.”
“You have a point. But maybe he’s lonely. Maybe he had a lot bottled up because no one ever talks to him. Or no one lets him talk.”
Kiara considers this. “That would be awful.”
“I know.”
“So maybe…” She pauses and twists her ponytail. “Maybe I’ll have to share you.”
I raise my brows. “Share me?”
“Yeah. Like, when I’m at cheerleading? Or if I ever do find the one? You could hang out with Javier.”
“Really?” I can’t keep the sarcasm from my tone. “You’d allow that?”
She looks at me sideways. “It’s not like that.” She reads my eyes. “No? Okay. You’re right. I guess you need to do whatever you want.”
I sigh. “I guess we both do. The thing is, Kiara…” I stop. Start again. “The thing is, you’re my bestie. Forever, I hope. But I have a feeling we’re going to keep changing. And there will be times when it can’t be just us. So I like your idea.”
She squints at me. “Which one?”
“I would like to hang out with Javier.”
Her squint narrows. Her eyes are mere slits. “You’d like that?”
“I think he’s interesting and actually sort of…cute.”
Kiara gapes at me. Then she cranes her neck to peer down the hall at Javier. “Seriously?”
I shrug.
She grins and links her arm through mine. “But I’ll still be your bestie?”
“Always.”
She smiles. “Okay then.”
I nod. And it is okay. All of it.