Israel stays where he is, staring Oliver down. Oliver looks right back with a stupid smile on his face. I’d like to think I put it there. Israel looks over at me. “Katie, your mom wants you in the kitchen.”
I stand up to go, and Oliver squeezes my hand. “You might want to put on a bra.” He says kind of quiet, but not quiet enough.
I choke on Oliver’s words. Israel’s face goes red. His eyes look like they could set Oliver on fire. I glance back at Oliver, the smirker. “Go down with Israel, Oliver. I’ll meet you in a minute.”
His smirk falters as he stands up. “Do I have to?”
“Yes, but I wouldn’t walk in front of him.” Oliver gulps. I laugh as I shove him out the door.
A few minutes later, I head downstairs. I find my mom in the kitchen. “Did you and Oliver make up?”
“Yes.”
She gives me a hug. “Good. I think he’s a keeper.”
I take in Oliver, who stands in the doorway. My emotions scare me. If I have to go on without him, I can. I know this because I went through the weekend, thinking I would have to return to school, with him possibly being back together with Red. And I was ready to face that, not wanting to, but I was going to do it, standing on my own two feet; not crying or throwing a baby fit or making up false stories or acting all crazy nuthouse about it, and not leaning on a crutch, no matter how wonderful and cute Drake is.
That’s got to count for something, right? I mean, I could have gone back to school with a new, different boyfriend, Drake, just so I wouldn’t be alone, but I didn’t do it. I knew it wouldn’t be fair to him or me, even if it would have been awesome to throw in everyone’s deserving faces. So that counts for something too, right?
I look back at Mom. Her food is all lined up and ready to go. She has her awesome catering business at her fingertips. Her Airbnb She-Shed stands tall in the backyard just beyond our kitchen door, and I’m so proud of her.
She’s reinvented herself in Ohio, and she’s doing just fine. When Dad showed up, Mom didn’t give an inch, and she didn’t back down. She wasn’t a blubbering mess when he left.
Maybe Dad will come back for me, and maybe he won’t; and I’m choosing to be okay with that. He’s in a bad place right now, and the choices he’s made are ones he’ll have to live with. They aren’t my fault or about my self-worth.
As for Israel, he’s on his way to mending fences with his dad, and I’d like to think that mom and I had a big part in that. And maybe he and Ms. Madiss will hit it off, and maybe they won’t; but at least they are willing to give it a try.
As for me, I’ve decided to go to a state college next year and try out for the basketball team. I’ve learned a few things since this move; it’s okay to be who you are, and it’s important to do the things you love. I can be beautiful and feminine with a mean right hook and play a killer game of basketball.
Best of all, I have a best friend and an awesome boyfriend, and they both love all of me. I’m Katie Sapphire Albright, much-loved daughter, loyal best friend, cherished girlfriend, lovesick blogger (but I’m working on that), selective baller, and I’m going to be okay.
“Katie, these pictures came in the mail for you today, I think.” Mom tosses a hard envelope at me.
I snatch them up. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll be right back.” I dash upstairs to my room.
I open my closet door and gaze at my Emma Stone FanGirl wall and get lost for a bit. I may not have gotten my much-wished for Easy A African American younger brother, but Israel’s a close second. And I may not have had my super-hot Crazy, Stupid, Love kiss raincoat moment in a bar, but Oliver and I have our own special moments, and many more to come. I’m sure we’ll have our share of walks in the rain.
I can’t wait to have some of our own Crazy, Stupid, Love days. We may never soar into the galaxies together on a La La Land song, but that’s okay, because when I hold Oliver’s hand in mine, I feel all float-y inside.
Oliver is my Aloha Gilcrest, aka Captain SexyPants, aka Mudpie Mojo, and I am thrilled to be his co-Captain Ng.
A picture of the five of us at Israel’s art show catches my eye. My heart does a little happy dance. With JuneBug on one side, Oliver on the other, and Mom and Israel cheering from the stands, I see nothing but a bright future ahead.
I sigh as I take down a few pics of Emma on my FanGirl wall and replace them with a few more snapshots of me and JuneBug, and me and Oliver. Emma Stone will always have my unquestionable devotion as the much cooler older sister who never ages and a station I can always tune in to, but there’s also the joy of friendship, the thrill of falling in love, and moments of laughter for no apparent reason, and those are pretty great too.