p with one thought: Today,

But I said yes. Which makes me an

c embarrassment," sh

Flavored with a si

ring how I went from hopeless r

-

al. Maya, on the other hand, was thriving. She slid up beside me in a neon hoodie

ready,'"

name of personal growth and qu

, I'm ready to em

like a proud villain. "We do it at lu

red a

ying this wa

ious

-

ll, my brain short-circuited like someone poured soda on the motherboard. He looked good in t

a project called Ethan's Face: A Visu

ize it so I know wha

re not saving the universe. You're jus

of emotion

-

cht

afete

p my lunch tray. It was heavier than I expected. And redder.

d. Maya stood behind me, phone out, ready to r

ot. But it'll

ate

e when you're f

as about to walk a fashion runway. Except this

ha

cas said. Fork mid-air. Unaware that a walking disas

like a general sendi

learned how to exist in the world. Each step echoed with doom. And then-the moment. I tripped

PL

ghe

ywhe

y sh

y ha

. Gasps echoed. A fork clattered dramatically. I stood frozen, dripping mar

h

bo

OR

ping toward me. I tri

shoulder like a flag of surr

paghetti-ed

oked...

cer

ch, let's be real, wa

okay?"

assionate about pas

was he smiling?! "You, uh... you've got

I probably looked like I got into a fis

to quit carbs,

go great

t did

was a walking meme? I turned to leave-but slipped on a rogu

aught m

-care

ayed me and t

t trying out sl

yebrows raised,

ury me in marinara. I nodded and sp

-

ya was practically

," she shouted, cl

Do you know how many views

ecorde

did! That was

e my l

ing great,

KE A PIZZA C

oked ad

Red-streaked shirt. Hair clumped. Noodle stil

e him like me."

t, w

. He called me unique

... kind of

inks I'm a rom-

a rom-com

n is back

t's working

roa

t over him?" Maya th

ng you until one of you gets

fort

e welc

-

y in bed freshly showe

one p

age from an u

e the lunch performanc

punched

next mess

e way. In case the marin

at the

ype

ete

d ag

medy full-time. Ethan: You've got potenti

aug

pau

gro

be uncrushing him. But ins