Too Much Drama by Laurie Friedman Page B

right? Usually, the boy asks the girl out, not the other way around.”
    Sophie shook her head at my explanation. “That’s ridiculous.”
    â€œI agree,” I said. “But I don’t make the rules.”
    â€œWell I don’t care who makes them. I like Billy, and I’m going to ask him out on Valentine’s Day.” She was actually blushing. “I thought about different ways of doing it. But everything I thought of seemed like it belonged in a bad movie. I’m just going to go to his house, ring his doorbell, and ask him if he wants to go out.”
    As Sophie talked, it was easy to see how much she likes Billy. And I know he likes her. I don’t think it matters who asks who out.
    Something tells me they’re going to be happy together.
    9:17 p.m.
Just hung up with Leo
    Leo called to say he’ll be home for the weekend on Friday, and we made a plan to meet in the park. “I can’t wait to see you,” he said.
    I wanted to say something light or clever in response. Even something simple like, “Me too!” But those words wouldn’t come out. So many times when I’d called him, he couldn’t talk or didn’t return my call for days. It was confusing to hear him say he’s excited to see me. I wasn’t sure what to say to him, so I went with the truth. “Leo, we have stuff to talk about.”
    Leo laughed. “April, we always have stuff to talk about.” I couldn’t tell if he was being straightforward or sarcastic.
    I guess I have to wait until Friday to find out.

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
    â€”Ferris Bueller
    Friday, February 13, 6:55 p.m.
Home from the park
    I’d been worried about meeting Leo in the park since we’d talked the other day. I had an idea of what I wanted to say to him. I’d even rehearsed it in my head on the way to the park. I just wasn’t confident it would come out the way I wanted it to. Plus, it was Friday the 13th, which I took as a bad sign. Good things never happen on Friday the 13th.
    But as I walked toward the slide on the playground where we’d agreed to meet, Leo smiled and waved me over, and my anxiety melted into excitement.
    â€œApril Elizabeth Sinclair, in person!” he said and gave me a hug.
    I smiled. Leo’s hair was longer, and he looked cuter than I’d remembered. Plus I couldn’t believe he remembered my middle name. I was pretty sure I’d only told it to him once.
    He tapped the side of his head, like he’d read my mind. “It’s a little embarrassing to admit this, but I’ve got a knack for remembering all the little things you tell me.” He motioned to a nearby bench and we sat down.
    â€œHmm,” I said flirtatiously. “Is that a sign of liking someone?”
    Leo raised a brow at me like the answer to my question was obvious. But it wasn’t. At least not to me.
    â€œLeo,” I said tentatively.
    â€œHenry,” he said. “If you’re wondering, my middle name is Henry. I’ve always thought it’s a handsome name, in a British sort of way.” He cleared his throat. “Leo Henry,” he said with a British accent.
    I laughed. It was so silly and so him.
    He kept talking. “As I’m sure you know, Elizabeth is also a British name. I like that we both have British middle names. It’s just one of the things we have in common.” Leo looked at me like he was gauging my reaction.
    There might be some things we have in common, but we also have some pretty big differences, like the fact that I’m still in high school, and now, he’s a college student. And possibly, a college student with a girlfriend.
    â€œLeo, we need to talk.” I launched into the speech I’d rehearsed on the way to the park. “Since you went to college . . . you say you’re going to call, then you don’t. I