Finn came by when I was about to close the hot
dog stand.
“Hey, can I get a dog?”
I glanced at Jake, who was looking at his
phone, all cool.
I gave Finn the last dog.
He didn’t take it.
“I forgot my wallet. So sorry.”
“It’s fine. It’s on me.”
Finn laughed. “You’re so nice!”
“You’re pretty generous right now.”
Jake looked at me. “You can come by and buy
one tomorrow.”
<
I didn’t say anything.
Things felt awkward.
Finn looked at Jake, then left.
I was packing up when Jake showed up.
The wind was cold, but he was looking at me
from under the trees.
I remembered the first time I talked to him.
It was a spring night, raining.
He stood at my stand.
“We in the same class?”
He’d bought hot dogs for two months, and only
talked to me for prices, so that’s the first
question he asked.
A little hurtful.
He didn’t know people.
“Yeah. I’m Sarah.”
Jake nodded. “Like candy?”
He frowned.
He didn’t talk much.
I looked at him and said, “Like the flower.”
“Sarah, are you gonna zone out?”
Jake’s voice broke my memories.
I saw Jake’s angry face.
“Did you come to pay for your friend?”
“No,” he hissed.
<
No one was walking around.
“Sarah, you never gave me one before? Are you
robbing me?”
I was confused.
“You came back to ask me this?”
Jake snorted and didn’t answer.
I put my hat on and took out the bag. “Here.”
“Where did you get these?”
“They’re for the dogs.”
Jake’s hand stopped in mid air.
I saw the rose tattoo on his wrist.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Am I a dog?”
…He was sensitive.
“No, you’re not. And dogs are cute.”
Jake’s
“Oh.”
s ears turned red and he took the bag.
I went home that night.
Lily brought a slice of cake to my room.
“Sis, I saved you some cake.”
It was her 18th birthday. Oh yeah, mine too.
“Thanks.”
She didn’t leave.
She looked at the books on my desk.
<
“Can I borrow your math notes? We have a
mock test coming up.”
She took my English notes and trashed them,
said it was an accident.
I gave her the notes.
She stopped smiling.
“Sarah, you’re such a fake.”
She took my notes.
I sat in my chair, looking at the cake.
