Andrea and the 5-Day Challenge by Cindy K. Green Page B

Hopefully, he couldn’t discover my secret id—PianoGrl096. Now my ears started to get hot. How could I admit what a child I’d been? “I don’t know. I guess I thought you’d think it was weird.”
    “Why? Do your other friends think it’s weird?”
    “No, but no one really knows except Amy.”
“Oh, Amy Appleby. I’ve seen her with Dion. You two are tight, right?”
    Even he’d seen Amy with Dion? I really had to question her on this later. “Yeah, we’ve been friends since kindergarten. She lives a couple streets away from me, and Mike McCutcheon is my next door neighbor.” Not that he ever talks to me.
    “Wow, I guess this is what it’s like living in a small town.”
    “Hey, we aren’t that small. And officially, we’re a city, not a town. We have a Dairy Queen and everything.” I rolled my eyes so he knew I was playing with him.
    “OK, thanks for the update. I just meant it seems small compared to California.”
    “I guess everything seems small compared to living in the Golden State.”
    “Yeah…it does.” He sounded a little wistful.
    The thing I’d begun to understand about Luke was that he was sweet and had a good sense of humor, but he had a serious, deep side, too.
    “You know you shouldn’t be embarrassed to be yourself…I mean, if people can’t accept you, then maybe they just aren’t worth it.”
    He was right. How was it that he was so certain of himself, and he understood the world so well? Had his circumstances made him that way?
    “I know you’re right. It’s just hard sometimes. All my friends are…”
    “They’re what?”
    “Well, talented for one thing. They all have something.”
    “And you play the piano pretty well, I hear.”
    “Yeah, and practically flunk Geometry.”
    He sniggered. “I believe the skill of failing Geometry belongs to yours truly. Although, I got a C on that last quiz—thanks to you.” He glanced at me and my heart rate accelerated. It got quiet between us for a minute before Luke spoke up again. “I know it’s hard being yourself to your friends. I’ve been there, done that. Take me coming to Aubrey. Everyone knew about me before I stepped on the campus. They had certain expectations about me from day one. They’ve been nice, but not because of who I am. None of them know who I am. It’s about what I can do. I’m this big baseball player that will hopefully help this school win a championship.”
    “I guess you are a little like CK, after all,” I said with a smile. “It’s not what you can do; it’s about who you are.”
    “Yeah, and when I’m with you, Andrea, I don’t worry about any of that. You just let me be me.” He curved his lips before returning his gaze to the road.
    I was speechless and the breeze flowing through the car did nothing to cool my burning cheeks. Really, had I done that? I guess I had made friends with him before learning he was this awesome jock who’d just transferred from California. When he helped me pick up my books on that September morning, I just thought—“Wow, a nice guy…finally.” So, when he asked for help in Geometry, how could I say no?
    “I hope you feel the same way around me.” He glanced at me expectantly, as if I should have some answer for him. Well, he didn’t know me very well if he thought I had an eloquent response ready on the tip of my tongue. Still, I should have some kind of answer. “Definitely.” I looked down to my lap. “And you’re right. It is hard being real with people. Even my parents.”
    “I hear you there. My dad just wants me to be a younger version of himself.”
    “And what’s that?”
    “The Box King.”
    “Excuse me?” I tried very hard to hide my smile. I think I failed. “Did you say…”
    “Yes, I did. He owns a box company. I know it sounds lame, but really, it’s pretty cool. We sell boxes to big restaurant supply chains around the country and the largest condiment maker on the market.”
    “Wow. I guess everyone needs