When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez Page A

trying to get him to cut the comments.
    â€œSorry, Davis. I was kidding,” Kevin said. “I didn’t know you were so sensitive. Lighten up, would you?”
    â€œI’m not sensitive, and I don’t need to lighten up. You have no idea what you’re talking about.” Elizabeth raised a hand. “You know what, no. I’m not getting into it with you, and how did this conversation become about me, anyway?”
    â€œRight,” said Tommy. He grabbed one of Elizabeth’s bags of chips. She let him steal a few chips before she snatched back the bag. “Well, we could survey the teachers. Ask them why they got into teaching, what they like and don’t like. It could be an interesting story for the newspaper, don’t you think?”
    â€œI guess,” said Elizabeth.
    â€œIt’s too bad you don’t write. You could do the article.” He grabbed one of her bags of chips again.
    â€œI can write,” Elizabeth said defensively. She grabbed back her chips.
    â€œI didn’t say you can’t write. You don’t, though.”
    â€œI don’t write for the paper. That doesn’t mean I don’t write.”
    â€œReally, so what do you write in your journal?” Tommy asked. Kevin grinned at the exchange.
    â€œStuff,” said Elizabeth.
    â€œSo, why not publish any of this stuff in the paper? That is what we do.”
    â€œIt’s not for the paper. It’s not meant to be read by anyone else.”
    â€œSo mysterious,” said Kevin.
    â€œYou see what I have to deal with?” Tommy asked Kevin.
    â€œWhat’s that supposed to mean?” asked Elizabeth.
    â€œNothing,” said Tommy. The boys glanced at each other and snickered again.
    â€œGirls are complicated,” said Kevin. “Like my little
chica
, Emily.
Muy complicada
.”
    â€œSo, you’re paying attention in Spanish class this year? Or are you getting ready to meet her family?” Elizabeth said and laughed. “You never told me how this whole thing with Emily started.”
    â€œWell, first, I kissed her at a party in June because Abby asked me to.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œHow could you not know about the kiss? We went viral. Do you live like the Amish at home or something?”
    â€œI knew about the kiss. Who didn’t? I didn’t know that Abby told you to do it.”
    â€œNeither does Emily. God, she’d kill us both, although, it wasn’t like an order or a dare or anything. It was more like a friendly nudge in Em’s direction. No big deal.”
    â€œStop saying that. You both say that all the time, even when you know it’s a big deal. You drive me crazy.”
    â€œI love you, too, Davis. It’s not easy, but I do,” said Kevin. “Anyway, after that, Emily’s dad went ballistic over the whole thing and she dropped me. But, once that died down, we started hanging out again.” Kevin paused and looked over atEmily’s lunch table. Elizabeth turned to look, too, but snapped back when Emily glanced in their direction.
    â€œSo, then what happened?” asked Elizabeth.
    â€œShe wanted to keep it quiet. We argued about that, and one day she went off on me because she said I flirted with Sarah in English class.”
    â€œDid you?” asked Tommy.
    â€œNo,” said Kevin.
    â€œYes, you did,” said Elizabeth. “I remember. On one of the first days of school, you scratched Sarah’s back and then winked at Emily. It’s like you were flirting with both of them. I meant to slap you for that.”
    â€œI needed a pencil. I wasn’t flirting.”
    â€œAre you kidding?” said Elizabeth. “You could have tapped Sarah on the shoulder or whispered her name to get her attention. Scratching her back was a flirty move.”
    â€œReally? I should run some of this stuff by you from now on, Davis. I mean, you are a girl.”
    â€œExcellent observation