Better Off Friends

His shoulders sank down in defeat. “Okay. But Mom’s really insisting on bringing something. And she only gets a

“I don’t want her to bring anything. This is my supper for you guys, a thank-you to your family for everything and a celebration for us that school’s starting next week.”

He shook his head. “You’re the only person who gets excited that school’s starting. Haven’t we had an awesome summer?”

It had been a great summer. But I still craved the discipline the school year gave me.

I still needed the distractions.

I knew Dad was only trying to help, but I had everything pla

“You sure you don’t need anything?” he asked for the seventh time.

“Seriously, Dad, I’ve got it. Please go do something, anything. Go watch TV with Adam.”

He chuckled. “You sound exactly like your mother.” It was the first time he’d mentioned Mom without getting sad. Instead, he was laughing. Of course, he was laughing at me, but I didn’t have time to get upset about it. I had garlic bread to toast.

Luckily, the doorbell saved me, and Dad went to let Levi and his parents in. I heard a scattering of their greetings.

“Smells amazing!” Mrs. Rodgers greeted me in the kitchen. “I don’t want to be in your way at all; I only wanted you to know that it all smells delicious.”

Dad followed her with a bottle of wine in his hand, most likely a gift from Levi’s parents. Then I saw Levi and almost didn’t recognize him with his new haircut. It took me a second to realize he had flowers in his hand. His dad came behind him and gestured.

“Oh, yeah,” Levi said, taking the cue. “Um, for the chef.” He handed me the flowers, his cheeks ruddy from embarrassment.

“Thanks!” I hastily grabbed them.

Levi’s dad winked at Mrs. Rodgers before giving me a hug. I was especially honored that Dr. Rodgers could make it. He worked such long hours, he usually didn’t make it home in time for supper at his own house.

I shooed them all out of the kitchen so I could finish the meal. I couldn’t help but smile when their voices and laughter drifted into the kitchen. It was nice to have joyful noise fill the house again. Every once in a while, I’d hear Adam groan and knew that Levi was trash-talking about the upcoming football season. You’d think he’d learn to keep his affinity for the Bears on the down low in Packers country.

The timer on the oven dinged just as I put the salad on the dining room table. We hadn’t eaten there since my tenth birthday. There hadn’t been much reason to celebrate or break out the good china in a while.

I looked over the table one last time before calling them in, making sure everything was in place. I felt my chest swell with pride as everybody came in and made a fuss.

Once everybody dug in, quiet fell over the table, except for the occasional compliment on the salad. I then served the lasagna with garlic bread before bringing out the chocolate cake I’d made for dessert.

“Cake, too!” Mrs. Rodgers patted her slim waist. “I’m glad I signed up for back-to-back spin class tomorrow morning!”

“Oh,” I said, “the cake’s only from a box. I haven’t started taking any baking courses yet.”

Her eyes got wide. “Honey, this is all amazing. I now feel like I need to up my game next time you come over for di

I wanted to get up and hug her. Sitting around the table with everybody together made me realize how much I missed moments like that. I had forgotten what it was like to enjoy a meal together as a family. We’d gotten into the habit of making sandwiches or ordering in. We needed to have the TV on to fill in the silence. Because sometimes silence speaks much louder than words possibly could.

It was then that I knew this would be the first of many family meals we’d have together. I wanted to start a tradition with this new, growing family. Sure, the Rodgerses and I weren’t related, but family doesn’t have to be blood relations only. I think family is more a state of mind.

“You know, that reminds me.” Dad put his finger in the air. “I’ve been meaning to have a conversation about the school year. I’m fine with Macallan being dropped off here on Wednesday, or any day really. She’s been babysitting around the neighborhood and spending a lot of time here by herself during the summer, so she doesn’t have to come over to your house.”

Both Levi and I exchanged a look. I was pretty sure it was the same look, or at least I hoped it was. I liked going to his house and hanging out with him and his mom. I didn’t like coming home to a house that was empty of people, yet full of memories.

Dad continued. “I think I’ve been a little overprotective. Our little girl is almost in high school. I can’t believe it.” Dad’s eye drifted to a spot on the wall right behind me. I didn’t need to turn around. I knew what was there: a photo of my parents’ first dance on their wedding day. Dad had said something fu

“But we love having Macallan over,” Mrs. Rodgers said. I immediately felt better. “Right, Levi?”

I found myself holding my breath. I knew Levi wanted to make some more guy friends, but I hoped that wouldn’t mean we couldn’t still hang out. We talked about things that I couldn’t with my girl friends. I liked not always obsessing over boys or what we were wearing the next day. Levi and I talked about real things. And he made me laugh more than anybody had been able to do in years.

Levi looked straight at my dad. “It wouldn’t be the same without her, Mr. Dietz.”

I was so relieved to hear his response that my eyes began to burn. I got up and started clearing the table. Levi did the same. Once we set the plates down on the counter in the kitchen, he gave me that crooked smile of his.

“Dude, that was close. Blimey if I’d know what to do without you.”

I felt the exact same way.

When we got our schedules for eighth grade, we discovered that the unthinkable had happened.

Emily, Levi, Danielle, and I had been split up for lunch. The only bright spot was that we’d been divided down the middle, so no one was left alone. Emily and Levi had first lunch, while Danielle and I were relegated to second lunch.

Emily was the most concerned about the lunch disaster, which surprised me. She’d always been the type of person who can walk into any room and start a conversation with a stranger. But she was uncharacteristically worried about eighth grade. All summer she kept saying that this would have to be our best year since none of us knew what would happen next year when we got to high school. A lot of this fear, I knew, was because Emily’s older sister had gone, to quote Emily, from “it girl to so last season” once she got to South Lake High School.

I found myself extremely anxious on Levi’s behalf while I was in history class. Was Emily sitting with him? Would she have abandoned him to sit with some of her cheerleading friends or Troy, her current crush?

My worries faded once I got to the hallway and saw Emily and Levi walking together, laughing about something.

“Hey!” Emily greeted me. “Stay away from the sandwiches at lunch — they’re super soggy.”

Emily winked at Levi. I felt a slight pang of jealousy rise up inside me. Which I instantly knew was silly. I wanted Levi and Emily to be friends.