"That's cool."
Nikki isn't über-friendly after I told her I go to Chicago Academy, like she's suddenly wary of me.
Luckily, a cool guy wearing a black hooded sweatshirt sits on the other side of me and starts talking. "What's up? I'm Wes."
"I'm Amy."
"I've never seen you here before," Wes says while checking me out. He's so obvious about it, a guy like that deserves to be played with.
"I'm a youth group virgin," I say.
Instead of being shocked, the guy laughs. "Cool. You might not want to hang with me. I'm so not a virgin I might scare you off"
"I go to Chicago Academy," I tell him. "I might scare you off."
Instead of being intimidated, Wes leans forward. "Ooh, one of those rich kids. Is it true your parents host teenage parties with booze and pot?"
"Absolutely," I lie. "What else would we do with all that excess money?"
He laughs and gives me a big, cocky smile. "I like you, Amy."
Rabbi Doug gives us our assignment. "You guys are in charge of hanging the fruit in the sukkah. The baskets, hooks, and string are in the back room. Be creative, people."
I follow the rest of the kids to the back room. Wes and I are instant friends, I find out he goes to Mather High, too, and sings in a band called Lickity Split. Nikki is starting to warm up to me, or maybe she likes Wes so she's acting all nicey-nice.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" Wes asks me while we're attempting to string bananas together.
I look over to Jessica's group, working with nails and wood to put up the sukkah structure. "Sort of."
"What do you mean by 'sort of?" Nikki chimes in.
Is it really any of these people's business? "I have a boyfriend, but he's in Israel."
Wes plunges a needle and thread into the skin of the banana. "As in he lives there?"
"Yeah."
"How can he be your boyfriend when he's, like, a million miles away?"
I stop the banana threading. It's like everyone else is putting into words what's been on my mind lately. It's pissing me off. Ever since I talked to my Israeli cousin yesterday, I've been rethinking my relationship with Avi. Obviously I'm not his first priority. Why should he be mine?
Without answering Wes, I wander away from the youth group and stare out at the view of Lake Michigan. The backyard of the synagogue faces the lake, on prime real estate property. I'm sure my stepfather would love to get his hands on this piece of land. I envision myself on the sandy beach below.
An image of Nathan pops into my head, interrupting my thoughts of Avi. Why, I have no clue. It's just... well, Nathan kind of reminds me of Avi. Not his looks, by any means. Avi is drop-dead-oh-my-God gorgeous, the Abercrombie model come to life. Nathan is the opposite. He looks as awkward as he acts and doesn't even care that he's a loner. Avi has a bunch of loyal friends.
Avi and I fell for each other after hating each other for the better part of the summer. In the beginning, we fought every time we came within two feet of each other. When he kissed me, it was as explosive as the fighting and more incredible than any kiss I'd ever had.
I'm sure kissing Nathan would be nothing like kissing
Avi.
I put my hands on either side of my head and squeeze my eyes shut. How can I think about kissing Nathan? Eww.
Okay, I'll admit he has unique green eyes. They have little specks of brown and gold in them, and when he looks at me I find myself searching for those specks. A guy like that shouldn't have such cool eyes.
"Hey, Amy, you okay?"
It's Jessica. I don't feel like talking right now, even to my best friend. I'm kind of fine being depressed all by myself. "I'm fine."
"You think the youth group is weak sauce, don't you? I'm sorry I made you--"
"It's not weak sauce."
"Then why are you all mopey?" My best friend rolls her eyes at me, if you can believe it. "Seriously, Amy, you're gonna have to get over Avi. You've been acting like a total recluse lately and it's getting on everyone's nerves, especially mine. Can't you move on? I guarantee Avi's not moping around, making his friends and everyone else around him miserable."
I stand here wide-eyed, not believing for a second Jessica just bitched me out. She's never done this before. We've always supported each other through guys and zits and parents and school. "I guess it's too much to ask for my best friend to support me when I need it the most," I say.
"You know what, Amy? I was thinking the same thing," she says, then stomps back to the sukkah- building activity.
What the hell was that all about? I'm too confused to think right now. All I want to do is go home. What's worse is that I'm at the mercy of Jessica because she drove me here.
Stomping back to my group, I plop myself down next to Wes from Lickity Split again.
"Amy, you just sat on a banana," Wes informs me, then bursts out laughing. Nikki and the rest of my group follow. All eyes are watching to see what I'm going to do next.
I could cry--that wouldn't take too much effort. In fact, I can feel a waterfall forming behind my eyelids.
Closing my eyes, my brain focuses on the wet, gushy mush soaking the jeans I spent over a half hour picking out. And on Jessica's tirade. And on my mom's pregnancy. And on Avi and Nathan and my dad's date disaster. And Mutt's insatiable addiction to sniffing everyone's crotch.