A Look and a Smile

Saturday, September 6th

I didn’t get a chance to write anything yesterday because I stayed at Kylie’s house. It was pretty uneventful, like she had promised. Her parents were nice enough, but kind of boring. Her mother mostly just smiled and talked about how glad she was that Kylie had a new friend. Her father ate dinner in silence and then went to his bedroom. Kylie’s parents sleep in different rooms, which I find odd. Kylie says it’s because her father snores and has to inhale medicine all night. The medicine isn’t good for babies, so her mother sleeps in the room they plan to make into the nursery.

I asked Kylie if he was still upset about the baby. She just shrugged and said he never really talks to her. When I told her how much me and my dad talk, she couldn’t believe it. Anyway, after dinner we went to her room. Her mother had brought home some makeup they were experimenting with at the pharmacy. It’s supposed to clear up acne. I don’t really have too much of a problem with zits. I mean I get them now and then like anyone does, but Kylie has them pretty bad. So we made each other up and then we went to the Grill on the Hill for a milkshake. Some guy I’d never seen before kept looking over at us. I asked Kylie if she knew him and she said, “That’s Adam Tucker. He’s home schooled.” She leaned over across the table to whisper. “They say his parents used to be terrorists. And they might still be.”

I started to say I’d met Mr. Tucker and didn’t think he was too dangerous, but I didn’t want Kylie to drop me as a friend so I said nothing. But I did give Adam Tucker a smile when I left. He looked lonely and, truthfully, he’s kind of cute in skinny, impish way. Hopefully Dad will make good on his promise and introduce me. Or maybe I’ll get brave and introduce myself if I run into him when I’m not with Kylie.