Toe to Toe (On Pointe Book 1) by Penelope Freed (comprehension books txt) 📗

drives while me, Lisa and my mom talk about the CBS and PSB summer intensives. My phone buzzes a few times while we’re talking and I pull it out to check.

marvelousStanLey: Did you fall on your butt like this guy? Is that why your day was so terrible? Has it gotten any better?

(hannahbananaballerina): marvelousStanLey sent you a post by epicfails

Hannahbananaballerina: OMG, did his teeth get knocked out? That’s disgusting! And yes, it got better. Just found out I got accepted into CBS!

marvelousStanLey: Rockstar!

Hannahbananaballerina: Hahaha, thanks! Going to dinner to celebrate

(marvelousStanLey): hannahbananaballerina sent you a post by isushinomnom

marvelousStanLey: *drooling* I love sushi

“Who’s that?” Lisa whispers in my ear.

I jump and almost drop my phone. “Oh! Uh. No one.” I whisper back. I mean, it’s not like it’s a secret, but I don’t want to talk about Trevor in front of my parents. That’s weird.

“Is that Trevor?” Lisa’s leaning over my shoulder to see my phone screen. “Come on Han, let me see. He’s kinda cute, I looked the other day,” she adds with a wink.

“What? Why?”

“Katy and I were doing our best friend duty and stalking him back. You never tell us anything, so we did a little sleuthing. ” She winks. “He’s related to Tyler Stanley, right?” I’m relieved to hear Lisa call herself my best friend. Since I realized how oblivious I’ve been to my true friends, I’ve been secretly worried that they resent me for it after all this time. Hearing her say it so matter of factly puts my mind at ease.

“Yeah, they’re cousins. Trevor lives in Seattle.” Lisa smirks. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” I huff in a whisper. My parents are busy talking to each other about some work thing, I don’t want to draw their attention.

“Hannah, how oblivious do you think Katy and I are? You’ve been messaging each other ever since YIGP, don’t lie. It’s also very convenient that Trevor lives in Seattle, seeing as how PSB is also in Seattle…” She starts scrolling up through the message thread and I dive to grab my phone away from her. She laughs and holds it high and out of my reach.

“Lisa! Give it back!” I shriek. My parents both snap their heads back to look at us.

“Hannah!” my mom says, “what on Earth?”

“Sorry Mom,” I reply, head down, glaring at Lisa from under my lashes. Lisa meanwhile is happily scrolling through my phone and reading Trevor’s messages to me.

“Hannah, he liiiiiiiiiiikes you.” Lisa says with a smile. “That boy is crushing on you.”

“No he doesn’t, no he isn’t.” I protest. “He’s just being nice or whatever. He knows I li…” I trail off. I was going to say I like Tyler but I stop, not sure if it’s true anymore. Lisa raises an eyebrow at me.

“Knows you like Tyler, his cousin?” she finishes for me. “Do you really? I mean, we all know you’ve been pining for him for years. Do you really still like Tyler, or do you just like the idea of liking Tyler?”

I scrunch down in my seat, arms crossed over my chest, staring straight ahead. I don’t appreciate that Lisa is calling me out on the very thoughts I’ve been trying to avoid ever since YIGP. “Shut up. I don’t know. It’s weird, okay?” I sigh, frustrated. “I mean, I did. I kinda do. I don’t know anymore.” I finish and I know I sound ridiculous even to myself. I hold my hand out for my phone. “But I definitely don’t like Trevor, okay? He’s just a friend.” My dad pulls into the parking lot at Noriko, my favorite sushi place, and we climb out of the car and head inside.

Lisa is still teasing me about Trevor while we follow my parents through the door. I’m pretending to ignore her by looking all over the restaurant, anywhere except at Lisa, when I freeze. At a table in the corner, I spot a mop of perfectly messy sandy blonde hair. Tyler is here with his family, chatting and talking animatedly. He’s….honestly? He’s still adorable. He’s laughing at something his sister said and his perfect cheekbones are highlighted by the overhead lights as he throws his head back, letting out a deep guffaw. He’s fiddling with the wrapper from his straw, leaving bits of shredded paper on the table.

Lisa tugs on my arm and I turn to follow her and my mom to the table and plop down in the booth next to Lisa. My mind is racing. There is no denying that Tyler is handsome and most of my fantasies about him have involved me looking at his face and feeling his strong arms around me. But Olivia may have had a tiny point, I’ve never really had a conversation with him. The closest I’ve ever come was when he had dinner with us at YIGP, but if I’m being honest he and I still barely said two words to each other. When I imagine going out on dates, texting and hanging out, do I imagine myself doing that with Tyler?

“What’s wrong?” Lisa asks quietly. I shake my head, lost in my own thoughts.

If I’m truly being honest with myself, I don’t. I have an easier time chatting with Trevor and I’ve only known him for a few weeks. If I was really meant to be with Tyler, surely we would have found a reason to hang out before now? He and Olivia are perfect for each other and no matter what I think of Olivia, I would never want to come between a happy couple like that.

If I truly let this crush go, what do I have left? I picture Tyler and Olivia together. Thinking of Olivia makes me sad, but the idea of them together doesn’t hurt my heart like it used to.

“Nothing, just thinking,” I glance at the table where the Stanley’s sit. I look at the way they chat and I don’t feel sad. I look at the mess of shredded paper Tyler