“When did you get a rabbit?” Isabel asked me.
I had questions for her, too. Like, what was she doing here? Why didn’t she give me any warning? “Um … last week. I think.” I stacked the clothes and plopped them into the laundry basket on the floor.
“Hi, I’m Lily,” I said to the stranger in the room before it became too late for introductions.
“I’m David,” he said. “We were in Math together last year.”
I looked at him again, closer, in this new context. Of course I knew him. We had Math together sophomore year. My brain hadn’t registered that when I’d thought he was Gabriel’s friend.
“You go to Morris High.” I said it like an accusation. And it was. But it was meant for Isabel, not David. I shot her a look. She just smirked and shrugged. So this had been a setup after all. She’d set me up with a guy from school. No wonder she was so mad when I canceled.
“Yes?” David said, frowning at me.
“Sorry. I just thought you were a friend of Gabriel’s.”
The rabbit bounced around a spilled bin of Legos and over Isabel’s foot. She yelped and pulled both feet on the couch before saying, “He is a friend of Gabriel’s. But he also just happens to go to our school.”
I shoveled the Legos back into the bin and righted it. The rabbit scampered to David and sniffed at the hem of his jeans.
“Things, go finish watching your movie. But first, put the rabbit back in its home before it has time to cast an evil spell.”
“He’s not evil,” Wyatt said.
“Ah, see, he already has you hypnotized. The rest of us would like to keep our senses.” I realized I was being stupid. I needed to shut up. But when I was nervous I tended to let all my odd thoughts come out my mouth. Well, actually, most of the time I let that happen, but especially when I was nervous.
Jonah picked the rabbit up around its middle, its feet kicking wildly for a moment before they stilled, and the boys left the room.
“Your mom got them a rabbit?” Isabel said, staring after my brothers.
“Yeah, you know my mom. I guess she saw someone selling it on the side of the road and was worried it was on its way to a Crock-Pot … or a roaster or maybe a spit … how are rabbits prepared, anyway?”
Everyone was silent.
“Where is your mom?” Isabel finally said.
“When I said I’d stay home, she and my dad decided to go to some friends’ Halloween party or something.” I ran my hand through my messy hair and plopped down on the couch beside Isabel.
“Did they dress up?”
“Surprisingly, no. Unless their costume was just ‘Weird Parents.’ ”
The doorbell rang and I went to answer it, this time dropping a handful of candy into the bags of excited little ninjas. When I sat back down next to Isabel, I said, “So … was there a plan? Or you just decided to come say hi.”
Isabel turned to me, her dark eyes bright. “We decided to come say hi and introduce you to David. He is in the band at school.”
This was supposed to be our common bond, I could tell by Isabel’s proud smile. “Oh, cool. What instrument do you play?”
David pushed his floppy brown hair off his forehead. Considering how thin he was, he had a baby face—round cheeks and a wide nose. “The clarinet.”
“Like the King of Swing?”
“What?”
“You know, Benny Goodman. Isn’t he proof that clarinetists can actually make it somewhere?” The words were out before I realized how offensive they sounded. “I’m sorry. That was rude. There are lots of great outlets for the clarinet. Marching bands, orchestras.” Now I just sounded patronizing.
“Lily plays the guitar,” Isabel said.
“I try.” Was it too late not to let them in my house? “Do you guys want something to drink?”
“Sure,” Gabriel said.
“Isabel, help me in the kitchen.”
She followed me in and when I was sure the guys couldn’t hear, I whispered, “Why would you do this to me?”
Isabel sighed. “I thought that if you didn’t know you were going on a date tonight, you wouldn’t have time to stress. That you wouldn’t practice lines in your mind and imagine outcomes.”
“You thought my awkwardness was from preconceived plans to be awkward?”
“Yes, actually.”
I laughed. “Well, now you know the truth.”
She laughed too. “I guess I do. But come on. Isn’t David adorable? And it’s not like he’s super smooth. You guys fit well.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Give him a chance?”
I grabbed some cups down from the cupboard and scooped ice from the freezer into them. “Why not?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t warn you. I really, really thought it would be better this way.”
I knew her intentions were in the right place. “It’s fine. Here, take these two drinks. Let me check on my brothers. I’ll be there in a minute.”
I opened the door to the TV room. Wyatt and Jonah were sitting on the couch, the rabbit between them. “Hey, I told you to put the rabbit away,” I said. “He’s going to pee and Mom won’t be happy.”
“He’s watching this show. It’s his favorite. When it’s over,” Wyatt said.
I smiled. “You two are strange.” And I loved it. “As soon as it’s over. Not one second later.”