My energy runs out quickly the next day. But thankfully, I manage to get through school without falling asleep in one of my classes. And when I get home, Lottie makes sure I don't fall asleep there, either.

"I think we may just have enough money for the surgery," Lottie announces as she writes the amount in her stack on a piece of paper. "So far, we have five thousand. Just five thousand more and we're good to go."

I frown, writing down how much is in my stack. Most people know it was a fundraiser for the Perez family, but it still feels wrong somehow. I'm not even sure Lottie's parents will take the money for Tay's surgery. If they don't, this was all for nothing.

"Em." Lottie grasps my hand to stop me. "My parents are proud people, but they ain't afraid to admit when they need help. If the community came together to get this money, they'll accept it. I know they will. They'll do whatever it takes to make Tay happy."

I nod. "Yeah." It feels hollow even to me. Like I don't really mean it.

Lottie sighs and writes another number down. "How was your date with Tay?"

Involuntarily, I smile.

"That good, huh?" Lottie sets her stack of money on my bed and leans on her elbows.

"I didn't think a date with someone like him would be so... amazing." It was just like old times, only supersized now that we're old enough to know what we're actually talking about. We spoke of life and what our plans are for college and jobs. It's refreshing and different than what I imagined a date with him would be like.

Then another memory flashes through my mind. Bits and pieces of water splashing around, running through my hair as I duck under. Soft lips brushing mine...

No. I push the thought away. Now is not the time to think about that.

"Someone like him," Lottie echoes thoughtfully, pulling me away from the images in my mind.

"I didn't mean it in a derogatory way." I rub my temples. "I just meant that he's probably not used to taking it super slow on a date. I don't know if he did it for my benefit or just didn't want to."

Lottie puffs her cheeks, writing down another number. "I think he did it for you."

That's probably true.

"He's a good guy. He deserves this surgery."

Lottie smiles at that and writes down the amount in the last stack. "Is the scavenger hunt all set up?"

Before I can respond, "Dang." Her lips curl down, all traces of her earlier happiness gone. She punches numbers into the calculator quickly. Then again, sighing when she finishes. She squeezes her eyes shut.

I peer up at the bed from my spot on the floor. "What is it?"

"We're a thousand short." She looks down at me to gauge my reaction.

I sigh and roll over on my carpet to stare up at the ceiling. Of course, we don't have enough. How could I have been so stupid to think we could get enough from such a measly fundraiser?

"Em, we just need to find a way to get the last thousand. It's not over yet." Lottie rolls off the bed and onto the carpet beside me.

"What's not over yet?" Mom pokes her head through the door, hiding the rest of her body from view.

Lottie looks up at my mom and gives her a sad smile. "We came up short a thousand and Em's a little depressed."

"I am not!" It's not a big amount, but it still sucks that we don't have enough. What did I expect, anyway? That we could magically pull ten grand out of the air?

"Whether you're upset or not," Mom says, raising a hand to shush me, "it still sucks that you didn't get enough money. Any plans to get the rest?"

I shake my head, flopping an arm over my face. I'm fresh out of ideas, and another fundraiser is out. People aren't gonna fork over money forever. It has to run out at some point.

"Well, I'm sorry I can't help more. I know something that'll make you feel better, though." Mom glances down at herself before grinning. "I have a date tonight and I want your advice."

Lottie cocks her head to the side. "Ours?"

I nod in agreement with Lottie, pushing myself into a sitting position. Lottie and I aren't exactly the best people to go to for advice. Heck, I wore a pair of blue sweatpants and a purple cropped tee to the store the other day. If that's fashionable, then anything can be.

Mom presses her lips together and looks away. "Okay, so maybe it's because I don't have any friends to ask for advice."

Much better. "So, what are you thinking about wearing?"

Mom steps out from behind the door and twirls around in a black mini-dress. It comes halfway up her thighs, and she tugs at the hem nervously.

"Oh, my," Lottie says in awe. She nudges me with a cheeky smile. "I see where you get the nice figure from."

"Where are you going?" It's a nice outfit, but if it's not right for the setting, then it could be too over-the-top.

"That new Italian restaurant, I think." She tugs at the bottom of the dress again and fixes her earrings. It's nice to see her all dressed up for someone other than my teachers at conferences. The last time she went on a date was when Dad was still alive, and that was three years ago.

"Ooh, I hear they have great fettuccine." Lottie rubs her stomach. "Bring me some, would you?" When I give her a look, she laughs.

"May I know who you're going with?" There aren't many people around town that I don't know in some way or another, so I probably know him.

Mom purses her lips hesitantly. "I think... new... er" is all I hear from her mumbling.

"What?"

Mom sighs and speaks louder, "I think he might be a new teacher at your school."

"What?" Lottie's voice isn't more than a shriek as we bolt upright. "Who?"

"George Chambers." She scratches the skin behind her ear and looks away sheepishly.

That guy? He can't be more than a few years older than us, and Mom is thirty-seven! "But isn't he a little young?"

Mom doesn't take offense but just shakes her head. "He looks super young but he's in his thirties. I guess all of us couldn't get that lucky."

I purse my lips but don't say more. I guess he just looks so young that I didn't stop to think that any of his goofy stories from teaching at other schools might have been true. And it's odd to think Mom will be dating one of my teachers.

"Well, I gotta go, so you two stay out of trouble." She turns to Lottie. "You should get home soon, hon. It's a school night."

Lottie nods. "Will do, Miss Julie."

A few minutes after Mom leaves, Lottie stands up and stretches her legs. "Your momma's right. I should head home."

I nod and stand up. My back is cramping from laying on my stomach for so long, and I need to move before it gets worse. "Alright, but be careful. You don't know what dangers could lie in the few feet between our houses."

She laughs at my sarcasm and waves as she heads downstairs.

When I hear the door shut, I drop down on my bed and close my eyes. My date with Tay was amazing and it makes me glad I came up with the idea. He's a good guy, and I can feel our distant relationship mending itself.

"Ouch." I grab my neck as it cracks. My phone lights up with a message from Tay, and I glance down at it.

"I had a great time yesterday. Wanna go out again sometime?"

Any other time, I would have smiled, but now my stomach twists and leaves me uneasy.

Despite my current weird state, I accept and toss my phone on the bed beside me. The anticipation of another date has my head reeling with anxiety. What does he have in mind? What will he expect? Second dates have never been a thing for me. Heck, I never even had a date at all before Tay. I'm new to all of this. And am I supposed to tell him about what happened with Asa?

"Hey, Em."

I jump, almost falling off my bed. "Jesus, Asa, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

He smirks lazily, pointing to my balcony door. "Almost. Can I come in?"

I let out a breath and nod, running my hand through my hair. This can't be happening right now. I can't handle the emotional turmoil while trying to keep up a conversation with him. Dang, these guys and their drama. They're worse than women, and that says something.

"So." He looks at me as he fiddles with the bottom of his shirt. His eyes are everywhere but on me, and his nerves are starting to get to me. "About yesterday, I -"

"Asa, I'm still just so confused. I've liked Tay for a while, and -"

He puts up a hand to stop me. "I get it. You knew him way before you knew me. You don't have to explain it."

The urge to give him a hug battles with my better instincts telling me no. If I try to give him a hug, I'll probably make everything worse. He needs time to think, and so do I.

"That's not what I mean." I grab his arm as he tries to walk away, pulling him in for a quick kiss on the cheek. When I pull back, I try to plead with him through my eyes. "Just give me time, okay?"

"I'll see you at school tomorrow." With that, he doesn't bother climbing down the balcony since Mom isn't home. Instead, he goes through the house and out front.

I chew on my lip as he climbs into his car and leaves.

Another text comes through my phone, and I groan, ready to ignore Tay.

But it isn't Tay. It's Mom.

"George wants to donate the last thousand!"

What? My fingers move faster than my brain. "Are you serious?!"

Her reply comes slower than I like. "Dead serious."

Oh, my goodness. We have enough. We actually have all the money we need! My clever way of revealing it to Tay and his family will actually be put to use. Now I just have to put it all together.