especially me, after our friendship breakup.â
âYouâre better off without her,â I said as I slung an arm around Jessiâs shoulder. âBesides, youâve got us now!â
âTrue.â Jessiâs face brightened. âAnd Iâm with my new best friends in the mall, and the best part is yet to come.â
âBest part?â Zoe asked.
âBoys and pizza!â Jessi said, pointing her finger toward the ceiling. âTo the third floor!â
I laughed. âWhat, do they have a store on the third floor where they sell boys and pizza?â
âWhat do they call it, Boys R Us?â Emma joked.
âOr maybe they call it Cody Hut,â Zoe said with a sly smile at Jessi.
Jessi looked a little embarrassed at Zoeâs comment, but she tried to laugh it off. âWhatever. The arcade is on the third floor, and thatâs where all the boys hang out. The food courtâs on the third floor too. So letâs go check it out!â
We followed her out of the store and up the escalator.
The smells of the food court hit us as we headed across the mall. Just as Jessi had said, a bunch of boys were hanging out talking in front of the arcade.
âSo, um, what are we supposed to do?â I asked. âTalk to them?â
âNo. We just watch them and decide whoâs cute,â Jessi replied. âWait, is that Brendan Insler over there?â
Zoe blushed. âNo, thank goodness. What did Frida tell you?â
âOnly that he follows you around like a puppy and carries your books everywhere now,â Jessi answered.
âI never said he was like a puppy,â Frida protested. âAlthough, thatâs not a bad description.â
âRight. A sweaty, annoying puppy,â Zoe said, making a face.
âHey, I think thereâs some soccer boys over there,â I said, pointing. âIsnât that Cody and Steven?â
âDonât point!â Jessi said frantically, pushing down my arm, but it was too late. Cody waved at us with a big smile on his face, and Steven gave us kind of a shy wave.
I waved back, but Jessi grabbed me by the arm and started pulling me toward the food court. The other girls followed us.
âWhat was that about?â I asked.
âYou canât point like that!â Jessi cried. âThen theyâll think we like them.â
âBut you do like Cody, donât you?â I asked.
Jessi rolled her eyes. âThat is totally not the point.â
âIâm hungry,â Emma said. âLetâs get that pizza.â
Frida closed her eyes. âMmm, pizza.â
âAre you going to order yours with an extra topping of Cody?â I couldnât help but tease Jessi, who glared at me.
âShhhh! He might hear you,â Jessi said nervously, glancing back at the arcade.
âWeâre in the crowded, noisy mall, totally across the room from him,â I reminded her. I was starting to think that when Cody was around, Jessiâs brain short-circuited or something.
âUnless he has some kind of superhero hearing or something,â Emma said, and giggled.
âJessi thinks heâs got some superpowers, thatâs for sure.â Zoe grinned.
âMaybe his superpower is kissing,â Frida said. She folded her hands across her chest and began puckering her lips, making loud smacking noises as she kissed the air. âIâm Cody,â she said in between air kisses. âOr you can call me by my secret identity superhero name, Captain Kiss!â
âFrida!â Jessi shrieked, and lunged at her. Frida took off running, with Jessi in hot pursuit.
Emma, Zoe, and I exchanged glances and then started cracking up, laughing so hard I thought I was going to cry.
Frida came back, panting hard, and hid behind me as Jessi went to grab her.
âTruce!â I yelled, putting my hands in the air to stop Jessi. âWeâre starving. Letâs go eat some
Tim Lahaye, Jerry B. Jenkins