The Smartest Girl in the Room by Deborah Nam-Krane Read Free Book Online Page A

non-person."
    "No, you weren't." He took her hand. "And
you're not now."
    She squeezed back, and he held on tighter. "I
wish I could trust you, but you're sort of exhausted and tired and
who knows what you're going to say?"
    "Then you're going to have to let me say
these things when I'm awake."
    "Yeah? Sorry, but I'm not going to believe
you about anything until you get me that second cannoli."
    "Waiter!"
    They talked until the café closed at three.
The charm of an early fall evening was over. It was just cold now.
Emily leaned against a building next to the restaurant, rubbing her
hands together. "Okay, buddy. It’s three o’clock, there are no
trains for a few hours and we’re out in the cold. What do you have
in mind now?"
    Mitch leaned over her and put his hands on
her shoulders, then gently rested his chin on her forehead. She put
her hands on his chest, just to keep warm, of course. "Better?" he
asked.
    "Oh, much." She tilted her head up to look at
his smooth neck then hugged him. "But I don’t think anyone is going
to let us stay here all night."
    "Are you always like this?"
    "Talkative? Yes, it keeps me amused."
    "You seem like you’re worried someone’s going
to send you to the principal’s office."
    "And I suppose that’s served me well, because
even during my darkest hours that never happened."
    "Hmm. And I'm sure that made you a lot of
friends."
    "Some friends aren't worth having."
    "So were you friend-free or just
friend-less?"
    "Friend-less."
    "Mmm hmm," he started playing with her hair.
"And were all of them girls?"
    "Once I grew out of my gnome-state, I did
manage to acquire a few friends of the Y-chromosome
persuasion."
    "Just a few?"
    "And most of them were just friends."
    "How many weren't?"
    She looked up and he backed away. "Why do you
ask?"
    "Typical insecure guy stuff. I like to know
who I'm being measured against."
    "I think you're projecting. How am I doing in
comparison to everyone else?"
    "You are in a class all by yourself." He
cleared his throat. "What about me?"
    She took his hand. "Suffice to say, my taste
in high school was so bad that, for the most part, Joe Welles would
have been a better boyfriend."
    "The most part," he repeated. "So who's my
competition?"
    She looked down for a moment. "He sort of
doesn't count. Really, he was just a friend, and in some ways he
wasn't even that."
    "Oh, that's so much worse."
    She shook her head. "It's not."
    "Then why does he even get considered?"
    "Because he was there for this one moment
when everything seemed like it was as it should be and I wasn't
alone." She smiled at the memory. "The starry night."
    "There were a lot of stars?"
    She giggled. "No, but I saw them anyway."
    He came closer. "So how am I stacking up so
far?"
    "I haven't questioned my place in the world
once tonight."
    "So I'm the male version of Zainab. I guess
that's a start."
    "Zainab's great," she whispered, "but she
doesn't make me see stars."
    He moved in closer still. "Em-"
    She put her fingers over his lips then smiled
impishly. "No. This is sort of perfect right now."
    "Anyone ever tell you you're a tease?"
    "Anyone ever tell you you're impatient?"
    He put his hands around her hips. "So how
long do I have to wait?"
    She suddenly remembered Drew. "Someone from
my favorite class is having a party on Friday. Or he knows someone
having a party-"
    "Oh, it’s a he. Your favorite person from
your favorite class?"
    Emily started giggling. "No, I don’t think
so. He’s kind of a dork."
    "I write some legislation with Joe and
suddenly you think I’m all about dorks?"
    "Ah, but if you come to the party, you’ll
also get to be with me. And, sorry, I cannot promise the same if
you choose Joe."
    "Then I would love to come to your friend’s
party next Friday."
    "It’s a date then."
    "It’s another date."
    She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"We should go."
    "Don't you like it here?"
    "I don't think I've been this happy for a
long time, but I'm getting cold."
    "I could be