Chapter 21

“Are you okay? You’re really distracted and haven’t heard a word I have said for the last ten minutes.” Elisa brings me back to earth with a bump.

“What?” I blink at her, pulling my thoughts back to the present, and gaze around, confused that I must have zoned out. The sun is beating down on us in this bare, deserted patch of surf and sand. We’re having a very rare day of fun and downtime at the beach, and my head was a million miles away.

“Earth calling Koala….. you have been like a zombie all morning.”

“I’m sorry, it’s just….”

Just what?

That since yesterday, I have been fixated on my stupid brother and churning over every moment and interaction we have had all year to examine them and see if I do, in fact, have a crush on him. Picking apart my reactions to him and replaying yesterday like a stuck record. It’s totally screwing with my head.

“Just…” Elisa tries to coax the end of my sentence out of me, staring at me with puppy dog eyes and the