Exclusive Excerpt from My Crunchy Life

by Mia Kerick

Kale, 6: 45 p.m.

I unfold the paper-airplane-essay and add my new ideas to the page while Hughie makes room on the spare bed for his project partner.

A minute later, I hear soft footsteps on the rug. “Hey, Hughie.”

My dreadlocks stand on end— well, not literally, but it makes for a good visual— because I know that voice.

To play it cool, or not to play it cool? That is the question.

I stare at my essay. I’m going with cool.

“What’s up, Julian?” Hughie pats the place beside him on the bed. “Sit down.”

Julian doesn’t move. “Kale? I didn’t know you were Hughie’s brother.”

“Cousins… we’re cousins,” I mumble, then let my eyes pop off the messy writing on the paper in front of me to check out the boy and his lips. “Hi, Julian. I didn’t know you and Hughie were friends.” He looks fantastic again… or maybe as usual. He’s dressed from head to toe in black, bringing the term classy to life once again tonight.

“We’re partners in a project,” Hughie insists, making it clear to me that he and Julian are not friends. I’m not sure why proving this is so important to him.

It kills me to do it, because there’s nothing I’d like more than to invite Julian to sit on my bed and kick back with me for a while, but I tell them, “Well, don’t let me distract you guys. I have to focus on this essay, anyway.” I drag my gaze from Julian’s intoxicating lips and try to sink back into the headspace of a plant in pain.

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