Wishing Day Read Free Page B

Wishing Day while we eat.”
    â€œOr not,” Natasha said. She grabbed Ava’s forearm and held her back until Darya was out of the room. “I’m not trying to be mean, Ava. I just . . . I don’t know. It feels strange to talk about it.”
    Ava cocked her head. She looked scrawny in Papa’s shirt.
    â€œOkay,” she said. “But . . . was it more than just a normal night?”
    There was such hope in Ava’s eyes. Would it hurt to let her keep believing in wishes for a little longer?
    Natasha thought about how her body had tingled when she first touched the great willow. How she’d felt certain, if only for that moment, that there was more to the world than could ever be explained.
    â€œIt was magical,” Natasha admitted.
    Ava broke into a radiant smile. She hugged Natasha again, pressing her face to Natasha’s chest. She felt Ava’s lips move against her T-shirt.
    â€œYay,” Natasha heard her whisper.

     
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  I wish I believed in wishes.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  — M OLLY C ARLISLE, AGE THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THREE
    O n January fourth, when school started back up, Molly asked Natasha about her Wishing Day, too. Natasha and Molly hadn’t seen or spoken to each other during winter break, because Molly’s parents had taken her on an “unplugged” trip to visit Molly’s grandmother. Unplugged meaning no cell phones, no internet, no anything.
    â€œIt was as horrible as it sounds,” Molly moaned. “So catch me up! I want to hear every last detail.”
    â€œBut you think Wishing Days are dumb,” Natasha said, buffeted by the swirl of kids around her.
    â€œBut I don’t think you’re dumb,” Molly said. “Iwon’t make fun of you, I swear.”
    Natasha gave her a look. There were certain things she didn’t share with Molly. She wasn’t sure why. Because it didn’t feel safe?
    â€œOh come on,” Molly begged. “Did you close your eyes? Did you think about princes and glass slippers and castles in the sky?”
    â€œMolly. Have you ever known me to think about princes and glass slippers and castles in the sky?”
    â€œWell, princes, anyway. You think about princes sometimes .”
    â€œWe don’t have princes in Willow Hill.”
    â€œYou know what I mean.”
    The hall buzzed with seventh-grade energy. Guys exchanged fist bumps while girls squealed and hugged as if they’d been apart for months instead of weeks. Kris Wentworth exclaimed about how tan and gorgeous Belinda Berry looked, and Belinda said, “Oh, please.” Belinda had gone skiing in Aspen over break. That’s why she was tan. She was gorgeous because she just was.
    Natasha let the chaos wash over her. A boy named Matt snapped his snow-flecked hat at Belinda and Kris, and Kris squeaked. Benton, Natasha’s secret crush, danced for no clear reason in the middle of the hall, fistinghis hands and drawing his knees up one after the other. His pants hung too low and his T-shirt was ridiculous, sporting a row of kittens across the front.
    But he was ridiculous on purpose. He was confident and cute, and he wore actual cologne. He swaggered when he walked, his hair was a curly blond mess, and his smile made Natasha’s stomach flutter when they passed in the hall.
    Maybe he was Willow Hill’s closest thing to a prince?
    Molly poked Natasha’s upper arm. “So? Are you going to tell me?”
    â€œTell you what?”
    â€œAbout your Wishing Day, crazy pants! Tell-me-tell-me-tell-me, or I will pee right here on the floor, and I am so not kidding.”
    â€œEw,” Natasha said.
    Molly grinned. She wedged herself between Natasha and her locker and touched Natasha’s nose with hers. “If you don’t tell me, I will pick you up and carry you over to Benton and drop you in his