“You’re being harsher on yourself than you need to be.”
“I saw the comments on Jaida’s post.”
“But did you see the comments on posts about your song?”
“Yes. Equally bad.” I pick up the bowl of popcorn and bag of taffy and follow Nancy into the living room. “Before we start the movie, I have a little something to take care of.”
She eyes me warily when I retrieve the bag I brought and pull out two nail polish options. “What are those for?”
“Our toes. I can do your fingers too, if you want.”
Her gaze homes in on me, like she’s trying to read me. “Myhands have been too unsteady to manage a nail brush for a while.”
“I’m doing it.” I put both colors on the coffee table, a deep mauve and a bright pink that closely resembles what she has on now, then pull out the cotton balls and nail polish remover I picked up at the market when I was in town. “Choose what you want while I get the nail clippers. Where are they?”
“Top right drawer in my bathroom.” Her voice is subdued, thoughtful.
By the time I come back with the clippers, Nancy has found her DVD ofThe Birdsand put it into her DVD player. I didn’t realize people still used these, and I have to say, I’m impressed. She shoots me a look. “I used to tell the boys when to close their eyes. There’s one gruesome scene you won’t want in your head. But other than that, this movie is pure Hitchcock gold.”
“I can’t wait.” I settle onto the floor at her feet and reach for the nail polish remover. We’re both turned enough to see the TV and each other at the same time. Maybe this isn’t a night of romcoms and ice cream with my sisters, but it’s filling my cup in much the same way. “Did you pick a color for your toes?”
“Let’s do the bright pink.”
Well,that was a massive mistake.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to call Benny?” Nancy asks, standing at the door with totally dried fingers and toes that match mine. We did bright pink all around, and the color is standing out like a beacon in the dark.
I tug the sleeves of my baby blue hoodie down over my palms and shake my head, blowing out a raspberry like her suggestion is absolutely ridiculous and not the very thing I want most in the world. It’s fully dark now, and the streets are eerilysilent. I forgot how anti-streetlights they seem to be in this part of the world.
“What could possibly happen?” I ask. “A flock of ravens swoop up from the beach and dive bomb me?”
I look over my shoulder in the direction of the ocean but see no birds.
“Seagulls would be more likely,” Nancy says.
“That’s helpful.”
“I’m calling him.”
“Don’t bother. By the time he makes it here, I’ll be home.” I start walking down her driveway, swinging my bag with my nail stuff and the leftover taffy. “Thanks, Nancy. That was really fun. We’ll have to do it again sometime.”
“I’d love to.”
“I’m picking the movie next time,” I call.
“You picked this one.”
Right. I lift my hand in a farewell and speed-walk down the street.
It was just a movie. Birds don’t really attack people. The entire idea is ludicr?—
“Ahh!” A shadow moves at the end of the street, making me jump.
It meows. So it was only a cat? Sheesh.
My heart still hammers as I jog the rest of the way back to Colby’s house. I can’t do scary movies, evidently. I didn’t thinkThe Birdswould be that bad. It’s PG-13, for heaven’s sake, and released in 1961.
Evidently, I’m a wuss. When I reach my street, I run up to the door and hurry to put the code in.