Chapter 3: Lip Gloss, Snapple, and Sidelined Dreams

When we got to the restaurant, Mom parked in the crowded lot, heat waves blurring the minivans. The smell of burgers drifted over from the sports bar. Mom checked her hair in the mirror, waiting for us to grab our bags.

Aubrey hesitated, then whispered, "Mom, do you have any lip gloss?" She fidgeted with her purse straps, her ears red from the sun and nerves.

Mom raised her eyebrows, then burst out laughing when she saw Aubrey’s blushing ears. "Sweetheart, do you like—"

"Shh, shh, shh!" Aubrey stomped her foot, mortified. The windows were still up, so her embarrassment bounced around the car. I hid my grin behind my hand.

Mom handed her a pink tube of gloss. After Aubrey finished applying it, she got out and asked me, "Natalie, why’d you jump out so fast just now?"

I shrugged. "Because you stomped your foot so hard."

Aubrey rolled her eyes, but there was no real bite. "I’m mad at you," she huffed, clinging to Mom and skipping ahead. I trailed behind, the third wheel as always.

The restaurant’s automatic doors whooshed open, hitting me with a blast of AC and the greasy smell of fries. I clutched my phone, wishing I could disappear.

Sometimes it felt like Aubrey moved through life at full volume—everyone watched, everyone listened. Me, I could scream and no one would notice.

She could laugh, pout, beg—no shame. Even smiling felt risky for me.

Mom and Aubrey walked arm in arm, heels clicking ahead, their laughter drifting back. The tile was sticky under my sneakers. I hugged the wall, invisible.

Aubrey was so bubbly she could probably make a plastic plant laugh. She bent down to sniff a fake fern, giggling at her own joke, and waved to the waiter like she owned the place.

The waiter led us to a private booth. My heart pounded worse than it did during finals. My hands shook as I smoothed my skirt, hoping nobody noticed. The booth was tucked in back, away from the TVs and noise.

With tests, there are answers. But Caleb? He’s an unsolvable question. I might spend my whole life searching for the answer.

The oak door swung open and Mom and Aunt Lisa’s voices overlapped, warm and bright. Glasses clinked. I caught a whiff of basil from the kitchen.

And then—Caleb. Older, sharper, more sure of himself. The last time I saw him, he wore a cap and gown. Now his jawline was defined, his hair falling into his eyes.

He wore a black T-shirt. When he saw us, he turned, eyes dark and deep. For a second, I thought he looked right at me. Or maybe at Aubrey, who stepped forward, hopeful.

Caleb’s eyes crinkled with a mischievous, cocky smile. He leaned back, arms behind his head—definitely grown into his looks.

Aunt Lisa nudged him, "Come on, say hi to Mrs. Brown and your two little neighbors."

Caleb rolled his eyes but stood up, hands shoved in his pockets. "Mom, I’m not a kid anymore. Can you give me a little dignity?" His voice was low, but there was a smile underneath. Aunt Lisa just snorted and linked arms with my mom. "Menu’s here, let’s pick something."

The moms dove into the menu, arguing over chicken parm versus eggplant rollatini. I fiddled with a straw wrapper, wishing I could shrink.

Aubrey plopped down next to Caleb, eyes sparkling. "Hey, you remember me, right? Or did college make you forget your old neighbors?"

She leaned in, voice higher than usual, cheeks pink, camera app ready for a selfie.

Caleb propped his chin on his hand, a lazy smile in his eyes. "Of course. You’re Little Rose."

The nickname was sweet, but embarrassing. Back then, even the mailman called her that.

Aubrey beamed. "Awesome! Add me on Instagram?" She slid her phone over, fingers trembling.

Caleb shrugged, pulling out his own phone—Northwestern logo on the lock screen, League of Legends stats on display. I’d never played, so I just poured myself some water, pretending not to watch.

Maybe I could learn the game this summer, just to have something in common.

After they finished, Caleb looked up. "Hey, Natalie, grab a seat."

His voice startled me—rough, like gravel. I blinked, cheeks burning.

Aubrey shot me a look, lips pursed like I was stealing her thunder.

I nodded, dragging my chair over, keeping my eyes on the table.

There were eight seats. The room felt huge. I tucked my feet under my chair, trying to disappear.

Aunt Lisa sat with Mom. Aubrey was next to Caleb, so I hesitated, then sat on his other side. My hands were clammy as I folded them in my lap. Caleb looked at me, surprised. "The AC’s blowing here. You’ll freeze."

I tried to sound casual. "It’s fine."

Aubrey leaned in, all smiles. "Caleb, tell me about majors at Northwestern?" She twirled her hair, eyes wide, full charm mode. Caleb turned toward her, smile softening.

Her cheeks flushed pink. She leaned forward, nodding at every word he said.

He explained, hands sketching in the air. I tried to memorize every word, every smile.

Then he turned to me. "Hey, you listening?"

I sat up, heart pounding. Aubrey cut in, "It’s fine, Natalie’s grades aren’t good enough for Northwestern."

Her tone was breezy, but it stung. I just looked up and met Caleb’s eyes—dark, bright, lashes long.

Half my body went numb. My heart thudded.

Caleb slid a bottle of peach Snapple to me, condensation pooling on the table. I stared at it like it was a lifeline.

He grinned, soft but sure: "Doesn’t matter where you end up, Natalie. The real ones always stand out."

I stared at the Snapple, thinking, it’s him—I’ll never escape this crush.