Landry in Like (23 page)
Authors: Krysten Lindsay Hager
“I was trying to tell you that I called the other girl and told her I felt bad, but we couldn't see each other anymore.
You're
the one I was talking about,” he said.
“Me?”
“Yeah, and seeing that I think you're even cute when you hiccup like that kinda proves that I like you. Plus, you have what appears to be a noodle in your hair. I'm not even sure how that happened.”
He reached up and pulled a piece of elbow macaroni out of my hair.
“So you're not running off with some other girl?”
“Well, I'm fifteen and she's sixteen, and I'm pretty sure there are some laws against that,” he said. “Plus, there's this other girl I like.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, she looks cute with noodles in her hair and what appears to be cheese sauce on the front of her shirt.”
I stared down and saw the stain on my top. “I'm so gross.”
“Nah, just a messy eater.”
“You still like me?”
“Yeah, and I'd hug you, but I can see your entire family and Ashanti's family peeking out of the kitchen window. Are they aware glass is transparent?” he asked laughing.
I hiccupped again. “I missed you.”
“Me, too.”
And then I hugged him. He smelled amazing â just like I remembered.
“Vladi?” I asked.
“Yeah?”
“I just realized I probably got the cheese on you now and as soon as we move apart, you'll see I ruined what looks like an expensive sweatshirt,” I said.
“Don't care,” he said as I stepped back. “Just tell me we're back together and everything is okay.”
I nodded.
“Good news, your grandma seems to like me. When you hugged me she did this thing where she put her hand up by her mouth, just like you do when you're happy. You two look a lot alike.”
“Yeah, we are a lot alike,” I said. “Do you want to come in for some mac ân cheese?”
“Are you sure? I feel like I barged into some big family thing. I walked in and there was a grown man crying into a plate of noodles and another man consoling him, and Ashanti was glaring at me like she wanted to rip my head off. I didn't get welcoming vibes.”
I giggled. “It's fine. I'd like you to meet my grandparents. Oh, is that weird? Like too soon or too serious?”
He laughed. “No, it's perfect.”
We walked in, and everybody started talking over each other as if they had been chatting this whole time and not over at the window watching us. Ashanti mouthed, “Okay?” at me and I nodded.
“Everybody, I want you to meet Vladi, my⦠um⦔
Vladi stepped forward and held out his hand to Grandpa. “I'm Landry's boyfriend,” he said.
Grandpa Bernie shook his hand, and I saw Grandma looking over at my mother, who refused to make eye contact.
“It's nice to meet you,” Grandma said, coming over to shake his hand. “Would you like me to fix you a plate?”
“I don't want to interrupt.”
“Of course, please join us.” She pulled out the chair next to Mrs. Russell. “Lane, come help me in the kitchen.”
Mom gave me a look that said, “Save me,” but I just gave her a smile. After all, she could have warned me about the macaroni in my hair or at least kept the entire group from spying at the window.
“Here you go,” Grandma said, placing a plate in front of Vladi. “This is Ashanti's grandmother's special recipe. The girls and I worked on it together â even Lane helped.”
Mom sighed and laughed. “Thanks, Ma.”
“Anytime, dear,” Grandma said. “I haven't given you your picture yet.”
Grandma went into the other room and came back with another picture. This one was of lilies in a milk jar. Mom took it and her mouth dropped open.
“I thought it would look nice in your office maybe. Or if it's not corporate enough for youâ”
“Just like Grandma's house,” Mom said in a whisper.
“Yes, she always put those lilies in the vase for you when you spent the night there. I thought you'd like it.”
Mom teared up then and Mrs. Russell started sniffing again, and that's when I realized where the bathroom tissue box went. The Russells had the box in front of them, and Ashanti's mother passed it to Mom.
“Well, this has been an emotional day,” Mr. Russell said. “We should probably let you guys get back to your visit.”
He got up and hugged my grandmother, and Ashanti's parents thanked her for taking the time to figure out the recipe. While she was writing it down for them, Ashanti went to get her things.
“Grandpa, can we show Vladi what you made me?” I asked.
We went into my room and then it hit me. Vladi was in my bedroom. He was standing in the exact spot where I got dressed every day and where I once threw up when I had the nervous pukies. Then I saw Ashanti's foot reach out and kick something under the bed.
“This is amazing,” Vladi said, squatting down to look at the bookcase better. “You made this?”
Grandpa started going into detail and Ashanti whispered in my ear, “You left your gym class granny panties on the floor. Good news, I don't think he saw.”
“Some days it's like I wear cool repellant,” I said.
“Call me later,” she said hugging me.
The Russells left, and Grandma suggested we all sit down in the living room.
“I don't want to intrude on your visit,” Vladi said. “It was nice meeting you all.”
As I walked him to the door, my grandmother said, in what I guess she thought was a hushed tone, “Oh, he's darling.”
Vladi smirked. “I
am
darling,” he said.
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help smiling.
“That is so sweet you and your grandma helped Ashanti figure her grandmother's recipe out. I can't get over how much you and your grandma are alike. She stands like you, too, but she kept the macaroni out of her hair,” he said winking at me. He glanced over my shoulder and then moved me past the door frame.
“Well, try not to flirt with her,” I said. “After all, she does resemble my mother, too.”
He laughed. “Nice one. I'll call you later, okay?”
I nodded and he gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. As I watched him leave, I felt better than I had in a long time. I had assumed the worst, with Ashanti moving on to cooler pastures without me and Vladi falling for the new girl. All because I didn't have the confidence to think I was worth sticking around for and because I was too afraid to come out and talk to them about it. Maybe I wouldn't have had to go through all those insecure emotions if only I had just come out and talked to them about what I was feeling.
“Landry, come join us. We want to hear all about what you've been up to lately,” Grandma Lily said. “And about this new boyfriend. Speaking of new boyfriends, did you know your other grandmother has been seeing someone?”
“What do you know about him?” Mom asked.
“Grandpa and I set them up, but that's all I'm saying for now because I want to hear all about my granddaughter's new boyfriend.”
I sat down and Grandma put her arm around me. “We have missed you so much,” she said. “Your father and Grandma Anne have been talking about renting a place on the lake this summer and all of us getting together. Wouldn't that be wonderful?”
“That would be great,” I said.
Grandpa started talking about my eighth grade graduation coming up and how the whole family was planning to take the train from Chicago to be here for it.
Getting to spend time with my family and knowing things were back to normal with Ashanti and Vladi was the best feeling ever. Now if only the summer would go on forever and I could avoid starting the ninth grade in the fall. But for now, I wouldn't worry about that. I'd just focus on the good stuff. Just then my phone got a text. It was from Vladi, and it was a yellow heart and a smooching smiley face. I started to smile as I texted back a yellow heart. Life was good.
K
rysten Lindsay Hager
is the author of the
Landry's True Colors Series
, a clean reads young adult series. Krysten writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, middle school and high school, frenemies, modeling, crushes, values, and self-image in
True Colors
and
Best Friendsâ¦Forever?
as well as her standalone YA novel,
Next Door to a Star.
K
rysten is
a book addict who has never met a bookstore she didn't like. She's worked as a journalist and writes middle grade, YA, humor essays, and adult fiction. She is originally from Michigan and has lived in Portugal, South Dakota, and currently resides in Southern Ohio where you can find her reading and writing when she's not catching up on her favorite shows. She received her master's degree from the University of Michigan-Flint.
Krysten loves to hear from her readers!
