Small Steps (Holes 2)

Ginny covered her gaping mouth with her hand. From behind it, she asked, “What’d she say?”

“She said yeah.”

Ginny giggled.

“What’s so funny?”

“The w-way y-you l-look.”

“How do I look?”

“All dreamy-eyed.” She giggled some more. “What’s her name?” she asked in a teasing kind of voice.

“Tatiana.”

Ginny giggled.

“What?”

“The way you said it.”

“How did I say it?”

“Tati-ahna.”

“Tatiana,” said Armpit, trying to sound normal.

“Tati-ahna,” said Ginny. “Is she pretty?”

“Yeah, but in a different kind of way. It’s like that Kaira DeLeon song ‘Imperfection’? You know?” He sang: “You reflect on your reflection. But you will never see. Your imperfection is your finest quality.”

Ginny laughed. He wasn’t a very good singer.

“She’s cute because of all her imperfections,” Armpit explained.

“I knew it!” said Ginny. “I smelled her p-perfume on Coo.”

Armpit remembered Tatiana had hugged Coo.

“Tati-ahna,” teased Ginny.

“I don’t even know if she really likes me,” Armpit said. “I think she’s just a big Kaira DeLeon fan.”

“She likes you,” said Ginny.

“Oh, yeah? How do you know?”

“Because. You’re a v-very thoughtful and caring p-person.”

While Ginny and Armpit were walking around the block, Tatiana was sitting on the floor of Claire’s bedroom, along with their friend Roxanne. They were sharing a bowl of popcorn and drinking diet sodas.

“Aren’t you just a little bit scared?” Roxanne asked.

“No, why should I be?”

Claire and Roxanne looked at each other knowingly.

“He is kind of dangerous,” said Claire.