(Then) Lauren

I got a couple email questions yesterday that I think others might be wondering too!  One reader asked how long Brody has been gone.  As of the last post (Not a Date), Brody has been gone just shy of 6 weeks.  Another reader asked me about my posting schedule.  I will always have a post for you guys on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (though if I'm editing the night before, like I have been lately, I will put them up Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday evenings).  Generally, Monday and Wednesday are main storyline and Friday is the alternative perspective/back story post for the week.  Sometimes it makes more sense to switch the order, but I try to give you a heads up when I do that.  And of course, since I have tons of posts written out in advance and I'm easily excited, I post a lot of bonuses.  When I do them, they have generally come on Thursdays, though sometimes on Tuesdays too (and sometimes both!)

If you ever have questions, please feel free to email or comment and ask!  I'd be more than happy to answer them, either with a response or like this.  Thank you guys all for reading and commenting and asking questions!
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The Smart Friend Part 1

When you're pretty much a 16-year-old genius, you'd be surprised how many people don't like you.

When you're pretty much a 16-year-old genius and you're friends with the prettiest girl in the Junior class, you'd be surprised at how often you get invited to parties even though people don't like you.

When you're pretty much a 16-year-old genius and you're friends with the prettiest girl in the Junior class, and the prettiest girl in the Junior class has no idea that she's the prettiest girl in the Junior class, you'd be surprised at how often boys talk to you, even though they don't like you.

It's okay though, because the guys that are interested in her are not the guys I'm interested in.  Of course, the guys I'm interested in aren't interested in me either, so there's that.  But because 16-year-olds are generally complete idiots, I get away with a lot of sarcasm that I can't get away with at home.  Sarcasm is pretty much my favorite thing, and my go-to defense mechanism to boot.  I never miss a chance to use it on teenage boys who come to me wondering if I thought Olivia would go to the football game with them.  Or the Homecoming dance.  Or the movies.  Occasionally I get inquiries about our other friend Lynn too.

Today, I was fending off a particularly persistent and annoying senior that had been pestering me about Liv for awhile.  He's not her type and I told him that, but he won't shut up.  He wants to ask her to prom, and I was trying to tell him that her mom won't let her go to prom until she's a senior, but he isn't hearing it.

"Liv doesn't like deaf guys," I say, rolling my eyes and stalking away finally.

When I get home, my mom is making dinner.  "Hi, honey," she says with a smile.

"Hi, mom," I respond, sitting at the table.

"I talked to your sister today," my mom says still smiling broadly at me.  "She asked if you wanted to go out there for the summer, or for part of it."

"Really?  Out to Denver to stay with her?  I hope you told her yes!"  I am so excited.  I have been bugging my mom to let me go out and stay with Amanda in Denver since she had moved out there for college 5 years ago.  My mom refused to let me go because she didn't think college students were a good influence on her teenage daughter, but apparently now that Amanda had graduated, there aren't any more worries about underage drinking or sex, drugs, and rock and roll.  Right.

"I told her 6 weeks.  She tried to talk me into a full two months, but I want to you be able to come back in time to get started on your college applications and study for the ACTs before you start school again."  

I get up and throw my arms around her.  "When do I leave?" I ask, practically bouncing.  My mom laughs.

"We'll look at flights tonight after dinner.  Get your homework done first."  Of course, that is so like my mom.  I yank my stuff out of my backpack and get to work on my pre-calc homework.  Luckily, it's all I have to do tonight and I finish it before dinner.

After dinner, mom and I sit down at the computer and pull up the airline website.  We search through the flight options and choose an 11am flight on June 17th, one week after I finish school for the summer.  We book an August 1st return flight, and I am ecstatic.  I throw my arms around her again and then run up to my room to call Liv.

"Wait, what you do mean you're going to be in Denver for the entire summer?" Liv wails when I tell her.  "Do you know how far away Denver is?!"

"979 miles," I reply automatically.  "Roughly a 14 hour drive and a 2.5 hour flight."

"Ugh, your brain, Laur.  Turn it off sometimes."

"Sorry.  Anyway, I'll totally miss you and Lynn, but we can still talk on the phone and email and hey!  Maybe you can come out and visit?" I ask hopefully.

"I doubt it.  You know my mom barely lets me sleepover at people's house, I'm sure she won't let me fly to Denver to sleep over at your sister's house," she replies forlornly.

"Your mom sucks," I say.

"I know," Liv replies sadly.  "I'm sorry, I'm trying to be excited for you, but it's hard when I'm sad for me."

"I understand," I assure her.  "I'm definitely sad that we won't spend our summer together like we planned.  And to be honest, I'm a little nervous to spend so much time with my sister.  You know we don't exactly have a lot in common."

"So you've said," Liv responds.  "Careful, she might have you wearing makeup and dresses by the end of the summer!"

"Yeah, right," I scoff back.  "If you can't get me in dresses, what makes you think she can?"