Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli (ereader with android txt) 📕

Kaplan and your sloppy f-boy fridge makeouts—”

“Okay, first of all, I’ve been informed that the fridge makeout was not representative of Noah’s abilities.”

“Wait.” Andy’s jaw drops. “Did you kiss—”

“No! What? No.”

“Not yet. And listen up.” Andy presses his palm to my forehead. “You better not do your Kate thing and stop liking him just because I’m not trying to jump his bones too. We are gonna let this ball keep rolling, okay?”

“Who said the ball was rolling?”

He stares me down.

“Okay, the ball’s rolling,” I say. “Maybe. Almost.”

“Yeah, well.” Andy’s eyes are gleaming. “Seeing as he’s texting you pictures of his body parts right now—”

“Stop looking at my phone.” I swipe it away, tapping into my texts. “Oh my God!” I press my hand to my heart. “Look, he did it! He got his cast off!”

“Wow, if you’re swooning over an arm—”

“I’m not swooning!”

“I’m inviting him to my nonexistent birthday party.”

“Good for you.”

“Tell him to bring his cute little arm. It’s so pale. Hope you weren’t pinning your hopes on having a jock boyfriend, Katypie, because this boy is not playing baseball this season.”

“You’re not funny.” I lean back against the seat, head tilting toward Anderson.

“Yeah I am.”

“Shut up.”

“Hey, Kate?” He smiles. “This fight is officially adjourned.”

Scene 72

Noah’s driving again, and the car selfie he texts me Wednesday morning (reunited and it feels so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) has more exclamation points than letters.

So of course I spend the whole day just about bursting, because I’m pretty sure this means I’m getting a ride home after our tech run-through. And all sorts of things can happen on a car ride. Things that involve mouths.

Okay, but not like the sexual kind of mouth involvement. Just mouths on mouths. Just kissing.

Not that kissing is ever just.

I need to learn how to be cool around you. I can’t stop thinking about Noah’s face when he said that. Also, his face in general. Also, the possibility of his face against my face.

I’m so distracted in all my classes, I can barely string two words together. And rehearsal’s even worse. By the end of Act Two, I’m practically floating. Noah and I can’t even look at each other without grinning. “Why are you so giddy?” Raina asks me in the dressing room, and I just tip my palms up. She narrows her eyes and stares at me for a full minute.

Every time I’m offstage, I check the time on my phone, sometimes more than once—even though there’s no set end time for tech week rehearsals. But I try to will the clock forward anyway. Thank God I know this musical well enough to put it on autopilot, because today my brain lives in Noah Kaplan’s car.

Ms. Zhao finally calls everyone onto the stage for notes, and the anticipation is almost unbearable. It’s like I have to hug myself to keep from exploding.

Almost time. We’re almost dismissed.

“Moving to Act Two, Scene Nine,” says Ms. Zhao. “Quick note. Dauntless, when you go to Winnifred, let’s have you cross in front of the Queen.”

Andy nods.

“Also, just a reminder that tomorrow’s our official dress rehearsal, so please make sure your costume components are all together, labeled—shoes, everything. I don’t want to see any sneakers poking out under anyone’s gowns. Got it?”

Okay. Okay. Here we go.

“And I think that’s it. Very good, guys.” Zhao starts to stand up—but then she pauses. “Oh wait. Noah.”

No. NO.

“If you can just hang back for a few minutes, I want to rework a few more of your pantomimes. We really want to get that hand back in play.”

NO. NO. NO. I puff my cheeks out, sighing.

“Kate, come on.” Andy tugs my flannel. “Stop death-glaring Zhao. Matt can drive you.”

“You guys don’t have to go out of your way,” I say heavily. “I’ll just call my dad.”

“We’re your dads now,” says Matt.

Raina and Brandie burst out laughing. Meanwhile, Anderson just looks at Matt, wide-eyed, with this twisty little smile. “Wait. Do they know?” He gestures between Raina and Brandie. Matt grins, cheeks flushed, nodding.

“Mazel tov, you two.” Raina sidles up between them.

“So when was this big talk?” He’s smiling at Matt, shaking his head.

“During your father-son scene with Noah,” Raina says. “Right during the part about the boy flowers and girl flowers. Beautiful timing.”

“Why, thank you,” Matt says.

“Kate, I’ll drive you,” says Brandie. “I’m taking Raina, so you’re on the way.”

We all drift toward the parking lot, and even though my Noah ride fell through, I can’t help but give in to that electric fall-evening feeling. Even the sports teams have gone home, so it feels like the whole world is ours. Just us theater kids, actors and tech crew. Andy and Matt are walking side by side, just a little closer than usual, and Raina’s got her phone out, FaceTiming Harold. “Don’t judge me,” she says to Brandie and me, with the cutest, most self-conscious smile.

“Couples,” I say, shrugging at Brandie.

“I know. Did you hear Pierra and Colin were in the lighting booth earlier?”

“Again?”

“They’re insatiable.”

“Kate! Hold up.” Noah sprints from the auditorium side door to catch up to Brandie and me. “Hey,” he says, breathlessly, pressing a hand to his forehead. “I can drive you.”

“Oh, hey, look who got his car back,” says Anderson, circling back to meet us.

“This guy did. Back in business.” Noah grins, and then takes a big, gulping breath. “Anyway, guys, sorry. I have to steal your passenger, because it’s Wednesday, which means Dad’s house night, which means she lives across the street from me and I just think I should—”

“Okay,” I say, smiling.

When I turn back to face Noah, he’s fidgeting with the zipper of his hoodie. But his eyes are bright and twinkly.

“Okay. Cool,” he says. “Let’s do this.”

Scene 73

“So, aren’t you impressed I know your custody schedule by now?” Noah says, once we’re all buckled in.

“So impressed.” I lean back into my seat, smiling. I’ve seen Noah’s car from the outside probably fifty million times. After all, it’s lived in the driveway across the street from my