Do you now have a three-dimensional timeline of the Nixon impeachment?
Uh, no. Chloe was there because she had this really great idea for Sarah’s animation.
It took a while, but we actually got the lapping waves of Lake of the Woods glistening in the sun.
You AND Lexi spent the WHOLE time at Sarah’s working on OUR group’s project BECAUSE of Chloe?
Mine’s gonna be pretty easy.
It just needs a timeline.
I thought you wanted something more dramatic.
My speech is dramatic enough.
I don’t need flash, I’ve got the truth on my side.
Just like Senator Baker had the tapes.
You didn’t need to work on my group’s homework when you’re the one who doesn’t have any help.
It wasn’t a big deal. I don’t even really know what I want to do.
Sarah has to keep up with the three of you.
I just have to finish mine.
Is that why you wanted to be in a group?
So you didn’t have to come up with everything on your own?
I did, but now I’m too afraid I’d wind up like you guys … fighting all the time.
Which reminds me! I have something you can do if you want to make up for being an insensitive jerk.
I didn’t say insensitive jerk.
No, I did.
OK.
I was an insensitive jerk.
So, if you want to make it up to me, tell me what you were arguing about.
What who was arguing about?
During your group planning today.
When things got dramatic.
We weren’t talking about you if that’s what you were wondering.
Really? Because evil-Martin was glaring at me after whatever Chloe said that was so funny.
???
Right before he started yelling at her?
My COUSIN was glaring at you today?
Well, not glaring AT me, but glaring in my direction.
And then yelled at Chloe?
Yeah, what set him off? It must have been hilarious based on your and Sarah’s reaction.
I laughed at Chloe and my cousin got mad?
Yeah, it was bizarre.
Do you not remember this?
I just want to be clear:
The Martin you hate didn’t laugh with Sarah but was upset by what Chloe said?
Hate is kind of a strong term.
Evil’s kind of a strong term.
Not really.
Seems to fit him.
It does?
We’re still talking about the Martin who got mad at Chloe?
He’s just so convinced he’s god’s gift.
Look
I have to go.
My mother’s calling me.
Oh, okay.
So, I think I owe you an apology.
I’m sorry for saying terrible, senseless things about your cousin.
It occurs to me I don’t really know him except secondhand and so, probably, I have let my judgemental nature get the better of me.
It’s only …
The way he treated Sarah was irresponsible, and I haven’t seen much lately that would improve my opinion of him.
Sarah was eighth grade.
And?
We’re nearly seniors.
Not yet.
Still.
You weren’t there when he broke her heart.
And I know he makes like every girl that looks at him cry, but she cried the worst.
Again I say … It was eighth grade!
We were what???
Thirteen?????
And she’s my best friend.
It wasn’t right.
Nothing about it was right
But it was four years ago.
Yeah. Well. I guess.
Can’t believe you’ve been mad that long
Even she’s not still mad.
She wasn’t.
???
Chloe’s situation brought it all back.
They’ve been bonding over it or something.
I explained that to you
It was a misunderstanding.
It seems to happen to him a lot.
Not like you haven’t done the same thing.
What?
MY best friend?
Jack?
I didn’t even want to go out with him in the first place.
I thought I explained THAT to YOU.
Doesn’t mean he’s any less hurt.
I’m sorry. I still think you’re being ridiculous, but if I did hurt him, it wasn’t what I wanted.
None of this was remotely what I wanted.
You and me both
But there’s one thing I really want to know
What’s that?
Obviously you’re mad about both Sarah and Chloe
Not mad. Just not ready to let go of the grudge.
Fine
You’re still grudge-y.
Why are you still talking to me?
Why? Because you and your cousin are like joined at the hip?
To the point you think we’re the same person
Yes.
Honestly?
I don’t know.
You don’t know why you’re willing to talk to one Martin and not the other?
Oh.
That.
Are you still there?
This is the first time I really felt like I was talking to someone.
???
I know it must sound strange.
I talk to people all the time. I even have a couple of friends.
Har, har.
But this is different?
Ugh, that sounds so dorky.
Don’t you have to go soon?
Yeah, in like two minutes.
You’re not mad at me still?
I was more confused than mad.
Are you still confused?
No
Yeah.
OK very.
I won’t bother you anymore.
You’re not bothering me.
Yeah, but …
But???
I was harsh.
And I’m still grudge-y.
But I can’t expect you to just be okay with this when I’m not.
Even though you’re right, Sarah was eighth grade.
See!
Yeah. I won’t make you talk to me.
I know how I can be.
Not that
This just isn’t going the way I thought.
Okay, well, I have to go now anyway.
So I guess you’ll have plenty of time to think.
Good night, only Haley in Mrs. James’s US History class.
Good night, one of two Martins in Mrs. James’s US History class.
I think I know how to make this work.
How?
Sorry I was at church, followed directly by family dinner.
You go to church?
Oh, wait, duh, you guys all go together.
Every Sunday.
Don’t you?
No. Never. But Mom tells me about it all the time.
Your mother tells you about church?
Yeah, she went to a super religious church or three growing up.
What’s a super religious church?
One where girls can’t speak.
I can’t see you going to one of those.
Yeah, I can’t see my mom going to one either, but that’s how she grew up.
My dad didn’t. He thinks he was Lutheran, but Mom has to remind him his whole family is Catholic.
That’s what I am.
Catholic?
Lutheran.
Oh, the good kind or the kind like my mom went to?
I am SO NOT going to presume which of anything you think is good anymore.
Nah, I’ll bet it’s the good kind.
Again …
Not playing that with you.
I do go to the kind that lets women lead
&nb
sp; So it more than likely matches your definition this time.
What were you saying about a solution?
What if I weren’t Martin and you weren’t Haley?
But we are?
This whole friendship started online.
What if we were
I don’t know
Actual internet friends.
You mean like people who never met in person and had no baggage about exes?
Still baggage
But the other person doesn’t think they already know all about the baggage.
Hrm.
What do you think?
Let’s try it.
I mean, you are kinda interesting to talk to.
And I helped you with your lawn mower.
Yeah
You’re better than Google.
NO ONE is better than Google.
OK so I hit a nerve.
I may not be religious, but I do believe in algorithms.
So you’re not going to try talking to me in school?
And you’re going to keep pretending like you don’t know me to anyone else?
You wish I pretended like you knew me.
That doesn’t even make sense.
Go with it, internet friend.
Do not call me that.
No one says that.
What should I call you?
I don’t know. Just Haley?
All right, Just Haley.
You’re incorrigible.
Fifty-cent word! I AM in trouble.
As long as you know it. So, friends?
Friends.
Hi, friend.
Not now.
Busy?
Family stuff.
Good stuff?
Cousins.
I know how that goes.
Not the same.
Talk later.
So you also have cousins.
Yeah, they’re all younger, though.
More than a week?
Much …
Toddlers.
They’re cute, but OMG, so much energy.
Put them down for a nap.
Works on II when he gets fussy.
Ha! Don’t you think we all tried?
No, my dad was grilling. They decided there would be no naps while there was still meat.
Mmmm … meat.
Also salad.
Meat and salad?
Yeah, my dad makes a mean salad.
And grilled vegetables.
Your family is interesting.
They’re kinda normal.
Which is interesting.
Did you need something yesterday?
Maybe some meat
But I didn’t know that was an option.
It still is. About half our fridge is meat.
Didn’t your family eat it?
You underestimate the amount of meat my father prepares.
Pretty sure he thinks he’s supposed to feed half the state.
Your father sounds like good people.
What did you do for Memorial Day?
Hot dogs
Don’t you guys have some big thing?
Grandfather’s company does.
And you don’t have to go?
Isn’t this veering close to people who know each other?
Oh.
Right.
Sorry.
Time for stranger questions.
Stranger questions?
Pretend you don’t know anything about me at all.
Like an internet person.
Oh.
Like what?
Like what are you doing after school?
Putting the finishing touches on my speech.
You’re up first, right?
Yep. First screwup.
Good to get it all out of the way.
You would say that.
How about you?
Somewhere in the middle.
You ready to follow the year’s best short-form animation?
More than.
I meant what are you doing after finals?
Next week? Mom made me get a summer job.
People still do that?
Yeah. Well, I do.
Where?
The gas station down the street.
What kind of gas station?
The one with the big mini-mart.
With the good burritos?!
Those things are NOT good.
They’re like fifty billion calories.
As I said.
Ew.
What about you?
Not much.
Church baseball league
Lots of video games
Family “vacation”
I guess I KIND OF have a summer job.
Technically an internship.
An internship? So, one of your relatives got you a desk job?
My mother.
Ooh, what does she do?
She works in an architecture firm.
Really?
Surprised?
A little.
Doing what?
Me or her?
You.
Not as cushy or desk-like as you think
I have to run around a lot.
In this case “intern” means “unpaid errand boy.”
So, what, you have to get them coffee?
Run plans to sites
Take pictures of things
I barely get to even LOOK at a computer.
No AutoCAD for you?
Of course you know all about architectural plotting software.
So is that what you want to do?
Architecture?
Yeah.
Not really.
But it’s better than working for any of my other relatives.
Is your mom an architect?
CPA.
Oooh, money.
Makes sense.
There you go making assumptions again.
Oh, right.
Sorry.
So do you want to be in money?
Not really.
I guess I don’t have much choice
Money’s just not that interesting.
Your relatives seem to disagree.
They’re wrong.
So what is interesting?
Don’t know yet
Still trying to figure that out.
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