dreams and wishes and then there are veggies

 Harley wished Brick would stop making over her so much. She wasn't going to fall apart. Yes, there was a lot of prep work, keeping up with being a diabetic. And yes, her blood sugar might go up and down for no reason. And yes, she felt a little drunk sometimes. Other times, just shakey. But she wasn't going to let that stop her from going to school. She'd get used to it somehow.

Of course, Brooklyn was very good at being that someone by her side.

"But don't you need to be with Mercer?" Harley didn't need to be taken care of, and she was sure Mercer didn't need that much care either. "What's going on with you two?" Harley asked her at lunch. These days Brick had an early lunch while she had a late lunch. Of course, most days she snacked on carrots and almonds along with a few pretzels. 

"You know, we're just friends." Brooklyn smiled as if they were besties.

"And what will happen if you meet ..I dunno, Prince Charming." Harley looked at her blankly as she bit into a carrot. 

"Oh, I don't believe in stuff like that," Brooklyn laughed. 

Harley did her best to smile, but really Brooklyn was just a little too perky for her own good. She probably smiled when she did crunches and squats at home for a workout. Harley didn't know what Brooklyn was on, but she had good reason to believe she was faking it.

"You really like Mercer, don't you?" Harley gave her the eye as if she might be a fortune teller.

"Well." Brooklyn played with her food. As of yet, Harley hadn't seen her take a bite. She did wonder if Brooklyn had an eating problem of some kind. Harley offered her a carrot. She then opened a bag of popcorn and offered her some of that too, but Brooklyn wouldn't take it.

"It's OK, if you do like him. Who doesn't?" Harley said Mercer was a good friend to everyone. "One of the best listeners I know." Harley wouldn't say but she and Mercer went way back to sixth grade. They had started band together. Of course, he got stuck with the tuba and she never quite had the lips for the flute. So they hung back watching the others master their instruments. They both liked the drums and the keyboard. She guessed they would have never made a good band, but they could dream. Naturally, neither were in band now.

"It's just, he's a mystery to me," Brooklyn told her. "As much as we've spent so much time together this summer, it's like I still don't really know him. But he is nice and like you said, a very good listener."