The Art of Advertising

•5•

It was Saturday, roughly a week before the party, and Rowan had been buzzing since her conversation with Levi yesterday

:-)

Levi uses emoticons. I don't know why I'm so obsessed with that.

She was at Adam's house and they were painting each other's nails.

"Rowan, you are so lucky that your best friend does not have fragile masculinity. Who else would you have spa days with?"

"I'd probably have other friends, Adam."

"Not with that attitude."

Rowan rolled her eyes.

"It's no wonder you don't have a girlfriend with that sass."

Adam's face fell at the mention of a girlfriend, and he continuted to quietly paint Rowan's toenails. They had raided his sister's room for all of her nail polish, and Rowan had decided on a sparkly purple color.

Rowan took note of this reaction.

Adam always acts weird when I bring up relationships. I wonder why.

"Does Ellie make you uncomfortable?"

This caught Adam off guard.

"What? Ellie?"

"Yeah, you get really weird when I mention girlfriends and stuff like that around you. Is her crush making you uncomfortable or something?"

"I mean, yeah, I guess. She's kinda creepy  about it."

"...is that it? You don't seem so sure."

"I don't know, Ro."

She thought for a minute.

"Is it because of your parents divorce?"

Adam looked up and Rowan saw some sort of relief in his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I do think it's because of that. That would make sense, right?"

His answer confused Rowan

"I mean... yeah? I'm not in your head, Adam. I'm just making guesses."

"Yes. That is the reason why."

Rowan gave Adam a puzzled look, but decided it would be better to move on.

"Ok.. anyway, I was talking to Levi yesterday, and he said that Casper Schmidt is having a party this weekend."

"Oh yeah, Casper told me about that. I wasn't going to go though, cause, you know, social stuff. Ew."

Rowan punched Adam in the shoulder.

"You knew about this!?"

Adam rubbed his arm.

"Yes, and ow! That was hard Rowan. You made me screw up the polish!"

"Why wouldn't you tell me?"

Adam gave her an unamused stare.

"You have literally never gone to a house party in the time I have known you. Why would I think this time would be any different?"

Rowan started to answer, but then stopped and thought.

"I don't know, but we are going to this one, and Levi is taking us because my car is 'in the shop.'"

"Your car is fine."

"Levi doesn't know that."

"Rowan." Adam gave her a disapproving look.

"What? Don't look at me like that. You would have done the same thing!"

"I don't have a car! How am I going to get there?"

"I'm sure he can take you too!"

"But do you really want him to?"

"Of course I do. As much as I'd love some alone time with Levi, you always come before him. Always have, and always will, no matter what."

Adam gave her a heartwarming smile.

"Thanks, Ro. I really needed that right now."

She gave him an understanding nod as Adam finished painting her toe nails. He was much better at this than Rowan and she was always grateful for his free pedicures.

"Hey, did you ever find out why Colorado is home?"

"Hm? Oh right. Yeah, she said some of her classes weren't going as well as she was hoping and just needed a short break. She's going back on Monday."

"Is she here right now? I'd love to talk to her, I haven't seen my honorary big sister in a while."

Rowan had always been an only child, but ever since she started going over to Adam's house, his big sister, Colorado, had sort of adopted her. Ever since then, Rowan thought of her as her "honorary big sister."

"Nah, she's out with some of her friends."

"Well, let me know the next time she's back. I really want to see her."

"Oh, but I thought your car was in the shop?"

"Shut up, you dork."

Rowan punched Adam in the arm again, making sure to be gentler this time.

They both laughed it off and continued to gossip and pamper themselves.