Maybe He Just Likes You

Mila isn’t allowed out on the blacktop for the rest of the week, so Zara and Omi have lunch with her every day. In time, Max and Jared join them as well, and on Friday, Jared says that he’s “sorry about that scorecard thing” (199). Omi, Mila, and Max panic, and Zara slowly realizes that none of her friends told her about the scorecard. Omi explains that Mila “wanted to keep it private” (200), but Zara becomes angry and accuses her friends of keeping secrets from her. Mila complains that Zara always tries to make things about her, and Zara storms off.

When Mila’s mom picks her up for her last day of detention, she offers to take Mila to get ice cream. Mila enthusiastically agrees, but as they head into town, Mila is shocked to see Zara and Omi “talking and laughing with a bunch of kids” (203), including Leo and Callum. Mila changes her mind and begs her mom to take her home instead. Her mother is confused and asks if everything is going okay with her friends. Mila reluctantly admits that things have been strained with her friends, and her mother encourages her to talk to her friends about her feelings, even if it means talking about them more than once.

On Saturday, Mila considers texting Zara to apologize, but she keeps hearing Ms. Platt’s voice in her head, telling her to “trust her gut” (206). Mila remembers all of the small moments where Omi stuck up for her when Zara was being unfair or mean, and she realizes that Omi has been a true friend to her throughout all of this. On Sunday, Mila overhears her mom talking to Mrs. Ames on the phone. Mila’s mother admits that she’s afraid to use her old boss as a reference during her job hunt, and Mila decides to take matters into her own hands. She gathers Delilah and Hadley and decides to go on a walk, even though it’s raining.

Mila walks to E Motions with Delilah and Hadley in tow. She finds Erica looking “even more frazzled than usual” (211) on this busy day, and Mila mentions what Erica said about looking for an office manager to help run the gym. Mila and Hadley tell her that she should consider hiring their mom, and Erica says she would love to talk to their mom if she is looking for work. Back home, Hadley tells their mother everything, and Mila’s mother is shocked and delighted.

On Monday morning, Mila hangs out with Max and listens as he gushes about Jared. Mila tells Max that she’s happy for him, and Max reminds her that she was the one who encouraged him to go hang out with Jared. Mila notices that Max has been acting a little strange with her lately, so she asks if he’s mad at her. Max admits he’s upset with Mila for not taking his advice about talking to Mr. McCabe. Mila tries to explain that what’s happening to her isn’t “regular bullying” (219). Mila doesn’t have a word for it, but bullying, teasing, and flirting “[seem] too simple, too small, to hold all the hurt [she] [is] feeling” (219).

Mila goes out to the blacktop during lunch and sees Zara and Omi again hanging out with other people. She tries to figure out what to do and who to hang out with when suddenly Samira “summons” her to join the daily game of “untag.” Samira tries to explain the game, which is complicated, but she stresses that there is “no touching; that’s why it’s untag” (220). Mila nods along, and when Samira tells her to start running, she runs.

Mila starts running, but before long, she is cornered by Hunter, Luis, and Callum, who announce that they are taking her prisoner. They break the rules and grab her, and although Mila tries to use her spirit yell to assert herself, they say that she “do[es] not get to dictate the terms of capture” (224). Suddenly, Callum reminds Mila about the 20-foot rule, and he orders her to leave the game. Mila reminds him that it goes both ways, and Callum is also supposed to stay away from her, but Callum says the agreement was made because Mila attacked him. Mila becomes frustrated and gives up, leaving the game. 

Mila storms off, scolding herself for giving in to Callum and “ceding turf” (226). Samira leaves the game to ask what happened, and Mila tells her about Callum and the 20-foot rule. Samira shares Mila’s frustration, and Mila admits that “the whole thing is out of control” (227). Samira suggests they go to the band hall together to practice for the concert. Mila complains that no one will hear her from the back row anyway, but Samira assures her that she is louder than she thinks. Besides, Samira adds that they might be able to practice their karate kicks if the band room is empty.

Mila spends the rest of the day hanging out with Samira, and they even sit together on the afternoon bus ride. When Mila gets home, her mother announces that she got the job at E Motions. Even though the pay “isn’t great,” their mother is “happier than [Mila has] seen her in weeks” and “maybe months” (229). Best of all, Mila’s mother explains that they can take unlimited classes at E Motions. Relief washes over Mila, and the family decides to get dinner to celebrate.

Mila throws herself into her karate lessons at E Motions, and soon Ms. Platt begins to take note of her progress. Mila starts to feel different, “more solid” and “sharper” (232) in a way that she can’t describe. On Friday, Samira invites Mila to come into town and get pizza with her, and they discuss band and how unfair it is that Ms. Fender put Mila in the back row. Samira comments that Mila has become much stronger, and her newfound confidence is obvious. Meanwhile, Mila and Zara reach an uneasy peace, but Mila no longer considers Zara a close friend. Omi gives Mila a limpet shell that her uncle brought back from Puerto Rico, and Omi explains that it’s supposed to be made of the strongest biological material in the world. Omi thinks Mila should have it “because it’s so tough” (236), like Mila.