“Hold on. You’re telling me that hot Adam guy stole your words?”

It’s well beyond 11 p.m. when Colbie gets home. Now I’m pacing her room, still fuming from the fact that Adam stole my words. He’s not looking so hot now, is he?

For the nth time I say, “Yes. Those were my exact words, Colbie. I posted them on the café wall last year.”

She looks at me, confused. “The whole song?”

I flap my hands around. “Well, not the whole song, but the chorus— I swear those were the exact words I put up on the wall.”

I sit on the bed beside her and recite the lyrics.

“Send me up a spiral staircase

Even if it’s just a phase

Give me chaos give me madness

Bring me bittersweet sadness

Send me up a spiral staircase

Win me over make me fall

But I won’t ask you to catch me anymore”

My sister pats my hand. “Sweetie, those are just words. Who knows? Maybe he thought about them too. Is it really so impossible for someone else to think up those same lines?”

I give her a knowing look. “And it just so happens that the guy’s singing those same words in the same café where I posted them a year before? C’mon.”

She puts a finger to her lip in thought. “Well, what are you going to do about it?”

I think about this for a second. I most definitely can’t go up to him and ask him to… what? Return my words? To not use it in his songs? If I’m being honest, what I feel most about hearing my words used in his song is not anger but confusion. And use them with that melody? It feels wrong and right at the same time. I just wish he asked for permission. Then again, how could he? He has no idea who wrote it.

Okay. Maybe I’m being overly sensitive about this. But one thing’s for sure. I need to find out if he’s used any more of my workin his songs.

I give Colbie a serious look. “I need you to find out what else he’s written, if he’s used any more of my words in his songs.”

She leans back a little. “Me? Why me?”My eyes narrow at her. “Admit it. He’s hot and you want to get to know him.”

It’s her turn to narrow her eyes at me. “I know he’s gorgeous and all, but what makes you think I’d date two guys at the same time? Do I look like a cheater to you?”

Woah. Cheater? I take a closer look at her, and she actually looks stung so I clarify, “I don’t think that at all. In fact, I know that you’re loyal to a fault. I just didn’t know you and Sean were serious. I mean, it’s been, what? A week since you guys met? And I only meant that you’re confident enough to approach Adam. You’re brave like that. Befriend him and, when you get a chance, find out if he’s written other songs.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Sean and I are not getting serious, but I do think he’s a nice guy. I took your advice and told him we’ve been vacationing here since we were kids. He didn’t appear annoyed. We had a good laugh about it and moved on. So, yeah. I think he’s cool.”

Sean’s cool. Huh.

Shaking my head, I decide to get back to the matter at hand. “So, you’re not gonna help me?”

“I’m saying you don’t need my help.”

Does she mean…? No way. “You know I’m not that friendly. Or outgoing. Or into strangers in general.”

This earns me another pat, this time to the head.

“You can approach him yourself. God knows he’s interested. He couldn’t take his eyes off right before you left.”

Like I said, big sisters see everything. But wait, he’s really been looking at me? I haven’t imagined that?

My sister senses my reluctance, which makes her grin. “You don’t give yourself enough credit, Riley. You’re my sister—we have the same genes. It may have taken a while, but now you’ll see that guys will notice you more. You’re growing up.”

I seriously don’t know what to make of this. It isn’t like I’m planning on dating Adam. I just want to know if he’s written more songs, for heaven’s sake. But Colbie’s right. I am growing up. I have to learn how to handle boys sometime.

I lie down on Colbie’s bed, staring at the ceiling like it holds the answers to all of life’s questions.

Somehow, this makes my sister laugh. “Man, you better get your notebook ready because I have a feeling you’ll be writing down a lot of stuff this summer.”

***

I stay home the next day and decide that I need to do some research before I try to talk to Adam. Like the stalker that I am, I look up Adam online only to discover that he isn’t anywhere. Not on Facebook and any other social media platform.

I tap my pen on my lips and think about my next step when my Messenger dings. It’s Ben. I smile and click on it.

Ben: Hey.

Riley: Hey.

Ben: What are you up to?

Riley: Nothing much. Just hanging out, stalking people on Facebook.

Ben: I’ll add you. And then you can stalk me. 

Riley: What makes you think I want to stalk you?

Ben: I’ll have you know I’m very stalkable. And I post interesting stuff almost every day so you won’t be bored.

Riley: Most people think stalking is a negative thing.

Ben: What can I say? I’m a glass-half-full kind of guy.

Riley: You’re a weirdo.

Ben: But I’m a likeable weirdo. Right?

I sigh. He’s right, but I’m not going to tell him that.

When I don’t answer he sends another message.

Ben: Too much?

I laugh.

Ben: You’re seen-zoning me. That stings.

I laugh again, but I still don’t answer.

Ben: Well, when you’re done being a snob maybe you can go to a beach party with me later. We could hang with some of my friends. I could pick you up or I could send you the address.

I stop laughing and read his message. Is this a date? No. He’s asking me to a beach party. Like the one we both went to three years ago. Oh, God.

Riley, don’t freak out. He’s just inviting you. He doesn’t even remember what happened before.

I bite the inside of my cheek and respond.

Riley: I’ll be there.