“I want to wear whatever I want to school,” the caller said. “Why do we even have dress codes?”
“What specifically do you want to wear that you can’t?” Victoria asked.
“Pajamas.”
“We can’t wear pajamas to school?” I asked. I’d never really read through the dress code in the student manual so that detail was a surprise to me.
“We can’t,” the caller said. “I got dress-coded for it yesterday.”
“How did they know they were pajamas?” Victoria asked.
“Because it was plaid flannel pants and a tank top.”
“All I can say is that if you don’t want a dress code anymore, you have to take that up with the PTA and the school board,” Victoria said. “Showing up to school in your pajamas, unfortunately, isn’t going to change anything.”
“What do you think, Kat?” the caller asked.
What did I think? I was feeling more comfortable on air, getting braver and doing better. But I still rarely voiced my opinion. Being a good podcast host would require doing that from time to time. So I took a deep breath and said what I thought. “I agree. I know they have council meetings. Go to one of those in your pajamas, do some math problems, show them that wearing your pajamas doesn’t impede your learning. Then hope for the best.”
The caller sighed like this was the last thing she wanted to do, but she didn’t argue our logic.
“Thanks for listening,” she said, and was gone.
I smiled over at Alana, thinking if anyone would agree with dress code issues, it would be her, but she wasn’t paying attention. She was writing something in a notebook that was on the table between her and Frank. I hoped it said something like, Did our show really need a sponsor or did you do that just so you could hear Kate praise your company? Oh, and by the way, tell the truth about breaking into Kate’s marina.
Victoria looked at me. “Listeners, I think I see a smile on Kat’s face. She might actually be enjoying herself. Remember during the first episode how she said she was going to be bad at this? I personally think she’s very good at it.”
A feeling of warmth at the unexpected compliment bloomed in my chest. “Thanks, Victoria. You taking the lead makes it much easier for me.”
“Thanks, cohost. We better move on before this love fest takes over,” Victoria said. “Next caller.” She paused to let the call come through. “You’re on Not My Problem,” Victoria said. “What can we help you with today?”
“You told me to call back and give you an update.” My pulse picked up speed. Diego. Alana was at full attention now.
“Mr. Looking for Love,” Victoria said. “We were just talking about you.”
“Wait, is that my moniker?”
“You don’t like it?” Victoria pouted.
“Um … I can deal with it.”
“We’re so happy you called,” Victoria said. “Listeners love you. So tell us, any progress with your girl?”
“Yes and no.”
“That’s not a real answer,” I said.
“So I’ve heard.” He cleared his throat, almost like he thought he’d given himself away with that bit of info. And he had, by repeating something he had said at the lockers just the other day. It was the first thing the caller had done that let me know without a doubt that it was Diego. “Here is a real answer. Yes, I was able to spend some more time with her. We had fun. She’s everything I described before—funny, easy to be with, sweet. I’m trying to be patient like Ka—Kat suggested.” He’d almost called me Kate but stopped himself in time.
“And it’s not working?” I asked.
“I think it is.”
“But …” Victoria prompted.
“But there’s another guy.”
Victoria gasped and my eyes shot straight to Alana. Her brows went down.
“You think she likes someone else?” Victoria asked.
“I’m almost sure of it,” Diego replied.
“Maybe you’re reading too much into it,” I said. “Have you asked her?”
“No, I haven’t. I’m exercising patience, Kat, like you suggested. You basically implied chivalry was dead.”
“Look at you reading into things again. I said nothing of the sort. I said patience was dead. It’s been beaten to death with an instant-gratification stick.”
“Ouch,” Diego said.
“Do you disagree?” I wasn’t normally this confrontational, but it was Diego and our exchanges always brought something out in me.
“Yes and no.”
“Ha,” I said.
“I’m still a fan of just kissing her,” Victoria said.
I nodded. “My point exactly.”
“I can have patience,” he said. “I just wonder if my patience will result in anything.”
“Isn’t that one of the definitions of patience?” I asked. “Waiting without being certain of the result?”
He chuckled. “Okay, I get it. Thank you, once again, for listening.”
“Thanks for the update,” Victoria said. “We can’t wait to hear about the results of this.” Diego ended the call, and Victoria spoke into the mic. “And to all you listeners out there, I sense love in the air. The Fall Festival is still a few weeks away, plenty of time to ask a date. There will be games and food and rides and music and lots of fun!”
“I think there might be football in there, too, somewhere,” I said.
Victoria laughed. “Football? Who goes to the Fall Festival for football? Before I get angry emails, that’s a joke, people. I love football. I can’t wait to cheer the team on and then afterward celebrate at a carnival.”
After a couple more calls, we closed out the show and I walked out of the booth to meet Alana in the outer room.
Frank smiled at me. “That was some excellent reading, Kat.”
“Why did you donate all this stuff?” I snapped. “Feeling guilty?”
He put his hand on his chest. “I can’t win with you, can I? You accuse me of pranking your marina and here I am supporting the podcast and you think it’s because I feel guilty?”
“Yes.”
“It was nice,” Alana said.
“Yes, so big of you to spend your dad’s money,” I said.
Alana took my arm and pulled me away. “Not worth it,” she said to me quietly.
When we were outside of the room, I asked, “How do you stand him?”
“I have him under control,” she said.
“What does that mean?”
“It means, he thinks he’s playing me, but I’m playing him.”
“I still don’t know what that means.”
She laughed. “You’ll see. The more important question is, why does Diego think I like someone else?”
“So you agree that it’s Diego?”
“Yes, I think you’re right. It’s him.”
I nodded toward where we’d just left Frank. “That’s why he thinks you like someone else.”
She gasped. “Why would he think I like that?”
“Maybe because you invited Frank over to my house and he basically crashed your date? Diego asked me what was up between the two of you that night.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” Alana asked, wide-eyed.