"Hey, Max," Jake said to me. We were lying on the couch, watching Friends on Netflix. "I've got a suggestion for you."

"Shoot," I replied.

"Let's go out today," he suggested. "We're always inside and whenever we go out, it's either to the gym or to get food."

"Go out?" I asked, looking at him. "Like, get dressed and willingly communicating with the outside world?"

"I know it's a bit tough to wrap your head around the idea, but yes. Such people do exist."

"But – but – Ross," I tried.

"He will still be here after we come back," he reassured me.

I pouted but got off the couch anyways. "Where are we going?"

He shrugged. "Anywhere. Where do you want to go?"

"I mean, I want to stay here."

"Don't girls like shopping? We could go to the mall."

"I'm not a huge fan. It's whatever."

"Let's there, then. I need to pick something out for my sister's birthday, anyway."

I shrugged. "Fine by me. Does this mean I have to get changed?"

Jake looked at the t-shirt I received my high school orientation and sweatpants that I ought to be ashamed of wearing. I think they're from Justice. Who knows, they have the peace signs and rhinestones to support my assumption.

"Probably."

I groaned and slugged up the stairs and into my room, pulling out a pair of jeans and a flannel, pairing it with a puffer vest and boots for the fall weather. I ran a comb through my hair and let it hang in my natural waves and put on some lip balm. Should I do something with my face? Like, make up or something like that? Ella usually puts on mascara and eyeliner and it looks pretty good. Although, I got so used to seeing her with it on that when she took it off, she kind of looked like a naked mole rat. But that's okay.

I decided to skip the make up again and just grabbed my new phone. Apparently, while I was gone, I qualified for an upgrade with my carrier and got the newest iPhone. Unlike my old hunk-a-dunk of an old phone, I was paranoid that I would trip over something like I always do and drop it and it would crack. I would cry for a very long time.

"Ready?" Jacob asked when I got downstairs.

"Yeah, do you have money with you? Or should I bring some?"

He patted the front pocket of his jeans. "Nah, I got it."

I nodded and followed him out to his motorcycle, which was in my garage. He gave me a helmet and I strapped it on, encircling my arms around his waist.

"Get in, loser. We're going shopping," he said.

I frowned. "I'm already on your bike. And you wouldn't get in a bike, you would get on a bike."

"Max, have you ever seen – you know, never mind. It's okay. I just needed to say that line before I died, that's all."

I kept the frown on my face but didn't say anything.

Guys are weird.

"Oh, look, it's Bath and Body Works," he said, pointing to a brightly lit store. "Do you want to go in?"

I shook my head. "No, thanks, my nose is too sensitive for places like that."

"What about Yankee Candle?"

"Nope."

He looked disappointed. When I asked, he said, "I used to work there."

"You used to work at Yankee Candle?" I laughed.

"Stop. Candles have just such a comforting feeling, okay? I have no shame. And I also made the business go up whenever I worked, so."

"Yankee Candle," I muttered, still laughing.

"Stop," Jake repeated, blushing.

"What do you think your sister wants for her birthday?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Rachel? Your sister?" He gave me a blank look. "Did we come here to shop for her birthday?"

"Oh, yeah," he said. "Sorry, I was somewhere else for a minute."

"Clearly. What do you think she wants?"

"I don't know. That's why I asked you to come."

"How would I know?" I asked.

He shrugged. "You're a girl."

"You're her brother!"

"Help, please?" he pleaded, giving me a puppy-eyed look.

"Fine," I sighed, giving in. "Do you have any idea about her tastes? Like clothes or something?"

He thought for a moment. "She likes jeans."

Helpful.

"We could get her a really nice pair of jeans, I guess," I suggested. "What size does she wear?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

Men.

"We got you pizza, built Legos, and played with moon sand at a toy store but still haven't gotten anything for Rachel," I said to Jake as we walked though the mall.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," he said, taking another bite out of his slice.

"Jacob!"

"Okay, okay!" he said, raising his hands. "Let's go…" he trailed off, looking around us. "There." He pointed to a store to our right.

"Build-A-Bear?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She had a few teddy bears in her room," he said.

"Yeah, maybe when she was like, four."

"Come on, let's go," he smiled, pulling my hand.

I shook my head, but laughed anyways.

"The penguin's cuter," I argued.

"It's a penguin," Jacob argued back. "A pup is so much better."

"Just because you're a dog doesn't mean you have to make everything about dogs," I hissed but kept my voice down.

"I could say the same about you. A penguin is a bird. And it's not even making a cute face. Look at this puppy. It's adorable."

"It's a penguin! Penguins can't even fly."

"It's a pup," he mocked. We glared at each other for a while before I gave up. Jake stood up straight, a look of victory on his smug face. Handsome, but smug.

"Fine," I said. I looked at the caramel pup. I had to admit, it was precious. "What should we name him?"

"Something thoughtful," he said, thinking. "Like… Nelson."

"Nelson? How is Nelson thoughtful?"

"Nelson Mandela?"

"That'd make more sense if one of us were actually from South Africa."

"True," he thought. "Obama?"

We decided to name him Sputnik in memory of the first space satellite sent into space in 1957. In honor of the Soviet Union. Like. ?

Anyways, after a happy Jacob picked out a simple, red heart, he took Sputnik. "I'll go stuff him and you can pick out what he'll wear," he said.

I agreed and went over to the selection of clothes we could have our animal wear. Damn, there were more clothes here than my closet.

I decided to be real creative and selected an astronaut costume. Smiling, I met up with Jacob, who had stuffed our pup and given him some curve definition.

We dressed and paid for him, receiving a certificate and box shaped like a house. The quality of children's toys has grown over time, or at least since I was a kid. I think the best toy I had ever gotten was from my kid's meal at McDonald's. Ah, good times…

Setting the box on the counter, I pulled Sputnik out. Looking closer, I saw a tag attached to his little paw. It said, "Squeeze here!" I did and heard a familiar, recorded voice.

"Max, will you go to prom with me?"

I looked up and saw Jacob giving me a hopeful look. "What do you say?"

"Uh, yeah!" I squealed, jumping into his arms. "Of course!"

Maximum Ride is going to her first prom. Score.