Chapter 26

RULE #25: GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SURPRISE YOU, AND HE WILL.

Presh

"Don't you think I'm a little old for a piñata?" Amahle asks, while I'm standing on a ladder in the middle of the rink.

"Ummm… I'm six years older than you and I'm going to whack the hell out of this thing and enjoy every second of it."

She rolls her eyes. As I climb down, we admire my handiwork.

"I think it looks great!"

"It looks like a giant penis with a disease," she replies, and I gasp. She's cracking up as I shove her.

"It's a mushroom! I worked all night on this."

"First of all, they're toadstools, and I think the top part is supposed to be a lot bigger."

"Well…"

"I'm just kidding." She laughs, wrapping her arms around me and squeezing me in a hug. "I love it."

"Thanks." I squeeze her back.

"Besides… we're going to whack it until stuff comes out, right? So it might as well be a pen—"

"Amahle Ndlela!" I shriek. "You're fifteen years old! Watch your mouth."

Amahle is cackling as she jogs over to the party table where Ma is setting up the snacks and drinks. My phone buzzes in my back pocket, and I fish it out.

"I'm going to tell Ma what you just said!" I yell to my sister as I swipe open my phone.

My heart picks up when I see Musa's name. And his message makes me pause for a moment.