Cover of The Cousin She Thought Liked Someone Else

Rumi has a crush on Talon from her math class. They sit together most days. She likes his easy laugh and his silly jokes.

One afternoon, Rumi overhears Talon on the phone. "She is very funny," he says. "I really like spending time with her."

Rumi feels sad right away. She thinks Talon likes another girl. She stops sitting next to him the next day.

Talon notices the empty seat right away. He sends her a short text. "Where did you go today?"

Rumi does not answer at first. Then she writes back. "I heard you talk about a girl. I did not want to bother you."

Talon reads the message twice. He calls her that evening. "That was my cousin Nova," he says. "She just moved to town."

Rumi feels silly now. She was wrong about it. She laughs at her own mistake.

"I thought you liked someone else," she admits. Talon smiles through the phone. "I like someone else, actually. It's you."

The next day, Rumi sits next to Talon again. He slides a note across the desk. "Movie this weekend?" it says.

Rumi writes back one word: "Yes." She circles it twice.

🧠 Check your understanding

  1. Why does Rumi stop sitting next to Talon?

    Show answer

    Answer: She thinks he likes another girl

    She hears him talk about a girl and thinks he likes someone else.

  2. Who was Talon really talking about on the phone?

    Show answer

    Answer: His cousin

    Talon says the girl was his cousin Nova.

  3. What does Talon ask Rumi at the end?

    Show answer

    Answer: To go to a movie

    He slides her a note that says, "Movie this weekend?"

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