“Oh, totally.” I sneak a glance at my phone in the cup holder. “She’s just looking for stuff to worry about.”
“Well, it will all be over by Sunday. Then you can just go back to worrying about the election.” She rubs her forehead. “I can’t believe how stressful this is. We’re not even really part of the campaign. How do people do this every election cycle? Why does anyone want to run for office?”
“I used to want to.” The words slip out before I fully realize I’m saying them. “Run for Congress, I mean. I guess . . . I’ve thought about it.”
Maya smiles faintly. “Really?”
“It’s stupid. Can you imagine?” I laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. “Giving speeches all the time, trying to talk people into choosing me—”
“I’d choose you,” she says.
“You would?”
“Of course.” She nods emphatically. “You’d be an awesome congressman.”
“I’m not exactly the politician type.”
“So? I wish more politicians were like you. You’d be so great. You’d always vote with your conscience, you’d work twice as hard as everyone else, and, I mean, you’d actually listen to your constituents. That’s huge.” She pokes my arm. “What a game changer. You should totally do it.”
She thinks—
I don’t trust myself to speak. I just gaze at the road, head spinning. Maya thinks I should run for office one day. She said I’d be awesome. A game changer.
She said she’d choose me.
Which is ridiculous.
But maybe it’s not.
By the time we pull into the campaign office, my stomach’s churning with nerves. Maya peers around the almost empty lot, looking relieved. “Thank God. I really thought we weren’t going to find parking last time.”
“Right?” My voice can barely choke out one syllable without jumping.
Maya unclicks her seat belt, yawning. “Weird that Gabe wants us to canvass at eleven on a weekday. Is he sending us to an office complex?”
She starts to open the door, but I blurt, “Wait!”
Way too loudly. Maya raises her eyebrows at me, smiling.
“Let me just make sure . . . Gabe is ready for us.” I pull out my phone.
“Since when do we make sure Gabe is ready for us?”
“I’m just . . .” I tilt my phone up, so she can’t see what I’m texting. “You know.”
Maya laughs, idly tapping into her own phone. “Why are you acting so shady?”
“I’m not.”
She stares me down. “Are you up to something?”
“What would I be up to?” I glance quickly at the dashboard clock. 10:59. 10:59. 10:59.
Neither of us speaks.
10:59. 10:59. 11:00.
“Okay!” I say quickly. “I think we can go in now.”
“Okaaaaaay.”
Maya’s definitely side-eyeing me—but I’m pretty sure she’s also biting back a smile. We hop out, and she follows me up the stairs to the side-access door. But just as I reach for the door, it bursts open.
“Hi, loveys!” Grandma bustles out the door, pausing only to hug us both. “Don’t mind me! Just clearing out. I don’t want to keep you! I know Jamie’s been—”
“Getting ready for a canvassing day!” I shoot Grandma a pointed look. “A regular canvassing day.”
Grandma’s mouth snaps shut. “Well, look at the time! Past eleven. I better get home and walk that pup!”
“Pup.” Maya laughs.
The campaign office looks empty at first glance, but I can hear low, murmuring voices coming from behind the white video backdrop.
I call out, “Hello?”
“Back here!” Gabe announces, stepping into view.
Maya looks at me questioningly. “Are we filming another video?”
“Not exactly,” I say—but before I can finish, Jordan Rossum steps out from behind the backdrop. Maya’s eyes flare wide, and she lets out a noise so faint and high-pitched, it almost makes her Jim and Pam squeaks seem gruff.
“Hi!” Rossum steps toward us, hand extended. “Maya and Jamie, right? I’m Jordan.”
I shake his hand. A moment later, Maya unfreezes and does the same.
“Your Fifi Gets Flipped video was amazing. And Gabe tells me you’re two of his top canvassers too. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”
Maya stares at her hand, looking awestruck—and then back up at Rossum. “It’s . . . so nice to meet you.”
“Are you kidding? So nice to meet you,” he says warmly. “You guys are rising seniors, right?”
Maya’s eyes flick toward me, mouth falling open. I know exactly what she’s thinking.
Rossum—Jordan Rossum—knows who we are.
Not going to lie—it really is pretty wow.
“Yup,” I manage. “I—uh. I’m at Riverwild and Maya’s at Stanley.”
“Nice. I went to Gallovin, but I knew people from both at Hebrew school.”
“That’s so cool.” Maya’s voice comes out breathless. And when I sneak another sideways glance, she’s twisting the ends of her hair between her fingertips.
She is, hands down, the cutest fangirl ever.
Gabe ambles over, collapsing a small tripod as he walks. “We just shot some sweet new video for the final social media push,” he says. “It’s Get Out the Vote time! GOTV, baby!”
Maya turns to Rossum. “How are you feeling?”
“Good! Definitely nervous.” He half smiles, half grimaces. “It’s my first time running for office. But the response has been incredible, and I’ve met so many awesome people. I feel really good.”
“You got this, bro.” Gabe pats his back. “Hey, let me steal my dude back for a sec. Gotta grab a few still shots to promote the vids.”
The vids. Wow. Gabe is even more Gabe when he’s trying to impress Rossum.
“Sorry!” Rossum smiles apologetically at Maya and me. “Should just take a second. Hold that thought.”
They step back behind the cloth.
And the minute they’re out of sight, Maya doubles over. “OH MY GOD,” she mouths.
“Surprise!” I whisper. “I knew you wanted to meet him, so I got Gabe to—”
She flings her arms around me. “You’re the best. Jamie! Is this real life?”
The look on her face makes me feel—I can’t even describe it. It’s like beating every level of every video game. And getting elected president of the universe. And being buried alive in puppies. All at once.
“I knew something was up,” Maya whispers. “But God. I had no idea. And he’s so sweet and down to earth! He really is awesome.”
“I know! It’s an accurate slogan.”
She hugs me again, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I can’t believe we’re meeting Jordan Rossum.” She draws back slightly, meeting my eyes. “Thank you.”
“Better than canvassing in an office complex?”
“Uh, yeah.”
Maya looks at me, beaming—and there’s this tug in my chest.