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    “Of course it’s about a girl! You think I would buy all of these crappy clothes for no good reason? Give me a little credit.”
    “Gee, I just thought maybe you wanted to, you know, exercise ?”
    “We both know that’s not gonna happen. Wait! There it is.” He stopped and pointed to a building across the street. Independent Records sold used albums and the latest indie releases, and attracted a wide variety of clientele, from business executives who had never expected to grow up and become nine-to-five office workers to young, tattooed, pale-skinned teenagers who laughed at the thought of one day wearing a suit and conforming to an establishment.
    “She works in there?” asked Colton.
    “Maybe say it with a little less disgust next time.”
    “Oh, give me a break. Can we just get this over with so I can go home? I’m starving.”
    “Okay,” said Reece, turning to face him. “Her name’s Jenna. I have it on good authority that she likes guys who exercise, but also guys with a little bit of a bad streak.”
    “‘Good authority’? You just described every girl, ever.”
    “So you’re my wing-man. Whatever I say to her, just agree, even if it’s a huge lie. And try not to act like a nerd. And don’t hit on her. I got dibs.”
    “What are you going to say?”
    “I dunno yet, but I’ll think of something.” He waited for a break in traffic and jogged across the street.
    Colton imagined Reece getting clipped by a passing car—not enough to seriously injure him, but enough to make him want to abandon his scheme. It didn’t happen, so Colton hurried over to the other side of the street and stood next to the front door of the record store.
    He looked at Reece and gestured inside. “After you.”
    Reece winked at him and held two fingers up to his neck, pretending to check his own pulse as he walked into the store. Colton shook his head and followed him.
    “There she is,” said Reece, nodding to the counter.
    Colton saw a petite young woman with short, dark hair and heavy eyeliner. She was reading a magazine that must have been extremely boring because she looked like she was about to fall asleep standing up.
    “Not bad, actually,” said Colton.
    “Not bad ?!” said Reece. “What an insult! Like I’d do all this for anything less than ‘amazing’.”
    “Okay, fine, she’s amazing. Now what do we do?”
    Reece stretched his arms. “Follow my lead.”
    He walked over to the counter and waited until the girl looked up from her magazine. “Yeah?” she said.
    “Hey,” said Reece.
    She waited for him to say something else.
    “I just got done working out,” he said. “Now I’m gonna go work out some more.” He turned around and looked at Colton, who was hanging back out of embarrassment. “Right, Colton?”
    “Hm? Oh yeah, he works out all the time.”
    Reece seemed happy with his response and he turned back to the girl. “So, I was wondering if you have any music that’s good for that.”
    “Good for what?” she said.
    Reece scratched his neck nervously.
    “You know, exercising,” he said. “Keeping the old heart rate up. My parents are rich, by the way.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “Nothing.” He turned around and whispered to Colton. “Plan A is a dud. Move to Plan B.”
    “Plan B ?” whispered Colton.
    “I can still hear you guys,” said the girl.
    “Grab and go!” said Reece. He snatched a handful of CDs from a stack next to the register and ran toward the exit.
    “Hey!” said Colton.
    “Hey!” said the girl.
    “Be my wingmaaaaaan!” shouted Reece as he ran out of the building.
    The girl dropped her magazine and picked up the phone next to the register. “I’m callin’ the cops,” she said, raising her eyebrows at Colton as if she were daring him to try and stop her.
    “Aw, man,” said Colton. He ran out of the store and followed after Reece.
    Riding his bike around the city every day gave Colton the endurance to catch up with him easily. Reece was huffing