The YA novel Here’s To Us is a sequel to the rom-com What If It’s Us.

Here, read an excerpt from the first chapter.

Chapter One

Ben

Saturday, May 16

What if we do?

This question lives in my head whenever I think about him.

But I think someone’s finally found me.

He’s cut through the box’s heavy duct-tape seal and cracked it open.

There’s light and air.

Good-morning texts and sleepovers.

And Spanish and kisses.

And the fifty other times since then.

I self-consciously swipe through to the photo I sent him in response.

I angled the phone above me, making sure the T-shirt he made me was visible.

The T-shirt was such a thoughtful gift.

It even has me judging myself and my photos a lot less than I normally would.

He was the first person after my ex, Arthur, I zeroed in on.

Now the what-ifs are about Mario.

What if we become official boyfriends instead of just friends who kiss and hang out?

I let it go, because Dylan has always been dramatic that way.

My forever mood: writing is hard.

Mario once asked me if there’s anything I’ve ever wanted to do besides writing.

Writing is the only thing I’m good at.

Arthur used to talk about the characters like they were mutual friends.

I love connecting with people over words.

And I’m really loving connecting with Mario over words in both English and Spanish.

He’s another white-passing Puerto Rican like me, but his parents actually raised him bilingual, unlike mine.

when he offered to be my personal teacher.

I’m pretty pumped to see him.

He’s not my boyfriend, but he’s also more than a friend.

Things get really tricky in that space.

I don’t know.

That’s a problem for One-Hour-in-the-Future Ben.

I jump out of my seat and cross to the platform right as the doors are closing.

I’ve got to verify I’m not late.

I’m putting those days behind me.

In our creative writing class, Mrs. Garcia would call this “character growth.”

I leave the station and walk down to the Central Park West entrance on Seventy-Second.

It doesn’t take me long to spot Dylan and Samantha.

Samantha slaps Dylan’s hands.

“Hey,” I say as I walk around the bench.

“Can I get in on this?”

“There’s always room for you in our bed.”

“I didn’t say anything about your bed.

“Missed you, buddy.”

“Missed you, too.

Exhausted by you already.”

He’s rocking a new Kool Koffee shirt and blue jeans.

“There’s a cute little cafe in the park.

Get ready to drink all the espresso shots, my little coffee bean.

“I vote none of the above,” Samantha says.

Her dark hair is braided into a Pinterest-ready crown that I should include in my book.

“Hi, Ben,” she says as she pulls me into a hug.

I’m relieved Dylan hasn’t converted her into someone who aggressively nicknames me.

“Welcome back, guys.”

Samantha’s eyes widen at my shirt.

“Oh my Greek goddesses, I love it!”

Dylan grins when he notices.

“Those wicked wizards are going to wizard so hard one day.”

I don’t want to let anyone down.

This love is the kind of pressure that gets to me.