“Passing Each Other in Halls” by Matt de la Peña

Recommended by One Teen Story

Issue No. 83


This is late Saturday night. In a booth in a dark bar. This is some girl, Holly, who I’ve known roughly ten minutes, leaning over my boy PJ, her eyes big and brown, and asking will I kiss her.

And I’m against this kind of behavior in theory. Locking up in public. Lobbed a dry biscuit at a couple kissing in the high school caf during sophomore year—and when that didn’t stop them, I threw a half-eaten fish stick. But Holly’s cute. And we’re both buzzing on the good stuff. And my real girl recently called down from her fancy Ivy League school to tell me she met someone.

Read the rest of the story at electricliterature.com.


About the Author


Matt de la Peña is the author of five critically-acclaimed young adult novels, including Mexican White Boy and The Living. Matt received his MFA in creative writing from San Diego State University and his BA from the University of the Pacific, where he attended school on a full athletic scholarship for basketball. de la Peña currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. He teaches creative writing and visits high schools and colleges throughout the country.

About the Guest Editor


One Teen Story is a literary magazine for young adult readers of every age. Each issue features one amazing short story about the teen experience. We publish 9 monthly issues from September to May. Eight of these stories are written by top young adult authors. The final story of the year showcases the winner of our One Teen Story Contest, open to writers ages 14-19.

About Electric Literature


Electric Literature is an independent publisher working to ensure that literature remains a vibrant presence in popular culture. Electric Literature’s weekly fiction magazine, Recommended Reading, invites established authors, indie presses, and literary magazines to recommended great fiction. Once a month we feature our own recommendation of original, previously unpublished fiction, accompanied by a Single Sentence Animation. Single Sentence Animations are creative collaborations: the author chooses a favorite sentence and we commission an artist to interpret it. Stay connected with us through our eNewsletter (where you can win weekly prizes), Facebook, and Twitter, and find previous Electric Literature picks in the Recommended Reading archives.


“Passing Each Other in Halls” originally appeared in One Teen Story and is reprinted by permission of the author. © Copyright 2013 Matt de la Peña. All rights reserved by the author.


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