Mr. Stetzler throws a pointed look in our direction, and we both make like we’re incredibly busy with a problem in our notebooks. When he goes back to lecturing, Olivia leans over. “I know I’m not supposed to be talking about her with you. Charlie made me swear—” The Belgian lets out a burp, and everyone starts laughing. Olivia scrunches up her nose and looks at me.
“Charlie made you promisewhat?”
“We just didn’t want to upset you,” Olivia says gently. “We just love you. And want you to be okay.”
“I am okay,” I say. “I’ve been okay for weeks.”
Olivia fiddles with the end of her pencil. It’s chewed down the same way her nails are. She likes to gnaw on things when she’s nervous.
“It’s still hard to lose a friend,” she says. She looks at me with her big blue eyes.
“You were telling me about Juliet,” I say, glancing away, because all of a sudden I think she’s talking about losing me. About the fact that I haven’t been around lately. Not really, anyway.
“Yeah,” she says, inhaling sharply. “I think she’s kind of sneaky. I mean, who goes to Barneys, looks up what I preordered, and then cuts in front of me on the list? Is that even legal?”
I’ve never really understood Olivia’s obsession with shopping. I mean, I like clothes, I guess, but I’ve just never been thetype of girl who wants to spend all day at the mall. Not that I’m condemning her for it. High school is hard, and whatever it takes to get through is fine. But for Olivia shopping is a profession. She’s incredibly talented at it, so I can see how someone beating her at her own game would really piss her off.
“It’s like she’s trying to take everything away from us,” Olivia says. “Stealing Rob from you just isn’t enough anymore.”
Mr. Stetzler is handing around the homework assignment, and when he gets to me, I don’t recognize a single problem on the list. We always work through half in class so we have “some models” to go off of, but today I took no notes.
“I didn’t hear a word of this class,” I say.
“Whatever,” Olivia says, taking a handout. “Quesoat Cal Block?”
“I can’t.” Everyone is filing out the back, and Olivia and I follow. “I have a study session.”
“For what?”
“Bio,” I say. “Len’s coming over to help me out. Unless Mr. Johnson has him in detention or something.”
“Len, huh?” Olivia raises her eyebrows and shimmies her shoulders. “You two have been spending a lot of time together.”
My cheeks flush pink. “We’relabpartners,” I say, glancing away. “If I fail, it makes him look pretty crappy too.”
“Since when has he cared about grades? And the play—”The Belgian walks by, and Olivia arches her back so you can see a small stretch of stomach. I don’t think it’s lost on him. He glances back, but Olivia is immersed in our conversation. Or at least she appears that way. It is impossible being a straight girl in high school. Everything feels so predicated on making guys want you.
“I think thou doth protest too much,” Olivia says, giggling.
“You’re crazy.”
“I told you,” Olivia says as we make our way down the stairs. “I’ve always thought he was pretty cute.”
“He’s so sarcastic.”
“So?” Olivia says. “It’s kind of sexy. He’s like a rebel.”
“Well, you’re welcome to him.”
Olivia rolls her eyes. “I like Ben.” She bites her lip and stops walking. “Actually, I love him.”
I stop too. I figured as much, but I hadn’t actually expected Olivia to cop to it. But now she’s looking at me like there’s more.
“What’s up?” I ask, shifting my book bag.
“We sorta—” She exhales and kicks some dirt with her shoe. “We had sex.”
“Does Charlie know?” I’m not sure why that’s my first question, but it seems important.
