“Mmhm.”
Danny stands up and kicks a pebble onto the road. “Okay.” He swings his navy blue backpack over his shoulder and walks toward the bus stop. “Let’s go.”
As soon as we get on the bus, a feminine voice shouts, “D! Come sit with me!”
My eyes follow the voice down the aisle and land on Tori. Tori, with her perfect, sleek blonde hair. Tori, with her short skirt and trendy fur boots. Tori, with her perfect speech and no family drama.
She must’ve discovered that Danny takes the bus to school during one of their conversations yesterday (when they weren’t busy sucking each other’s faces) and changed her transportation method.
A blush spreads across his cheekbones as Danny looks at me sheepishly. “I don’t have to sit with her.”
“No, you should go. I b-bet you t-two have a lot t-to catch up on.”
He searches my eyes. It takes everything in me not to bite my cheek.
“Are you sure?”
I just nod and smile to avoid triggering more of my stutter.
Danny narrows his eyes, clearly hesitating, before bringing his attention back to Tori.
“Go ahead,” I encourage, desperately wanting this conversation to be over.
“Alright,” he says tentatively, taking another few steps down the aisle. “See you after school, then. We have a longer practice, so I’ll catch you at my house later?”
“Sure, Dan.”
His back stiffens before he swivels around, his eyebrows drawn together. Before he can say anything, I sit down.
For the first time in six years, I ride the bus alone. My gaze stays glued to the window the whole way to school, avoiding any potential visuals of him andher. With every classmate that boards the bus, the unclaimed space beside me grows wider. Loneliness oozes into my pores like an incurable rash, making my skin feel itchy.
When we arrive at school, I scramble off the bus like someone is chasing me. And deep in my heart, I kind of hopesomeoneis.
Sitting at the table in the library that’s become my favorite over the past few months, I wait for Ben to arrive. Even though I just saw him in P.E., we didn’t have a chance to catch up. He loves running the mile, and I love running from mandatory exercise, so we don’t cross paths unless he’s lapping me. That said, we’re in almost all of the same classes, and he’s continued to be a goodfriend. In a time where all of the other relationships in my life are complicated, my friendship with him remains simple.
Tori’s been monopolizing almost all of Danny’s time spent not at football, and lately, it’s been difficult not to overthink my relationship with him. We’ve been able to maintain our same balance as always, justoutsideof school. We still go on backyard expeditions with Charger, drink milkshakes at the diner, and watch trivia show reruns with Tess. But after the third awkwardwho will Danny sit next to today at the lunch tableinteraction, I started finding excuses to be anywhere other than the cafeteria at noon.
“You look sparkly,” Ben tells me as he adjusts his glasses and sits down.
“…in a bad way?” This morning, I rolled cucumber melon body glitter on my cheekbones, and I’m kind of surprised it’s still around.
“In a glittery way. It’s cool.”
His reaction does not convince me it’s actually cool. “That’s the last time I listen to Teen Girl magazine,” I mutter.
Ben sets down his binder and yanks out a sheet of lined paper. He points to the fabric wrapping my textbook. "Nice book cover. So shiny, like the glitter on your face."
Jesus Christ. That’s it. No more glitter.
“Thanks. Janie got it for me.”
“Who’s Janie?”
“Oh. Just my next-door neighbor—you know, Dan Thompson? Uh, his mom.” Sometimes I forget Ben doesn’t alreadyknow. I haven’t let him in on my home life, including the fact that Danny and I are more than just neighbors…or maybe not. I frown, because I’m not so sure anymore. I haven’t been sure of anything when it comes to Danny lately.
Ben nods. “So, what’s up with you?”
“In the five minutes since we saw each other in gym class?”
