I don’t stop moving until I’m a good thirty feet away from the nurse’s office, then I press my back against the wall and sink onto the floor until I’m sitting on the cold linoleum. I tug my knees into my chest and bury my face into my arms to block out the world around me.
Stupid Patrick. Ugh. I’m supposed to be over him. Aren’t I? So why is he getting in my head like this?
I actually convinced myself he was going to tell me he likes me as more than a friend. And what would I have said? I’ve been so fixated with my crush on Joe, so the ping-ponging in my heart is conflicting. I’m not supposed to feel disappointed by Patrick’s lack of feelings toward me. Period, end of discussion.
None of this matters. I’m going out with Joe tonight. Joe, the one who’s excited to spend the festival by my side. That’s not nothing. It’s a huge deal, actually.
But if Patrick doesn’t have a crush on me, why would Joe? How did I think I could have my first kiss with him? I mean, what could he possibly see in me? Not only do I suck at calculus, but I suck at love.
So much for romanticizing my life.
I don’t realize I’ve spoken all of this out loud until I hear shoes squeak to a halt in front of me. Oh no. Someone was listening?
“Did you know the average floor has about seven hundred and sixty-four bacteria per square inch?”
I tilt my gaze up. It’s Subwayboy.
He adjusts his frames. “What are you doing on the floor?”
“Oh, you know, just the usual boy problems,” I admit, because why lie if he heard it all already? “It can get pretty tough, Subwayboy.”
“Please don’t start calling me that.” Oliver groans, slipping his thumbs under his backpack straps. “And maybe if you start focusing more on important things like your studies, you wouldn’t be so worried about trivial things likeboy problems.”
I stand, brushing off whatever dust and floor bacteria might be on my track pants. “Of course. You’re right, Subwayboy. You know, you’re pretty brainy for a junior.” My lips curve into a smile. “Somehow you always seem to know everything, don’t you?”
His hand flies to the back of his neck as he averts his gaze to his Sambas. We’re matching again. I’m not sure if he notices.
“Not everything,” he insists. “Anyway, I’m late for a tutoring appointment. But, uh, did you happen to pass your test?”
That’s right. I haven’t seen him since lunch, and we hadn’t gotten our tests before then.
Grinning, I throw an exuberant thumbs-up right below his chin. “Passed!”
Oliver presses back a smile, which is too bad, because now I know he has a great one.
“Okay, cool,” he says, already turning toward the library. “See you tonight.”
I watch him go, right until he disappears around the corner. Did Oliver Yang express interest inme, Sara Lin? More specifically, did he truly seem to care about my passing grade?
“Huh,” I say to myself. “That was random.”
“It sure was, Sara Lin.”
I just about leap out of my own skin. Lulu’s appeared by my side, silent as an avalanche of cotton balls.
“Lulu! Geez, where did you even come from?”
Her silver eyes narrow. “I go to this school.”
Not what I meant, but okay.
“By the way, I don’t think you should worry.”
“Worry?” I repeat.
“About what’s lingering on your mind.” Her mauve lips remain in a flat line but a coy look dances behind her eyes. “Your first kiss.”
Me and my giant mouth. How long was she lurking without making her presence known? She must have heard me going on like some lovesick soap opera actor.
