“Aw, what a gentleman.” Paige’s voice drips with sarcasm. “Tell you what. Since you’re responsible for all of this, why don’t you be a good sport and clean up this mess on my shoes?”
That’s it! I’ve just about had enough of her. “Leave him alone, Paige,” I say, and immediately regret it.
Oh-oh. She looks ready to pounce and scratch me with those V-cut French tip nails, but before anything extreme can happen,hisvoice cuts through the crowd.
“I think we’ve had enough excitement for one day,” Theo says, as people move aside to let him through. Everyone quiets.
Paige’s face transforms from attack-mode to innocence so quickly I almost get whiplash. My blood boils watching her flip the switch like that—as if anyone would buy this sudden angel act. “You’re so right. They’re not worth our time,” she says to him.
Theo walks over to us and whispers, “I’m really sorry about this.”
Our eyes collide, and I’m feeling that rush of warmth again, but not because I’m angry. My heart does that ridiculous flippy thing it always does when he looks directly at me.
“Don’t apologize,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady despite the butterflies fluttering in my stomach. “It’s not your fault.”
My fingers fidget with the hem of my milk-soaked sweater as I fight the urge to smooth back my hair. What’s the point? He’s already seen me looking like a total disaster.
“Listen—“ Theo starts.
But then Paige tugs on his arm. “Theo, come on. Let’s go.”
He glances back at me as he’s walking away. “We’ll talk later.”
Somehow, I doubt it. Paige will make sure he’s as far from me as possible.
The moment they leave, Stephanie grabs my hand. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”
She pulls me into the bathroom, and I immediately head to the sink. My ruined sweater clings to my skin, cold and sticky. The chocolate milk has already started working its way down my back, making my undershirt stick to me in the worst way possible. I’ll have to change into my gym clothes.
“This is never going to come out.” I grab paper towels and dab at the brown stains spread across the cream fabric. My efforts make almost no difference.
Ian hovers outside by the bathroom door. “Chrissy, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to cause trouble. Someone pushed me and—“
“And then you went all puppy-eyed the moment Paige called you cute,” Stephanie cuts in, clearly pissed at Ian. She yanks more paper towels from the dispenser, movements quick and jerky. “What was that about? One second you’re standing up for Chrissy, the next you’re practically drooling over Paige.”
She’s not wrong. His obsession with her will not end well.
“I wasn’t drooling over her.” Ian retorts. “I was just surprised she said that.”
“Surprised? More like flattered.” Stephanie plucks more paper towels. “You completely folded.”
“That’s not fair. I stood up for Chrissy.”
“Yeah, for about two seconds.”
I can hear him sighing behind the door as I squeeze milk out of my hair. “I didn’t think—“
“That’s obvious” Stephanie doesn’t let it go. “Whose side are you on?”
“Since when are you the loyalty police? It was just a weird moment.”
“That’s an understatement.” Stephanie crosses her arms as she faces the door. “Paige dumped milk on Chrissy, and you looked ready to thank her for noticing you exist.”
Silence stretches between us like an elastic band ready to snap. The easy camaraderie we’ve always shared now feels strained, like we’re standing on different sides of a widening crack in the ground.
None of us utters a word as Stephanie and I walk out.
The rest of the day passes in a haze. By the time the last bell rings, I feel drained. Choreography practice will have to wait. I just want to relax in my bed and let BTS help me forget this day ever happened.
