I spot a few girls, Brianne’s friends, in the corner, giggling as they watch my pathetic attempt to talk to my crush.
Ryan slams his locker shut and heads for his first class. Did he really not hear me? Or did he purposely ignore me?
The girls continue to laugh. They pull out their phones. To text the world how much of a loser I am?
I sink down to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest. Is it too much to ask to be happy?
When lunch rolls around, I tell myself I’ll be confident this time. Ryan’s at his usual table at the corner of the cafeteria, drawing. I’ve got my tray in my hands and am about to make my way over there, when I’m nearly run over by a few guys running laps around the cafeteria. Seriously?
They’re shouting as they run, giving me a headache. When they’re out of my sight, I glance at Ryan’s table. He’s not there. Did he flee from all the noise?
“Artemis!” Jenna calls from our table, where she’s sitting with my brother. I dump my tray down, telling them I’ll be back.
Then I leave the cafeteria and find Ryan in the art room. He’s got a huge canvas before him and he’s drawing some sort of landmark.
I step into the room. “Hey.”
Like before, he doesn’t turn around.
“Ryan?”
He’s drawing like his life depends on it. An earthquake can hit and he still wouldn’t notice.
Sigh. Clearly he doesn’t want to be disturbed.
I slip out of the room, my heart cracking into a million pieces.
Iama loser. Loser Artemis who will never be happy.
***
I’m on my bed, clutching a pillow to my chest. Four days have passed and guess who still doesn’t have a date to the dance?
Tears pool in my eyes before sliding down my cheeks. Why am I making such a big deal about it? It’s just a dance. A dance I’mdyingto go to with a guy. With Ryan. I tried to talk to him a few more times, only to fail royally.
I’m pathetic. That’s the truth. Simply pathetic.
“Art?” Jason says as he passes my room. “Are you crying?” He’s in my room in an instant, dropping down near me on the bed. “What’s wrong?”
I clutch the pillow tighter. “I just want to go to the dance.” I sniff.
Jason hands me a tissue. “No one asked you?”
I shake my head.
He wraps his arm around me, pulling me close to his chest and letting me soak his shirt with my tears. “I want to go with Ryan Rogers. It’d be the happiest day of my life.”
He doesn’t say anything as he pats my brown hair. “A guy will ask you, Art. I know it.”
“I want Ryan,” I moan. “Ryan.”
He’s quiet, letting me cry on him. He keeps telling me over and over that it’s going to be okay. How can it? Ryan doesn’t even know I exist. He’spurposelyignoring me. Same way he ignored Brianne, the most popular girl at school. What chance do I have?
Chapter Three
Ryan
The only place in this school where I’m left alone to draw in peace is the art room. No one comes here unless they need to, so it’s the perfect spot for me to sneak off to during lunch.
