When we enter the school, hands clutched, we’re assaulted with the buzz.About the party.About the after-party.About how loaded my family is.Never like hearing that one, no matter how many times it circulates.But one comment stutters my steps: “Did you hear?Oren may not play in the playoff game this weekend.Guess he got so drunk, he gave himself a concussion.”
I glance at Jonathan.His focus is straight ahead, like he doesn’t hear any of it.
At the end of the hall, Danika is standing with her arms crossed, glaring at us.She connects with me and shakes her head, a look of disgust on her face.Whipping around, she stomps off.My heart sinks.
Jonathan squeezes my hand, the only indication that he saw her.
“Got our tickets,” Collin announces out of nowhere, flopping an arm around my shoulders and holding up the homecoming tickets.“I’m wearing a powder-blue suit, so make sure we don’t clash.”
“What?”Jonathan looks over at him.
Collin grins wildly.“Homecoming.”
“What about it?”
“I’m going with Sadie.”His response is so matter-of-fact.Like he’s reminding Jonathan of something he should already know.Or that this is the most obvious answer.
Jonathan looks between us, his hand loosening in mine.“You are?”
I give him a tight smile, not sure how to react to his shocked expression.“Um… yeah.You don’t do dances, and Collin asked, so…”
Collin looks at him funny.“I told you.”
“You didn’t.”His hand is no longer holding mine.“I need to talk to Coach about using the pool before school.”
He turns around and heads back the way we came.Collin still has an arm around me.“What’s his deal?”
I let out a slow breath and shrug.I really don’t understand him.
Did I ever?
Chapter Seventeen
Jonathan avoided me for the rest of the day.So did Danika.I was beyond frustrated with the entire mess.
“Heard you’re going to homecoming with Collin.Things over with Jonathan already, or are you bouncing between the two?”
I close my eyes at the bathroom sink, letting the water pour over my hands.This is the last thing I need.
“Did you hear me?”Laurel persists.“Or are you too good to talk to me now?”
I wait for the door to swing closed, making sure the other girl who was washing her hands beside me left.I whirl around and throw my soaked hands into the air.“Why is my life that amusing to you, Laurel?Or is yours that boring?”She blinks, her cheeks instantly red.“Listen.I’m sorry we couldn’t be friends.I should’ve handled it better.If you’re upset with me, I get it.But this whole gossiping thing has got to stop.It doesn’t make you more popular.People will avoid being friends with you because they’ll be afraid you’ll talk about them behind their backs.”
Laurel crosses her arms.She suddenly doesn’t have anything to say.My words hit harder than I realized, and my voice falters into something gentler.
“I really hope you like it here.I know it’s not Brooklyn, but most people are genuinely nice.And we have some great restaurants downtown.Maybe you can take your new friends to Brooklyn some weekend and show them what makes you miss it so much.But, please, stop trying to cause trouble for me.Because you’re not.It’s just annoying.”
Her lower lip trembles.Her face has blossomed to the color of a beet.
I let out a breath.“I’m not mad at you.I don’tnotlike you.I just think there are other people here you’ll have more in common with than me.I’m usually the least interesting person in this school, I promise.”
This gets a small laugh out of her.I smile back.“What?I am.Dating Jonathan is the most exciting thing that’s happened to me since I sat on a melted red Popsicle in seventh grade.”
Laurel covers her mouth to contain a burst of laughter.
“You can laugh.It was funny.”The bell rings in the hall.“I’ve got to get to class.I’ll see you around.”
I don’t wait for an apology.I’m not sure she’d give me one.It was more important that I apologize first.But finally confronting her has given me the burst of fire that I need.
