“Ah, well, that answers my next question.”
“Which was what?” I ask out of curiosity.
“You seemed upset, I wondered why.”
I sigh, dropping my backpack. “We had a fight. I got upset, and things escalated from there. We’re still trying to figure everything out.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“No. I’ll be okay. It’s just put me in a funk. I’m sure I’ll snap out of it by lunch.”
I run into the school as the tardy bell rings. “Dammit!” I huff and slow to a walk. There’s no use hurrying now. When I walk into English, Mrs. Hammond glares at me. “I’ll see you after school, Miss Clark.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I mutter, taking my seat. After school detention is the last thing I need today. I wait for Ford to lean in and make a sarcastic comment, but it never comes. I look back at him, and he glances at me, giving me a pathetic, sad-looking smile, and then he goes back to thumbing through his English book. My stomach twists into knots. Is he still upset about last night? We didn’t figure everything out, but I thought we left on good terms. We talked about things, made out on his sofa, in his car (which was hot), and then against my car before I finally had to leave.
As soon as the bell rings, Ford bolts out of his seat and is the first one out of the room. It’s the same thing in history, economics, and chemistry. If I thought yesterday was torture not having him talk to me, today is like being sent to the fiery depths of hell. For lunch, I buy a premade salad and get a yogurt, but I’m not hungry. June talks me into going outside and sitting at one of the school’s uncomfortable picnic tables. They’re metal and have a weird rubber coating, but the sun feels good on my face.
“Do you want to talk about it?” June asks, taking a bite of her pizza.
“Talk about what?” I give her a confused look.
“Whatever’s bothering you. And don’t tell me there’s nothing wrong.”
I glance around to see who’s outside, but only Landon and his friends are out here, and they’re on the other side of the courtyard. “I had an argument with Ford last night.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, but we made up, kind of. We made out for almost an hour until I had to go home. Something’s going on with him, but I don’t know what.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sure you’ll figure things out.”
“Maybe. If he ever talks to me again.”
June’s eyes get wide.
“Yeah, I know. He’s bolted out of every class.”
“I guess I don’t understand yours and Ford’s relationship, because I’m missing all the context,” June says.
The five-minute warning bell rings. “I promise I’ll give you a tell all tonight.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you later.” June waves, and we head in opposite directions.
Ford doesn’t show up for calculus. In PE, a couple of girls talk me into playing pickleball with them out on the courts. I glimpse Ford, Jack, and Ty shooting hoops on my way outside. I think about going up to him, but I don’t want to make a scene, and I’m afraid he’d walk away from me, and that would be even worse.
After school, I send Ford a text wishing him good luck on his game. I wait fifteen horrible long minutes for him to text me back, and all I get is thanks. I don’t know what to do. Hopefully, I’ll be able to talk to him after the game.
I show Beth how I’m supposed to do my hair. She watches a couple of tutorials and then attempts it. When it’s done, it looks fantastic. “Oh, my gosh. I can’t believe this is my hair,” I say, looking in the bathroom mirror. I turn around, hugging her. “Thanks, mom.”
Her eyes get glassy. “I love when you call me that. I’m glad you like your hair.”
“I love it. I better go. All the cheerleaders are meeting at Leah’s at five. We’re supposed to be at the stadium by six. I’ll see you and everyone at the game tonight.”
Leah’s house is a frenzy, with all twelve of us putting on makeup. I didn’t realize how much glitter and face paint cheerleaders use. Aubrey sprays red glitter in my hair, and Ellie Leland, one of the sophomore cheerleaders, has glitter lotion for my arms, neck, and legs. Leah puts a temporary tattoo on my face that says, ‘Go Titans.’ We also put several fake tattoos on our legs with more sayings like ‘Titan Nation’ and ‘LHS is #1’. We paint stars on our legs and arms and more glitter. It’s so much fun that it makes me forget about my crazy day.
“Hey Clark, I have a #1 tattoo left. Want me to help you put it on your neck?” Leah asks.
“Yeah. I think that’s the only one I don’t have.”
