Page 73 of Drama Queens Don't Fall For Charming Boys

He and I once again stand in complete, awkward silence.

“How’s your new mouse?” he asks.

“Mousy is awesome. I love all her features—and guess what? I annihilated the demon lord last night.”

“Nice! But, uh, you named your mouse?”

“I name everything that’s important to me. Like Lady Bunny and Lobsty…” When his eyebrows lift, I say, “Lady Bunny is my good luck charm and Zoey bought me Lobsty when she visited her grandparents and brother in Boston.”

His brows now dip.

“They’re stuffed animals,” I explain.

“Oh.” He chuckles. “Now it makes sense. I didn’t know you’re into stuffed animals.”

“Of course! Plushies are so soft and cuddly and so adorable.”

“True.”

We’re quiet again.

“How are your new headphones?” I ask.

“Headphony is freakin’ amazing.”

I throw my hands on my hips. “Did you just name your headphones right now?”

He chuckles again. “I sure did.”

“You’d better not be making fun of me.”

“Only in the best way possible. I think it’s really cute that you name things that are important to you. Like you’re giving them an identity.”

I tuck my hair behind my ear again. “I guess.”

Silence yet again.

“You know, this is my first high school party,” he says.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I always attended parties in L.A., but never a high school one.”

“What do you think?”

He’s quiet as he looks around at the kids dancing, chatting, or making out. “I like it so far. It’s fun. And as long as no one is doing anything illegal, what could be wrong with it?”

Well, if one has someone to hang out with or dance with, it could be tons of fun. But like all the parties I attended in the past, no one seems even remotely interested in me.

“Declan!” A girl presses herself to him and snaps a selfie, then runs off to her friends.

“Are you sick of that?” I ask. “Fans bothering you every thirty seconds?”

“I like being there for my fans, so I’m not sick of them trying to interact with me. But like I told you yesterday, I’m still trying to figure out how to be the real me around them.”

“Right. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

“Yeah, I hope so, too.”

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