Page 68 of How We Fooled

“You would know this if you ever watched those girlie movies with me. An alpha male is hot,” Maya responds.

“An alpha male and an alpha asshole are two different things. Be careful he doesn’t change from one into the other,” Ben deadpans.

“Oh, stop.” Maya slaps his chest.

All I can think about is how happy I am for Maya. Every one of us deserves to have a relationship with the person who brings us joy.

Though I never speak up like this, something inside me wants her to know. “I’m happy for you, Maya.”

She turns to me, obviously surprised I said something at all. “Thank you, Eli.” She looks back at Ben. “See? He’s happy for me.”

Ben tilts his head to see me better. “Whose side are you on?”

I laugh, shaking my head, but don’t respond. Ben will get it eventually.

“Whatever. Change of subject.” Ben looks at Dalton, then at me. “Have you guys seen the new Econ teacher? What’s her name? Miss Hernandez? Goddamn! Why did I have to have Government this semester and not Econ first?”

My happiness for Maya exits like opening a vacuum seal, and I stand with a jolt, turning to walk away, leaving Ben’s question in the air, willing myself to pretend like I didn’t just hear him say that because I was one second away from punching my best friend in the face with him having no clue why.

Liza

I’m packing up my room after school when my teacher friend Sarah peeks her head in my doorway.

“A few of us are going out for drinks. Want to come?”

I think about it for a second. Ever since school started, my only social life has been at the football games, which I can barely call a social life, and talking on the phone with Eli the small chances we get. Besides that, I’m either chatting with my mom about my sister’s drama or hanging out with my aunt.

“You know you want to …” she singsongs, making me laugh.

“Okay, yeah. Why not?”

“Great! I’ll text you the address, and you can meet us there.”

“Sounds good.”

She heads back into the hallway, and I pick up my phone to text Eli.

Heading out of the school now. Are you able to talk?

Yep, just sitting here, waiting on you, beautiful.

I smile, tuck my phone back into my purse, and head out to my car. As I walk to where the teachers park, I see Eli’s truck still in the parking lot. After putting my stuff in, I start the car and call him.

“Why are you sitting in your truck, still at school?” I ask with a laugh without saying hello. I didn’t think he was being so literal when he responded to my text.

“I stayed to work on a project for English. Really, I was just waiting for you, but you got me brownie points for sure with Mrs. Anderson.”

I close my eyes, chuckling under my breath. I know Sarah is good friends with Mrs. Anderson—or Tara, as I call her—so she’s probably meeting me for drinks right now.

I put my car in reverse and back out of the spot. Eli is parked next to the exit so I make my way toward him.

“How was the rest of your day?”

“Second period was amazing. After that, it sucked.”

I laugh out loud. “Glad it was so amazing for you.”

“What about you? How was your day?”

---