Page 71 of Let's Pretend I'm Okay

I roll my eyes, and wave my hand in front of him. “Come on. You deserve this.”

He shakes his head.

“You know you want to.” I wiggle my fingers and firmly plant my feet onto the floor. I will not be moving anytime soon. I will get this high five.

He looks over his shoulder, then he reluctantly takes a hand out of his pocket. He taps his palm against mine so fast he looks like he’s touching a hot stove. His arm falls limp at his side. “There, happy?”

“Yes. Yes, I am.”

His cheeks burn red from embarrassment. “So do you want to look for more clues today?”

Considering how I’m not supposed to be on my phone during class, searching for clues at school is going to be tough, but Annie is working later. That means I’m free to do whatever I want until she’s done. “We can head to your house after school.”

“My house?” His voice cracks.

Did I scare him? Is that possible? “Yup, you know that place you sleep at? That one.” I’m not about to bring him to my house. I don’t want to deal with the amount of explaining I’d have to do.

“Right,” he says. “That one.”

My phone starts buzzing. Annie’s contact fills the screen. “I have to take this, but we can talk more about it in class,” I say.

He nods as I answer my phone and wander off.

I walk with Annie after school to her car and grab the ChapStick I left in the passenger seat.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drop you off at home?” she asks.

“I’ll be fine, I promise. Besides, I don’t want you to be late to work.”

She slides into the car. “Just don’t complain about taking the bus next time I see you.”

I laugh. “Trust me, I won’t. Now drive safe.” I close her door for her and wave as I step away.

She waves back and then starts to reverse.

The yellow school buses are all still lined up in front of the school, but I start running toward the city bus stop instead. I’m pushing it. The bus pulls up, and the group of kids that are huddled around the stop get on while I’m still way too far back. I wave my arms wildly in the air, trying to catch the driver’s attention, but the bus starts leaving anyway.

I fold over, hands on my knees as I try to catch my breath. No matter how hard I try to be graceful, I’m well aware that I look like a cow gasping for air. Now what? I was supposed to be on that bus with Daniel. He probably thinks I stood him up.

“What are you doing?” Two black shoes appear in front of me.

I peer up, clutching my side. Daniel stands with his hands in his pockets, one eyebrow raised.

“Why aren’t you on the bus?” I ask.

“You weren’t here yet.”

I straighten up, still very much breathless. “So you missed your bus to wait for me?”

“Relax. It comes every twenty minutes. It’s not a big deal.”

“Oh, right.” I set my backpack on the ground between my feet.

“Besides, the next bus will be less crowded.”

That’s true. Usually the first bus after school is the busiest. Sometimes it looks like a sardine can with how many students try to squeeze in.

“Well, thanks for waiting. It gives me someone to talk to. Not that we have to talk, of course. But we can if you want to.”

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