Page 10 of XO

“That’s very sweet of you, Chelsea, but Rosie has been at this school for the same amount of time as you. You could perhaps use this time consulting with her about decorations as well as getting to know her, since clearly you’ve seemed to have, um… overlooked her presence.”

Chelsea’s shoulders sag, and I wonder if I’ve managed to make a new enemy all without saying a single word to her.

Ms. Zagwich checks the time and claps her hands over her thighs. “Well, I guess this is us… Team Prom. There may be only a small group of us, but you each play an important role in ensuring its success. Take this time to better know each other but, before you do, I’m sure you’re all wanting to know that this year’s theme is—”

“Casino Royale? Can we have real poker chips?” Kevin offers with misplaced enthusiasm.

“No,” Ms. Zagwich says, taken aback.

“Hollywood Star,” Chelsea coos.

“Sorry, but no.”

“Fairy tale?” Anna asks.

“Nope. You’re all close, but so far away.A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Ms. Zagwich exclaims, excited despite the group falling silent.

“I don’t get it,” Chelsea says, her shoulders further slumping, her dreams of glitz and glamor dashed.

“I love it,” I admit, and my teacher’s eyes gleam.

“You already have some ideas?”

“I do. It’s a great choice.”

Jacob leans back, a small smile playing on his lips as he slips a note across my desk. I eye him suspiciously and flatten my palm over the piece of paper before lowering it to my lap and reading.

Posie, why are you always the smartest one in the group?

When he sees I’ve read the note, he slides back until he can rest an elbow on my desk. “Well?” he prompts.

“Why on earth would you think that?”

“Just stating a fact. Pretty sure you know more aboutShakespearethanShakespearehimself.”

“I probably know as much about it as you know about football because it’s in our lines of study.”

“Hey, Rosie,” Kevin says, overly sweet as he saunters to my desk. Behind him, Chelsea is having an extremely animated, extremely one-sided conversation with Ms. Zagwich about how she predicts a student body rebellion over the ‘unpopular’ choice in theme.

I glance up at the boy who I know very little about, and who most likely barely knew I existed until today. Even Jacob appears taken aback by his approach.

“Yes?” I ask.

He grabs a chair and swings it around to sit on it backward. He’s a good-looking boy. Different to the classic charm of Jacob. Kevin is blond with a surfer tan and blue eyes and a jawline you could crack an egg on. He also doesn’t have a shy bone in his body. “I dig that you knowA Midsummer’s Night’s Dream.”

“And I’m confused that you do.”

“Not by choice.”

I don’t know whether to believe him or not. The chances of Kevin knowing aboutA Midsummer’s Night’s Dreamis equivalent to me knowing who won the Super Bowl in nineteen eighty-nine. Slim to none. And to be honest, I’m rather impressed.

“So…” he continues knowing he has my attention. “Wannabe Titania to my Oberon?”

Oh!

“The fuck?” Jacob asks, both confused and amused.

Makes two of us.

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