Page 10 of The Boy

The door closes behind him, and I brace myself before turning to Jordyn, my heart thudding in my chest for a different reason than last time. She has every right to be upset.

Her eyes aren’t narrowed in anger like I expect, though. They widen, like she’s trying hard not to smile. Her lips are pressed together, twitching at the sides. I continue watching her, and she inhales sharply.

That’s the moment the dam breaks. She laughs and doubles over. The sound is contagious, and I laugh with her … until I pull her to me and silence her with a kiss.

6

JORDYN

“See you later, okay?” Jordan pulls me to him for a quick kiss and lets go, his wicked smile shooting straight to my core. After staying in his apartment last night, I woke up with the biggest, goofiest grin on my face, and I couldn’t stop smiling. I didn’t have anything else to wear, so I ended up borrowing his shirt, the hem of which he tied tightly around my midriff. It’s not my style, but when I looked in the mirror, I actually liked what I saw. I watch his retreating back before he whirls around and plants a kiss on my forehead. “Don’t miss me too much.”

Whatever lingering happiness I feel vanishes into thin air when I step into the classroom. The air shifts and the usual chatter softens, replaced by barely-muffled giggles and hushed whispers.

My stomach drops as I scan the room, the knot in my belly getting heavier when I realize several pairs of eyes are on me. Me, the invisible girl. Me, the nameless and faceless one. Me, the one everybody ignores.

A group of girls near the back dart quick, fleeting glances at me, their heads bending closer to each other. They’re not even trying to hide it. Their voices are just loud enough to let me and the rest of the class know who they’re talking about.

“He’s playing her, and she’s too blind to notice.”

“Didn’t he used to date a cheerleader?”

“I remember! God, what a downgrade.”

“Maybe it’s a charity thing? Or he lost a bet? That definitely sounds like something Jordan would do.”

“He’s way too hot for someone like her.”

I grip the strap of my bag and force myself to move, and look away. My heart sinks deeper as I walk toward my seat in the front row. I can feel their eyes on me, burning my back and suffocating me.

Sliding into my chair and ignoring the pitiful look my seatmate, Kaya, gives me, I set my bag down quietly on the floor. I keep my face blank and my movements deliberate, as though pretending not to notice might make it hurt less.

This is why I hate people. And why I made it my lifelong mission to avoid them.

One of the girls slides into the empty seat to my right, and I take out my notebook and pencil case just to have something to do.

“Hi, I’m Donna.” She doesn’t offer me her hand, just rests her chin on her palm and looks me up and down.

“Jordyn.”

“Oh, ha. Now I get it.”

I want her to leave me alone and go about her day. I don’t know her, and I haven’t done anything to deserve any of these. I don’t respond, but Donna seems like the type who loves the sound of her own voice.

“You know, we’ve been debating why Jordan’s going all PDA with you. That’s so not like him. Marianne thought he lost a bet with Toby. Dani’s money was on him taking you on as a charity case. I believed Jordan just wanted to have fun.”

I still haven’t said anything, but I wish the professor would be early for once and arrive right now. This is not a conversation I want to take part in.

“Now I know why. You have the same name.” I turn to see a triumphant smile on her face, like she has figured out the world’s most difficult riddle.

“So?” I ask despite myself.

“So if you know Jordan, you know he likes to do things for fun. He probably thought it would be funny if he said, ‘I slept with Jordyn.’ That’s so on-brand for him.”

I swallow past the lump in my throat, my insecurities and lack of self-esteem rearing their ugly heads. “He won’t do that.”

“Oh, honey. He’s slept with half the female population in this school, including some professors. You’re not that special.”

With that parting shot, she flicks her hair and strides toward her friends. I jump in my seat when Kaya reaches out and squeezes my hand, forcing me to blink quickly to stop the tears from falling.

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