Page 51 of It's in the Contract
“Why so many books?” I ask.
We arrive at Zeke’s locker and he shifts the books to one arm to twist in the combination. “Well, if I finish one, I want to make sure I have another. But what if one is boring, and I DNF it, so then I need another?—”
“DNF?”
“‘Did not finish’. Though I seriously doubt any of these are going to be DNF’s for me. I love all of these authors.”
After shelving the books, I reach into my backpack and pull out the test I’m excited to show Zeke.
“Is that your math test? Did you get an A+? 100%?” Zeke asks, closing his locker. His books barely fit inside.
“No!” I smile. “Even better.”
I hold up my test, full of the toughest calculus problems I’ve solved yet, and show Zeke my B+.
Zeke’s face falls. “Callie, what . . .?”
“It’s perfect!” I say. “I was able to solve them all and get just enough wrong that my score is exactly what I wanted it to be.” I check around. Luckily, most people are at lunch, and there are only a couple of girls leaning against lockers on the opposite side of the hallway, not paying attention to us. No one’s close enough to overhear.
“Uhhh . . . that’s great?” Zeke tries to smile as he hands the test back to me.
“What?” My good mood falls slightly. “I got exactly what I wanted. I get to stay on the cheer team with a B+, and no one knows that I’m . . .”
Zeke looks at me, compassion on his face. “Callie, why don’t you want anyone to know you’re good at math?”
I swallow. “I can’t be labeled a . . .”
“Nerd?” Zeke crosses his arms over his chest. “Like me?”
“No! You’re not—you’re cool—you’re . . .” I don’t know what I was about to say. I don’t know why I was excited to show Zeke my score. Maybe because I solved all the problems correctly to know how many to miss. Maybe because I knew I could’ve gotten 100% if I wanted to.
“He’s what?”
I jump at the voice and turn to see the girl with the black pigtails—done up in panda buns today, like two death-by-chocolate cupcakes on her head—standing in the hallway with her arms crossed. Her eyelids are heavily made up in eyeliner and vibrant blue eyeshadow. A lanky boy with pale blond hair and a shorter girl wearing cut off overalls stand behind her.
“Hi,” I say brightly.
The girl just raises one eyebrow.
“Callie,” Zeke says. “I’d like you to meet Emma, Taylor, and Tina.” Tina—the girl giving off farm vibes—gives a small wave and blushes deeply behind a wall of acne. Taylor, the tall boy with a slightly too-large nose, won’t meet my eyes. Emma—the bubblegum chewing panda—just stares at me.
I turn to Zeke, surprised. “How do you know them?”
Zeke shrugs. “Emma is a gamer.”
Emma chomps on her gum. “We all know what you’re trying to do, Callie.”
I stiffen, clutching my wrinkled math test. “What—what do you mean?”
“The only reason you’re hanging out with Zeke and smiling at us is to make us think you’re one of us. To get votes.” Emma rolls her eyes.
Tina averts her gaze. Taylor flaps his hands in front of his face and says, “You shall not pass.”
“He loves Lord of the Rings,” Zeke whispers.
I don’t get it, but I don’t ask for clarification.
“We can see straight through your pretty, perfect act,” Emma says. Her gum pops with a snap. “You don’t really care about us.”
