Page 25 of Fraternizing with the Enemy
“What? I’m just saying?—”
“You haven’t seen any news articles or anything, have you?” The panic tightened its grip. “Like, no teens have died in a fiery crash or anything, right?”
“Look it up on your way to lunch,” Jade said, coming from behind me and pushing on my back. “I’m starving.”
Starving? I felt nauseous as I waited for the search page to load. “I don’t even think I can eat.”
“Don’t worry,” Riley assured, going as far as to pat my shoulder. “Everyone will forget about your fake boyfriend by Monday. Probably.”
But that wasn’t even my biggest concern. I mean, sure, Jade and I had gone around hyping up Logan like he’d be the next Adonis of the school, but I was more worried abouthim. After a week straight of talking, Logan just went completely silent. What reason was there other than the unthinkable?
“Stop double texting him,” Jade scolded in my ear as the little angel on my shoulder. “Or quadruple texting him. You look desperate.”
“But he?—”
“Ugh, I didn’t raise you to be so pathetic.” With that, Jade reached out and snatched my phone out of my grip. “People are talking, Madison. Don’t give them ammo.”
I didn’t fight her on it further, knowing she’d never give it back if I pushed. I shuffled through the hall, trying to avoid the sidelong stares of my classmates. I couldn’tmake out what they were whispering exactly, but theywerewhispering.
Okay, maybe Ididcare a little that people thought I’d made Logan up.
There was one thing that could cheer me up, though, and that was the Top Tier lunch table.
Lore had it that there’d been one popularity table in the cafeteria since the dawn of Brentwood High, that Kings and Queens of the school of the century past had sat on these very seats. When you put it that way, it sounded kind of gross, but it was a true honor. And even though my energy levels were low, I still was in awe every time we walked up to the table in the middle of the room, unable to believe that we were the ones who got to sit in the center.
“You’re late, ladies,” Ashton crooned as we approached, gesturing at us with his chocolate milk carton. “Talking about me again?”
“You wish,” Riley replied, and before I had a chance to slide in beside Jade, Riley sat down in my seat.
I stood above them for a moment, debating to push the issue. Jade seemed unbothered, though, so I ultimately sank into the empty seat across from them.
I glared at Riley all the while. She ignored me.
“Oh, Jade,” Riley began. “Tell everyone what happened in Mr. Robinson’s class today.”
Jade immediately rolled her eyes, but in a way that was obvious that whatever it was, she didn’t want to rehash it.
“Jade had to face Maisie Matthews in debate today,” Riley said, glancing around the lunch table. She didn’t really have a rapt audience; unlike the cheer squad, the guys typically zoned us out.
I, however, couldn’t look away. “M-Maisie Matthews?”
“And guess what their topic was.”
Jade’s brown eyes locked onto mine. “Which is better: being good at academics or being good at sports.Guess which side Mr. Robinson gave me to defend?”
Judging by Jade’s dead stare, I knew the answer already. Still, I hopefully guessed, “Sports?”
“Academics. And he paired me with Brentwood’s freakshow.”
“Keep your voice down,” Connor said as he brought his tray to the table. Landon came up to the empty chair at my side, and just like that, the Top Tier table was full. Thankfully, Ashton and Kyle sat on the farther end, wedged between Reed Manning and Jacob Teller. Connor sat down beside Jade heavily. “Unless youwantpeople thinking you sound like a bully.”
I could see Jade physically fighting the urge to glare. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
“Sorry, I thought that was one of ourrules.”
Her glare broke through.
“At least Madison wasn’t up against Maisie,” Riley said supportively. “It would’ve been more awkward forMadisonto have been paired with Maisie, right?”
