Page 36 of Fraternizing with the Enemy
I glanced at the now-empty chair Maisie had occupied. “What did she need?”
“It’s a long story.” And then something else seemed to occur to her. “I heard a rumor floating around school.”
Ugh, the idea of Mom trying to gossip?Cringe. “Mom, how many times do I have to tell you that Babble is forstudents? It’s a total breach of trust?—”
“Do you have a boyfriend, Madison Oliphant?”
I almost choked on air. “Mom, that was, like, last week’s news.” My armpits were sweating, which wasstupid. She’d lifted my dating ban for senior year—I shouldn’t be freaking at the prospect of her finding out. “And it’s—it was a fake rumor, anyway. Trust me, if I had a guy, I’d be bragging him up like crazy, swear to God.”
It only occurred to me then hownarrowlyI’d avoided certain death. Certainsocialdeath, that is. Jade’s idea of spreading the word would’ve been good if Logan was truly from Haven, but the fact that he was from Jefferson? It could’ve been catastrophic. If people had uncovered the fact that my secret boyfriend was Logan Castle, quarterback of the Jefferson High Bulldogs, I would’ve been flayed on the football field. Ripped down from the Top Tier.
If that’d gotten out, it would’ve meant certain social death.
Logan’s words resurfaced again.Girls like you peak in high school.
“Another piece of gossip I heard,” Mom went on. “Is the Most Likely To list coming out today?”
Oh my gosh, it just kept getting worse. Why did everything sound dorkier when she said it? “The what?”
“Cut the act. You’re not involved in any of that, are you?”
I spread my palms. “I have nothing to do with the list.”
That much was true, because after Jade left me in the alley Friday, I never returned to Expresso’s. How could I go back to them all, perch myself on Kyle’s knee, and pretend like nothing had just happened? And besides, if Ihad, wouldn’t I have just been proving Logan right? That I was obsessed with all things popularity-related?
So my answer to Mom was true, as long as she didn’task any follow-up questions, like—“What about your friends? Are they involved in it?”
“Why are you so interested in the listnow?” I asked instead of answering. “It’s been happening ever since you were hired as principal. Why focus on it now?”
“I’ve let a lot of things go on longer than they should.” Mom said it more to herself than to me.
I decided to make my exit then before she asked any more questions. But first, I needed one of my own answered. “So… that panini?”
Mom sent me out of her office empty-handed, and I headed toward the cafeteria, sour-faced. Really, for many reasons. ItwasMost Likely To day, and I hadn’t even asked Jade who sheput on the list. I hadn’t even asked to see the list. Something wasseriouslywrong with me.
It was like Logan was some sort of school spirit vampire, and he’d sucked all the pep and pride right out of me. And all weekend, my thoughts swung betweenfuriousandheartbroken, like some sick, twisted merry-go-round Jade would’ve rolled her eyes at.
My thoughts went through the same grief cycle, except I couldn’t seem to go beyond the first three steps.
Denial—Logan wouldn’t do this to me.
Anger—how could he lie to me?
Depression—of course it was too good to be true.
What was too good?a thought whispered.Logan himself, or the perfect image you’d created of him in your head?
I didn’t onlylike Logan just because he could boost my popularity status.
How dare he even implysomething like that?
But what if he was right? What if I was shallow?
“There you are,” a voice crooned in my ear, and Ifound Jade sidling up next to me in the hallway. She had her blonde hair loose over her back, perfect. “I was waiting for you to come down the hall.”
“Really?” There were still other students heading down toward the lunchroom, but it was out of character for Jade to not be one of the first one in the cafeteria. “Is everything okay?”
She reached for my arm, pulling me to a stop. “I’m really sorry I didn’t stay with you in the alley Friday. I should’ve. And we didn’t even get a chance to talk about it at the game, or over the weekend.” She let out a sharp breath. “I’ve just been so focused.”
