Page 51 of Didn't See That Coming

“What? Go where? I thought we were going to eat together.”

I glance, panic-eyed, at Eleanor Roosevelt, who’s most definitely smirking now. “Yeah, I forgot that I haven’t finished my…calculus homework, and you know how Miss Tian is about it, haha. Okay, see you later!” I hurry away down the hallway, feeling his eyes on my back the entire time.

When I get to the bathroom, it’s blessedly empty. I go to the last cubicle, lock myself inside, and rest my head against the wall. Immediately, the conversation with Liam replays itself in my head. Had he looked secretly glad? No, he just looked shocked. Or maybe slightly disappointed? Ha, I wish. My phone suddenly buzzes. I take it out of my pocket to find a Discord notification. Endorphins bubble through me the way they always do at the familiar sight of the icon, because I knowthere’s only one person it could be from.

Sourdawg:So I guess I’m about to have my first date

Dudebro10:OooOOooOOooo

I wince. Is that something a teenage boy would say? Or did that just come off really weird and creepy?

Sourdawg:Oh hey! Wasn’t expecting a reply. Aren’t you in school?

Oh shit. I stare at the screen for a beat, wondering what to say to him.

Dudebro10:Yeah, I am. But it’s recess time right now

Belatedly, I realize this makes Dudebro10 sound like an absolute loser who doesn’t have anyone to sit with during recess and therefore spends the time on his phone. Oh well.

Sourdawg:Oh cool, yeah, same here

Dudebro10:So tell me abt the upcoming date! Who’s it with? You excited?

Is that too many questions? Do I sound like a nosy parent?

Sourdawg:Haha, IDK if I’m excited. It’s with someone nice, at least

Dudebro10:Niiice

Okay, that definitely sounded creepy.

Sourdawg:I’m actually rly glad to go on a date. Things at home have been pretty bad. My parents’ divorce isn’t so much amicable as it is scorched earth, haha

Dudebro10:Oh shit. I’m so sorry to hear that

I bite down on my lip, hating myself in the moment. Here I am, holding a grudge against my parents just because they made me switch schools, and meanwhile, Liam’s going through something a million times worse. I shouldn’t even be worrying about my stupid crush on him. If I were a true friend, I would want him to have a great time on his date. He deserves that. I release my breath in a defeatedwhoosh.Well, Triss is awesome, so I have no doubt they’ll have a wonderful time.

CHAPTER 13

“I hate this,” I wail for the millionth time.

“Okay, Whiney McWhinerson,” Cassie says very unsympathetically.

“Whine, whiiiine.”

Cassie levels her gaze at me through her charcoal face mask. “I don’t know that whining consists of you actually saying ‘whine, whine.’ ”

“Oh yes, it definitely does.” I sigh and plop back down on my bed. “Argh, shoot!” I quickly get up again, but it’s too late: a bit of my charcoal mud mask has smudged off onto my pillowcase. Mami is going to flay me alive. Well, never mind. I’ve had to deal with all this unnecessary drama in my life thanks to her, so she can very well deal with a stained pillowcase.

“Come here and have more of this coconut cake,” Cassie calls from where she’s sensibly sitting on the floor.

“I don’t deserve you.”

“No, you don’t. And yet here I am anyway.”

I can’t help but smile as I hop off the bed onto the rug,where Cassie has laid out in a pile all the goodies she brought over. I truly do not deserve her. She came bearing all sorts of snacks: little coconut rice cakes filled with warm, caramelized palm sugar; crunchy, salty cassava chips; salted egg crispy fish skin; and chocolate-covered local coffee beans. The last one might have been a mistake, though, because after popping half a dozen of them into my mouth, my heart feels like a wild horse that’s just been released from its stable. She’s also brought the mud masks and a pedicure set, but I told her to trust me—she really does not want to come anywhere near my naked feet.

“Why don’t you ask the Lil’ Aunties to match you with Liam?” Cassie picks out a particularly large piece of crispy fish skin and nibbles on it, careful not to get any crumbs on her face mask.

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