How to Be Brave(38)

I wish I were the one going instead of Liss.

Snorkeling. The Mayans. Limestone caves. Daniel.

And then something changes.

Liss and Daniel smile at each other.

It’s a weird smile. A knowing smile. An intimate smile.

What the f*ck?

Am I so drunk I’m imagining things?

First she tells everyone about my list, and now she’s flirting with Daniel?

No. Gregg sees it, too.

He frowns and pulls Liss’s chin toward him.

They kiss.

Chloe pours more juice into my glass.

I take a sip.

And another sip.

And I drink until it’s empty.

“So, Avery,” I say. “I have a question for you. Why did you pick what’s-her-face, Zebra-girl, no, what’d you call her, Liss?”

“Georgia…” Liss shakes her head at me. “Stop.”

But I don’t stop. It was funny, what she said, and I have to remember it.

“No, wait—” I laugh. “Hold on. Oreo cupcake. Yeah, that’s it. You said she looked like an Oreo cookie cupcake.”

“Georgia, really. Stop it.”

“No, wait. You’re right. She had a name. Mary. Yeah, Chloe’s cousin Mary.”

Avery looks at me confused, but all nice and curious, like she’s really, deeply invested in what I’m about to say. “What about her?”

“Why’d you pick her instead of me for cheer? I mean, she’s a freshman and she’s just as fat as me. And I could do a cartwheel, but she can’t. So, what the f*ck? Why didn’t I make the team or squad or whatever?”

“Damn it, Georgia,” Liss nearly hisses at me. “Shut up already.”

“What? You said it,” I say. “I’m just pointing out the blatant nepotism that runs rampant in the halls of WHS.”

“Georgia,” Liss sort of quiet-yells. “I. SAID. SHUT. UP.”

Avery just laughs kind of fake to blow it off, but everyone else gets real silent, real fast.

Evelyn breaks in, just to fill the air with something. “So, um, Daniel, when do you guys leave for your trip?”

“Oh.” He doesn’t want to answer. “That first Saturday of winter break. We’ll be gone the entire time.”

And then they all sort of join in, all except for Liss, who’s obviously pissed, but she’s so far away, and I can’t feel my fingers, I can’t feel my tongue, I can’t feel anything, really, everything around me feels so heavy and slow.

So, I lie back.

And then,

I’m there with them, in Belize.

I’m snorkeling next to Daniel.

His hand is in mine.

The waves ripple around us.

Colorful, tropical fish tickle my skin.

“Hey, Georgia, want to try it?”

Someone’s handing me a net to catch a fish.

I could learn how to fish here.

That’s item #8, I think.

“Georgia … hello? You want to try it?”

It’s Evelyn’s voice, calling to me from beyond a barrier reef. What is she doing here in Belize?

“Georgia—”

“What?”

I open my eyes.

I look up.

Oh, dear Lord.

I fell asleep on Daniel Antell.

Holy Mother of all things good.

What have I done?

I lift my head off of him. I wipe the corner of my mouth.

I drooled on Daniel Antell.

I look around, and everybody’s staring at me. I sit up. Daniel’s wiping off his arm. “Are you okay?” he asks.

Damn it all. And Evelyn, who’s sitting on the floor beside me, is poking me and asking me something.

I wipe my chin. “What did you say?”

“Wakey, wakey, Georgie-girl. It’s happy fun time.” Evelyn’s holding a Ziploc bag with crumpled leaves of pot in one hand and a glass pipe in the other. She’s oblivious of how mad I am at her. “Time to spark some bud.”

I wipe my eyes and look over at Liss.

How long have I been asleep?

It sort of floods back—what Avery said to me, what I said to Avery—along with a raging headache.

“Come on, Georgia,” Evelyn says. “Let’s give it a go, shall we?”

“Oh, my head,” I blurt out. “It’s pounding.”

“Perfect.” Evelyn laughs. “This is medicinal. It’ll make your headache disappear!”

“Wait, what?” I look at Avery. “We’re smoking that here? Inside? What about your parents?”

“They don’t give a shit.” Avery laughs. “They still smoke down here at night when they think I’m asleep or when I’m cheering away games. They won’t even notice the smell.”

I’m still groggy and drunk, and the room is spinning like I’m at the center of a tornado. “I don’t know. That doesn’t sound like a good idea at all. And anyway, I’m not so good at inhaling.”

And then Avery to Liss: “I thought you said she was cool.”

There it is.

It’s out in the open, in front of Daniel and Chloe and everyone. Georgia Askeridis is a loser. She writes dumb lists, says mean things, rats out her best friend, falls asleep on people, drools on them, and can’t inhale to save her life. After a sudden ascent up the social hierarchy—an acceptance, if you will, into the home of Avery Trenholm—comes my quick descent into dorkdom. Who knew it would all end so quickly?