Liars and Losers Like Us(44)
I wonder if they both got letters from Maisey. Did they read them right away or are they like me? Afraid of knowing the truth about the kind of pain that could kill you Afraid of finding out if it really is all my fault.
Once the water runs lukewarm, I rise. Fake it ’til you make it. I got this.
When I get to my locker at school, Sean’s leaned up against it, a smile spreading on his face that I can’t help but return.
“Hey, you made it.” He reaches out and brushes his fingers along my wrist.
“Yep. I’m all clear, still a little tired but totally not contagious.”
The warning bell rings, lockers slam, kids start pushing and piling toward the halls as Sean leans in and kisses me on the mouth. His lips linger long enough to make me want to go back home and cuddle up in bed, this time bringing him with me.
Maisey’s empty chair in last period, untouched like a plague, is another cold reminder of her absence—like the rumors, unraveling in the hallways.
Kallie nods toward the empty seat and starts with the same rumor Kendall had brought up at lunch. “Did you hear that her sister found her naked in the bathtub? I’m sure it’s not true but like, who’s saying this shit?”
I cringe. “I don’t know, but as long as we’re willing to listen, why not just keep making the stories crazier and crazier?”
“Right. People are sick.”
Justin leans in, “I heard her friend Anne and the private-school-looking girl are going to pull a double suicide at Prom.”
“Sure,” says Sean. “But only if you do it first, Conner.”
Shandy shushes us over her shoulder.
“Did she just shush us?” Kallie asks loud enough for her to hear. “Class hasn’t even started yet. Simmer down, Shandy. No one’s going to ruin your Prom.”
Shandy rolls her eyes and jerks back around.
Sean sets his hand on my desk just as Nord starts tapping his highlighter. “Call me tonight,” he says. “Maybe we can grab dinner or go study?”
“Sure,” I say, pulling the edges of my mouth into a smile. He turns back in his seat as I nurse the anxiety in my gut. Half of me wants to spend any second I can with him and the other half wants to roll into a ball in my bed and sleep until tomorrow.
EIGHTEEN
What about this one?” Kallie asks, rifling through a rack of dresses at Main Street Formals, Belmont’s only option for formal wear.
I shake my head. “Nothing red. That’s too showy for me.”
“Hey! My dress is red.” Kallie swats my arm with the dress hanger.
“Exactly. I don’t wanna show you up.”
“I wonder what colors the other girls are wearing. Maybe we should check. I ordered mine online, but if anyone even comes close to matching me—”
“You sound like one of them. You’re scaring me, Kal.” I laugh.
“Just grab at least one more dress to try on. I cannot believe you’ve waited this long. When you’re on Prom Court you have to represent. Plus, Sean Mills. How crazy is that? If anyone would’ve told us last year that we’d be up for Prom Queens and our dates are the hottest guys in school, we’d have laughed our asses off.”
“I wish I’d have known. I would’ve been able to hold out and skip the whole ‘Chip Ryan’ debacle. Yeesh!” I grab a couple dresses off the rack and we head into the dressing room. Two black dresses and one silver. As I’m holding up the embellished top of a short, shiny black number, Kallie strains to zip me up. The zipper pinches me right as we hear the bing bong of the store’s front door.
“Ouch!” I flinch.
“Oops, sorry,” Kallie says.
A familiar voice takes over the whole shop.
“I cannot believe you stood me up last night. You said as soon as you dropped her off, you’d be over.”
No question about it. The high, sharp, on the edge tone belongs to Jane. I don’t have to guess who she’s talking to. Kallie and I stare at each other like we’ve driven over a dead skunk pile.
Kallie tugs the zipper to the top. Her reflection behind me scowls. “Ew, what’s she doing here? There’s no way she doesn’t already have her dress.” We both peek our heads out of the curtain.
“Shut up for a second,” Jane spits into the phone, then moves it away from her face to address the sales lady. “I’m here for a pickup. I have a pageant dress that should be ready and a Prom dress here for alterations, so if you can check on that too. Last name is Hulmes.”
The lady nods and disappears behind a set of double doors. Jane gets back to her phone, “You took her to dinner last night so it shouldn’t be tough to cancel tonight. I can’t keep doing this. You promised we’d start spending more time together. Figure your shit out and call me back.” Jane sighs and hangs up the phone, wiping an angry tear off her cheek.
Kallie’s cheeks flush with a warm pink Her facial expression goes from livid to embarrassed to … nothing.
“I have to go to the bathroom, I’ll be right back.” She races through the curtain and disappears. Jane stands at the counter tapping her foot, oblivious to her eavesdroppers.
Buzzzz. Buzzzz. Kallie’s phone vibrates from the top of her purse. A flash of light highlights a text on her oversized screen.