Chapter 3

Class ends, and Trisha and I, without saying a word, are among the first students out the door.

I tuck my tablet into my bag, sling it over my shoulder, and head for the door, trying not to look at Sean and Kate, who have ended up in my way. I slip around them easily, without even noticing how easy it is—my thoughts are still on Palmer and his cutting words. But at the classroom door I run into Hugh Grimes, Sean’s friend, who can’t live without his stupid jokes. And of course, he doesn’t leave me alone.

“Whoa! Easy, Simba! Looks like there’s one hell of a draft blowing through that broken heart of yours. You could knock a guy over.”

Grimes is skinny and tall as a pole. Thin smirk, sly eyes. Even if I wanted to, I doubt I’d have the strength to knock him over. But I do have enough strength to shove him out of my way.

“Go to hell, Hugh!” I snap in his face, realizing I’m giving in to the emotions I’d tried so hard to hide. “Before that draft blows your ears off! Move!”

Unfortunately, I’m a pale-skinned girl with long red hair, and unlike Trisha, I blush instantly. I’m also a whole head shorter than Hugh, so I immediately try to escape.

“Hold up, Wilson!” he tries to stop me. “Hey! How about meeting me after school in the parking lot? I can tell you so many dirty little details about Renton. File it under ‘What He Did Last Summer.’ Trust me, baby, I know all his secrets!”

There’s no point doubting that Grimes is telling the truth. Sean is a popular guy now, which means guys like Hugh cluster around him like oysters on a pier. But I have no intention of listening to him.

“Maybe you should learn how to keep them—just like your friend!” I can’t help throwing back. “Before someone’s tomahawk check comes flying at you!”

“Hugh, knock it off…” I hear Sean’s indulgent voice behind me, but I’m already darting out of the classroom after Trisha.

Trisha pulls me by the hand to the end of the hallway and finally lets go there. Turning to face me, she opens her dark eyes wide and fans herself with one hand:

“This is a nightmare, Ash! He heard everything—Palmer! Everything I said! There are four hundred students in this school, and he remembered my last name! Now we have to spend the whole year in the same class, and I’m going to be a total idiot in his eyes! Oh God, I hope he doesn’t decide to teach me a lesson. Because I swear, I’m not the only one who had inappropriate thoughts about him!”

While Trisha is freaking out, I’m not exactly quiet either—right now neither of us can hear the other. I’m cursing myself for trusting Sean.

“How could he—Renton! And why did I ever tell him my nickname from home, Trish? Grimes called me Simba in front of the whole class! Only someone deaf could have missed it. I hate him! And I hate myself. Idiot. Complete idiot! And I thought he was a decent guy? He deserves a snake like Kate!”

“What?”

“What?”

Trisha and I exhale together, both of us breathing out hurt and sadness at the same time. Without thinking twice, she wraps her arms around my neck.

“Oh, Ashley, I’m so sorry! Sean used to be normal, but popularity goes to anyone’s head, and Kate never misses a chance to take what she wants. She has to be with the best guy, otherwise what kind of queen bee would she be? Listen, screw both of them! That jealous bitch is as far beneath you as an earthworm is from the moon! Ha,” Jenkins bursts out laughing, letting me go. “That was a good one! Blame biology. And for the record, I didn’t lie!”

Friendship and love are always biased. And even if to everyone around us we’re just two ordinary girls, Trisha is better than a lot of people to me too, so I believe her. Besides, she has a cheerful nature, endless restless energy, and she always manages to lift my mood. I really hope that goes both ways.

“Thanks, Trish!” I try to smile, hugging her back.

From the outside, we’re probably acting way too emotional, but right now I don’t care. It’s not exactly easy to summon self-control when a guy dumps you from a distance without explaining anything, and now half the school is snickering behind your back. But I’ll manage. I have the most amazing friends, who believe in me, and I have my pride. I won’t let anyone trample it. Kate is wasting her time if she thinks her little moves are going to ruin my life.

Of course, I hadn’t expected that kind of meanness from Pat’s daughter, but you can’t fool the people who are really yours. And if those people aren’t really yours, the way Sean turned out not to be, then they aren’t worth regretting. You just have to hurt for a while and heal.

I already promised myself on the way to school today that senior year would be my best year yet, no matter what. Which means it will be.

Belief is half the battle. Now I just have to stop doubting.

“Don’t worry about Palmer,” I hurry to reassure my friend, taking her by the shoulders. “I’m sure he won’t even remember you in an hour. Besides, you’re right—I was staring at him too. Everyone in class noticed Matthew show up, and I don’t think he came back to school expecting anything different. It’s fine. He’ll survive. You and I are definitely not the center of his attention. Trust me.”

“Oh, you’re right,” Trisha sighs. “Right now I need Jake, urgently. He’s the one who can help me get all the extra stuff out of my head. Though he’s also an expert at confusing me,” she laughs. “And at annoying me by dropping hints. But I still missed him!”

“And I need to go find Amber,” I say, adjusting the bag on my shoulder and checking my watch. I glance toward the stairs. “We have Latin now in the first building with Miss Brazinski, so bye!”

“See you at lunch?” Trisha asks, and we head off in opposite directions down the school hallway.

“Yeah, see you! Tell Jake I said hi!”