Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 100612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Or! Maybe she’s just not a morning person.
I try again. “So what is your scene?” If not dances, then what?
She shrugs again, continuously scrolling through her phone.
“I dunno. Just not school dances and boring shit like that. I’d rather be at a party—college parties, mostly.”
Except you dated Cal Uchie, who is most definitely not in college, I want to remind her.
Instead, I nod as if I totally get where she’s coming from because I like college parties, too. Not.
“Right. Sure, I get that.”
Maddie’s thumb stops moving when I say, “I saw you posted that video from the football game last week.” I clear my throat. “That was pretty cool. Do you like filming stuff?”
Her laugh is short. “I guess? I’m not gonna, like, make a career out of it or anything. It’s just for fun. And followers.”
I have no idea what to say to that. “Right. Well, you’re good at it.”
“That’s why I have so many followers.”
Duh.
God this is so brutal.
Help me.
All her sort-of-mean quips are hitting me harder because I was not expecting them. I feel a tint of embarrassment staining my cheeks, and suddenly, the idea of driving her to school feels like the dumbest thing I’ve done since stealing that effing mascot head.
I thought this would be fun. I thought she’d be flirty—or at least nice.
Maddie is not interested in me.
She’s not even interested in this conversation.
The silence stretches thinner, broken only by the tap-tap-tap of her fingernails on her phone.
I give her a sidelong glance as I drive, watching as she leans back against my mother’s plush passenger seat, completely engrossed in whatever she’s doing.
Not a care in the world…
One last look as we pull into the school parking lot.
Maddie is already gathering her things, ready to leave the moment my car stops. I park, and before I can utter another syllable, she’s unbuckled her seat belt and opened the door.
“Thanks for the ride.” She says it flatly, not looking at me. “See you around.”
She slams the door without waiting for my response, strutting off toward the school with her phone still in her hand, texting someone who’s evidently a lot more important than me. I sit for a second, staring at the empty passenger seat, feeling like I’ve been…
Sacked in the nuts.
What the hell was I expecting? Her to be a damn delight? Giggle? Flirt?
YES. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS FREAKING EXPECTING.
Shaking my head, I realize there’s only one thing for me to do: move on with my already shitty day. I grab my backpack and climb out of the car. Seriously, could I be a bigger moron? Harper will hate it if she finds out I gave Maddie a ride—I have no idea what I’m going to say. Or how she’ll respond.
Just kidding. I know exactly what she’ll say: I told you so.
Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I wonder how many of the students ambling through the parking lot saw Maddie climb out of my car. Better yet, how many of them are laughing at me behind my back?
I book it toward the entrance, sneakers squeaking.
“Yo, Easton!”
I turn to see Marcus jogging up, grin plastered on his face. He’s wearing that goofy smile like he’s got no worries in the world.
“Hey.”
“Dude, what’s up?” Marcus slaps me on the back. “You look like you’ve just been hit by a bus.”
Funny, ’cause I feel like I’ve just been hit by a bus. “Yeah, something like that.”
He scans the parking lot, his eyes following my gaze to where Maddie stands near the door, her laugh ringing out as she chats with some other girls before they go inside. Why couldn’t she have laughed like that with me? I don’t think she smiled once.
“Oh man, don’t tell me you look like shit because of her,” he says, lowering his voice.
“No way. Actually, I drove her to school this morning.” I’m trying to flex but the words come out flat.
“Wait. You drove her here?” His eyes are bugging out of his skull. “Dude, why would you—?”
“She needed a ride.” I cut him off. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
But Marcus doesn’t let it go. “Bro, you’ve got to stop chasing her. Maddie Miller loves no one but her own reflection.”
Annoyed, I clench my jaw—I do not want his unsolicited advice. I’m never going to admit I was wrong about her, and we are not having this conversation in the parking lot. Not this early in the day. No chance.
No way.
“Lesson learned,” I mumble, staring at the ground.
Marcus grips my shoulder. “Dude, you’re talking to Harper—we all thought you were going to ask her to prom. You can’t be sniffing around someone else. Macy would kill me if she knew I knew you drove Maddie to school. Like—tear my balls off.”
Tear his balls off?
I doubt that but give him a pity nod anyway.