8

Liam

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If I’d known that dumping Ashley Jordan would make my social life worse, I would’ve done it over the summer. At least then, I’d be able to avoid people way more than I’m capable of now. Not one day has passed that Ashley’s friends haven’t harassed me about my decision, and if I get one more “OMG! You’re such a douchebag with an itty bitty penis!” text, I’m going to lose it.

Tossing my bag into my locker, I pull out my notebook and slam the door shut.

“Well, hello there ...” A soft voice says from behind, making me slowly turn around.

“What do you want, Julia?” I sigh. “Are you and your ‘squad’ delivering hate messages in person now?”

“Huh?” She actually looks confused. “Hate messages? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Okay, fine. What do you want?”

“To offer my condolences.” She steps closer. “I’m so sorry you and Ashley broke up.”

“I’m not. Anything else?”

“You know,” she says, rubbing my shoulder. “I never did appreciate the way she treated you sometimes. She never did talk about the things you wanted to talk about, and she thought it was lame that you spent so much free time studying.”

“Julia ...” I gently grab her hand and move it away. “You two have been best friends since the second grade.”

“That’s not that long.” She touches me again. “I’m sure she’d understand if you and I became closer. I’m a lot nicer.” She lowers her voice all of a sudden. “And I actually put out.”

I roll my eyes. I really don’t have time for this right now.

“I appreciate the offer.” I move her hand away again. “But I’m going to have to pass.”

“Is that just for right now or forever?”

“Forever.” I walk away before she can say another word, quickly rushing into the one place where I know she won’t follow me. The library.

As soon as I step through the glass-paned doors, I immediately stop. I spot my dad sitting at a table, talking to a guy in a red tracksuit. As I’m walking over to where they’re sitting, I read the words “Kansas University” on the sleeve of the guy’s jacket.

What the hell? 

“Dad.” I say, interrupting their conversation. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, hey, Liam.” He stands up. “I’m just having a meeting, that’s all.”

“A meeting about what?”

“It’s not important. I’ll tell you about it at home later.”

“No, tell me about it now.”

“Excuse us,” he tells the guy and grabs my arm, pulling me to the side where the guy can’t hear us. “Look, it’s not what it looks like.”

“Really? Because it looks like you’re having a meeting with a college recruiter on my behalf.”

“We were just talking about their school. He wants to take us to an all exclusive lunch Saturday.” He smiles.

“Dad,” I sigh, shaking my head. “You do know that it’s illegal for you to accept gifts from schools? You could ruin my chances of getting into college if you don’t stop doing this.”

“Liam, nothing bad is going to happen. I know what I’m doing, son. I’m looking out for your best interests so you can get what you want.”

“You know what will make me happy right now?”

“What?”

“You leaving and letting me handle school. I can decide where I’m going in the fall on my own. I don’t need your help.”

“You do need my help. You haven’t even opened any of the offer letters that have been coming to the house.”

“Just stop,” I say, walking away, leaving my dad standing there. I briefly hear my dad apologizing on my behalf before I get too far.

I’m tempted to ditch the rest of school and go home, but I cut through the shelves of classics and head toward the private studying rooms where they hold Knowledge Bowl practice, stopping when I hear two familiar voices. Mariah and Kelsey.

I look over to my left and see Kelsey holding up a flashcard.

“George Orwell,” Mariah says. “1984.”

“Correct, again.” Kelsey sets the card down. “Do you really need to go through dead literary authors for the fourth time this week? I mean, I feel like I know all these answers now because we’ve been through them so much.”

“I’m just determined to win state this year, Kels. Like, it’s important.”

Kelsey stares at her and crosses her arms. “Mariah Dawson, you are so full of shit.”

“Shhh!” Mariah looks around. “What are you talking about?”

“The only reason you dragged me in here today was because you got a free day from your coach and you didn’t want to run into Liam.”

“That is —” Mariah’s cheeks turn bright red. “That is so not true, Kels.”

“So, we could just pop into practice for a second and —”

“No.” Mariah pulls her down to the floor before she can completely stand. “Okay, fine. It’s true. But it’s only because I still don’t want him looking at me after what happened with Austin. I just need a few more days to get over it, just in case he brings it up ...”

“Oh.” Kelsey gives her a sympathetic look and picks up a flashcard. “Understandable, when you put it like that ... Author of Siddhartha?”

Mariah answers softly and I step away, unsure of why she thinks I would think anything negative about her and that Austin situation.

I head toward the practice room and feel my phone buzzing against my pocket. Zach.

“Yeah?” I answer.

“Dude, why are you whispering?

“I’m in the library.”

“Of course, you are.” He laughs. “I need a favor.”

“No.”

“You haven’t even heard it yet.”

“I know,” I say. “But I’m sure it’s already a no.”

“Help me and the guys set up for the senior party Friday.”

“That’s a hell no.”

He laughs. “Why not?”

“Because it’s the only Friday night we have off this season and I want to enjoy it. Preferably alone and preferably away from basketball.”

“Okay. Who are you right now? Whoever it is, kindly change back into the best friend I could’ve sworn I had.” He clears his throat. “Everyone is going to be there.”

“You say that about every party.”

“Okay, maybe I do, but I mean it this time. Hell, even Mariah asked me to get her and Kelsey a ticket and you know that never happens. Speaking of which, you should come and help me make sure no one else like Austin gets within ten feet of her while she’s there.”

“Gladly,” I say, a little faster than I should.

“This is the last party for this semester though, Zach.”

“Thanks! And did you say ‘last party’? We’ll see about that.” He ends the call before I can say another word.

And since I know that Mariah isn’t at practice today, I suddenly don’t feel like getting extra credit anymore, so I leave.