Page 76 of The Fall Classic

Starving. I think I ate a half a burrito this morning, but I may not have. It’s a blur.

Logan

Georgiana Ashman: remember to eat!

I may have to drop off lunch for you tomorrow.

Georgie

I may have to say yes to that.

Logan

Perfect. Okay, we’ve parked.

Be there soon!

I smile at the phone and then look up at my mirror, which is still steamy from the shower. I wipe it with my towel, my smile falling as I see how dark the circles under my eyes are.

Good night.

I look like I have zombie face paint on, for heaven’s sake.

Alma wasn’t fooled. Olivia wasn’t fooled.

Marlowe was.

I reach a hand up and touch my jaw, where a phantom pain throbs in a tooth I’ve already had a root canal on. Marlowe took me to the dentist right after she and Dad were first married, and she was so sweet, holding my hand and giggling with me when I was hopped up on laughing gas …

Back when she noticed me.

She doesn’t notice me anymore.

Heck, I barely notice myself.

Up until right now, when even the filter of a steamy mirror can’t hide how I look, I honestly thought I was doing okay. But the mirror doesn’t lie. I look like I was a horse rode hard and put up wet, as Mama would say.

Nothing concealer can’t fix, thanks to me having an extra fifteen minutes to put on makeup.

My stomach growls loudly.

The white sundress is on the bed where I left it, and I slide it over my frame before putting on mascara and a healthy amount of concealer and bronzer.

Now that’s more like it.

I don’t look like a girl running on five hours of sleep because she fell asleep doing homework and woke before dawn.

I look like a girl about to go on an actual date with a handsome, bookish boy I have feelings for and who has feelings for me.

My stomach growls at the same time my phone buzzes on the small faded laminate bathroom counter.

Logan

Parking now.

I take the towel off my hair, run a comb through it, and then spiral it up into the world’s quickest topknot. I rush through my cluttered apartment, taking note of all the things I’ll have time to organize and fix once Olivia is hired—a hire that is only happening because I didn’t give up every last apple on my branches.

Grabbing my cross-body purse and keys, I grin and bolt out the door.