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“Trina Frye, you watch where you’re going!”
Dread burst inside my gut. Of all people, I had to run into Savannah Keys. It really wasn’t my week.
“Sorry, Savannah.” I set the poster down on the sidewalk and did a quick visual sweep of the girl standing in front of me. She wore a beautiful creamy knitted dress with knee-high boots and large dangling gold earrings. On her face was a look of disgust, but otherwise, she seemed to be okay. “I couldn’t see over this thing.”
“Obviously.” Her perfect nose wrinkled. “You could’ve ruined my new boots. Be careful next time. My dad brought these back from his trip to Italy. They cost a small fortune. They’re practically irreplaceable—”
I didn’t hear the last few words of her lecture. A buzzing filled my ears as I looked over her shoulder. Polly and Mason stood together on the steps to the school. He had his hand on her elbow and was smiling — yes, smiling — at her. I didn’t think I’d ever see such a thing. They were everything I’d always imagined them to be.
The perfect couple.
The sight made me feel like I could crumble to pieces right there on the sidewalk and blow away. My heart had stopped and there was no telling when it would come back to life.
“You know, she broke up with Ethan Richards, right?”
I stared at Savannah as if she’d just admitted to being the mastermind behind Banksy’s incredible street art. “What? She did?”
“Yep, at my party on Saturday.” Savannah moved next to me and joined in staring at the couple. Now, it was Polly smiling up at Mason. My heart was literally cracking in half. “It wasn’t much of a surprise. They were always fighting.”
So, this was it. Polly had broken up with Ethan and all the obstacles were clear. Mason could finally win her back. I should’ve been absolutely thrilled for him. The old Trina would’ve put on a beaming smile and gone over to congratulate him. Instead, I felt like kicking my poster over and stomping on it. It was a strange and foreign feeling.
This was everything we’d worked toward. The plan. Ugh, how I hated those words now.
“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” Savannah asked suddenly.
I blinked and looked over at her. Shock coursed through my body. “W-what?”
It felt so strange to even entertain the question, let alone be asked by Savannah, of all people. Was this all a strange dream? I pinched my arm, hoping I’d wake up soon.
“You’re in love with Mason.” Savannah cocked her hip and placed a hand on it. Superiority was written all over her face. “You know, it didn’t take me long to figure it out. You should see yourself staring at him. It’s kind of like how the cheerleader at the top of my pyramid stares at Hershey bars when we’re in competition mode.”
“I...” My mouth had suddenly gone dry. Okay, so not a dream. “I don’t...”
“Well, let me give you the same advice I gave my girl,” she said, pursing her lips. “Boys and candy are a lot alike; they’re both extra weight. Forget him and move on. I mean, you could use a manicure and your ends are split, but you’re one of the prettiest girls in this school. You’ll find someone.”
Disbelieving laughter spilled from my mouth. I wasn’t sure whether that was a compliment or an insult. Audrey and Mandy would’ve chosen to see the bad in Savannah’s words, but I could tell that she was genuinely trying to help. It was nice. I’d always believed Savannah had a soul, beneath the flossy clothes and eyelash extensions. Now, I was sure.
But what I couldn’t be sure about was all this talk about love. Me? In love? Savannah might have been trying to pass out good advice, but she had no idea what she was talking about.
“Thanks, Savannah,” I said as I went to pick up my poster board. “I’ll try to remember that.”
She snapped her fingers and gone was the sympathetic expression. “In the meantime, I need to see some more progress on the statue. The student board wants to reveal it as soon as possible. Don’t let us down.”
I sighed. “I know. I’m working on it.”
“Good.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and smirked. “Go find yourself some new candy. Remember, it doesn’t hurt to try them all. A little nibble here and there helps you forget the candy you can’t have.”
I shook my head in disbelief as she strutted away. There was a likely chance that my friends wouldn’t believe me when I told them what Savannah had said. If the far-off sight of Mason and Polly talking hadn’t been so absolutely devastating, I would’ve broken into a belly laugh.
But watching them walk into the school together was sobering. They weren’t touching, but it was obvious they were comfortable around each other. I guess that was what happened after three years of summer camp and a shared bond over something so intense as cancer.
I pressed my fingers to my lips and remembered the tingling feeling from Mason’s kiss only days ago. If I concentrated hard enough, I could still feel his mouth against mine and the wildfire sensation in my stomach. It might have been all I had left of him, but it would have to do.
With a deep inhale, I grabbed my poster board and continued the trek into school. No matter what had happened last week, there were still classes and projects and volunteer work to be done. If I had to, I’d bury myself in them until I forgot all about boys and candy and heartache.
And the sugar withdrawals I had from one in particular.
Chapter Twenty
