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I wondered if she posted itaftermy Friday night deep dive. If not, I didn’t know how I’d missed it.
Ava patted me on the shoulder, passing over her cell. “Here, I can send you a screenshot if you want to.”
I took the phone reluctantly, peering at the screen.
Monday – Pajama Day
Tuesday – Twin Day
Wednesday – Country vs City
Thursday – Athletes vs Mathletes
Friday – Blue & Gold!
“Athletes vs mathletes?” I read, forehead puckering. “How does someone dress up as a mathlete?”
“Glasses with tape in the middle, suspenders—the whole nine yards,” Alex said as he came up to us, placing his heavy hand on my shoulder and giving it a squeeze. He wore a pair of gray sweatpants, not going too far out for today. “Not all mathletes are like you, Brain.”
I shrugged it off, his words sparking annoyance in me. It felt like I was running into joke after joke about math, and I was starting to become a ticking time bomb—who knew when I’d blow. “So the stupid ‘stereotypical’ smart person? That’s such bull.”
“Itisdumb,” Ava insisted, shutting her locker and turning to me. Her expression was sympathetic, and she gave my arm a squeeze. “Don’t sweat it, Maisie.”
The question that had been bouncing around in my mind all morning resurfaced, but I couldn’t figure out how to bring it up without being obvious. Especially not in front of Alex, who eyed at me strangely. “What?” I asked him.
“You seem like you’re feeling better,” he responded quickly. “You hadn’t texted all weekend, so I thought maybe you were still sick.”
“Still—” I cut myself off sharply, remembering all at once my excuse to get out of date night. “Oh. Yeah. I’m—I’m starting to feel better.”
Rachel and Ava didn’t say anything, but they looked at each other, clueing me in that they could see through the lie. I wondered if Alex could too, or if he couldn’t read me as well as they could.
“Well, maybe we can hang out tonight? After you’re finished with tutoring?”
Warily, I gave him a nod. “That could work.”
The five-minute bell rang above us, and Alex was the first to back away. “I’ll see you all at lunch?” he confirmed with a thumbs up, turning to head to his homeroom.
Rachel went off next with a little wave, and I looped my arm through Ava’s. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Fire away,” she said as we started down the hallway, dodging student after pajama-wearing student. “Although I’m half asleep, so my answer might suck.”
“Did anything happen over the weekend?” I asked, hoping I sounded casual. Nonchalant. “Like, anything…dramatic?”
Ava stopped, interest piqued. “Did you hear something?”
“No, no.” I swallowed hard.Think!“I mean, I thought I heard that there was a party Friday night, and you never sent over an article for me to proof.”
Ava gave a soft laugh. “I knew about the party. It was a ‘Jocks Only’ party. Everyone who attends is super tight-lipped about what happens. I never get any tips from those.” She puckered her lips. “In fact, things have been slow all weekend. I am glad, though, that Jannor is okay after the whole equipment closet incident. I guess itwasa misunderstanding.”
We’d gotten to the classroom door then, but I didn’t pass through. The unsettled feeling from Friday night had been biding its time, finding me once more as I passed through the halls of Brentwood High.
Ava halted on the other side of the threshold, turning back to me. “You, okay?”
“Yeah,” I said, but took a step backward. “I forgot to stop by my locker this morning. I’ll be right back.”
“You’ve got three minutes!” she called after me, but I’d already turned down the hallway.
My locker. I hadn’t stopped at it this morning. My history book was in my backpack from last night’s homework, so I didn’t need to grab it this morning, but I couldn’t stop thinking about my locker. Something other than textbooks might’ve been inside.
