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She zips her backpack and pushes her arms through the straps. “I gotta go. My dad’s waiting for me.”
“See you. And good luck with your app.”
“You, too.”
As I watch her leave, I can’t help but smile. She’s so confident in who she is and is unapologetically herself. I wish that confidence would rub off on me and make me want to be my true self. To not be so scared because of the pain I went through in middle school.
Shaking that away, I make my way to my car.
Chapter Fifteen
Willow
My friends are chatting as they eat their lunch on Wednesday, but I’m just sitting here staring at my phone. Only one new person downloaded my app.Onesince Monday.
“I don’t get it,” I mutter as I push my phone aside. “I thought everyone here is obsessed with relationships. Why haven’t they downloaded my app?”
Chloe turns away from rubbing noses with Liam. “Still? No one?”
I shake my head. “Guys, is something wrong with it? I mean—not from a coding standpoint. The coding is perfect. I’m talking about the aesthetics. Does it look nice?”
“Of course it looks nice,” Lily says. “It’s beautiful. My sister is the best.”
I frown as I scan around. “Yeah, Evie does amazing work. So what’s going on, then?” It can’t be what Paisley said to me on Monday, can it? That’s silly. What does my not having a boyfriend got to do with anything?
I guess people just need time. I have to be patient.
My eyes continue scanning around until I spot Colton sitting at the popular table. It’s kind of funny how their tables are divided in two—the guys on one side, girls on the other, and some couples are half on one side and half on the other.
“Guys, let’s never let that happen to us,” I tell them as I tear my gaze away.
Ava glances at where I’m pointing, and she chuckles. “It’s like a world war.”
Lily frowns. “Never in a million years will that ever happen to us. The Junior Musketeers forever.”
“Forever,” Liam echoes with a smile.
We continue eating, and I try not to let it bother me that no one is interested in the app. If these kids won’t download it and be my beta testers, does that mean the judges at the competition will find it inconclusive? I mean, the apps my fellow classmates presented were phenomenal. And Colton thinks his will beat mine.Please. Love and romance sells. Not a virtual tutor. Though I have to admit, his app is pretty cool.
Feeling like a complete failure, I glance at my friends. “Guys, I’m really worried. The competition is less than a month away and I need the data to give the judges a full report on my app’s performance.”
Chloe holds out her hands. “What can we do to help?”
I shake my head. “No, you guys are great, thanks. But I’m talking about students. Two days have passed and barely anyone has downloaded it. I want it to cater to all kinds of students to show the judges that it can work for everyone. But if no one downloads it…” I sigh heavily.
Xavier raises a finger. “You might not like this, but I think you only have one choice if you want to get the kids to download it.”
“What? I’ll do anything.”
“I think you need to beg,” he says.
My mouth falls open. “Beg? Are you kidding me?”
“Maybe not beg,” Aidan supplies. “But sell it to them. Tell them you have a product theyneedto try.”
I’m quiet as I think over their words. Me, go around school asking—pleading—for them to try it out? Am Ithatdesperate?
I think back to the competition, how much I want to win. Yeah, I guess I am desperate.
