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Since Cassie is the one person I consider to be an actual friend at this school, I don’t correct her assumption.
Good luck, for me, would be never having to see Caleb Winters again.
Being paired with him on an assignment that will determine a quarter of my English grade and require spending more time with him than the past three and a half years combined? The worst start to a new year I can imagine, and we’re only four days in.
It’s a sad testament to my lone friendship that Cassie isn’t aware of how much I hate Caleb, even considering she only started at Landry High last August. This is the only class I share with Landry’s golden boy this year. I’ve barely had to see Caleb, much less talk to him.
That made everything easier.
“I’m reserving the rest of class to begin discussing the project with your partners,” Mr. Tanner announces. “Remember, this is worth twenty-five percent of your final grade in this course. This is a chance to finish strong, not to slack off because it’s your last semester of high school. Please rearrange to sit with your assigned partners.”
Cassie stands and heads to the front of the room. I don’t so much as shift in my chair. Partly because I’m hoping I somehow misheard Mr. Tanner, but mostly because I know I didn’t and I want to force Caleb to come to me. Petty as it is, he has enough handed to him.
The chair next to me scrapes against the floor. I resume my doodling in a hasty attempt to appear nonchalant.
“Happy New Year, Matthews.”
I grunt, focusing on my lopsided loops like they’re a puzzle that needs solving.
The chair squeaks. I stay focused on the paper, refusing to look at him. Mature, I am not.
“I hope you didn’t apply to any art schools.”
Caleb’s voice is closer than I’m expecting.Tooclose. I drop my pen and glance over at him. He’s leaned across the narrow aisle to study my doodles. And he’s actually looking, scrutinizing the drawing like there’s some hidden logic in the loops.
I flip the paper over and cross my arms, expecting him to move away.
He doesn’t.
Caleb shifts his attention from the paper to me, his blue eyes amused and bright. He’s proud of the dig at my artistic ability, I guess. Maybe it wouldn’t bother me, if I’d applied toanyschool.
When I say nothing in response, he doesn’t either. We hold a silent stare-off, during which I unfortunately notice he got tan during the baseball team’s trip to Florida. The only school sports team to go anywhere over winter break, and also the only school sports team Caleb Winters plays on. Not much of a mystery how that trip was funded.
“Why don’t you request a change of partners?” I suggest.
“I’m good. At least I know you’ll do your part of the project.”
I scoff. “You meanbothparts?”
Something shifts in Caleb’s expression, amusement and aloofness shifting into annoyance. “I meanyourpart. I do my own work, Matthews.”
“Just like the baseball team funded its own trip to Gainesville?”
Caleb finally leans back, picking up his pen and spinning it around his finger as he studies me with a mixture of irritation and incredulity. “I’m first in our class, Lennon.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am.”
There’s a slow, sinking sensation in my stomach. “Fall grades haven’t even come out yet.”
“They were released last night.”
Absurdly, my eyes start to sting. I bite the inside of my cheek and reach down to pull my water bottle out of my backpack. I haven’t cried since my father’s funeral. I won’t crynow.Here. In front ofhim.
Unlike most of Landry High’s senior class, I won’t be attending an elite college this fall. I haven’t worked twice as hard as everyone else so I could get into a university with a single digit acceptance rate. The truth is, I probably could. But I already have a full-time job waiting for me after graduation, taking care of Matthews Farm. Looking after my grandfather.
I thought I’d have the satisfaction of everyone knowing I chose that path. Knowing that I had other options. When all of my classmates leave for their shiny futures, I figured I would know I’d beaten them all in one way.
