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“Add it to the stack,” he tells me in an unenthused tone once I’ve written my name on the tag. I toss my duffle bag amongst the designer luggage, and then head toward my homeroom.
I sit down right as the final bell rings, then glance at the empty seat beside me. I work my phone out of my pocket and send Cassie a quick text under the table.
Lennon:Where are you??
She’s never late, so something must be wrong. Cassie’s response comes immediately.
Cassie:I woke up with a fever.
A leaden weight appears in my stomach, guessing what that means. She confirms it a second later.
Cassie:I can’t go on the senior trip.
Any excitement I was experiencing disappears. Cassie is my life vest. Without her, I’ll be adrift, bobbing on the periphery.
I text back saying I hope she feels better soon. Cassie’s been talking about the senior trip for weeks. I’m sure she must be devastated to be missing it.
The school day passes quickly; probably because I’m dreading its ending. After the final bell rings, the senior class separates from the crowd of underclassmen to rush toward the coach buses already loaded with our luggage.
I’m one of the few who trails behind reluctantly.
The inside of the bus is plush. Far from a wheezing, yellow one. The air is being circulated, blowing the artificial scent of cleaner throughout the massive vehicle. The central carpet is a light gray. Oversized seats line it, upholstered with some sort of dark gray leather.
I walk halfway down the aisle until I spot a pair of seats that are empty. I sink down in the one closer to the window.
“This seat taken?” I look up. Will’s hovering in the aisle, looking down at me with a friendly smile.
“Nope,” I reply, smiling back. Since Cassie isn’t coming, I assumed I’d be sitting solo.
Will sinks down beside me. “I figured this was exactly the sort of school-sponsored outing you’d try to avoid.”
I laugh. “I tried. My grandfather thought it would be an important life experience.”
“Survival training would qualify, I guess,” Will replies seriously.
My smile widens. “Yeah, I guess so. Cassie’s sick, though, so it could be a lonely weekend.”
“What do you mean?” Will asks.
“Will. You don’t have to pretend like I have friends aside from Cassie. I got comfortable with being an outcast a long time ago.”
“You’re not an outcast, Lennon,” Will replies. I raise both eyebrows, and he correctly interprets my disbelieving expression. “I mean it. Marcus talked about you showing up at his party for like three days.” Will pauses. “And you seem to be pretty popular with the baseball team.”
I nod, awkwardly.
“Huh,” is all I say in response.
“Some people might surprise you.”
I’m tempted to dismiss Will’s words, but he’s the third person to tell me that. Maybe there’s some truth to it.
“We only have a month of high school left, so now’s the time to make new friends, right?”
Will gives me a small side glance that makes it clear he caught my sarcasm.
I’m distracted from our conversation when the popular contingent passes by our row. None of them bother with a second glance, but the first one I catch suggests Caleb might not be thrilled with my choice of seat companion.
I look away, out the window, and keep staring outside for most of the trip. It’s a three-hour drive; most of it through the Kentucky wilderness. Landry might be a small town, but it isatown. The winding road we’re on takes us past the occasional farm, but then it will be fifteen minutes before we encounter another.
