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“No, you won’t. I have plans. I won’t be home later.” I’m lying, but she doesn’t need to know that. I don’t want to hang out with her at all. I don’t even want her in my house. I have a feeling she’s one of those weirdos that would sneak into my room. The only girl that I’ll ever allow that type of batshit behavior from is Emilia. No one else.
“Oh, well… I guess we can come over tomorrow instead,” she says, startled. I frown at her and look at her through narrowed eyes.
“What does it matter if I’m there or not? You’re hanging out with my sister, right? Not with me. It doesn’t matter if you come over tomorrow or the day after. You won’t be spending any time with me.”
I try to be as clear as I can be. This is exactly what I was worried about. I vaguely recall Gabby trying to hit on me before she became friends with Kate, and I have this sinking feeling she’s befriended Kate to up her chances. She seems to have it in her mind that she and I should be together. The quarterback and the cheerleader. I’m not sure which teenage movie is playing in her head, but I’m not interested in playing along. Girls have been approaching Kate for years just to get to me when they don’t even know me, and I’m sick and tired of it. I’m tired of Kate getting hurt because of yet another fake friend. I know how this ends.
Gabby’s expression falls. “What?” she says. “You don’t want to hang out with us? Why?”
I cross my arms and stare at her. “Why the hell would I? You’re my sister’s friend. Not mine.”
She blinks at me, as though I’ve just said something absurd. “But you hang out with Emilia all the time. I’ve seen you two hang out together, even when Kate isn’t there. When Kate is sick, you still drive Emilia to school. She’s your sister’s friend too.”
I laugh. I can’t help it. “Make no mistake,” I tell her, my voice low. “Emilia is indeed Kate’s friend, but she’s also very much mine.”
Gabby swallows hard and looks away, frustrated and angry. She shoots me a look that tells me she isn’t going to give up easily, and I pull a hand through my hair. I can’t believe I have to put up with this shit.
Chapter 11
Emilia
“God, I’m so excited,” Kate whispers. She’s practically squealing. I want to be excited for her, but instead I’m just left feeling kind of sad. “Can you believe Gabby wants to hang out with me again? She’s like, the most popular girl in school and she keeps wanting to hang out with me.”
I nod as I pull on my jeans. All she’s been talking about ever since she joined the cheering squad is Gabby. Gabby could simply smile at her and Kate would act like Gabby just extended her the greatest kindness. It’s weird and I don’t like it. I just don’t like Gabby. I don’t like the way she always acts like I’m not there. Would it really kill her to treat me a little bit nicely? I also don’t like the way Kate changes around her. Am I just being jealous? Am I being possessive because I’ve always been Kate’s best friend, and now I suddenly come second? I’m not really sure.
“She invited me to go to the shopping center tomorrow. I really can’t wait. What should I even wear?” she mutters, lost in thought.
I frown. “Tomorrow? But tomorrow is marathon day,” I whisper. Kate and I catch up on all our shows in one go every Wednesday evening, because that’s when the new episode of our favorite show used to air. It’s been a tradition for years, and even when we’re sick we never miss it. It’s our little mid-week break. Helen allows it in return for us not watching too much TV on other weekdays. One time I was so sick that Carter had to carry me into their house, blankets and all, just so I wouldn’t miss marathon day.
Kate pauses and looks at me, her brows scrunched up in anger. “Seriously, Emilia? It’s just marathon day. We can always catch up on our shows the day after. Or, you know, just watch without me. I don’t care.”
I bite down on my lip and look away. She doesn’t care? That’s new. Last year I watched one episode without her because she was grounded and she didn’t speak to me for weeks. Yet now she suddenly doesn’t care?
“Uh, okay,” I murmur. “I’ll do that, I guess.”
Kate nods and waves it off like it’s nothing. She continues to gush about Gabby while I finish getting dressed. Not once does she consider inviting me along. I’d rather eat my left arm than voluntarily spend time with Gabby, but it would’ve been nice if Kate at least asked. I’m surprised she’s in the locker room with me at all. After all, Gabby isn’t in here. I have zero doubt that she’s hanging around Carter the way she always does. Is that why he’s been coming to watch us practice? Because he enjoys her attention? My heart drops at the thought of it.
In the first few weeks after Kate joined the cheering squad, we’d always just wait by the car or he’d drive us home and get Helen to pick Kate up later. Yet now he’s suddenly always at our cheering practice, and I can’t help but wonder if Gabby has something to do with it. Both Kate and Carter seem so taken with her. What am I missing? Why am I the only one that doesn’t like her? Maybe I really am jealous.
Kate is practically skipping when we walk out of the locker room. Usually it pisses her off when her friends hang around Carter, but I guess this time it’s different, because she smiles when she sees Gabby and Carter together. It’s almost like this time she’s counting on Carter to bring her closer to Gabby. She runs up to them and I’m left behind by myself. I walk towards them slowly, wishing I could just walk home instead. I feel left out and I’m tired of feeling this way. It wasn’t so bad when she first joined the cheering squad, but lately it’s getting worse. I’m always the odd one out, the awkward one, the unpopular one. It’s bad enough that I feel unwanted in my own home, but now I’m starting to feel unwanted around Kate too.
“Emilia?”
I turn around to find a tall blonde guy calling my name. He looks familiar, but I can’t recall where I know him from. I frown and smile at him politely. He freezes and cups his neck.
“You don’t remember me, do you?” he asks. I blush and shake my head, feeling somewhat embarrassed. He sighs and looks down at his shoes. “It’s Anthony. Tony, from down the block?”
I look at him with wide eyes. “Tony?” I repeat in complete disbelief. He chuckles at my expression and nods. “I — wow. You… you look different,” I stammer. He used to be really small, and to be honest, really snotty. “I didn’t recognize you. I’m so sorry.”
He shakes his head and smiles at me, his cheeks tinged pink. Tony has lived near me for years, and every once in a while he, Kate, Carter and I would hang out at the nearby playground. I haven’t seen him in a while, though. He definitely doesn’t look like the snotty little kid he used to be.
“We aren’t in the same grade, so we don’t share any classes, but I see you occasionally. Every time I see you I want to say hi, but you’re usually so busy,” he murmurs.
I frown. Tony and I go to the same school? How did I not know that? It makes sense, because why else would he be standing in the school gym? Besides, our town isn’t exactly big. We have a grand total of two high schools to choose from. I don’t think I’ve seen him in the halls even once, though. I suddenly feel even more embarrassed and stare down at my shoes awkwardly.
“I’m here to pick up my sister. Layla?”
I look up at him in surprise. “Layla is your sister?” I ask. “How come she never mentioned it?” I say more to myself than to him. Layla is even more of a wallflower than I am. She’s quiet, but she’s an incredibly good dancer. I don’t think I’ve ever even had a real conversation with her. Even when she was younger, she never liked going outside, so we never really played with her growing up. We rarely even played with Tony, come to think of it.
