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Austin sits beside me and opens his own book. He smells really good, like he just put on cologne or something. “Let’s start on chapter one and do the review questions,” he says.
We take turns quizzing each other back and forth. Austin knows every single answer. He definitely doesn’t need my help.
“Why won’t you join the Academic Decathlon team with me?” Austin asks.
“We’ve been through this before,” I say.
Austin scoots even closer. “I know, it’s not your thing. But why?”
I tip my head toward him. “It’s too scary.”
“What? Working with me?” He nudges me with his elbow.
“Having to look smart in front of all those people.”
“But you are smart.”
I shrug. “But what if I don’t know the answer? Then I look stupid in front of everyone.”
“I don’t think you get out much if you think a lot of people come to our competitions.”
I smile. “It just makes me nervous. I don’t like feeling like I’m put on the spot.”
Austin puts his hand on mine. “But I would be right there with you,” he says. I can feel his fingers tremble as he wraps them around my hand and pencil. I can’t believe what is happening right now. Is Austin trying to hold my hand romantically? Or is he just being the kind friend I’ve always known?
“Do you like Ethan?” he asks.
The question catches me off guard, and I can feel my face flush. “What? No, why?”
“It’s just that I saw that post of the two of you at a party together. Then he had a video about picking you up for a date…”
“You follow Ethan?” I ask. I’m genuinely surprised. Austin isn’t like a normal teenager, he’s not big into social media and stuff.
Austin shifts in his seat. “He’s a funny guy,” he says.
I can’t help but smile. Do I detect some jealousy in Austin’s voice? “Ethan asked me to prom more as a social media stunt than anything else,” I say. “He doesn’t like me.”
Austin grunts in acknowledgment, but he doesn’t seem to believe me. I find myself very aware of the fact that he hasn’t moved his hand from mine.
“Do you know where you’re going to go to college next year?” he asks, rubbing my knuckles gently with his thumb.
“I applied a bunch of places. But I don’t really have a top choice. I think I’ll be happy to get accepted anywhere.”
“You’ll definitely get accepted. That’s not even a question.”
I shrug. “Maybe.”
“Emma, you are way too smart to not get accepted somewhere. You could probably get in anywhere you wanted.”
“I guess. I just wish I had one school that was my dream school, you know? But I’ve never had that. I just know I want it to be far enough away from home that I have to move out and be on my own. I’m mostly hoping for the west coast. I think California could be really cool.”
“How do your parents feel about that?” he asks.
I shrug. “I have no idea. My parents have never asked me about college.”
“Seriously?”
I laugh bitterly. “Have you met my parents, Austin? They care about one thing and one thing only. And that is for their baby girl to be exactly like them. I’ve spent my whole life knowing that I’m supposed to be the prom queen. That’s it. I could drop dead the day after prom, and it won’t even matter. As long as I secure that crown, and fulfill my destiny, then my life will have been worth it to them. They can’t see a future for me past the Prom. My whole life has been leading up to this moment.”
