Falling for the Ghost of You(13)

Absolutely nothing.









Chapter 6



My first day as a senior.

Why did I expect things to be different this year? I go to my classes, see the same people, barely talk to anyone except for Lauren.

Well, I would have been walking the halls of Hidden Cove High with my boyfriend. Instead, it's just me and Lauren, keeping our heads down as we push through the crowds. Neither of us are very patient, and we have no problem shoving people aside.

Why, yes, we are on the same menstrual cycle.

I haven't seen Matt or Rachel yet, but I know we all have Mr. Tanner for AP English. I consider skipping class, but what's the point of delaying the inevitable?

"Are you going to tutor this year?" I ask Lauren as we stop by her locker.

She makes a face as she shrugs out of her jacket. "I don't know. It depends on Mr. Tanner. I heard he's a jerk, and he's always coughing right in peoples' faces."

"Gross. Let's sit in the back."

"Fine by me." Lauren slams her locker shut and looks at me appraisingly. "So, are you ready?"

I bite my lip nervously, and lean against the wall for support. "I don't know," I admit. "Have you heard anything? Is anyone talking about it?"

“A few people,” she replies honestly. “Brooklynn asked me if it was true this morning.”

“Ugh. She’s liked Matt since eight grade. What did you tell her?”

“I said she should just ask you if she’s really that nosy.”

I laugh. “I saw her in the commons, but she didn’t say anything to me. I saw Danny, too, but he didn’t say anything, except, ‘nice tits’ to me.”

“Okay, there’s a silver lining,” Lauren says with a smile. “You won’t have to put up with that idiot anymore.”

“True. I never understood why Matt was friends with him. He’s such a creepy perv.” Anger starts boiling in my veins. “Or maybe they have more in common than I realized.”

We stomp towards English class. A muscular brown-haired boy smiles at Lauren as we pass by him. “Hi, Lauren.”

Lauren nods in greeting. He heads in the opposite direction, and I turn to her, eyes wide. “Was that Chase? Wow, he got tall over the summer! And he must’ve been working out, too.”

Lauren shrugs indifferently. “I saw him yesterday at the store. He said he’s been helping his uncle out at his farm.”

I study her expression carefully, but she gives nothing away. I know Chase likes her, but does she like him back—especially now that he’s new and improved? Hard to say with Lauren.

Well, we’re almost to our class. Here we go.

The room is about half full. Mr. Tanner isn’t there yet, so kids are kind of roaming around, chatting with each other.

I spot Matt instantly. He's half-sitting, half-leaning on a desk, talking animatedly to Fitz Carvallio. Rachel's back is pressed up against him, and he's got his arms wrapped around her waist.

It's the pose of a couple, familiar and intimate with each other. Seeing them like that is a slap in the face. I quickly turn my head.

Lauren taps my shoulder and gestures toward the back of the class. I follow her lead gratefully. Is it my imagination, or did it just get quieter in here? I dump my things on my desk, careful not to make eye contact with anyone.

“No one’s looking,” Lauren mumbles under her breath.

I sigh in relief. I can’t help but steal a glance at Matt from under my lashes. Rachel is standing next to him instead of leaning against him, and he’s got his arms crossed awkwardly, studiously avoiding looking in my direction.

Great.

For some reason, Zane pops into my head. I remember telling him the things I didn’t like about Matt. Then I mentally replay the scene where Matt's chatting to Fitz, with Rachel cozying up to him—only this time I can see him spitting into her hair as he talks.

I start laughing. I cover my mouth with my hands, muffling the sound, but I am giggling so hard, my eyes start to water. Lauren glances at me in concern, but I just shake my head. I picture Matt and Rachel holding up their arms, showing off matching BFF bracelets—only both wrists are so thin and fragile, you can’t tell who’s who.

Then I see myself breaking that delicate wrist, and Matt screaming, “Arrgh, mate! What’d you go and do that for?! I’ll never be able to have me a barbie again!”

I don’t know why. My imagination is a weird place, okay?

At least I feel a little better now.

A teacher finally shows up, but it's not the rotund wheezing Mr. Tanner. A very young looking, very handsome guy with strawberry blonde hair, glasses, and a short beard introduces himself as Mr. Jensen, a substitute for Mr. Tanner. I notice some of the girls take notice as he talks.