“Just to be clear, Daniel, we’re over.”
“What?” His mouth dropped open. “Because of yesterday?”
I scoffed. “Yes.”
“Oh, come on. I was just playing around.” He gave a short laugh. “You’re not breaking up with me over that.”
He was acting like it was some big joke. Whatever. He’d figure it out eventually. I spun around and rushed to my next class.
At the end of the school day, Maya found me on my way to my locker. “Going straight home?” she asked.
“Almost. I need to talk to Daniel really quick.” I dropped books and a notebook into my backpack and threw it over my shoulder. “I dumped Daniel at lunch and he won’t stop texting me. If he has any hope we’ll work things out, I need to crush it.”
“Wow.” Maya’s eyes bulged, then her face broke into a grin. “That’s a pleasant surprise. Details, please.”
“Sure. But later, okay?” I wiped my moist palms on my jeans.
She grinned. “Alright. I’ll walk with you for moral support, but we need to stop at my locker first.”
As I shadowed Maya down the corridor, I noticed Trevor and Zack approaching. “Now’s your chance. Don’t forget to smile,” I whispered. “And slow down, so we don’t have to screech to a halt in case he looks like he wants to talk.”
Trevor’s eyes moved to Maya and her face lit up.
“Hey, guys,” she said.
Trevor looked like a speeding freight train was headed straight for him.
“You can do it. Just stay friendly,” I whispered in her ear. “Ask him how he is.”
“How’s it going?” She smiled at them.
Trevor nodded, still staring. Zack nudged him in the ribs. When Trevor still didn’t move, Zack dragged him forward by his arm.
Maya didn’t miss a beat. I wondered if she’d ever taken acting classes.
“How was the party last Saturday?” she asked Trevor.
Trevor flinched when he got another jab in the ribs. “It was okay.”
Zack’s lips moved, but with the mob in the corridor and locker doors banging, I couldn’t make out the words.
“I didn’t see you there.” Trevor shoved his hands in his pockets and inched toward Maya, his eyes darting around. Definitely not the usual confident Trevor I’d noticed. Zack punched Trevor in the arm and took off.
“I didn’t go. Daniel’s bashes are too much like what I imagine frat parties must be like.” Maya wrinkled her nose.
“Can’t say I blame you.” Trevor smiled, looking a little steadier. “What did you end up doing?”
“I have to go,” I whispered.
She nodded emphatically. I left, glancing back to see them smiling at each other. Maya would be just fine.
I exited the building and traveled the concrete path toward the asphalt parking lot. At the last second, I decided to go to the restroom first to check my face. If I was going to dump Daniel once and for all, I wanted to be cute while doing it.
The football field bordered the parking lot and beyond that was a building with another bathroom, which was almost always empty. As I walked the stretch of grass, students became scarce. But, of course, there was Zack about a hundred yards to my left, talking with Coach Hanson.
The bathroom door was propped open. As soon as I walked in, I spotted a pair of converse high tops facing two cute, pink stilettos together in one stall. They were identical to the heels in my closet at home. Wait. No, Gina had borrowed them a month ago.
I was about to back up to avoid Gina when I heard a male voice.
“Mmm. That’s nice.”
Daniel.
Gina in a bathroom stall with my boyfriend? Well, he wasn’t my boyfriend anymore, but only Maya knew that.
Even though I didn’t want to know what they were doing, it was as though a giant magnet stuck me to that spot. Leaning against the wall, I melted into a shadow.
“No, not here,” Gina said between moans.
“You didn’t mind small spaces Saturday night.”
My body froze. Saturday night before I’d dumped him? That wasn’t a shock, but with Gina? Just because I’d wanted to ease up on the whole bestie thing didn’t mean our friendship had meant nothing. My throat swelled with her betrayal. Feet rooted to the tile floor, I wrapped my arms around my waist to silence the trembling.
This little scene explained why Gina wouldn’t spill about her new guy. And why she didn’t acknowledge me at lunch. She hadn’t been saving me from Daniel. She was saving Daniel for herself.
Well, she could have him.
The high tops backed up and the door swung open. Daniel came into view, laughing like someone had playfully pushed him. Gina came into view, giggling and lunging for him.