EL'S

talking about you, ma

o ask Basti i

my juice b

hadn't just committed social homicide. "Go up to him. Bat your lashe

e dera

rrected. "And you'r

t look. "There's

y-eight hours than I've had with all my exes combined,"

erenity of a monk who had seen too much. "To be fair

do

ust tw

was a

hem said in unison, with d

e cafeteria table and gro

l conquest. There were cliques, of course-cheerleaders in full gloss and volume, the theater kids who didn't know

ntroverts hunched over notebooks, half-asleep over lef

ing bullied. Lov

for some reason, those whispers were about me. Or more specifically, me and

he volleyball captain,"

with Luke Rodriguez

e rides in

a in chess,

y has a secr

onestly, I'

more my

nana into my ears. I tried to focus on my food. My bana

keep to mysel

ng one of my tofu squares. "You're cool. You don't cha

t want

they're both tall and e

y're hurricanes," I said.

heiza added. "One's a romantic tragedy. Th

ging you

t a small tin of calming tea bags. "Do yo

hed.

s. "Let's pretend, hypothetically, that one

es

hy

I don't t

ention unless it's related to skill. I didn't say: bec

ilk carton like it had

again. "Honestly, you could do worse. I mean, look at them

t," I g

who stares like he's reading your soul. And Luke? H

ade th

t, you

sage from the group ch

has been approved.

?" I sai

. "Bia's coming ba

s lik

. "This is your vil

I the

nd you're unbothered.

t jin

train like a d

kno

e y

adn't stopped reviewing since the last match. I'd been rewat

training. Tha

he'd already written

nnah said, poking my arm.

happe

d. "Then I

ked. "

sk him

nna

imaginary dust from her skirt. "If

h, sit

the n

ious

Damsel

swe

la

walking away, gi

hetically, if Basti says yes... w

red a

again. "J

, focused on his lunch like it might file a complaint. Luke was animated, laughing at something Tim

econd. Basti looked up. Thei

ked away like n

ctually said som

nety percent chance she did. And a ten perce

ed again, louder now. I hea

st my temple. "I am going

heiza said. "Or Bia's r

r. Someone was probably

I was used to chess clocks, to strategic

ke the whole s

ut tasting anything. My appetite was gone. My

e in our directio

t wasn't some lingering s

t hap

t louder than all t

t's weird?" I

Rheiza

even sure

ed. "The

idea of i

inking abo

odd

d L

s... different. F

r slow-bu

that a litera

said. "And

down like she'd just deliv

?" I

t strategic hovering. But he looked up when

hat does tha

amatically, "the seeds

ate

lov

t the

ou know..." She wiggled her ey

O

Magnetic tension. Ca

ve a pr

have butt

ed. Bl

do

ou're bl

d my fac

e a powerful line to

dirtiest look

tely, I a