Chapter 15

“And you didn’t poison it?”

“Open it.”

I picked it up and took out the single page inside. An invitation, printed on gold-bordered paper. “Are you inviting me to your birthday party?”

“You’re just a regular comedian this morning, aren’t you?”

I read the invitation. You’re invited to a graduation party for Eve Sanders. Saturday, May 7th at 7pm. “Am I supposed to know who this is?”

“My brother’s ex.”

My eyes zeroed in on the address included on the invite. Eve lived only, like, twenty minutes away. Bec and her brother had moved from across town?

Bec continued, “I found it on the counter last night and then I heard him calling her to confirm that he is actually going to that thing. She invited him. And he is going. She’s trying to sink her claws into him again when she is the one who left him. She is awful, Tia. Worse than you.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re just clueless. She’s intentionally mean.”

“Was that supposed to make it better?”

The bell rang and Mrs. Rios stood in front of the class, her eyes narrowing in on me. Bec turned around to face the front. My attention drifted to the invitation still on my desk. When Mrs. Rios turned to write something on the whiteboard, I leaned forward. “So, I don’t understand. What do you want me to do about this?”

Mrs. Rios must have supersonic hearing because her head whipped toward us. I leaned back. Half of class passed and I swore Bec was just trying to drive me insane by not saying a word. Finally she slipped a note back to me.

You are going to be his date to the party. His new “girlfriend.” You owe him.

My heart thumped loud in my chest. I had told him I owed him a fake date on prom night. He’d taken me up on it. Why had he taken me up on it?

The day passed excruciatingly slowly as I thought about Saturday. I hoped seeing him again wasn’t going to screw up my plans. No, this was good. Like I said before, he could answer my questions and it would be over.

It was hot as I headed toward Claire’s car at the end of the day. Had it been this hot all day? I peeled off my sweater and laced it through the strap of my backpack. When I looked up, Logan Fowler was standing in front of me, blocking my path. His easy smile and confident posture reminded me why I had told Claire to ask him to prom. He was definitely A material. I returned his smile.

“Logan.”

“Tia. What happened at prom? You were supposed to be my queen.”

“Are you rubbing it in that you won and I didn’t, Logan?”

He let out a loud laugh. “I was just surprised you didn’t, that’s all.”

Why did everyone else keep bringing this up? Did they want me to be upset? “I guess you’ll have to dance with me another time.” I moved to go around him but he held out his arm, stopping me.

“I’m having a party this weekend. Come.”

“This weekend?”

“Saturday.”

The invitation that Bec had left sitting on my desk for all of first period flashed in my mind. Of course it would be the same day. She’d kill me if I bailed now. “I can’t, but thanks for the invite.” I pushed his arm away and left him, throwing a smile over my shoulder to let him know I wasn’t trying to be mean.

“I see how you are. Playing hard to get.”

I laughed and kept walking.

Claire was already in her car when I got there. I collapsed into the passenger seat.

“Well, hello to you too,” Claire said.

“Hey, baby.”

“Oh, now you talk sweet to me.” She started the car. “So, check out my hair.”

I looked at her hair but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. It was long and black and shiny just like it always was. “Yep, it’s still perfect.”

She shoved my shoulder. “I want you to note that there are still no aftereffects of surfing yesterday. No—how do you put it? —saltwater trauma.”

“Well, that’s because you have beautiful magic Asian hair. Mine wouldn’t be as kind.”

“Magic Asian hair?”

“Don’t try to deny it. How did it go yesterday? Did you all have fun?”

“We did, but mea and her mom are fighting again so it turned into a therapy session.”

“Did you tell her that no one gets along with their mom?”

“Except you.”

“You didn’t tell her that, did you?” As if mea needed another reason to hate me.

“No, I didn’t. But her issues with her mom go beyond the norm and there really wasn’t much I could say that made her feel better.”

“What’s going on? Is she okay?”

“I really don’t feel like it’s my place to tell you. Maybe you could try talking to her.”

“She doesn’t want to talk to me. And what makes you think I’d be able to help?”

“I don’t know. You’re good with people.”

“Not with her.” Claire was probably just trying to get mea and me to talk more. She’d probably given Jules some story about me as well that she was supposed to help me with. But mea didn’t want to be my friend so I wasn’t sure why Claire thought anything I said to her would make a difference. I knew it meant a lot to Claire, though, and maybe it really would help so I said, “I’ll try.”

“Thank you.”