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“You’re snobbier than I thought,” Rhett finally says.
My mouth drops open. “You have zero problems with saying rude things, hmmm.”
“I’m just calling it like I see it.” He shrugs.
“Maybe you should learn how to repress some of the things you say.”
“And miss out on witnessing your reactions? Hell no. It’s been worth it so far.” He’s smiling again, his head turning in the direction where everyone else is standing with Mr. Chen. “Think we should go over there?”
“Definitely.” I’m already walking and he falls into step beside me yet again, but this time I successfully avoid him for the rest of class. He ends up going to talk to two boys that are in our class, and I turn my back on all three of them, secretly hoping they aren’t talking about me.
Of course, they’re not. According to Alana, I’m too boring to talk about anyway.
***
“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”
Just having Mom ask me that question in her sweet, concerned mother voice I recognize so clearly has me near tears in an instant. Worse, we’re on FaceTime together and she can see me. I’m sure my uncertainty and sadness are showing like a thick winter coat wrapped all around me.
“I’m fine.” I offer her a weak smile, shaking my head.
“You say you’re fine yet you’re shaking your head no, which is sending mixed signals.” Mom’s gaze sticks with mine and I can’t look away. She’s got me all figured out. “Is everything okay? Are you struggling since returning to school?”
It’s finally Thursday afternoon. Only one more day and then it’s the weekend and I’ve never been more grateful. I just want to hole up in my dorm suite and be alone. I don’t even want to hang out with Iris, even though I’m sure she’s making plans for us at this very moment and won’t tell me about them until the last minute.
“It’s been … weird. Coming back,” I admit, struggling to swallow past the lump in my throat.
“Weird how?” Mom’s brows draw together in confusion. “I know things have changed on campus, but it’s all good things, according to your brother. Have people changed? Iris is treating you nicely, isn’t she?”
“I have zero problems with Iris,” I reassure her. “She’s perfect. It’s everyone else …”
“Like who?”
I launch into my explanation. How everything on campus is different compared to when I was last here, and how the new headmaster is the one heralding all of the change. I mention classes and football and school spirit and Mom just sits there, a faint smile curling her lips the entire time.
“I don’t like it,” I say with determination, ignoring the expression on her face. I can tell she thinks I’m being silly, when I don’t feel silly at all. This all feels so important to me. I was excited to come back to something familiar, and instead, it feels like I started at a new school all over again.
I hate it.
“Well, your brother is thriving,” Mom says once I’m finished. “He loves the football program and their coach. He loves how the school has so much more spirit. And he likes the new headmaster a lot. Your father and I like him as well.”
“You don’t get it,” I say morosely, throwing myself across the bed. “Then, there’s Silas.”
“Silas? The boy you used to have a crush on?”
I turn to look at Mom on my phone, grabbing it and holding the screen up in front of me. “He has a girlfriend.”
“Oh no.”
“It’s Alana.”
Mom’s quiet, blinking at me as if she needs to absorb this information. “Your best friend?”
I nod, frowning. Maybe even pouting. “She won’t talk to us.”
“Well … that’s just awful. What kind of friend is she?”
“I suppose I shouldn’t be mad at her. I mean, I get it. I wasn’t around for an entire school year. If Silas showed that he liked her, what was she supposed to say? No, you have to wait for Willow to come home?”
