Eleven Things I Promised by Catherine Clark

weapons.
    Don’t look at him,
I told myself.
Forget that he’s wearing a Connie’s Cycles bike jersey that has the worst logo ever designed, with a wheel inside a wheel inside a . . . God, it makes me nauseous to look at it while we’re dancing. Stop looking at it.
    I glanced out at the crowded field instead and saw dozens of other people moving, bouncing, unable to help themselves from dancing to Daft Punk, while others stood off to the sides, watching and talking. I hoped this would make Stella happy as I took a quick selfie of me and Oxendale.
    â€œI love this song! Don’t stop!” he shouted in my ear, pulling me to the center of the stage.
    The sacrifices I was making for this list. Two down, eight to go.
    Half an hour later, the four of us were in our tent, getting ready for so-called lights-out. I planned to check in with my mom and send a photo or two to Stella. Elsa was reading in the farthest corner from me, Margo was obsessively straightening her sleeping bag because it kept sliding too close to mine, and Autumn was sitting cross-legged on the sleeping bag beside mine, brushing her hair the one hundred times we’re all supposed to—again.
    â€œYou have a boyfriend, right?” Autumn asked. “So why did you want to dance with Oxendale?”
    â€œWho, me? I don’t have a— No, I’m not seeing anyone,” I said.
    â€œWhat about you and Oscar?” asked Margo.
    My face burned. Why did I feel like she knew the truth but was bringing it up just to make me feel bad? “We’re not a couple. Oscar likes seeing as many different girls as he can at the same time. Got it?”
    Elsa looked up from her e-reader. “That’s rude,” she commented.
    â€œEspecially when you find out about it from other people,” I said.
    Autumn chugged water from her bike bottle. “Most guys are complete dogs. I mean, if you want to know why I’m withAlex, it’s because he’d never, ever cheat. We made a pact. I even have a promise ring. I didn’t wear it on this trip because I didn’t want to lose it.”
    â€œPromising . . . what?” I asked her.
    â€œDon’t you even know what a promise ring is?” Autumn asked.
    â€œA place where everyone sits in a circle and promises stuff? Sounds cultish,” I joked.
    Stella would have laughed. Stella would have taken my idea and run with it. If she were here, the conversation wouldn’t be awkward, wouldn’t be a stretch. I wouldn’t be answering these awful, embarrassing questions or getting to know way more about Autumn and Alex’s commitment than I ever wanted to.
    But instead, three blank faces looked at me.
    â€œOkay, I know what a promise ring is,” I said. “Good for you. I guess.”
    â€œSo getting back to tonight,” Autumn pressed. “You and Oxendale. Or do you call him Will?”
    â€œThere’s no ‘me and Oxendale,’” I whispered harshly, knowing the guys’ tent was close by. “Can we talk about someone else now?”
    â€œSure. What about Stella? How’s she doing? Is she going to be able to come see the finish, at least?” asked Margo.
    â€œI hope so,” I said. “I mean, she plans on it. Her parents are being really protective, though. They’re worried about infection and stuff.”
    â€œI bet mine would be, too,” said Autumn. “When I took a bad fall off the uneven bars in a meet, they made me quit gymnastics. Just
quit
.”
    â€œWhat if Stella has to quit cycling?” Elsa asked in her soft, quiet voice.
    â€œWhy would she quit?” asked Margo.
    â€œHer parents could make her, just like mine made me. I mean, it’s not the safest sport in the world,” Autumn added.
    Nobody said anything for a minute. I had this harsh image of Stella’s crumpled bike in my head. I picked up my water bottle, which was half-full. “Oh, wow. I’m out of