of Ally Ryan. Ironic, considering she was the only one here I’d actually betrayed.
I was starting to feel dizzy. And sick. And maybe just a bit hopeful. If Chloe wanted to be friends again . . . maybe there was a slim chance I could get things back to the way they were.
“Come on,” Faith said, hooking her arm around Chloe’s shoulder. “We have to go warn Jake to expect some low-budge decorations and Costco brownies this year.” She snorted a laugh. “Later, Norm!”
I glared at her back as they sauntered off. She may have gotten a couple of zingers in, but she was wrong about one thing: Jake was going to get the most kick-ass locker decorations in history. Over the weekend Annie had helped me land a job at CVS, where she worked, and I would spend my entire first paycheck on Jake if it would prove to Faith and the rest of them that I could still be a good backslapper.
I took a deep breath and leaned against the front railing on the bleachers as the girls hit the soccer field sideline to chat with Hammond, Jake, and some of their teammates. My heart was still pounding over the realization of my near miss. I’d almost apologized to Chloe for what had happened with Hammond all those months ago, and she hadn’t even known about it. If I had gotten out the words, if she’d found out that way, I may have lost her forever. But now I had a chance to be friends with her again. All because I’d been too chicken to just say it.
How lucky was I? I mean, maybe Chloe didn’t need to know. It hadn’t meant anything, after all. At least, not to me. I’d been emotional and confused and scared and sad. And clearly she and Hammond were still together. What would be the point of telling her and screwing up her relationship? Of alienating the one person who seemed to be happy—or at least not angry—that I was back?
I swallowed the lump of guilt that had formed in my throat and decided it was for the best. I was just going to have to continue to keep my deepest, darkest secret. I’m not just doing it for me, I told myself. I’m doing it for all of us.
jake
The Friday of the first soccer game, colorful leaves had fallen all over the walkways at school, and for the first time it really felt like fall—all crisp and clear and windy. Inside, the team’s lockers were decorated. I always thought it was stupid, having a whole club with the sole purpose of fawning all over us. But it wasn’t just soccer. We had the backslappers, and the football team had the cheerleaders. Next week there would be a huge pep rally for them and their lockers would be decorated too. That was how we did things here at OHH. We were all about the spirit.
Besides, this day meant cupcakes for breakfast. And a hot girl waiting by my locker. And this year, that girl was going to be Ally Ryan.
My friends were all sympathetic that penniless Ally was in charge of my decorations, but I didn’t give a crap about the size of the posters. I just thought it was awesome that Miss Holier Than Thou had to show me the love. I kind of looked forward to lording it over her.
Also, it meant I was going to get to talk to her again.
When I turned down the hallway toward my locker, I almost tripped. I looked over my shoulder to make sure this wasn’t a joke. A few people were staring, but that was about it.
The entire hall was decorated. Streamers across the ceiling, attached to the wall over my locker and fanning out in all directions. There were at least ten posters with my name on them. Glitter and sequins and stars everywhere. Mini soccer balls dangled from my locker door, which was surrounded by balloons, and my name had been spelled out in letters decorated with the black-and-white soccer ball pattern. I opened my locker door carefully, and confetti exploded in my face. I was still spitting it off my lips when I smelled the chocolate. Piled inside on the floor were half a dozen cellophane-covered paper plates. Brownies, cookies, cupcakes, lemon squares,
I was starting to feel dizzy. And sick. And maybe just a bit hopeful. If Chloe wanted to be friends again . . . maybe there was a slim chance I could get things back to the way they were.
“Come on,” Faith said, hooking her arm around Chloe’s shoulder. “We have to go warn Jake to expect some low-budge decorations and Costco brownies this year.” She snorted a laugh. “Later, Norm!”
I glared at her back as they sauntered off. She may have gotten a couple of zingers in, but she was wrong about one thing: Jake was going to get the most kick-ass locker decorations in history. Over the weekend Annie had helped me land a job at CVS, where she worked, and I would spend my entire first paycheck on Jake if it would prove to Faith and the rest of them that I could still be a good backslapper.
I took a deep breath and leaned against the front railing on the bleachers as the girls hit the soccer field sideline to chat with Hammond, Jake, and some of their teammates. My heart was still pounding over the realization of my near miss. I’d almost apologized to Chloe for what had happened with Hammond all those months ago, and she hadn’t even known about it. If I had gotten out the words, if she’d found out that way, I may have lost her forever. But now I had a chance to be friends with her again. All because I’d been too chicken to just say it.
How lucky was I? I mean, maybe Chloe didn’t need to know. It hadn’t meant anything, after all. At least, not to me. I’d been emotional and confused and scared and sad. And clearly she and Hammond were still together. What would be the point of telling her and screwing up her relationship? Of alienating the one person who seemed to be happy—or at least not angry—that I was back?
I swallowed the lump of guilt that had formed in my throat and decided it was for the best. I was just going to have to continue to keep my deepest, darkest secret. I’m not just doing it for me, I told myself. I’m doing it for all of us.
jake
The Friday of the first soccer game, colorful leaves had fallen all over the walkways at school, and for the first time it really felt like fall—all crisp and clear and windy. Inside, the team’s lockers were decorated. I always thought it was stupid, having a whole club with the sole purpose of fawning all over us. But it wasn’t just soccer. We had the backslappers, and the football team had the cheerleaders. Next week there would be a huge pep rally for them and their lockers would be decorated too. That was how we did things here at OHH. We were all about the spirit.
Besides, this day meant cupcakes for breakfast. And a hot girl waiting by my locker. And this year, that girl was going to be Ally Ryan.
My friends were all sympathetic that penniless Ally was in charge of my decorations, but I didn’t give a crap about the size of the posters. I just thought it was awesome that Miss Holier Than Thou had to show me the love. I kind of looked forward to lording it over her.
Also, it meant I was going to get to talk to her again.
When I turned down the hallway toward my locker, I almost tripped. I looked over my shoulder to make sure this wasn’t a joke. A few people were staring, but that was about it.
The entire hall was decorated. Streamers across the ceiling, attached to the wall over my locker and fanning out in all directions. There were at least ten posters with my name on them. Glitter and sequins and stars everywhere. Mini soccer balls dangled from my locker door, which was surrounded by balloons, and my name had been spelled out in letters decorated with the black-and-white soccer ball pattern. I opened my locker door carefully, and confetti exploded in my face. I was still spitting it off my lips when I smelled the chocolate. Piled inside on the floor were half a dozen cellophane-covered paper plates. Brownies, cookies, cupcakes, lemon squares,
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