Page 49 of The Jack*ss in Class

OPERATION GET TEMPEST A DATE

TEMPEST

After our chapter meeting, the seniors retreated back to our room for an emergency meeting of The Donkey Sitters Club.

“Um, guys?” Hannah raised her hand like we were in still in our weekly chapter meeting. “What are we going to do about the awards ceremony next week? The whole first floor is going to be full of alums and guests.”

We’d found out in our meeting that our chapter was being honored with the April De la Reine Leadership Award. It was kind of a huge deal.

“Oh god.” Parker flopped back on her bed. “There’s going to be so many people here. And you know Lindsey’s going to want to give house tours.”

“Can we move him somewhere else for the day?” I asked, watching the donkey methodically destroy one of my throw pillows. I couldn’t even be mad about it.

“It’s kind of amazing we got this award,” Bettie said thoughtfully. “I mean, April De la Reine was such a badass. Did you know she actually lived in Denver?”

Alice looked up from her phone. “Once a sister, always a sister. Even if she was in the University of LA chapter.”

“And her husband is coming to present it.” Hannah bounced a little. “Bridger Kingman. In our house.”

“Do you think he’ll bring any of the boys?” Bettie asked, waggling her eyebrows at me. “I heard he brings family sometimes to these appearances he does on campus.”

“Maybe Flynn will come,” Parker said innocently. Too innocently. “Since he’s already spending so much time with our Tempest.”

I threw my remaining pillow at her. “We’re not spending time together. We’re being forced to do this tutoring thing.”

“But KATman is coming up...” Bettie sang. “And you know the rules—every senior needs to ask someone.”

That was not a rule. Bettie was worse than even Abuela when to trying to get me to date.

“I’ve never had a date to KATman and I don’t intend to start now.” I focused on scratching behind the donkey’s ears. “Besides, Flynn Kingman doesn’t do real dates. Everyone knows about his two-week rule.”

I hadn’t known about it until the party. That was one of the only things I did remember.

“But you’re already breaking all his rules,” Alice pointed out.

“That has nothing to do with me.”

“Sure.” Parker grinned. “Just like he wasn’t totally flirting with you at the coffee shop, and the library, and during the Bowl game.”

“Can we please focus on the actual crisis?” I gesturedto the donkey, who had given up on the pillow and was now investigating Alice’s shoes. “Like how we’re going to hide a baby farm animal during a major award ceremony where alums and guest will be filling the first floor?”

“Fine.” Bettie sighed dramatically. “But this KATman conversation isn’t over.”

“Actually...” Hannah’s eyes lit up. “I might have an idea about the donkey. You know how the basement storage room has that outside entrance? The one we use during move out and move in?”

As she outlined her plan, I tried super hard not to think about Flynn Kingman, or KATman, or the way he had texted me all throughout the Bowl game.

I failed miserably at all three.

And I continued to fail throughout the week, especially in the classes I had with him. I had no idea how I was going to make it through this study da—no, no, it wasn’t a date—this study session that I’d both been dreading and couldn’t stop thinking about.

Should I ask him to KATman?

No.

I’d never had a date before. But it was different for seniors. It was our last hurrah. All eyes were on us. A senior without a boyfriend at the dance was...weird and pathetic. Catalina had taken her now husband her senior year.

I stared at my laptop screen, trying to focus on the scene I was writing. My hero was just about to finally kiss the heroine after weeks of verbal sparring and denied attraction, but the words wouldn’t come.

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