Page 56 of As You Walk On

What the hell was that?

It’s not until we’re back in the house, Makayla reloading my arms with the contraband, that I hear what she’s shouting over the music.

“Who does that? Goes after a boy who’s clearly in a relationship?” Makayla shakes her head. “I mean, I know you’re friends with trash, but... Theo Wright, a skank? Never figured you for—”

“Trash?” I interrupt her, eyes wide.Is she talking about Darren or Jay?“I didn’t know he had a boyfriend.”

“You didn’t know?”

“No.”

Her scandalized expression tells me she doesn’t believe me. “How?” She continues to pile things into my cradled arms. “Anyone who’s ever been to a Brook-Oak sport that ends in ‘ball’ has seen Christian low-key flirting with KD, despite him going to thewrongschool.”

I recycle through the last ten minutes. Christian’s surprised face, followed by the horrified one, then sympathy. Like he’d just figured out how oblivious I am.

“You really didn’t know Christian Harris had a boyfriend?”

I didn’t.

Those two words fill up my throat, but never make it out.

How could I have known?

It’s not all over Christian’spublicsocial media accounts. That’s curated to show off his music stuff. Band performances. His solos. I’m not anti-athletics outside my own, but I don’t have time to attend any of our school’s sporting events. I’m too busy studying. Working on bonus-credit assignments. Then there’s helping at home while Dad picks up overtime shifts. Chilling with Darren and Jay—when the latter isn’t hugged up with Jayla—on the weekends.

Not to mention avoiding every single Brook-Oak Ballers game because of Aleah.

The only time Christian and I interact is during school. I wouldn’t have signed up for this idiotic dare if I had the smallest notion he was taken.

I frown at the ground.

“If it’s any consolation,” she starts, obvious pity in her tone, “it’s still newish? Christian and KD. Only a few months old. HoCo at the earliest.”

It’s not the slightest bit comforting, actually.

Makayla smiles sadly, leaving it at that.

“The others are waiting on us,” she says.

I don’t know whythatsounds soothing. My desire to run out the front door, drop out of Brook-Oak, and scrub the internet clean of my existence vanishes. Being in the same space as Aleah—and, to a degree, Luca—shouldn’t be so appealing, but I don’t turn down the invitation.

“Could we maybe not mention... y’know.” Since my arms are stuffed, I waggle my eyebrows to fill in the blanks.

Makayla’s face says exactly what I need:No judgment here.

I appreciate Makayla Lawrence beyond words. That is, until she abruptly stops ten feet from the stairs.

“Hi, Lexi!” she says, her voice instantly falling into that overenthusiastic peppiness her social circle’s known for. “When did you get here?”

“Ugh, Mack. Thank God. Someone Ilike.” Lexi says it with all the affection of a bored socialitefinallytalking to someoneother than the staff at a gala. “Do any of these people even know Chloe?”

Lexi Johnson is beloved at Brook-Oak. From her talent to wardrobe to beauty, the idolization is endless. She did more for Derek’s popularity than he ever could for hers.

Makayla giggles loudly. “I don’t know half these people.”

“It’s the worst,” says Lexi.

I stand back, trying to maintain a solid hold on our contraband. It’s not as if my existence is acknowledged.

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