Page 10 of To Love or to Lose
Nobody needs to take notice of anyone else’s business in this school, there is no gossip that isn’t public knowledge once it is uttered out loud.
No one needs to look at the poster plastered on the banister to know what day homecoming is.
These things are ornamental.
Across the hall, Eloise and Winnie are standing at our lockers, already looking at me. Winnie waves when she sees I’ve noticed them, smiling briefly.
“You look like you’re about to be sick,” Eloise says.
“Uh…Thanks?”
“She means you look nervous,” Winnie amends, shrugging her backpack off and letting it fall to the floor.
“Why would I be nervous?” I push my shoulders back, standing straighter.
“I never said youwerenervous, just that youlooklike you are.”
Right then, someone rams into my back, forcing my body to jolt forward and almost fall into Eloise.
I’ve never been shoved in the hallway, never been knocked off course with such force.
I try not to take notice of it, clearing my throat and recovering quickly. “Well, I’m not.”
“Good morning, ladies!” The greeting echoes through the hallway. I turn to see Logan, leaning against the circular railing among a group of his friends.
We wave, and when I think he’s going to turn back toward his friends, he appears next to us in two easy strides.
It’s easy for him to choose us over his other friends because he knows our intentions. Everyonewantsto be friends with Logan Callaghan for the title, and he knows it. We are the only real friends he can discern from all the fake ones.
Unlike Logan, I can count on a single hand how many friends I’ve made outside of the four I grew up with. Maybe that goes to prove the only friends I am capable of making are the ones that have been forced on me since birth.
“Gen, you okay?” He asks.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I reply, not wanting to bring any more attention to what could have been a very embarrassing incident.
“I wanted to let you all know that I'm having a dinner party at my house on Friday night, six o’clock. Attendance is mandatory, bring a swimsuit.”
“Is your mom cooking?” Eloise asks, knowing we were all wondering the same thing.
“Yes, she’s going the whole nine yards. Appetizers, two main courses, and, of course, dessert.”
We all sigh in happiness. Mrs. Callaghan is heaven sent when it comes to cooking and has a knack for hosting dinner parties for Logan and his friends.
I don’t even know what the purpose of this dinner is, or if it’s just Mrs. Callaghan itching to throw a party. Whatever the reason, I’d do just about anything for the food his mother cooks.
“What class are you going to?” Logan pretends like he’s asking all of us, but his eyes are fixed on Winnie as she picks her backpack up off the floor.
Eloise intercepts, noticing his intentions the same way I do. “We,” She motions between her and I. “Have AP Lit. Winnie has College English, so you can walk her there on the way to your class.”
Winnie is clearly embarrassed, but Eloise and I know there’s no reason for her to be—at least not around Logan.
He laughs. “You don’t even know what class I have. What if Winnie’s classisn’ton my way?”
“Then you better get going and give yourself time to reroute.” Eloise smiles, pushing Winnie toward him.
Winnie hesitantly walks off with Logan, looking back at us with the biggest“what the fuck are you trying to do?”eyes, making Eloise and I laugh.
Eloise grabs my arm, dragging me toward the stairs that lead to the third floor, where our AP Lit class is. “Let’s go before she finds an excuse not to walk alone with him.”
