Part 9 (2/2)

”Fair enough. I never know where to start these conversations if I don't have a jumping off point. And I'll be honest, I don't know much about you beyond your family. You've been quiet so far.”

I blush, feeling weird that he's noticed me at all. I'm used to being the least recognized Donovan sister at school. If someone's not busy mistaking me for one of my sisters, they've definitely noticed them more than they've noticed me. Rhiannon is always the one who gets the best grades, Reece is the one who makes the most noise, and people tend to flock to Reilly without her even trying. I'm usually just so-and-so's sister. Which I'm fine with. ”Not much to know about me, anyway.”

”Well, I'm sure that's not true. What made you opt into take drama cla.s.s?”

I give him a long look, trying to figure out if he's teasing me. He has to have heard what happened, but he's still smiling politely and waiting for me to respond.

”Wasn't working out in biology cla.s.s,” I say, and know immediately that it sounds like a stupid answer. ”And I knew I needed an art credit.” Probably not the most artistically driven reason he's ever heard.

”Can't draw or play an instrument, I take it?”

”Zero talent whatsoever.” Fairview requires that each of its students graduate with at least one art credit, and drama is the only one that doesn't require any actual ability to begin with. I had planned to take art next semester and suffer through a few months of terrible drawings and crafts, but now I'd need to switch that out anyway in order to make back my missing science credit. ”Not that acting is really my strong suite either.”

”Want to know a secret?” Mr. Sullen asks.

”Always.”

”Your actual acting ability counts for literally none of your grade. It's all right there in the syllabus, but we don't advertise that part. For many people the acting is the fun bit, but it's not what we're grading you on.” Mr. Sullen holds a finger up to his lips to emphasize our little secret and I grin.

”That makes me feel a little better.”

”Happy to help. Well, I've kept you long enough for now. But let's do this again sometime, shall we?”

I nod and head for the door shortly after, note in hand to explain my tardiness for math cla.s.s. I'm not sure what to make of what just happened, but it's hard not to feel like if Mr. Sullen was trying to get to know something interesting about me, then he was probably left feeling pretty underwhelmed.

Chapter 14.

It looks like today is my turn to walk home by myself. Over the course of the last hour, I've gotten messages from all three of my sisters telling me they won't be around the end of the day. Rhiannon, once again, is already at home. Reece and Reilly apparently have better things to do than just go home and start their homework.

I take my time gathering all my stuff into my locker. The weather is starting to get beyond the level of cold that I'm okay with and I'm in no rush to get outside. Hopefully, once December rolls around, Dad will take pity on us and start swinging by the school after last period to pick us up. At least those of us who want a ride would have the option. But Dad swears up and down that the middle of the afternoon is his most productive time of day, and to be fair we do usually find him locked in his office when we get back from school, if he hasn't started cooking dinner yet.

A lot of other people seem to be hanging around after cla.s.ses today though I can't guess why. If there's something going on that my sisters are involved in, I'm already a little b.u.mmed that they didn't decide to tell me. But no one seems to be doing anything in particular, and I know Fairview has a lot of after-school activities. I just don't choose to get involved in any of them. Not my thing.

The gym is the loudest spot in the whole school, with the basketball team practicing on one end of the gym, and a few girls playing volleyball on the other. The bleachers are about a quarter full of people hanging around and watching the athletes. It's only by chance I catch sight of a familiar face during my cursory glance of the room. Reilly is sitting by herself near the top of the bleachers, watching the volleyball game. She's not even on her phone. Instead, she actually seems to be enjoying volleyball. But it seems weird that she would stay after school just for that. And since I have nowhere better to be, I step inside the gym, sticking to the wall so I don't get in anyone's way before I reach the bleachers and climb up.

Reilly spots me as I'm maneuvering up the steps, and immediately blushes. Something I don't see her do often. Why on earth did she feel weird about my finding her here?

I almost wish I hadn't stopped in because she clearly doesn't want me here.

A voice in the back of my head has to wonder if she's here just so she doesn't have to walk home with me, but even I can admit that that is crazy.

”Hey,” Reilly says, giving me a big smile that I don't quite believe.

”Hey.” I sit down beside her. I'm already here, and it would be weird to leave now. ”Did not expect to find you here.” I say, tilting my head toward the game. Reece is the only one of my sisters who has any interest at all in sports. If anything, I'm surprised she's not here too, potentially even playing volleyball. Though she'd probably have the same issues getting on that team as she did with soccer. Reilly doesn't say anything right away, and pointedly looks away from me. ”You're not avoiding me are you? Did I do something?”

Right away, Reilly looks back at me, concern in her eyes. ”No, no. Not at all. This will sound so stupid and I don't even know why I didn't just tell you. I'm just hanging out with someone after-school, and she's on the volleyball team so I had to wait.”

It takes me a second to figure out why she would feel weird about having plans after cla.s.ses. It happens a lot. I look over at the volleyball game and try to figure out who it is she's talking about, but don't have any ideas. Reilly's mentioned some of her new friends already, but I haven't been able to put any names to faces yet. An idea dawns on me. ”Oh. Do you have a date?”

Now Reilly's face is beet red, and she seems to be trying not to stammer out a response. ”No. No dates.”

”Okay, so why are you being so weird?”

”I'm not being weird,” Reilly says though there's no denying her behavior at this point.

I grin, finally getting it. Reilly hasn't dated much, but when she likes someone she turns into a fl.u.s.tered, stammering romantic. ”You like someone.” I don't even bother to ask. She definitely likes someone.

”Shut up.” She's smiling but there's more to her expression than merely being excited about meeting someone new. ”I haven't told anyone here yet,” she explains.

Oh. So she like someone and is clearly loving being around them. But if no one here knows she's gay, then there's a good chance that the girl she likes might not feel the same way. But it seems like there's an obvious solution. ”Why not tell? You were out back home and seemed happy with the decision. You've been out for like two years.”

Reilly's smile disappears, replaced with worry. ”At first, I didn't want to be known as the gay one. But then I started to get to know people and started imagining the worst. But this isn't a big city. I wish I knew how people here are about stuff like that.”

I want to say who cares what people think, but I know if I were in her position, I would absolutely care. Any more attention drawn to me would be entirely unwelcome. And being the subject of rumors and scrutiny would be Reilly's worst nightmare. She's already making friends here, and I can see why she wouldn't want to risk that.

But I hope it wouldn't be a problem. Some kids back home were occasionally a.s.s holes, but for the most part it was a nonissue. At least for the people who mattered. ”So. You're hanging out with this girl and just trying to get an idea of if it might go anywhere?”

Reilly throws her hands up in the air. ”I don't even know what I'm doing. I just like being around Sasha. It probably won't go anywhere, and I worry I'm going to end up as that lesbian girl who has a crush on her friend who ends up being straight. But when she asked if I wanted to study together after cla.s.ses, I couldn't say no.”

”Will there be other people there?” I ask, really hoping that this ends well for my sister. She shakes her head in response.

Even if Fairview ends up being the most progressive small town ever, there's already a shortage of people our age to choose from, and Reilly will have a harder time of it than any of us. Except maybe me, since I can't seem to ask out a guy even if I do like him and know he's single.

But now that I think of it, I don't know that he is straight. And I should know better than to make a.s.sumptions.

s.h.i.+t. One more thing to worry about.

Just then a loud whistle sounds from the floor, ending the volleyball game. Girls on both sides clap enthusiastically before departing. ”I guess that means I should go,” I say, knowing I'm about to become an unwelcome distraction in a situation where Reilly is already stressing. I stand up and get ready to go.

”You can stay,” she says. I can't tell whether she wants me to stay or go. But I remember how I felt back at the haunted house when I had a chance to be alone with Kent. And how it felt having him touch me, even mostly by accident. If there's a chance of that happening for my sister, I don't want to be the one to get in the way.

”Next time,” I say already stepping down to the next level of the bleacher. ”And there will be a next time. You're a Donovan. You're irresistible.”

”Something you should remember some time,” she says before sticking out her tongue.

”Good luck.”

I take off as fast as I can without tumbling down the steps and drawing attention to myself and I'm back outside the gym doors in less than a minute. But I can't help but pause, pretending to check my phone so I can wait to see the girl that has my sister swooning. It's almost a full minute before someone strides up the bleachers towards her. The girl is tall and black, with curly hair tied back in a tight ponytail. I can't tell much more from her without getting closer. But all I really need to understand is the way that my sister is smiling as she approaches. I force myself to go, but silently continue to wish Reilly luck as I make my way out of the school.

Chapter 15.

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