date,” she says, poking me in the chest. “You won’t humiliate me on the biggest day of my life.”
My tongue runs across my teeth and for all the bravado I had a second ago, I can’t find a way to tell her that’s not happening. So I just start walking toward the art room, which is luckily on the opposite end of the hallway from where Kennedy is going.
She calls my name and I look back although I’d prefer to just keep walking. Of course, that would be mean. “Yeah?”
“I know you’re giving the homeless girl rides to school because she’s poor, but you should really pawn her off soon. Your reputation will suffer.”
“Thanks for the unsolicited advice,” I call out over my shoulder. “Please lose my number.”
“We’re not done,” she says, but I walk faster and don’t catch whatever she yells after that.
Ms. Cleary is deep in conversation with Ella when I walk in the art room. They’re standing over a watercolor painting that looks like a super yellow sunset.
“Ethan, hello,” Ms. Cleary says. She gestures toward the wall where some of my canvases from last year are displayed. “Did you bring me some more art?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m here to get Ella.”
Her eyes widen for a fraction of a second. Even teachers aren’t immune to school gossip but she must be behind on the whole Kennedy and me break up thing.
I hitch my backpack up my shoulders. “Ella lives with me.”
This time her eyes widen so big she can’t hide it. Ella rolls her eyes and slugs me in the arm. “Don’t listen to him. He’s my neighbor and since our house became so much firewood, my family is staying with his family.”
“Ah, well that makes sense,” Ms. Cleary says. “I’m glad you were able to get that worked out and I am so, so sorry for your loss, dear.”
Ella picks up her painting. “It’s okay.”
Ms. Cleary turns her question on me while Ella takes the painting over to a long shelf for drying artwork. “So how’s the T-shirt business?”
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out an inch to see the name on the screen. Kennedy. I drop the phone back in my pocket. “It’s going pretty well,” I say. “I made a few new designs this week that I’ll upload tonight.”
“I’d say it’s going a lot better than pretty well,” Ms. Cleary says, waving her hands around. “At least half of my class is wearing one of your designs every single day. You’ll be paying for college in no time.”
I nod. From the other side of the room, Ella’s eyebrow is raised. I shift on my feet, knowing she’s listening to everything I say and for some reason I want her to keep looking so impressed. “Yeah, I’m pretty much there,” I say, straightening my shoulders. “I’ve got state college paid for, at least. I’m not making Harvard money, but it’s not like I’ll be applying there anyway.”
Ms. Cleary laughs. “Harvard is overrated. State college is all you really need these days.”
Ella appears at my side, her hot pink backpack slung over one shoulder. “Ready?”
I nod and we say goodbye to Ms. Cleary, quickly falling into step with each other as we walk out to the now nearly empty parking lot.
“So I think we’ll have to rethink our escape plan,” I say, digging in my pocket for my keys. “Kennedy cornered me outside of the locker room just now.”
My phone goes off again, and once again, Kennedy’s name flashes across the screen. I deleted her picture days ago so at least I don’t have to see it when she’s blowing up my phone. “I’m going to have to block her number,” I mutter.
Ella’s looking up at me as we walk. She’s so short and cute I want to rest my elbow on top of her head but I’m sure she’ll kick my ass for it. “So, you didn’t tell me what she said,” Ella says, kicking at a pebble on the concrete.
“She wanted to bitch at me for not answering her millions of texts and calls,” I say, pointing to one finger. I point to the next one.
My tongue runs across my teeth and for all the bravado I had a second ago, I can’t find a way to tell her that’s not happening. So I just start walking toward the art room, which is luckily on the opposite end of the hallway from where Kennedy is going.
She calls my name and I look back although I’d prefer to just keep walking. Of course, that would be mean. “Yeah?”
“I know you’re giving the homeless girl rides to school because she’s poor, but you should really pawn her off soon. Your reputation will suffer.”
“Thanks for the unsolicited advice,” I call out over my shoulder. “Please lose my number.”
“We’re not done,” she says, but I walk faster and don’t catch whatever she yells after that.
Ms. Cleary is deep in conversation with Ella when I walk in the art room. They’re standing over a watercolor painting that looks like a super yellow sunset.
“Ethan, hello,” Ms. Cleary says. She gestures toward the wall where some of my canvases from last year are displayed. “Did you bring me some more art?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m here to get Ella.”
Her eyes widen for a fraction of a second. Even teachers aren’t immune to school gossip but she must be behind on the whole Kennedy and me break up thing.
I hitch my backpack up my shoulders. “Ella lives with me.”
This time her eyes widen so big she can’t hide it. Ella rolls her eyes and slugs me in the arm. “Don’t listen to him. He’s my neighbor and since our house became so much firewood, my family is staying with his family.”
“Ah, well that makes sense,” Ms. Cleary says. “I’m glad you were able to get that worked out and I am so, so sorry for your loss, dear.”
Ella picks up her painting. “It’s okay.”
Ms. Cleary turns her question on me while Ella takes the painting over to a long shelf for drying artwork. “So how’s the T-shirt business?”
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out an inch to see the name on the screen. Kennedy. I drop the phone back in my pocket. “It’s going pretty well,” I say. “I made a few new designs this week that I’ll upload tonight.”
“I’d say it’s going a lot better than pretty well,” Ms. Cleary says, waving her hands around. “At least half of my class is wearing one of your designs every single day. You’ll be paying for college in no time.”
I nod. From the other side of the room, Ella’s eyebrow is raised. I shift on my feet, knowing she’s listening to everything I say and for some reason I want her to keep looking so impressed. “Yeah, I’m pretty much there,” I say, straightening my shoulders. “I’ve got state college paid for, at least. I’m not making Harvard money, but it’s not like I’ll be applying there anyway.”
Ms. Cleary laughs. “Harvard is overrated. State college is all you really need these days.”
Ella appears at my side, her hot pink backpack slung over one shoulder. “Ready?”
I nod and we say goodbye to Ms. Cleary, quickly falling into step with each other as we walk out to the now nearly empty parking lot.
“So I think we’ll have to rethink our escape plan,” I say, digging in my pocket for my keys. “Kennedy cornered me outside of the locker room just now.”
My phone goes off again, and once again, Kennedy’s name flashes across the screen. I deleted her picture days ago so at least I don’t have to see it when she’s blowing up my phone. “I’m going to have to block her number,” I mutter.
Ella’s looking up at me as we walk. She’s so short and cute I want to rest my elbow on top of her head but I’m sure she’ll kick my ass for it. “So, you didn’t tell me what she said,” Ella says, kicking at a pebble on the concrete.
“She wanted to bitch at me for not answering her millions of texts and calls,” I say, pointing to one finger. I point to the next one.
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