Food, Cats, and Being Lazy

Chapter Thirteen

Losing Lauren as a friend ended up not being too bad after all. Sure, I was lonelier during lunches, but that was really the only time we ever hung out. And it was easy to get over since I had been doing it since middle school anyway.

But Vincent was always with my sister and their friends during school hours, and Paige didn’t want me anywhere near them. After school, he came by on occasion, but Paige was making a point to leave the house to hang out with him instead of letting him come over to us. Just in case he tried to invite me along again. And since Vincent wasn’t really my friend, neither was Collin.

I kept up the fantasy that I might be the next girl he went out with, but after that one day with the Gatorade he didn’t speak to me again. I saw him once in passing and he nodded to me, but that was the extent of it. Then one day he came to school holding hands with some redheaded senior.

It hurt a lot. I’d been in love with the guy for going on three years. It’s not like I really thought I had a chance with him. Maybe if I suddenly got prettier and cooler overnight, but I’d been praying for that since elementary school. And so far, no dice. Collin never went out with girls like me. That only ever happened in movies. And when it happened in movies those girls were always beautiful to start with. Even in makeover movies. One eyebrow wax and outfit change later they were gorgeous. I was invisible. And when I wasn’t, I was just dirt.

Then one day in math class a kid leaned over and tapped my desk. I looked up at him. His name was Anton, but I’d never talked to him anymore. I was pretty sure he’d only been at school for less than a year.

“Yes?” I asked.

“You going to that party this weekend?” he asked. I shook my head slowly.

“What party?”

“At Collin Denver’s place? His parents are out of town.”

“Oh—I wasn’t invited.”

“Well, I’m inviting you. Want to come with me?” I didn’t understand the question.

“I’m—not really sure my sister would want me there.”

“It’s not her choice. I’ll pick you up at seven on Saturday? You live with Paige Finnegan, right?” I nodded. “I’ll see you then?”

“Yeah—okay.”

Later that day when I went to meet my mom after school, Paige was waiting too. She rode home with us and followed me into the house.

“So I heard you have a date with Anton,” she said as she followed me up the stairs.

“I don’t think it’s a date. He just asked me to go to Collin’s party this weekend.” She laughed.

“It’s a date, genius. And it’s about time too. I thought you were going to stay a virgin forever.” I frowned as she passed me, trotting up the stairs like a baby deer.

“For your information celibacy is a choice.” She laughed again.

“Not for you it isn’t.”

“You’re an asshole. And I’m not going to do anything with Anton. I don’t even like him. I barely know him. He’s just a kid from my math class.” We reached the top of the stairs and she turned around to face me as she walked backward to her room.

“He’s in the Mathletes and he’s a super huge nerd. The only reason he got invited to the party is because he’s Collin’s cousin and blackmailed him.”

“Are you going to the party, oh glorious one?” She scoffed.

“Of course. I AM the party.” I rolled my eyes and went to my room where she couldn’t bother me anymore.