I hurried to my locker and just as I was about to close it Ryan Holstater leaned his shoulder against the locker next to mine.
“Hey, McKenzie,” he said with a bright and friendly smile.
“Ryan, hi.” I closed my locker and gripped the shoulder strap of my messenger bag, trying to look as though I was ready to leave.
“I just wanted to invite you to my house tomorrow night. I’m having another campout and wanted to make sure you knew you were invited. I know you usually came with Cory, because he was on the team, but….”
His words faded away and so did my apprehension. Ryan was obviously trying to show me I was still a part of the group, still accepted by Cory’s friends, even though he was gone.
“Thanks, Ryan. That’s really nice of you. Nate just invited me last period too.”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “Don’t let Nate keep you away. That guy, if he wasn’t on the swim team, I’d totally kick his ass.”
I laughed, thankful that I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t impressed by him. “Do you think I could bring Holly, Becca, and Todd, too? They came with Cory and me to the last one, we all had fun.”
“Definitely,” he said, again with a friendly smile.
“Okay,” I replied brightly. “I’ll ask them if they want to go. Thanks for the invite.”
“No problem, it’d be great to have you there.” His words sounded sincere and friendly, nothing like Nate’s invitation.
I waved to him as I walked toward the doors leading outside, trying to hurry.
“Kenzie!” I heard Holly’s voice from behind me and turned to see her jogging down the hall, dodging between people, weaving her way through the crowded hallway. “Hey,” she said, out of breath from the sprint.
“Hey, is something wrong?”
She shook her head and let out a breathy, “No.” Then she took a deep breath and continued. “I just wanted to catch you before you left. What are you doing tomorrow night?”
“I don’t know yet, why?”
“Todd and I got invited to Ryan Holstater’s house. I wanted to know if you wanted to go with us.”
I laughed. “Man, this must be one awesome party. Ryan just invited me too.” Nothing spread faster through our high school than news of parties.
“Yeah, and Jacob Matthews just invited Becca.” Her eyes were wide, a fantastic smile on her face, and eyes sparkling.
“He did not,” I deadpanned, truly shocked. Becca had been crushing on Jacob Matthews since the middle of last year but had only been brave enough to ask him to dance at our winter formal a few months before. The fact that he’d invited her was huge news in our little circle of friends.
“He did. So we need a total intervention before the party tomorrow. We have to go to Becca’s house and do her hair, her makeup, make sure she’s wearing the right outfit. This is her shot, Kenz.”
“This is huge.” I was still a little shocked.
“I know!” Holly squealed. “So, you’re in? She’s gonna need all the backup she can get.”
“I’m totally in.”
“Okay,” she said, slowly walking backward away from me. “Tomorrow after school we go to Becca’s. I’ll pick you up at four thirty.” She waved and I waved back.
“See you tomorrow.”
And just like that, normality smacked me right in the face. Crushes, parties, wardrobe decisions. It was all so familiar. I took just a moment to feel it, to let the emotions wash over me, but then I ran down the hall hoping to still catch my bus.
I made it to the parking lot just in time to see the last bus pull out of the parking lot.
“Damn it,” I said to no one but myself. I reached into my bag and pulled out my phone, thumbing a text to Hayes.
**I feel like a second grader telling you this, but I missed my bus. Any chance you can give me a ride?**
I wandered back inside, hoping maybe I’d run into Holly again. I did a lap around the entire school and hadn’t seen anyone I could catch a ride from when my phone buzzed in my hand.
**You know where the equipment room is? Down the arts hall, by the practice rooms?**
**Yeah.**
**Meet me in there in a half hour. I have a few things to finish up and I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to wait here with me. Sorry.**
**No problem. See you there. And thanks.**
I sighed, but then decided to head to the library to get some work done while I waited.
Thirty-five minutes later I was silently cursing myself for losing track of time while doing my homework, and I turned the corner heading down the hallway to the equipment room.