Aunt Odie dropped me off at school with a, “I’ll make sure to bring you some lunch, ’kay, punkin?”
I gave her a wave over my head, surging into the school with the crowd. I didn’t even look back. I had work to do. Avoiding-Buddy-slash-Justin-slash-my-first-almost-real-boyfriend-slash-why-hadn’t-he-told-me-about-Tommie-sooner?
More in depth? Like, everything?
Kids pushed against me, laughing, hollering. I heard someone clear a loogie out of his throat and spit. Several girls squealed, “Ew!”
I couldn’t bother with any of that. I rushed to my locker.
Buddy stood there, looking sweeter than cream and prettier than Aunt Odie’s best cake. He wore a T-shirt the color of lake water, and even from across the hall I could see his eyes.
“Evie,” he said when he saw me, and his expression lit up like the sun this morning burning off the dew.
My heart slammed in my chest. I turned, fast, and went empty-armed toward class.
I ran into three people trying to get away from Buddy. One guy nearly knocked me down but caught me around the waist as I went flying and pulled me onto my feet.
“Evie!”
Over the intercom, the vice principal said something about teachers and a three fifteen meeting. A group of cheerleaders blocked the hall a ways down. They were doing a cheer. In the hall of all places. Why? Lots of people had gathered to watch them. Why again?
I rushed through the line at, “Gimme a D!”
“Buddy,” someone said. A girl.
I didn’t look back. Not all the way, I mean. Buddy ran past one cheerleader, who had broken out of formation and now followed him.
“Not now, Kelly,” he yelled. And, “Evie, why are you running from me?”
Up ahead was the bathroom. I’d just go there. Wait. Catch my breath. Worry about this morning and Mr. Bargio’s sister and all those people looking so sad. Worry about Tommie and Momma and JimDaddy.
Buddy grabbed my arm. The bell rang. The hall cleared.
Then it was just the two of us.
“Get to class,” a teacher called, and shut the door.
“Why are you trying to get away?” Buddy said. I could smell spearmint.
Then he grabbed me and kissed me so hard I thought I’d lose my breath. His hands were warm and the kiss was warm and—not here in the hall, right here at school, where Tommie might be spying.
“Buddy,” I said, though he still kissed me. “Buddy.” My voice was a whisper.
I pulled away and plowed into the bathroom.