How Not to Spend Your Senior Year Read Free Page A

reply.
    â€œO-kaay,” Alex said, drawing out the second syllable as if trying to decide whether or not to ask more.
    From across the street at the school, the warning bell that signaled the imminent commencement of classes trilled sharply.
    â€œSounds like we’d better get going,” Alex said.
    â€œUh-huh,” I responded.
    He stepped back and made a gesture as if ushering me forward. I walked beside him toward my newest school, trying to convince myself that the reason I suddenly felt so dizzy and lightheaded was that I’d contracted some bizarre Seattle flu bug.

Three
    You know that phrase, everywhere you go, there you are? Well, my first day at Beacon provided me with the inspiration for a variation:
    Everywhere I went, there was Alex Crawford.
    Following our surprising encounter in the carless-column parking lot, I’d done my best to return to my normal blending-in behavior, an endeavor which was aided by the fact that first period English was a class Alex and I did not have in common.
    I’d timed my arrival at the first classroom with my usual attention to detail. I wanted the room full, but not too full.Then I’d entered calmly and taken a seat about three quarters of the way back.
    This is the seating chart equivalent of the no-extreme-fashion-choices concept, just so you know. All the way at the back says troublemaker to the teachers. Too far forward and your fellow classmates think teacher’s pet .
    The inevitable announcement that there was a new student brought the equally inevitable several minutes of unwanted attention. After which, when I did nothing further of note, my new classmates were content to relegate me to the same category as white noise. A thing that was perfectly fine with me. By the time first period was over, my head felt back to normal, and I was well on my way to congratulating myself on my quick recovery from my encounter with Alex Crawford.
    Right up until the moment I walked out of the classroom and straight into his arms.
    It was hard not to. He was standing right outside the door.
    His hands came up to grasp and steady me at the same time as he flashed me thatmind-numbing smile. How on earth did he get here so fast? I wondered.
    â€œHey, Jo O’Connor,” he said.
    â€œHey, yourself,” I mumbled.
    At that moment, I made a snap decision, a thing I usually avoid. My usual new school adjustment techniques just didn’t seem to be getting me anywhere, at least not with Alex Crawford. If at first you don’t succeed, try try again. Only a fool tries the same thing twice, though. If fading into the background wasn’t going to work, maybe standing out by being obnoxious would.
    â€œWhat did you say your name was, again?” I asked.
    Alex laughed. Oh, nice move, O’Connor, I thought. It was the same kind of laugh he’d given before. Open, easy, unself-conscious. A laugh that softened all my defenses and pretty much made my heart want to melt like one of those little pats of butter you get at Denny’s, left out in the sun.
    It also got the attention of anyone nearby who had somehow miraculously failed to notice the extra attention Mr.BMOC was paying to the new girl. Assuming there had actually been anyone.
    â€œNot to be rude or anything,” I said as I took a step back. This forced Alex to let go of my arms. Unfortunately it also resulted in me stomping on the feet of whoever was trying to get out behind me.
    â€œHey, watch it,” I heard him say.
    â€œBut I believe it’s traditional to let the first-period students exit the classroom before the second-period ones go in,” I went on.
    â€œI’m not going in,” Alex said simply. “I’m walking you to your next class. History, right?”
    Right, I thought. Right before I thought, This has absolutely got to stop. If I couldn’t nip whatever was happening with Alex Crawford in the bud, there was no telling where I’d end up,