“I am now,” I laugh.
Not as fun without you.
Dance
“What’s wrong, Maggie?”
She’s putting her pompoms in her locker slowly and staring at them like she’ll never see them again.
She sits down, slumps her shoulders, and drops her head. “I think this will be my last semester at Eastbrooke. I don’t know where I’m going to go or what I’m going to do.” Her voice cracks. “I haven’t told Logan and it’s killing me. And I half hoped he would’ve said something to Chelsea so I could get mad and break up with him. That way it will be easier when I have to leave.”
I sit down next to her and put my arm around her. “Maggie! You can’t leave! Why would you want to?”
“I don’t want to. You know how I went to Logan’s for most of Thanksgiving break?”
“Yeah.”
“I didn’t tell him why.”
“What happened?”
“You know that my mom got remarried a few years ago?”
“Yeah, you’ve mentioned that.”
“When I go home, I feel like an outsider. Like I don’t belong. Last summer was horrible. I was so desperate I wanted to go live with my dad.”
“Why would that be desperate?”
She looks down again and starts crying. “My mom comes from a pretty well-off family. She fell in love with my dad but her family never liked him. Said he was worthless. I think eventually he started feeling that way. I remember when we’d go to my grandparents’ for holidays. They were never really nice to him. And my dad would always drink a lot. He started using drugs. My mom found out. He was spending a lot of money on them, I guess. I was only eleven when they divorced. Mom got full custody of me, and I’m hardly allowed to see him.”
“Did he show up at Thanksgiving or something?”
“No. I don’t like her new husband and I’m pretty sure the feeling is mutual. It’s all about them and their baby. Their family. Apparently their families have known each other forever and my grandparents love him. I don’t know why. He’s a lazy ass when he’s at home. Mom has a nanny for my little brother, so she doesn’t have to deal with—and I quote—the dirty parts of raising a child. So, of course, I go home and the nanny is off for the holiday. My stepdad was on my ass the entire time. Like it was my job to take care of him. And I was glad to help. I adore the kid. So I fed him, rocked him to sleep, and was right in the middle of texting Logan when he woke up and started crying. When I didn’t jump up to get him, my stepdad grabbed my phone out of my hand and blew up. He told me I was lazy! While he was sitting on his ass! He decided I was grounded from my phone. I told my mom it was bullshit. She took his side, and I lost it. I got my little brother out of his crib, gave him a kiss, handed him to my stepdad, took my phone back, and marched out the front door.”
“And you went to Logan’s house?”
“Sorta. I was just crying and driving. Two hours later, I ended up there completely unannounced. His family was amazing. He hadn't told them we got back together because he didn't want them to get their hopes up. I felt more at home there than at my own house. My mom sent me a text and told me that Harry decided they weren’t going to pay for me to go to Eastbrooke anymore and not to bother to ask my grandparents for money because they agreed I shouldn’t behave that way.”
“Oh, Maggie,” I say softly, pulling her into a hug. “We’ll figure something out.”
“I’ve been on pins and needles waiting to get called to the office and kicked out of here, but right before dance I looked up the tuition policy. They had to pay for this semester in advance and there are no refunds. So at least I know I’ll get to finish up the semester. My mom says she's not sending my allowance anymore either, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I have some money saved, but not enough for tuition.”
“What about a scholarship? I bet they have those.”
“They do, but they’re given out at the beginning of each school year. I could apply for next year, but not next semester. And my grades aren’t that great. Like, I’m a solid B student. Not smart enough for a scholarship.”
“You need to tell Logan.”
She gets tears in her eyes again. “We just got back together and now I’m going to have to leave him.”
I pat her back. “We’ll figure out a way for you to finish school here. Stop worrying about it. I promise, something will work out.”
“I can’t tell him. He’ll try to fix it. And his parents already make sacrifices so he can come here. It’s not like they can pay for me, too.”
“Did you go talk to the dean? Tell him the situation?”
“No. Do you think I should?”
“Yeah. If anyone can help, he can.”
“I suppose you’re right. I’m embarrassed, you know?”
“Don’t be. I’ll go with you, if you want.”
She nods, then studies me. “Aiden told Logan that you almost didn’t come back.”
“Please don’t tell anyone.”
“He said he told you about that night. About Prom.”
“Yeah, he did.”
“He thought you might hate him.”
“I could never hate Aiden.”
“That’s what I told him. I thought you acted weird when you hugged me goodbye. Would you have really just left like that without telling your friends?”
“I’m having some family issues, too. I thought I might have to go home to help. I’m hoping when I go home for Christmas that things will be better.”
She hugs me. “I hope they are, too. And I’m glad you came back. Eastbrooke wouldn’t be as fun without you.”
“Thanks,” I say, and I mean it. A lot.
As we’re walking out the door, Peyton says, “Hey, Keatyn, wait up. I want to talk to you about Aiden.”
Oh, shit. She knows. Knows that Chelsea texted him. Knows what was said.
“What about?” I say, as calmly as I can, as Shark bumps his hip into mine and joins us as we walk toward the dorms.
“What do you think we should do for his birthday?”
“His birthday? When is it?”
“This Sunday.”
“Why didn’t he tell me?”
“I don’t know.”
And already my mind is going crazy. He doesn’t want me to know? Does he want to spend it with Chelsea and not me?
No, stop it, Keatyn. Stop doubting him. He’s been sweet and amazing.
But why wouldn’t he tell me?
“Did he tell you Chelsea texted him over break?”
“No, but I’m sure he told her to go to hell.”
“Yeah, probably,” I say, less than enthusiastically.
“So, if you’re okay with it, I was thinking of inviting some friends out for dinner. I just didn’t want to step on your toes in case you were planning something already. But if you didn’t know, then you probably haven’t planned anything, right?”
“Right. Dinner sounds great. Wait. This Sunday is December the fourth.”
“Uh, yeah,” she says, looking at me like I’m dumb.
I knew they were both Sagittarians, but Aiden and Brooklyn share the same birthday?
Am I in the Twilight Zone?
I look up to the sky and wonder if the gods are done having fun with me yet.
“His birthday is the same day as my ex-boyfriend’s. What are the odds of that?”
Shark chimes in. “It’s really not that uncommon. About nine hundred thousand people in the United States share any given birthday. Over nineteen million if you count the world.”
“Oh, well, that’s good to know,” I say, thankful that we’ve reached my dorm.
I hate the internet.
5pm