Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
Sara
I’m popping around the corner—with a quickened merriment in my step, might I add—when I spot Oliver sitting in an empty chair outside the journalism room. A silent gasp escapes through my lips. Quickly backtracking, I press my back against the wall and stifle a groan.
He’s the last person I want to see right now. Also, why is he sitting there all mysterious like that? Sure, he’s reading a book—so it’s not that odd—but why is he all alone?
Is Lulu right? Does he know something? Maybe he’s waiting to confront me, but the subway incident feels like it happened forever ago.
No reason for me to ever bring it up again.
I’d go as far to say it’s water under the bridge.
It’s yesterday’s peanut butter sandwich.
Is that a saying? If not, maybe I should make it one.
Here’s what I do know: it’s time to start fresh. Oliver’s only a junior. A junior! It’s laughable, really, thinking back to how nervous I was around him. In reality, I’m his elder. His senior. He must respect me.
Straightening my shoulders, I hold my head high as I step around the corner.
“Oliver Yang.”
At the sound of his name, he looks up. When he sees that it’s just me, his face falls like he’s just been summoned to detention.
“What?”
“Uh.” So, I hadn’t given much thought as to what I’d say next. “Why aren’t you in the meeting?”
He checks his watch. Interesting. Who wears watches these days?
“It doesn’t start for another five minutes.”
“Oh.” My eyes drop to the floor. “Right.”
Assuming that’s all I’ve come to ask, he goes back to his book. Which means I’m left standing there, arms crossed, losing confidence by the second. C’mon, Sara. Don’t let him get to you.
I clear my throat. “So—that thing I found out. Crazy, huh? I can’t believe I didn’t realize.”
Oliver heaves a long sigh, green eyes entangling with mine. “What are you on about? Just say it.”
“It’s just crazy,” I continue, a bite of determination layered in my voice now, “you’re a junior.”
He makes a show of shutting his book. “Of all the things you found out about me today, that’s the most shocking to you?” He rolls his eyes. “What, you thought I was a senior or something?”
“I mean, I’m a senior and they assigned a junior to tutor me.” I brave moving a few steps closer to where he sits. “Kinda weird, right?”
Oliver slides his book in his backpack before lifting his eyes to meet mine. “Sure, I guess it’s weird,” he says dully. “You must be embarrassed to find out you’re being tutored by a junior who also happens to be your next-door neighbor.”
At this, my face flames. “What’s embarrassing about that? Who’s embarrassed here? Why would I even—?”
Oliver’s on his feet now, his full height towering over me as he leans in closer. “Really, Sara Lin?” There’s a teasing, knowing edge in his tone. “Nothing to be embarrassed about—nothing at all lurking around your head?”
“What?” My feet act on autopilot, as if sensing I should now put distance between us. “What are you—are you talking about—? The, uh—?”
My heart beats faster, so fast that it feels like I’ve consumed ten energy drinks. His eyebrows do that Oliver thing where they draw together as he examines me.
There’s no way he’s referring to the subway incident, right? Not after all this time? But I can’t tell, because he keeps his stare level with mine. Nothing in his eyes gives anything away, which is even more infuriating.
“God, what are you staring at?” I smooth my skirt to give my hands something to do. “All I’m saying is that I’m a year older than you, so you need to show me some respect.”
“Are you serious?” He tilts his head, golden hair flopping to the left as he does. “You think I’m the problem here?”
“I just mean sometimes you come off as rude,” I explain, suddenly exhausted by this topic. “But I guess we both have to work on . . .”
I trail off, not because I can’t think of anything to say, but because he’s turned his back on me. And now he’s strutting away—during the middle of our conversation!
“Maybe when you’re better at math, we’ll see,” he tosses over his shoulder.
He hasn’t gone far, lingering outside the journalism classroom. It doesn’t take long for me to catch up to him.
“See!” I fling a hand his way. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”
“Respect has nothing to do with age, Sara Lin. It has to be earned.” His face shifts, like he’s just remembered something. “Oh, you wanna reschedule tutoring since we have this meeting?”
Earned? What is he even talking about? He should respect me because I’m older, not because I have to earn it by being his friend or something. Geez, doesn’t he know anything?
Irritation flits through me. “Are you kidding? No, I don’t want to reschedule—ever.”
“All right.” He shrugs, truly indifferent, then jiggles the handle to the classroom. “Good luck with your test.”
The doorknob doesn’t turn. He tries again, this time putting more force behind his tug.
“Fine, whatever.” I cross my arms as I watch him struggle. “What are you doing? Just open it.”
He pulls harder, but it doesn’t budge. “I am trying.”
“Let me try.” I attempt to step in front of him as I reach for the handle, but he blocks my path with his body.
“Stop reaching.” He swats my hand away. “It won’t open.”
This only makes me want to try again, so I do. “What if I can open it? And don’t sneer at me like that. I’m your senior, remember?”
“That actually means nothing to me,” he says flatly, still blocking my path.
I manage to slip my hand by him. When it lands on the doorknob, I’m able to tug for a brief second before his elbow nudges me aside. Well, that settles it. The door is locked.
“Argh—just knock, then, you stupid Subwayboy.”
The words roll off my tongue before I can stop them. Oliver freezes in place, his eyes locking on mine. Heat flushes into my cheeks.
Oh no—did he catch that?
“Hey.”
I’m so grateful for this interruption that I could spontaneously combust with joy. We whirl toward the voice. Lulu’s poked her head out from the classroom behind us, inching the door wider.
“You’re trying to open the wrong door.” She looks between us, silver eyes shifting back and forth. “Are you coming to the meeting or what?”