Football players are assholes. I know; I'm related to their king. My older, and annoyingly overprotective, brother Jake is the star quarterback at Santa Cruz High School. I love him but hate living in his shadow. Everyone worshiping the air he breat...
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My last days of summer flew by in a blur of dull monotony. To his credit, Logan fell silent. Without Harper, I picked up extra work shifts, preparing salads until the tips of my fingers wilted more than the lettuce. With Jake gone at camp, the house was quiet. My bathroom was as clean as my bedroom, blissfully devoid of boy stink, but our parents took the opportunity to pester me about every aspect of my life.
"Senior year starts today?" Mom's eyes rounded over her oatmeal.
"Monday," I corrected her with a sigh. "Today is the senior... thingy."
"Ahh, I remember signing Jake's waiver." The glisten of tears in her eyes rolled mine. Waiver? Golden Boy privileges. She waved my reaction off with a huff. "I can't believe it. You worked so hard this summer, Ellie. We never see you."
I didn't have the heart to admit that was on purpose. College wouldn't pay for itself, and the reality was they wouldn't either. "Saving money," I mumbled around my egg and cheese burrito. Warm and squishy goodness. "And high school can't end soon enough."
"I doubt you believe that. You have a whole year to make memories, Ellie." She shook her head, brushing a few dark brown strands over her cheeks. She tucked them behind her ear and pursed her painted lips. "Anyone special in your life?"
How did she transition from I'm too busy to who am I dating? And no, it wasn't a year. A year from now I would frolic in greener college pastures.
Across the table, Dad almost snapped his neck with how fast his head lifted from his plate. "What!?"
I choked on empty air. "Mom, why would you ask me that?"
"I'm curious." Her shoulders lifted. "There isn't anyone? What about that Alex boy who came here once?"
Poor Alex. After one study session where Jake sat between us at the table with a death glare on Alex the entire time, I never invited him here to study here again. I suppressed a snort at how she would react if I told her Logan had... whatever the hell he'd done. "No, Mom."
"It's for the best," Dad grumbled. "For both my blood pressure and ability to sleep with both eyes closed."
"Ha ha." My dry voice masked the irritation that simmered under my skin I clasped my hands under the table. They turned unfair blind eyes to Jake's asshattery with girls, but they had nothing to worry about with me. Especially Logan.
For better or worse, I had plenty else to think about this morning. This year, our high school attempted a new and stupid senior orientation. Adding further insult past the stupidity factor, seniors had to attend school one day during the week before the school year started. "I gotta go."
As seniors, we were already oriented within the school. Nope, this orientation was for 'making the most' out of our senior year and transition to life after high school.' While every cell of my being should have been excited about that subject, our school's version of post-high school preparations fell as flat as a crepe. Reality's disappointment hit me when I was required to report to school during the last week of summer vacation. Fortunately, Harper and I had the same orientation report date, on a Friday, of all days.
