Page 63 of The Surprise Play

My laughter vanishes. I feel like he’s just slapped me across the face. Hearing that word out of his mouth hurts. But it also pisses me off. I know he’s just playing, butgrrrr! Now he knows what they used to call me, and I hate that so much!

Jade has poisoned those girls against me, telling them all the things she used to taunt me with, and they’ve bought into it, picked up where Carmen and Katrina left off.

I’d rather die than have her poison Wily too. I can’t have another Peyton Feldman situation on my hands. I honestly don’t think my heart could take it.

Wily’s been different.

He hasn’t been the standard jock I was expecting.

He’s been sweet and funny, and he’s never looked at me like I’m less than.

If anything, he treats my smarts like a crown jewel and looks at me like I’m special.

And now he knows that I’m just some stupid hippo girl who?—

He doesn’t think that. He got super pissed that someone would even dare say that to you.

A soft growl builds in my throat.

“What was that, hippo?—”

“Shut the fuck up!” I shout, the words popping out so loud and fast that I end up surprising myself.

Wily blinks. And I blink right back.

And then he lets out a loud whoop.

“Yes!” He punches his arms in the air and closes the space between us.

Before I know it, he’s lifted me off my feet again… and I’m hugging him back in celebration.

Why I’m celebrating, I’m really not sure, but man… that felt so good!

I just told Pretend Viper to shut the fuck up!

“That’s my girl!” Wily laughs as he puts me back on my feet and gives me a playful wink. “My little potty mouth. I’m lovin’ it!”

Wrapping his arm around my shoulders again, he pulls me against his side, and we wander off to class. I swear I’m walking on air right now. What’s concrete? It doesn’t exist in this place. Only white, fluffy, euphoric clouds are under my feet right now.

No one has ever made me feel like this before. Like I matter, and not just because I’m related to them.

I matter.

Glancing up, I watch Wily as we walk side by side. He’s saying hi to people, grinning and greeting them like it’s second nature.

And I’m the invisible girl beside him.

But… not to him.

For just a moment there, I was the center of his world, and he wasn’t gonna quit on me until I’d said those four words and made myself feel like I actually had the power.

Even if it was for just a second… I’ll take it.

CHAPTER 19

WILY

I haven’t seen Satch since we parted ways this morning. And I can’t stop thinking about her. All day she’s been playing in my mind. That flushed, humiliated look on her face when that bitch was talking to her like that.