The-Lucky-List-Rachael-Lippincott

23
The second Nina pulls into the parking lot at Huckabee High the next day and I see the navy-blue and
silver charter bus, my heart starts hammering in my chest. It’s about to be filled with classmates I
haven’t seen since June. Classmates who know what went down at junior prom, Matt somewhere in the
hustle and bustle, and, on top of it all, Blake just… being Blake.
This is like eighteen cliff jumps and six tattoos rolled into one.
I pull my mom’s black cardigan closer to my body as Kiera and I hop out of the car, duel bags
slung over our shoulders. e last person to wear it was my mom, and I can already feel the worn wool
giving me strength.
Or maybe I’m just hoping it will.
“Have fun, ladies!” Nina calls, holding two bags of chocolate chip cookies out the driver’s-side
window for us.
I grimace at the word “fun” but manage to plaster a smile on my face before she can see.
“Molasses?” I ask as I peer into the bag at the cookies.
Nina shakes her head, yet another rejected secret-ingredient guess. “Nice try!”
I tuck my arm into Kiera’s as we head toward the bus, half hiding behind her as we wade through
the line and check in with Mr. Sanders, what feels like a million eyes following my every move as I bend
down to slide my bag into the under-bus compartment. It’s better now than it was at the end of school,
their gazes less scalding, but it still makes my skin crawl.
Just wait, I tell myself. In a few hours I’m going to put this right. And no one will care anymore.
I take a deep breath and square my shoulders as I straighten up, the list making me stronger.
Making me ready for any judgment that comes my way, ready for all the whispers, ready for—
I spin around and run smack into Blake.
She reaches out to stop me from toppling over, all honey-brown eyes, and messy sun-streaked hair,
and full lips.…
“Blake!” I say, the feelings from the night in the truck bed slowly starting to swim back into my
stomach. I quickly push them away, turning my head to scan the crowd for Matt. “Hey. Hi.”
She pulls her hand away from my shoulder, glancing to the side at Kiera, a warm smile unfolding
onto her face. “You must be Kiera,” she says, charming and friendly and nice like there wasn’t a distinct