Woke Up Like This(68)

“It’s fine, Kassie,” I snap, turning my attention to the next person in line.

“It’s not fine,” Renner cuts in, his voice terse and sharp. He sets down a new box of pizza and shoots her a look.

“Dude, what’s your problem?” Ollie eyes him suspiciously. In his defense, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard Renner use this tone.

Renner huffs. “Char and I got to the gym yesterday morning at 6:00 a.m. to set up for prom. We also got here an hour and a half ago. And you haven’t even lifted a finger. As a member of the student council, it would be nice if you showed up to do your job.”

A hush falls, everyone stunned at Renner’s serious tone.

Kassie blinks, taken aback. “Chill, J. T. I’m here now, offering to help. Char literally just said there’s nothing for me to do. Why are you freaking out?”

I expect Renner to smile and apologize, but he doesn’t back down. “Because you always do this. You always leave all the heavy lifting to Char and then swoop in at the end and take credit for things.”

Her jaw falls open. She hitches her shoulders, arms crossed, well aware that everyone in line is overhearing the argument. “Maybe I would do more if Char didn’t boss everyone around. You said it yourself, J. T., she’s not a team player.”

Nori gasps.

“Someone has to organize all the logistics, Kass. I can’t take care of everything. I have to delegate things,” I shoot back.

But she doesn’t back down. “I signed up to be on student council as a member. We all did. We’re supposed to be a team. And you treat everyone like some minion, ordering us around, expecting us to do everything your way. It’s like no one else is allowed to have an opinion.”

That’s it. I’m done. I slap the napkin bundle on the table and turn to her. “This isn’t just about student council. We were supposed to spend the night like old times, and you’ve spent the entire time with the cheer squad.”

“You’re really that mad that I’m spending the night with the cheer girls? Seriously?”

“It’s not just tonight. You’re not reliable. You ditch me. All. The. Time. For Ollie, ninety-nine percent of the time. We’re going to be in different cities in two months and we haven’t done a single Senior Week activity together—like we were supposed to. You’re going to live with Ollie next year. Why do you need to spend every waking moment together?”

She blinks, shaking her head in disgust. “Char, you just don’t get what it’s like to have a boyfriend.”

“Maybe not. But I know what it’s like to be a good friend. I can’t say the same for you.” I regret my words the moment they come out. In front of the entire student body. Everyone’s eyes are on me, and it’s dead silent. I feel a wave of nausea mounting. I think I’m gonna pass out. I spin on my heels and do the only logical thing. Flee.



It’s dark in the stairwell. Cooler, much cooler than the stuffy gym. I place my hands on my knees and bend over, letting my breath pass slowly, in through my nose and out through my mouth. When I finally manage to get my heart rate back in check, the stairwell door creaks open behind me.

I expect to see Kassie or Nori. But no, it’s Renner. My face is inches from his neck.

“You scared me. I thought you were someone else,” I say, my cheeks reddening when I meet his eye. I stiffen and look away to conceal my face—which I’m sure says it all.



One time I had a hard-core dream about making out with Clay. And the next day in Model UN, I could barely look in his direction without wanting to keel over and die. This feels infinitely worse.

“That was . . . a lot,” he says. “You good?”

“Yeah. I’m just . . . tired. Senior Week is stressful.” I still don’t feel like my body has caught up from the exhaustion of yesterday.

“Want to get some air?” He tilts his head up toward the stairwell.

“It’s off bounds. We’re not supposed to leave the gym,” I remind him.

“We already have, technically. Come on. Live a little,” he says, tugging my pinkie finger.

I let him guide me, grateful for the opportunity to delay facing Kassie and everyone else who witnessed my epic meltdown. “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere you’ve definitely never been.”

I’m not sure how that’s possible. After four years on the student council, I’ve seen nearly every nook and cranny of this school. We reach the next floor and he leads me through a darkened hallway near the English department, then through a door I always thought was a janitorial closet. It opens to a narrow set of cement stairs.

“What is this?” I ask.

“You’ll see.”

Turns out, the super-secret stairs lead to a super-super-super-secret rooftop. It boasts a sweeping view of the parking lot and part of the football field. I stare out at the field wistfully, reminiscing about all those brisk fall evenings Kassie and I spent watching Ollie’s games from the bleachers. She always made me paint my face in school colors, though her paint would magically stay on all night while mine would smudge in a matter of minutes.

“How did you know about this? I had no idea you could get up here,” I say, rubbing the gooseflesh that’s emerged on my bare arms.