Most Likely (Most Likely #1) - Sarah Watson Page 0,63
to sleep with you.”
The mother whirled around again. Just as Jordan opened her mouth to say something, CJ stepped in. “Yep. You’re right,” she said to the mother. “We’re taking this out of the stands. Ladies.”
CJ stood and so did Ava. Jordan crossed her arms. “No. I’m staying. We came to see the last McKinley High School football game we’ll ever see. I’m not missing it.”
Martha got up. “Great. Let me know if you figure out which side is ours.”
She stormed out of the stands. CJ looked down at Jordan. “Come on. Let’s all go talk about this.”
Jordan crossed her arms even tighter. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
Ava turned to her. “Come on, Jordan. Please.”
Jordan shook her head. “I’m staying.”
Ava and CJ gave her a minute to change her mind. When it was obvious that Jordan wasn’t budging, they walked off to find Martha. Ava looked back once. Jordan sat with her arms folded, letting the snow fall on top of her.
Martha descended the city bus stairs, headed for the movie theater. She stepped onto the street and right into a hidden puddle. She was already mad at Scott and mad at the world and now she was mad at the puddle too. She wanted to be mad at Jordan, but the truth was, she wasn’t. She was just hurt. She wished Jordan could understand how awful it had felt. To be sized up and disregarded like that. For something totally beyond her control. Martha stopped. She squeezed water out of the cuff of her jeans and felt like an asshole. Because of course Jordan knew what that was like. She knew it better than any of them. Martha went back to being mad at the world. And Scott.
When she reached the theater, she tugged the door open. She felt a rush of warm air and then a rush of relief when she saw Victoria. Martha wondered if Victoria would know right away that something was wrong. Probably. Maybe she’d even hug her again. Martha hoped so.
But Victoria wasn’t alone. She sat at one of the concession tables with Logan Diffenderfer. They appeared to be deep in conversation.
“Hey,” Martha said.
“What’s wrong?” asked Victoria.
A minute ago, Martha had felt desperate for Victoria to say those words. Now she only shrugged. “Nothing.” She took her coat off and stomped the snow out of her boots, making a pile by the door.
He held up his hands as if in surrender. “Okay. I was just asking.” He turned to Victoria. “Anyway, I should go in. I don’t want to miss the beginning. Seriously, though. Check out Blue Velvet. It’s weird, but I think you’ll like it.”
Victoria nodded. “I’ll add it to my list.”
As Logan ducked into the theater, Martha walked behind the concession stand and shoved her damp coat into one of the cupboards. She kicked the door closed with a bang.
“Seriously,” Victoria said. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine. You can join Logan if you want. I can take care of the concession stand. You guys can keep talking about movies. Or whatever.” She’d been saying “whatever” a lot tonight.
Victoria leaned across the counter. “I don’t want to watch the movie. I want to know why you’re being weird.”
Martha didn’t even know where to begin. The fight with Jordan wasn’t what was bothering her. Not really. She knew that part would get resolved. She didn’t doubt that Jordan was sorry. She was sorry too. For picking and picking and not letting it go. She knew those feelings would eventually fade away. A year from now, neither of them would even remember it. Jordan would probably be at Northwestern in her dorm room or at the campus newspaper office, and it would be just an insignificant thing that happened to her in high school. Martha wondered where she’d be. Probably right here, in this exact spot, stomping her boots out onto the same carpet and shoving her coat into the same cupboard. “Have you ever felt… I don’t know… not worthy?”
Victoria nodded gently. “Of course. Everyone has.”
Martha never cared that she didn’t grow up with money. She was proud of her dad and how hard he worked. She loved the tiny apartment with the gray carpeting. That’s why what Jordan said had hurt so much. When Scott, with his preppy button-downs and his idealistic job, had insulted her home, Jordan didn’t stand up for her. She didn’t tell him that he had absolutely no idea how