two freaks have the same shirt on,” he says, pointing at Patrick.
I look down and then to Patrick, and sure enough, we both have on the same bland polo shirt. Teal with a yellow stripe across the chest.
Patrick laughs. “Yeah, it’s like the supersized version of me.”
“Wow. So clever,” I say dryly. “A fat joke. So groundbreaking.”
“You want to get in on our senior prank plans?” Bryce asks as he regains his composure.
None of these guys outside of Tucker are people I have any interest in making plans with, and speaking of, what is he even doing with these human skid marks?
“Yeah,” says Patrick, “this is equal-opportunity prank planning. Fairies welcome. A friend of Tucker’s is a friend of ours.”
“How progressive of you. I think I’ll pass.” I spare a glance at Tucker. I almost find myself asking, You’re not really friends with these guys, are you? His gaze narrows on the gravel, the vein in his neck twitching.
Oh, so last night he tells me I’m hot and today he can’t make eye contact with me in public. My blood begins to boil. This is what I get for letting him in.
“Let us know if you change your mind,” says Bryce. “If you’re not in on the prank, you might find out that the prank is on you.”
“I’ll take my chances,” I mutter as I walk off to find Hannah and Clem. I look down at my stupid polo shirt. If it didn’t mean wearing my undershirt or taking my chances on what the lost-and-found has to offer, I’d rip this damn thing off right now. I’ve spent years trying to fit in with these two-dimensional lumps of shit and they still treat me like this. I hate myself for spending all these years trying to blend in.
I’m done hiding.
Twenty-Two
“Welp, we want to thank you lot for being here tonight to help us out.” Pastor Rich, a tall, gawky white guy who definitely owns a collection of braided belts, turns to his wife, Sheila, and takes her hand. “We want this little church of ours to be a place for everyone, and we’re so happy to officially have the space to host Parenting with Pride. Hannah, it was so good of you to bring your friends.”
Hannah gives Pastor Rich two thumbs-up, which is honestly something I never thought I would see with my own two eyes.
“Sheila and I will be over in the chapel working on a few things, so come find us if you need anything.” Apparently, Grace Chapel didn’t always meet in a chapel. They used to meet in the shopping center in between Lonestar Tae Kwon Do Academy and Down for the Count, the boxing gym. But after years of saving, they were able to buy the dilapidated Clover City Church of Christ. The building behind the chapel houses a couple of classrooms, including the one where Parenting with Pride will be meeting.
Sheila, a short East Asian woman with round hips and rosy cheeks, takes her husband’s hand. “Everything you should need is right over there in that corner. We’ve got drinks in a cooler and we’d love to order y’all some pizza later.”
I gulp loudly. This is starting to feel very much like youth group, which is very much not my scene.
The minute they’re gone, I turn to Hannah. “This feels like a trap.”
She laughs and starts to hand out brooms and trash bags. “Don’t worry. They won’t spritz you with holy water.”
“Pastor Rich and Miss Sheila are way nicer than my pastor and his wife,” Bekah says. “One time I wore spaghetti straps to church and Pastor Troy asked his wife to give me an extra choir robe so I wouldn’t tempt any of the men during service.”
“That’s disgusting,” Clementine says and pretends to retch.
Hannah playfully rolls her eyes at Clem, because I guess when you’re lovesick, everything your significant other does is adorable. “Hey, where’s Tucker?” she asks, suddenly aware that our numbers are down.
“He texted and said he was running late. He should be here soon.” I take a look around to survey the work ahead of us. Scum-covered windows. Broken blinds. Grimy floors littered with trash and moldy books. It’s a mess so bad that you have to wipe away dirt to more dirt and so on and so on until finally you reach the decaying surface.
I take a broom and Clem a trash bag while Hannah and Bekah start on the windows. We turn on some music, and after a little