The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes

Author:Sonora Reyes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2023-03-08T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty

Without expecting much, I check ExposeTheMierda one more time before going back to trying to compile everyone’s stories myself. The most recent story is about a girl who got expelled because of a freaking school dress code. I bite back some bitterness at the fact that my dress code article wasn’t good enough for the blog, but this one is.

Whatever. Maybe ExposeTheMierda is open to more stories like this now than they were when I submitted mine. This is a good thing. That means when I write my Luis story, I’ll be practically guaranteed a spot on the front page. Now all there is to do is write it.

But . . . something’s just not clicking. Aside from what I was able to get done with Shawni the other day, I haven’t been able to make any progress on the story. Everyone’s counting on me, and I need to make this good. Better than good. It has to be perfect. It’s a lot of pressure. Especially since I’m not even sure if I’ll still have my friends once I do my job.

Out of everyone in our group, Jasmine seems to be the only one who understands. In Robotics, we’re definitely on the same page.

“It’s okay if you take your time with the posts. We don’t really have a deadline. I know it freakin’ sucks thinking about him. No one will blame you if you’re not done yet.”

I smile in response, but she doesn’t see me. She’s too busy smiling down at her phone. I’m curious, so I type something out on mine and hold it out to her. She’s too preoccupied to notice, so I decide to finally make use of one of the prerecorded messages I took on Shawni’s—my—new watch.

“Hey,” the watch says.

Jasmine’s eyes shoot up. “Did you just—”

“Hey,” I play the recording again so she sees it was just that, then I hold my phone out to her, showing her the message I’d typed.

What are you all smiley about?

Jasmine glances up from the phone and blushes. “Oh, I was just texting Angel.”

I grin. I wonder if they like each other. I would be willing to bet money they do.

You like him, don’t you?

“What? No! We’re best friends!” She lets out an awkward giggle. “He would never go for someone like me, anyway.”

What does that even mean?

“You know, like, a nerd? A loner? He can do better.” Her smile disappears.

He’s those things too though lol, I type. I happen to know Angel has a full-ride scholarship to ASU’s honors college, Barrett. I guess that doesn’t make someone a nerd by itself, but he’s definitely in Jasmine’s league, is what I mean.

Jasmine laughs. “True.”

I bet he likes you too, I type, hoping I’m not crossing a line. It’s just so much more fun to talk about crushes than it is to think about Luis or this goddamn story.

“Really?” She blushes again, then coughs and goes back to tinkering with her robot. “Anyways. Like I said. We’re best friends.” Then she looks up at me with a mischievous grin.

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