INSTALOVE

Chapter 29: Girl Talk

Chapter 29: Girl Talk

E L L I E

I reach the top of the floating staircase. A lone figure sits in the group study room at the far corner of the library's second floor. I can't quite see his face with the glare of sunlight streaming through the skylights overhead. I'm sure that's Maddox though. I recognize him by his posture—that way he has of slouching anytime he sits in a chair.

Why are boys with bad posture so much cuter than boys who sit up straight? Especially when they do that thing where they tip their chair backward and put their feet up on the desk. I've only seen Maddox do that once, when he was lingering in the dining hall after lunch the other day. He tipped too far and almost toppled backward. I thought the rolled-up cuffs of his shirt might burst wide open, the way his forearms flexed when he reached to catch himself.

The mental image sends a wave of heat rolling through me. "Oh my God," I whisper under my breath as I make my way toward the room. I like a boy with muscles in his forearms... and I think he likes me back.

How is this real life?

I slow my roll just slightly. He hasn't seen me yet. If he had, he would've waved. The girl's bathroom beckons, and I dash inside. Not that my newfound confidence has abandoned me or anything. Just because I caught sight of a cute boy sitting in a slightly slouched configuration? Why would that send me into a tailspin?

No, no. I'm fine. I ignore the stalls and head for the wall of bathroom mirrors. Even the uber-confident Ellie 2.0 needs to check her hair before she sees her InstaCrush.

Ugh. Who am I kidding? I'm blushing so severely, my entire face is the same color as the inside of my mouth. Cute.

The bathroom door swings open and two girls walk in: Celeste and Miranda, speaking to each other in hushed voices, hiding their mouths with their hands. They stop talking the moment they see me.

"Sorry," I say, not sure why I'm apologizing. I turn on the water tap and look as busy as possible scrubbing my hands.

"Are you OK?" Celeste hovers over my shoulder. "Your face..."

Is it that noticeable? My cheeks flame hotter at the thought. I bend forward and splash some water. Miranda scoots herself onto the sinktop beside me, leaning her back against the mirror. Uh oh. They better not go all Mean Girls on me again...

"You're not crying too, are you?"

Crying? I look at her, confused. "Why would I be—"

"Nevermind."

Celeste pulls out an eyeliner pencil from her bag. She leans over the sink beside me, rimming her eyes in a smudgy black outline.

Miranda reaches for the pile of paper towels and hands me one to dry my face.

"I don't think she was crying," Celeste says to the mirror, applying a coat of gloss to her russet brown lips. "I think she got all red like that from yelling."

I turn toward her. "Why would I be yelling?"

"Not you!" She puckers at her reflection and then presses her lips together. "Reese and Eleanor." Her voice drops lower, and she glances toward the bathroom door before she continues. "Did you miss breakfast? The two of them just had World War III in the dining hall this morning."

Wait.

Wait. Wait. Wait.

This isn't Mean Girls. We're actually having... girl talk. In a girl's bathroom. A bunch of female friends, gossiping while we reapply our makeup. Or, well... OK, while Celeste reapplies her makeup, and I wait for my face to return to a semi-human-looking color. But you know what I mean.

Friendship goal achieved!

I splash some more cold water on my face and try to look way more chill than I feel. "What were they fighting about?" I ask casually. And did it have anything to do with a certain recent InstaLove interaction between two avatars?

There's no way Reese didn't notice that. Two avatars sharing an augmented-reality kiss? And there's no way Reese wouldn't tell Eleanor what she saw. But why would that trigger a fight between the two of them? I could see Eleanor taking it out on Maddox... or on me... But on Reese? Talk about shooting the messenger.

"—early admission. She's starting in the fall."

I glance at Miranda in the mirror. I missed the first half of that sentence. Early admission? "You mean to college?"

Miranda nods. She pulls off her knit cap and fluffs up her curly hair beneath. "Oh my God, I thought Reese was going to have stroke!"

"I don't understand. Why wouldn't Reese apply to college?"

"No!" Celeste shakes her head at me. "Not Reese! Eleanor!"

"OK... so?" I meet my own eyes in the mirror and frown. Apparently this fight had nothing to do with InstaLove—or with me. Way to be self-centered, Ellie 2.0.

Miranda sees the puzzlement on my face. "She doesn't know about the plan," she says over her shoulder to Celeste.

Am I in this conversation or not? I can't quite tell. "What plan?"

"The college plan," Celeste answers. As if that explains anything.

Miranda turns back toward me, speaking rapid-fire to catch me up. "Reese had this plan since forever that she and Eleanor would go to MIT and Harvard—"

"—And share an apartment in Central Square," Celeste interjects with a giggle.

"That's specific," I say slowly. "Where's that? Boston?"

She side-eyes me impatiently. "Cambridge. Half way between Harvard Square and Kendall."

Geez. Sorry I don't the exact topography of Cambridge, Massachusetts memorized. "Oh," I manage weakly. "Right. Duh."

"Anyway, that's not important. The point is Eleanor just bailed on the entire Eastern seaboard. She got accepted early to Stanford. She's skipping her senior year. EOF."

Both girls laugh in unison. "EOF..."

End of File? Is that some college-application lingo I don't know about?

I have no idea, but I smile anyway, acting like I get it.

"Honestly, I don't blame Eleanor. Reese is so..." Celeste's voice trails off, searching for the right word.

"Controlling?" Miranda supplies. "Obsessive? Toxic? Most-likely-to-commit-friend-icide on anyone who fails to go along with her every word?"

"Harsh," Celeste counters, shooting her friend a funny look. "I was going to say rigid. You know how she gets. She's been talking about MIT and Harvard since before we even knew them. Eleanor never seemed to mind it, though."

"Well, she minds now." Miranda eyebrows draw together. "You heard what she said."

Celeste nods, her shoulders vibrating with laughter. "The entire dining hall heard what she said. I can't believe she shouted that, right in Reese's face."

"What?" I ask. "Shouted what?"

"I told you," Celeste answers me. "EOF."

They both collapse into giggles. OK, then. So much for girl talk...

I laugh along with them, but I've given up on understanding the joke.

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