The Way I Loved You ✓

23. Fangirl

Fangirl is a young adult novel by Rainbow Rowell, published in 2013. It is an Young Adult novel about a college freshman (Cath), who struggles with anxiety, a new roommate and the end of her favorite book series. [Source: Wikipedia, Amazon]

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Fun fact: Emily had a fan account for book reviews on Instagram.

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Chapter Twenty Three: Fangirl

We were at our lunch table. For normal people, they were eating lunch while wrinkling their nose at the sad sandwich or the excuse of an apple. But for me, I was in an interrogation room. All of my friends were looking right at me, waiting for me to open my mouth. Erika was shaking her head in disappointment.

I had texted Nathan, telling him everybody had found out. He had texted back a very sarcastic “LOL” and then nothing. I glanced at him now. He was eating his lunch like he had no care in the world. He gazed at me once, and it seemed like he was trying his hardest not to laugh.

Wow. Why must I go through this?

I decided to throw Leanna under the bus first.

“You know, we went to a party last Saturday, right?” I started.

Leanna raised an eyebrow, while Azra nodded. Malti, Uyen, and Erika kept the same passive yet intrigued expression on their faces.

“Leanna definitely slept with someone that night,” I said.

“Oh my god!” Leanna screamed, “This isn't about me.”

Malti burst out laughing despite her best efforts, and Azra asked with widened eyes, “What are you two even on? Because I need that.”

“How was it?” Uyen asked, “Did he have a big-”

“Stop it!” Leanna blushed furiously. I didn’t know for sure how far she went, but that blush definitely confirmed it, “Em is trying to change the subject.”

“Yes,” Malti interfered, “I can definitely see that. Alright, in order: first, we hear what Emily was hiding, then we grill Leanna, right, girls?”

“Why me first?” I cried as the girls nodded, including Leanna.

They turned to me again. Sacrificing Leanna hadn't worked, and my other friends weren't up to much, so I couldn’t sacrifice them too.

“So, why would Nathan Callahan, of all people, ask you to prom?” Uyen asked.

I decided to go with the simplest answer. “Because he is my seatmate.”

“Wrong answer,” Azra commented, “Try again.”

“I told him how I would not come to prom if I didn’t have a date, and he agreed to take me.” I said.

“That is exactly what she said to me, but I think that is not true,” Erika replied, “There is something else here.”

“But why would she tell him, though? Isn't he like scary and mysterious and talks to nobody?” Uyen said.

“Is he your friend now?” Azra asked. Leanna observed me with keen eyes.

“Well, he is more like my chemistry study partner.” I covered my mouth with my hand as soon as I said it.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“He is your what now?” Leanna asked incredulously, “You need a study partner for chemistry?!”

“Yeah, you are like a chemistry whiz,” Malti said, “You can probably belt out the whole periodic table from memory. Why do you need a study partner?”