Done Hiding as Your Backup Plaything I'm Shining Golden as a Queen - Chapter 36: Chapter 36
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Dinner wrapped up quickly, and after that night, Jax completely vanished from my life.
For the second half of June, I downloaded League of Legends: Wild Rift, awkwardly fumbling with my thumbs and getting reported for "feeding" (apparently gamer-speak for being epically terrible).
First half of July, I started a part-time job tutoring middle schoolers in math.
Meanwhile, Rosalia was clearly hitting it off with Jax on Snapchat. She floated around the house those two months with this permanent glow, like she'd swallowed a string of Christmas lights.
The day our SAT scores dropped, I packed my backpack as usual, getting ready for my tutoring gig.
Rosalia was perched on our living room couch in a sundress that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe, her hair freshly curled, applying makeup with surgical precision.
I stood there silently, immediately connecting the dots about why she was primping in the most visible part of the house.
"Liana, does this lip color work?" She blinked her enormous mascara-coated, contact-enhanced eyes at me, her cherry-red lips already perfectly filled in.
I answered on autopilot. "Looks great."
Rosalia pouted, clearly fishing for more. "But do you think Jax will like it?"
"...He'll love it."
The lie tasted bitter.
Rosalia beamed, practically vibrating with excitement. "Perfect! We're going out tonight. I hope it goes well!"
I unconsciously tugged at my sleeve, the question "Are you two officially dating?" hovering dangerously on my tongue.
That question circled my brain for what felt like an eternity, but never made it past my lips.
How could I possibly ask?
Not knowing the answer meant I could keep my pathetic little fantasy alive just a bit longer.
"Mom said our scores should be posted online by seven," Rosalia added, carefully applying another coat of mascara. "Aren't you even a little nervous?"
I shrugged, adjusting my backpack. "Not really."
She laughed like I'd told a joke. "Well, I guess when your expectations are just community college, there's not much pressure, right?"
I just stood there, letting her words bounce off me like they always did.
"Where are you guys going?" I heard myself ask, immediately regretting it.
"That new rooftop place downtown," she said dreamily. "Jax suggested it. He said the sunset view is incredible."
Of course he did. The perfect romantic setting for the perfect couple.
"I should get going," I mumbled, heading for the door.
"Wait!" Rosalia called after me. "Which earrings?" She held up two pairs—sparkly diamonds versus dangly pearls.
"The pearls," I said without thinking.
She studied them for a moment. "You're right. Thanks, sis!"
As I walked to the bus stop, I couldn't help wondering what it would be like to be the girl Jax was taking to see the sunset. To be the one he'd look at with those dark, intense eyes. To be chosen.
But some equations don't have solutions. Some patterns don't break.
And some girls don't get the guy.
For the second half of June, I downloaded League of Legends: Wild Rift, awkwardly fumbling with my thumbs and getting reported for "feeding" (apparently gamer-speak for being epically terrible).
First half of July, I started a part-time job tutoring middle schoolers in math.
Meanwhile, Rosalia was clearly hitting it off with Jax on Snapchat. She floated around the house those two months with this permanent glow, like she'd swallowed a string of Christmas lights.
The day our SAT scores dropped, I packed my backpack as usual, getting ready for my tutoring gig.
Rosalia was perched on our living room couch in a sundress that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe, her hair freshly curled, applying makeup with surgical precision.
I stood there silently, immediately connecting the dots about why she was primping in the most visible part of the house.
"Liana, does this lip color work?" She blinked her enormous mascara-coated, contact-enhanced eyes at me, her cherry-red lips already perfectly filled in.
I answered on autopilot. "Looks great."
Rosalia pouted, clearly fishing for more. "But do you think Jax will like it?"
"...He'll love it."
The lie tasted bitter.
Rosalia beamed, practically vibrating with excitement. "Perfect! We're going out tonight. I hope it goes well!"
I unconsciously tugged at my sleeve, the question "Are you two officially dating?" hovering dangerously on my tongue.
That question circled my brain for what felt like an eternity, but never made it past my lips.
How could I possibly ask?
Not knowing the answer meant I could keep my pathetic little fantasy alive just a bit longer.
"Mom said our scores should be posted online by seven," Rosalia added, carefully applying another coat of mascara. "Aren't you even a little nervous?"
I shrugged, adjusting my backpack. "Not really."
She laughed like I'd told a joke. "Well, I guess when your expectations are just community college, there's not much pressure, right?"
I just stood there, letting her words bounce off me like they always did.
"Where are you guys going?" I heard myself ask, immediately regretting it.
"That new rooftop place downtown," she said dreamily. "Jax suggested it. He said the sunset view is incredible."
Of course he did. The perfect romantic setting for the perfect couple.
"I should get going," I mumbled, heading for the door.
"Wait!" Rosalia called after me. "Which earrings?" She held up two pairs—sparkly diamonds versus dangly pearls.
"The pearls," I said without thinking.
She studied them for a moment. "You're right. Thanks, sis!"
As I walked to the bus stop, I couldn't help wondering what it would be like to be the girl Jax was taking to see the sunset. To be the one he'd look at with those dark, intense eyes. To be chosen.
But some equations don't have solutions. Some patterns don't break.
And some girls don't get the guy.
End of Done Hiding as Your Backup Plaything I'm Shining Golden as a Queen Chapter 36. Continue reading Chapter 37 or return to Done Hiding as Your Backup Plaything I'm Shining Golden as a Queen book page.