Hannah:)’s Reviews > Shipped > Status Update

I hand my ticket to Ms. H, who’s wearing a gray
suit, indifferent to the undersea theme. “Oh, Stella, you look lovely.”
“Congratulations, by the way.”
My heart jumps. “Thank you—for what?”
“Making salutatorian.”
I feel like she slapped me. “Wait, what?”
“Yes, I know the official announcement isn’t until tomorrow, but it was
just too big an honor not to tell you tonight. You worked so hard for this.”

felt

“What about you, Stella?” Dahlia asks.
I try to hide my grin, because I don’t want to be a jerk. “I’m happy
with my scores.”
“Straight As?” she asks again.
“Straight As, and an A-minus in Public Speaking, because Hatley’s final
screwed everyone.”
Dahlia and Em simultaneously squeal, and I love that I have friends
who will be genuinely happy for me about this.

love friends like this

“Great work.” Wesley and I
pounce on our grades. Holding my breath, I rapidly flip through the sheets until I reach the end. Wesley hovers behind me, peering over my shoulder. “A-plus.”
Wesley throws his head back, running his hands through his hair.
“Thank God. I hate bio.”
“Good thing you had me.”
“Yes, what would I have done without you?” He holds up his hand. “We
did it, Stick.”
“We did it.” I high-five him.

then I do what I’ve never done before.
I picture a world where they don’t end up together. No fix-it-fic, just
real life. Jill would move on. She would continue working, captaining the
Revelry, and forget about the snarky sergeant who was once a prisoner on
her ship. That she would do.
I push Aaron2 out of my mind and whip out my assignment book. This
history chapter is not going to read itself.

awyi this is sad

He grins. “Or what?”
“Or—” My eyes dart to the maze exit, where Lint sits, innocently
watching us. “No way.”
Wesley catches on. “No way,” he bellows, “Lint finished the maze.”
“She did it!” I’m bouncing up and down on the balls of my feet.
Without thinking, I throw my arms around Wesley.
He wraps me in a hug, and in half a second, we both realize, and our
arms slink back to our sides.

lol they're like proud parents

You know those eye tests where the screen is blurry, and then they put
the glass over your eyes and suddenly ta-da? And maybe if
your eyes suck like mine, you think you were seeing a K when it’s really an
E and you’re shocked to discover otherwise? This is like that, only
I thought I was looking at a guy I could date, and it turns out
I’m actually looking at a piece of asparagus. And I hate asparagus.

FINALLY

“I mean, most girls don’t notice nice guys, you know? They like jerks
and jocks and stuff.”
"He takes my hand in his. “But you’re not like other girls, Stella.”

CRINGINGGGG

love how authors make the side love interest so unlikeable. literally gagging

"But none of that matters. Because after school, I get to hang out with
Kyle Nielsen. After AP History, two texts
are waiting on my screen.
'So, what were you thinking for today?
slice of pizza across the street? :)'
Oh my God, he’s so charming. Who else that isn’t my mom’s age
acc types out their emojis? So dorky and awkward and perfect."

eww her swooning over the guy who isn't the male MC... n HOW is he charming?!

“Okay, we need to talk strategy,” Brandon says.
I click my laser pistol to the charging station. “Dude, this is laser tag,
not the Hunger Games.”

again, love this friendship

Not going to lie, I feel kind of like Aaron
in his CE uniform. I practice holding up my laser pointer, firing a shot at
Brandon’s chest. He holds his hands to his fake wound and cries out
dramatically

ok i love this friendship - they're such nerds and i love it