Waste the Night ✧ jordan baker [1] ✓

33. stressed out

Stacey perks her head up. "What happened to the venue?"

"Someone forgot to send the deposit on time," JJ says. Everyone looks at him suspiciously. "It's not important who."

The goat jumps down from Spencer and hops on JJ's back. She wondered if this day could get weirder. JJ continues, "I even had the perfect theme: Pajama Jammy Jamboree."

The goat makes a leap for Stacey's lap and she almost falls flat on the map, but she manages to stay up.

"Well, we can't let that go to waste," Layla comments. "Why don't we have the party at my house?"

"Are you sure, Layla?" Stacey questioned her. "All the teams are going to be there. A ton of masculinity in one place is not a good thing."

Layla shrugs. "Well, it's a good thing I have a big house, then. Parties weren't my problem. It was the party crasher in my head, and she's been quiet lately." Spencer looks at her warily. "I'll be fine, I promise."

"Where is Jordan?" Spencer asks, mainly looking at Stacey. "I don't see a goat on his back."

Stacey sighs when the goat finally hops off of her and back onto Spencer. "I think he's talking with Billy about the whole suspension."

"Do you know anything about it?" Spencer asks her.

Stacey and Olivia glance at each other, knowing they shouldn't mention anything right now. The blonde shook her head, "Nope."

+++

Stacey stared at the pamphlet she got in the mail this morning. She made sure it was hidden behind her locker for no one to see. The letter was personalized just for her and it had an agenda of what they'd be doing all summer. At the end, she would be introduced to Fashion Institute of Technology. The path they had planned out for her was two years at NYU then she would transfer to FIT. She smiled at the pamphlet, excited for what this summer would bring her.

"Hey."

Stacey jumped at Jordan's voice, throwing the pamphlet in her locker and shutting it more harshly than she intended to.

Jordan scrunched his eyes brows in confusion. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing," Stacey stated, trying to sound as calm as possible. "Just reading some notes before my Anatomy test next period."

"Next period you have Stats. With me." Jordan pointed out. "And you had Anatomy first period."

Stacey cleared her throat. "Oh yeah. The test is tomorrow. I'm so dumb sometimes. It's probably because I'm blonde."

Why did I just make that awful joke? Stacey questioned in her mind. She wanted to slam her head against the lockers right now. She tried to walk away, but Jordan grabbed onto her arm.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Jordan asked. She was never like this with him. "You know you can always tell me when something's up."

Stacey looked around, wondering how she could get out of this situation. As if the Gods were listening, Stacey's phone began to ring. Jordan let go of her so she could answer her phone.

"Hello?"

"Thought you could use an escape plan," Jane said.

Stacey looked up, Jane leaning against her locker just across the hallway. "Yeah Jane, I'll meet you in the bathroom right now."

Stacey hung up and kissed Jordan on the cheek. "I have to deal with some girl business. I'll see you tonight at Layla's."

Jordan wanted to make her stay, but he just stood there dumbfounded, wondering what was causing Stacey to act like this.