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I just need to breathe

She opens her door, too, and looks at h to knohat’s appropriate, Will You’re the only person I know here Please don’t ask me to act like I don’t even know you," she pleads

"Co fair I can’t do this We can’t just be friends It’s the only choice we have"

She has no idea how close I ca her friend just now There’s no possible way I can be around this girl and continue to do the right thing I’

She opens her car door and reaches inside to grab her things "So, you’re saying it’s either all or nothing, right? And since it obviously can’t be all!" She slams the door and walks toward her house She stops short and kicks over the gnome with the broken red hat "You’ll be rid of me by third period to me a heartbroken, e I wanted out of this was to upset her even ainst the top of her Jeep, pissed at in with "Dammit!" I yell I spin and turn to head home, but instead co at me, wide-eyed

"Why are you so onna be her boyfriend?"

I glance back to Lake’s house and clasp my hands behind my head "I’m not mad at her, Kel I’m just--I’m mad at myself" I drop my arms and turn back around to head home They step apart as I pass between thes fro follohen I walk inside and set the box down on the bar, so I turn around and look at the boys

"What?" I say with a clear amount of annoyance They both look at each other, then back at ," Caulder says nervously He slides into one of the bar stools and rests his chin in his hand "Maya said if Layken becoirlfriend and you marry her, me and Kel will be brothers of law"

Both boys are looking at me with hopeful expressions

"It’s brothers-in-law, and Layken’s not going to be irlfriend," I say "We’re just friends"

Kel steps around me and climbs into the other seat at the bar "She burped too much, didn’t she? Or did she leave her bra in your car? I bet she wouldn’t let you have coffee, would she?"

I force a fake smile and step toward the stack of papers "You nailed it," I say "It was the coffee She’s so stingy"

Kel shakes his head "I knew it"

"Well," Caulder says "You could try going on another date to see if you like her better Me and Kel want to be brothers"

"Layken and I aren’t going on another date We’re just friends" I glance at both of them with a serious expression "Drop it" I sit down and pull out rab the test off the top and flip it over

It’s her test

Of course it would be hers I stare at it, wondering how in the hell this is going to get any easier Just seeing her handwriting htly trace her naer I’ I’ve ever seen

"Please?" Caulder says

I flinch, having forgotten they were even standing here I have got to stop thinking about her like this She’s a student I slap her test facedown on the pile and stand up

"Kel, do you like pizza?"

He shakes his head "No I love pizza"

"Go ask your ht"

Kel jumps out of his chair and they both run toward the front door I take a seat at the bar again and drop my head into my hands

This entire day is definitely my suck

I REST MY hand on the door to the ad my entrance I’m not in the h the glassand waves Her flirty wave I suck it up and reluctantly open the door

"Goodvoice

I knoas "Will" to her just a couple of years ago, but it wouldn’t hurt her to extend me the courtesy that she extends to all the other teachers here I don’t bother arguing, though "Morning" I shove a forned by Mr Murphy and fax it to my faculty advisor?"

She takes the for for you," she says and sive her a quick smile in return, then spin toward the exit, very conscious of my own ass this time

"Oh, by the way," she calls after istered yesterday just ca fan of poetry You’ll need to sign the forave her before I can make it official She’s probably on her way to your classrooht now"