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We ate enchiladas, and he joked that if they made a Mexican-Sushi restaurant, he would never eat anywhere else again Even though I wasn’t a fan of sushi, I snorted at the hilarious concept

"So why did you askchips from our meal in the salsa and took a bite

"Honestly? I’ve been wanting to for a long tih You’re kind of on my bucket list"

I wasn’t sure whether that was a coht be ending sooner rather than later

"You know, one of those ‘I-siet to know you better I was always interested Then, when you came back from Europe, and I saw you the first day of school, I just couldn’t get you out ofto hi that Ben had a crush I couldn’t help but think how different school would have been if Jared had never turned on me?

"So you’ve been scared away by rumors all these years? What a coward" I chastised sarcastically What surprised me was that the barb came out of my lips so easily I wasn’t nervous around him, and my shoulders relaxed It nipped at the back of ht either

He leaned in, his full lips turned up "Well, I hope I’ht"

"So far, so good"

We left the restaurant and laughed as alked around don, talking about plans for college On the way back to our cars, I sucked in a breath as he leaned in to kiss entle, and his warmth willed me to lean into him I placed my hands on his chest as he wrapped his arue into my mouth It was safe …comfortable

Definitely not what it should be

I hadn’t experienced any of the thrill KC talked about when being close to a guy you’re attracted to Definitely not the kind of exciteirls and fallen angels And not the kind of pulsing heat I feel when I’ht dead in its tracks That’s not attraction, I told ht on by confrontation My body’s reaction to hi I could control

"Can I call you?" he whispered

"Yes" I nodded, a little euy

I was interested in spending tiht, but I was stressed, and he deserved another chance Maybe it just took tiet intomy phone, I hurried to text KC and share the details of ht doubt about ood neith her

Can I come over?

Did you have fun? she asked

Yes, but I wanted to talk…in person I a

Was he nice?

Yes! It was good No worries Just kind of excited and wanted to talk My impatience almost made me start the car and head to her house without an answer

I have to work late See you tohtly at her response I was close to her work, but I wasn’t going to bug her there

Yeah, that’s fine ‘Night I shot back

‘Night! Glad you had fun

Just then, I heard the ruine cruise past my car and perform a U-turn ahead It came to stop on the other side of the street, about fifty yards away, in front of Spotlight Cineht of Jared, and everything else stopped He left the engine running as he sat back, holding the bike in place with both jean-clad legs on either side of it He took out his phone fro

Not aup to him She leaned in and touched his ar What the hell aht now?

I watched as she srinned back at her but didn’t touch her She was so inti off his hel the s kinds of looks I received She ran her fingers through hisit on her own head He fastened the straps for her before she climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around his stomach

I instantly slouched in my seat as they sped pastthey wouldn’t notice it At any rate, it wasn’t like they were going to stop and say "hi"

Needles dug under the surface of ht back tears

He had won over KC