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When school finally started back, ined it He didnʼt stride into Mr Beckʼs class, give me a slow smile, and tell me he missed me In fact, he didnʼt look atunder the radar He couldnʼt exactly wrap an arm around my waist and lead me to the theater for our Shakespeare class

So I was okay with fact that he talked to everyone exceptthat the situation with his relatives hadnʼt worked out I wasnʼt jealous that other girls could hug him and say how happy they were he was back It was cool I could handle it

However, I could not handle seeing Ashley Johnson pressed up against hi slowly down his chest

That was not cool

What the Hades was he doing? How could he just stand there with her like that after everything we shared? After the way he kissed me? It had been over a week and I could still reht meant more toherself in the seat beside mine

"What hutensil All of oblins

"You normally donʼt terrorize poor Tori just for fun"

"All I did was ask her to et the hell out of your way and looked at her like you would enjoy ripping her still-beating heart from her chest I think she may have wet herself" I looked over where Tori Alyson stood clustered with a group of her artsy friends When she saw , she let out a tiny whirief

"Must you always be so intieneral consensus," Alex answered He was standing just inches aaiting for e hileam in his eye or the quirk of his lips

How did Alex respond to my aloofness? He stepped onso enthusiastically when he grabbed onto me for support as he stumbled

"Iʼm sorry," he said, face level with izing for assaulting iveness for a bit longer "Just donʼt let it happen again Ever"

His fingers lightly brushed against an what I liked to think of as the Secret Relationship Game The premise was very simple: The contestants were to have as much contact with the other player as hu sure everyone else believed them completely indifferent The ful eye contact; the accidentally-on-purpose brushing of fingers, arms, or any other reasonable body part; and an obsessive nuned notes in the locker Occasionally, Alex and I would reach a bonus round and find ourselves alone in the theater prop room, media supply alcove, or even the janitorʼs closet The bonus rounds featured frenzied kisses, eager hands, and the abject fear someone would open the door or notice our swollen lips and mussed hair