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"What's that?"
My whole body tightens and our heads snap to the voice behind us. Sean's trying to look over my shoulder, his brown eyes glimmering with curiosity.
"Just some History notes," Trey lies quickly as I refold the paper, fingers fumbling. "Addie needed my assistance, and I felt obliged to help. Helping the less fortunate is a good deed, isn't it?"
I glare at him. "Appreciate it."
"Any time."
Time ticks by and the day passes, so when the last class rings, I automatically search for Trey. We weren't done with our conversation. There's a chance he's with Justine — the thought knots my chest. Stop it, I scream. Isn't that a good thing?
Isn't that what you wanted?
Luck is on my side because I find him near the double doors that lead outside. His phone in his hand and he leans sideways on the wall.
I call his name and his head lifts up. His lips slowly form into a smile, and I feel the utmost content that he's looking at me right now. That he's my friend, despite the status and countless friends and charismatic personality. That he chose me.
"What, did Justine leave you?" For a second I actually hope.
"She told me to wait for her here," he explains, waving his phone. He shows me a once-in-a-lifetime smirk. "You want to know about the kiss."
I give him a look like duh.
"We were in the auditorium," he starts, eyes darting behind me occasionally. "Having a private practice. It was something Mr. Allen suggested, but we both knew what it really meant. So we were reading our lines, and there comes one where Lysander professes his love for her. Like any other Shakespearian quote, but it was... intense." He laughs softly, as if recollecting the memory. "She was blushing, and couldn't even admit it. I decided to increase the dramatics and basically serenaded her with the script."
He's not even talking to me anymore. He has a distant, overjoyed look in his eyes.
"By the time it was over, she was out of breath from laughing. I remember her smiling like there was no one watching. It was a different smile than the artificial ones she creates in front of people. This one felt vulnerable, and it spoke thousands of words. So I dismissed all thought and kissed her before she could react."
I wait, smothering my conflicted emotions. "And then?"
He wiggles his eyebrows. It's the most un-Trey thing to do. "I figured out the virgin question."
It takes me a moment to understand.
I gasp. "TREY!"
"What?"
"You guys fucked in the auditorium?!"
"No." He chuckles at my reaction, and I think he's too happy to be disappointed. "But from the moment she kissed me back, I knew she wasn't a virgin."
There's a suggestive tone in his voice. I inwardly cringe. "So you're boyfriend and girlfriend now?"
Trey glances at his phone. "We're together," he ends up saying. "Exclusive. That's all it matters, right?"
"Right." I bite my lip, knowing I shouldn't bring this up. "Is she still a challenge to you?" The List lies heavy in my pocket — something I'm usually proud of.
He pauses. "If I said yes, that would be a lie."
"Why can't you say no like a normal person?"
My question isn't sincere, because really I'm thinking about the auditorium kiss. They didn't have sex, but they definitely did more than making out. Not like with Trey and I back then. Oh my God, why did I just think that?
And then I'm panicking.
"Does she know?" I blurt out.
He frowns at me. "What?"
"Justine," I hiss. "That we kissed."
He actually looks taken aback at the fact that I brought up X2. He searches my face, looking for answers. "No, why would I tell her that?" his voice is quiet, nervous.
"Trey!"
Justine is on the other side of the hall, her golden hair bunched up in a messy bun. Her whole face glows as she walks to us, and if I didn't know any better, I'd think she would ignore me.
"Hey, Addie," she greets, happy-go-lucky.
Trey looks at me as if saying act natural, and I muster up a smile. "Hey, J."
Like a magnetic pulse, she saunters to Trey, who envelopes her in a sweet, affectionate hold. He lowers his head down, and before I can figure it out, covers his mouth with hers. She gives a little gasping sound.
Oh. My. God.
They pull away and I'm still standing frozen. I think they bid me goodbye because they're suddenly far away from me now, the double doors swaying and the wind whipping my hair.
I've neverfully admit to myself why I feel these things when I see Trey and Justine together. When I see their relationship grow into something more. This wrenching in my gut, needles pricking my heart, the tugging in my chest. Jealousy is turmoiling inside of me, but what could I be jealous of? It couldn't be him. It just couldn't be him.
A shadow looms behind me. Please don't let it be him. But he just left a few minutes ago? I turn around, and my mood drops even further.
TJ grins wickedly. "Someone rain on your parade, Addie?"
"Shut up," I snap.
"Damn, he got you good."
"What are you talking about?"
He chuckles, and the sound rings horribly in my ears. Two inches from my ear, he says, "You just got played by the player. And here's the funny part: you were willing to be in the game."
I push him off and tread away, fighting the quickened beat of my heart. It's all TJ's fault. If he didn't make that bet, I wouldn't have been in that club, and Trey wouldn't be able to kiss me, and I wouldn't be in this mess —
I march class after class, looking for the one person that could help. She was nowhere to be found. Staircases, bathrooms, the cafeteria — nada.
And then I see her. Kneeling by the water fountain. I rush over to her.
The sight of me shocks her, I think. Do I look that crazy? Is it the alarmed expression in my eyes? I fix my hair, but this just makes her worry more.
"Addie?" she frowns, wiping her chin.
I ask her the very question that's been eating my mind:
