Shoplifting Hearts | ✓

4. phase one

"alright. this is how it's going to work." darwin says, placing a piece of paper on the countertop. he walks towards the front door of the shop and turns the sign so that it reads 'closed' to anyone who might want to enter.

"you didn't actually plan this whole thing out, did you?" i ask, eyeing the sheet wearily.

"of course i did." he smiles like it's the most obvious thing in the world, and indent on his left cheek appears. "luckily for you, i've split it into parts so that this doesn't become too confusing for your pea-sized brain." he pauses, bringing his hand to his lips. "oops...did i say that out loud?" he asks. but his eyes glint with amusement, his lips are curling in the slightest way possible — he doesn't look sorry at all.

i scowl in reply but listen tentatively as he explains his plan.

"phase 1: baby steps. if we want to make this look realistic, we're going to have to take it slow. we will not, under any circumstance, flat-out make out as soon as we see rylie—"

"wouldn't dream of it."

"—and i know that might be hard for you, considering my gorgeous face, but you'll just have to try your best to keep your hands off of this," he continues, gesturing to his body.

"yeah, okay," i say, rolling my eyes. "you're way too full of yourself."

"how can i not be when i have a face like this?"

groaning in annoyance, i scowl at him. "boys like you make me glad i'm out of high school."

darwin pulls his brows together, cocking his head to the side. "you graduated early?"

i shake my head.

"you skipped a grade?"

i scoff. as if i was smart enough to be able to do that.

he stares at me for a moment before realization sprinkles over him. "you're a dropout."

"no shit," i say, biting my lip slightly in anticipation for his reaction.

"why'd you do it?"

i shrug. "school is hell. dropping out seemed like the obvious solution to my problems."

he stays quiet for a moment before whispering, "you wouldn't have had to try to shoplift those hearts if—"

"i know, darwin," i cut him off. "but the life i live isn't as bad as it sounds." though i'm not sure if i believe my own words.

he simply nods and the topic is dropped, almost like he knows he's treading on dangerous waters.

"what do you want me to do?" i ask, pointing at the sheet, trying desperately to break the awkward silence that had fallen over us.

"you'll walk with me to school in the mornings and afternoons. we need to keep within her line of sight to make sure our actions don't go unnoticed. act like you're having tons of fun around me and look at me like you've fallen in love."

i snort at the last part. it was a good thing i'd taken theater when i was in school.

darwin takes a sticky note from his back pocket and scribbles something on it before handing it to me. i raise my eyebrows, accepting the note.

"that's my address. meet me there tomorrow at 5:00 a.m.—not sooner, and definitely not later."