Page 59 of Fall Fake-Out

First period, somebody asked if I’m going to every football game now “for principal/teacher bonding purposes.”

Liv

STOP.

Ari

Second period, a sophomore asked if Mr. Stevenson caught my butt on purpose because “his reflexes were kinda insane.”

Reese

Honestly, valid question.

Ari

Third period, one of the boys pretended to fall into another kid’s lap and yelled “relationship hard launch.”

Liv

Teenagers are next level.

“Eyes on your own paper,” I warn Duke when I catch him staring at his neighbor’s desk instead of his own quiz. He startles and whips his eyes back instantly.

My phone lights up again.

Reese

What about Ashtyn? She’s in your class, right?

Ari

That’s the weird part. She didn’t act jealous. She acted calm.

Reese

Yeah, a calm demeanor totally feels worse.

Ari

And get this. She walked into first period late, looked directly at me, then apologized for being tardy because she was “caught up talking to Mr. Stevenson.”

Liv

Oh, she’s playing games.

Ari

Then she asked if I was planning on attending more football games this season since “school spirit is clearly important to me.”

Reese

Yeah, okay, that’s terrifying. Like she’s testing boundaries just to see if you’ll stop her.

And that’s exactly why this whole thing feels more complicated than I originally thought. Ashtyn doesn’t seem heartbroken. She seems competitive. I know, because I’m competitive—the whole it-takes-one-to-know-one mentality. I know from experience that competitive people don’t quit. They strategize. So Wade’s right. I might have my work cut out for me with her.

Liv

So what’s next for the fake-dating bet?