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“I’ve been to enough princess themed birthday parties over the years to know that, yes. Can we go back to Parker real quick? What is this about you going on a date with her?”

RJ choked on a fry he’d just eaten. “Nothing.”

“It seems like it’s something.”

“This has gotten very derailed. I was just wondering when you’re thinking of February 14th, what’s the first thing that comes into your head? Valentine’s Day or Scarlett’s birthday?”

“Both?”

“Damn it,” RJ said. “I think I worded that question really poorly.”

“What’s up?” Jacob asked as he sat down next to Liam.

“Nothing,” Liam said. “RJ was just hitting on Axel.”

“Are you idiots ready for the game on Friday?” Axel said.

RJ stared at him. “That must be where Parker got that rude term from.”

“I swear to God, RJ, I will kick your ass. Why do you keep talking about my baby sister?”

“Dude, she’s nine.” RJ shook his head. “Which is still a baby. Yes. I don’t know. I hate this situation.”

“Are you high?”

RJ ate a fry. “Not right now, no. Are you high?” he asked Liam.

“No, not right now,” Liam said.

“This whole conversation has been very unenlightening,” Axel said.

“I couldn’t agree more,” RJ said. He shook his head and stared at me. “Sorry, baby doll.”

Why was he apologizing to me? I had no idea what the hell was going on.

Olivia walked over and plopped down next to Jacob. “Hey,” she said.

He smiled down at her. The way he used to smile at me.

“I was wondering if you had a date to the Sadie Hawkins dance?”

Jacob glanced over at me.

I stopped breathing.

“No,” he said while looking at me. “I don’t have a date.” And then he turned back to her.

He might as well have spit in my face.

“Well then I am officially asking you,” Olivia said. “Be my date to the Sadie Hawkins dance?”

“I’d love to,” Jacob said.

He really threw the word love around pretty nonchalantly. It actually felt like I was going to die. My heart hurt and my stomach churned. I stared at the way Olivia’s top few buttons were undone and her tie was loosened around her neck. I was school president. Could I get her kicked out for breaking the dress code?

It wasn’t really that I was jealous of her anymore. I was just...sad. And I was so tired of feeling sad.

Liam knocked his water bottle over and it spilled all over Jacob’s pants.