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“On Monday,” he said.

I stared at him. “Why? I thought the two of you were serious?”

“Not that serious after all. Besides, I promised you I’d break up with her as soon as you broke up with Jacob. We had a deal.”

“You’re ridiculous.” But I couldn’t even pretend to hide my smile. “You seriously broke up with her?”

“A deal is a deal.”

I sighed. “Technically Jacob broke up with me. Not the other way around.”

“You’re still single.” He grabbed another piece of candy. “And we have a vow of singledom.”

“You know what? Screw it.” I grabbed a piece of candy and held it into the air. “Here’s to singledom.”

Axel locked his elbow around mine like we were making a toast. “Hear hear.” He knocked his piece of candy against mine and then we both ate ours, our arms still intertwined. It was much less sophisticated than champagne, but somehow a million times better.

I smiled as we unlocked arms. “So we both agree to be single for the rest of the year?”

Axel looked up at the sky again. “What about your kiss thief?”

I laughed. “I doubt Leo will ever speak to me again after that fight.” And my lying. God, I really was a dirty liar.

“But did you like him?”

“I don’t know, the whole thing got confusing when I started dating Jacob.” I didn’t think I needed to tell Axel about the crossover there or the fake dating thing. What did it even matter? It was all so mortifying. “I think maybe I liked the idea of my kiss thief more than I liked him. Not that I didn’t have fun with Leo, I did. I just...I didn’t think it was going to be him. Maybe. I don’t know.” I laughed awkwardly. I honestly hadn’t given it much thought recently.

“Who did you think it was going to be?” Axel dropped his gaze from the sky to look at me.

I shrugged. You. “Mr. Halifax was a real contender for a bit.”

Axel laughed. “Really? I thought Sophie was the only one with a crush on him.”

“She is! I thought he liked me. Not the other way around. I actually had a whole list of people it could be. Sophie and I narrowed it down from the whole football team since I got kissed at that first party of the year. At the O’Reilly circus.”

“Just like you wanted,” Axel said.

“Yeah, I guess so.” But nothing had turned out how I’d planned it.

“So that’s why you stole the varsity roster.”

I laughed. “Yup. Sorry about that.”

“Did you ever think it could be me?” He stared into my eyes. “I mean...I’m on the varsity football team.” He raised his eyebrows at me.

A confident girl would probably tell him that she’d desperately wanted it to be him. But that obviously wasn’t me. So instead I laughed, because I was pretty sure he was just joking with me. “I think you made it pretty clear how you feel about me. I actually thought it was Jacob for a bit though.” I sighed. If only. My kiss thief actually liked me. Jacob did not. “None of it matters anyway. It’s done now. All of it.”

“So you don’t like Leo?”

“I don’t know. I just...” I wanted to cry thinking of Jacob’s words. “I want to be with someone who loves me out loud.”

“You will be. One day. I know it.”

One day felt very far away from today. “I don’t think I want to be in a relationship again for a really long time.” I still wasn’t sure it was worth the pain in my chest.

“So...single for the rest of the year?” Axel asked.

I laughed. “Sure, why not? A deal is a deal,” I said, repeating his words. It would be easier with him being single too. Not having to sit with Gigi at lunch was going to make my life significantly better. As soon as I dared to enter the cafeteria again. This would definitely make it easier though.