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“God, you’re exhausting.” I finally manage to move around him and stomp off.

“Like it or not”—he quickens his pace so he’s in step with me—“someone like you needs advice from me.” At my laugh, he adds, “If you try anything like you did with my mom, it’s not going to work. You’re never going to find a girl for your dad.”

I stop in my tracks, shooting him a sharp look. “And why is that?”

He smiles, preening now that he’s caught my attention. He shrugs, big and exaggerated. “No offense, but you’re unoriginal. I mean, you picked the most basic restaurant at a dead time, and also, who is going to just listen to you and then lie to your dad? Isn’t that a lousy foundation for a relationship?”

“Who says the word lousy?” I mutter, trying to ignore the logic in his argument, especially because it seems like Theo is saying it factually instead of maliciously—which makes it feel worse.

“This whole catfishing thing isn’t going to work. You have to let your dad meet someone naturally.”

I’m not sure why I’m entertaining this conversation instead of walking away like I told myself I would, but my feet are rooted in place. Maybe it’s because, regarding dating, Theo does have way more experience than I do. “Well, that hasn’t happened yet.”

He rubs his thumb under his chin. “There has to be someone closer than a dating app, like an already established relationship—friendship. Then you can set them up. Like a parent trap.”

“What’s a parent trap?”

He looks disappointed. “Old movie, great movie.” When I let out a sigh, Theo adds, “Do you want to go to the nurse?”

“What, why?”

“Think you have a breathing problem, the way you always sigh around me.”

My jaw clenches. “Anyway, I don’t hate your idea.”

“Why would you? It’s a good one.” He places his hands behind his head. “Think it over, then set them up on something more fun than just sitting and eating. Get them to do an activity.”

When I only nod, Theo nudges me. “Admit it, it’s good help. See, you help me, I help you.”

Though he did blackmail me, I understand his reasoning. If I were at risk of getting kicked out of the Law Society, I’d do the same, no problem. Really, I’d do it even if my situation wasn’t as urgent. But he doesn’t know I’m working against him, and it makes this knife edge of guilt cut into the pit of my stomach when I see his warm smile—though he’s so hot and cold, I can’t tell if he’s pretending to be helpful or if he’s just messing with me some more. Sometimes he seems relatively normal, and then he purposely annoys me or shuts me down.

I clear my throat. “Let me think about it. Anyway, I’m leaving now.”

After a few minutes of hearing his footsteps behind me, and his quick “ouch” when I slam the exit doors as I enter to the sunsetting cold air, I spin on my heel. “Why are you following me?”

“Let me give you a ride home.”

“Pass,” I say, swiftly turning back around to continue walking away from him.

I get a few more steps before Theo blocks my path. He points to the twilight sky. “It’s way too dark for you to walk home alone.”

I roll my eyes. “I think I’ll live.”

He closes the little space between us and I suck in a breath. He smells exactly like his jacket did despite all the sweat I saw him accumulate during gym.

“Once again, you don’t have a jacket.” He pulls at the collar of my uniformed blazer I’ve never seen him wear himself. “I gave you my jacket.”

“And I gave it back.”

He cocks his head, and the front pieces of his hair dangle over his thick brows in an adorable way. I mean, just dangle. Not adorably. They’re just there. Hair can’t be adorable.

I need sleep.

“When?” he asks.

“I put it in your locker.”

He blinks. “How did you get into my locker?”