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I rub my hands on my lap. He doesn’t sound too angry but is frustrated, and I hadn’t meant much by my comment. I didn’t even think twice about it.

My perception of Theo is limited to what I’ve overheard in the girls’ locker room—batches of conversations about how hot he is, how he held open the door for a couple of girls, questions about who’d he’d ask to homecoming, how he carried a girl who got injured during gym on his back to the nurse’s office, the way he helped push someone’s car on the road for miles when its engine cut off mid-drive.

But the more I think about it, I start to realize how much I remember about the things I heard about him. Why did my brain decide to store all this information about Theo in the first place?

Theo speaks into my ear. “Have you ever seen me on a date?”

“Well, no.”

“Can you name any ex-girlfriends I’ve had?”

“No—”

“So why do you view me as someone who just gets around?”

“Hey, no, I didn’t mean it like that,” I say, my palms growing sweaty. “Besides, maybe the girls you’ve flirted with see things differently than you do. I mean, sometimes you have a one-track mind and you ignore what other people are saying. You certainly hurt Chloe.”

“I don’t ignore people.”

“Whatever,” I mutter. “I’m just saying that what can seem harmless or forgettable to you might mean something different to other people.” I mean, I know rumors are rumors, but he’s been linked to so many girls; the basis for it has to come from somewhere.

“So you think I’m oblivious?”

I sigh. “A little; not in some malicious, name-calling way. I don’t mean it like that.”

“Then what did you mean it like?”

“I don’t know,” I speak quickly, wanting to move on to another topic; any topic, really. “I just assumed that you have because, well, you’re so good-looking, and people always seem to like you, and you can be charming even when I’m focused on other things—it’s a little distracting. Someone like you probably gives out mixed signals all the time without realizing it.”

The next chunk of silence between us is heavy and humiliating. Good-looking and charming. Why would I just call him that? Why would that even enter my brain and exit my mouth?

I shut my eyes and brace myself for whatever cocky remark he’ll bring up.

When I plop on my bed, Theo finally speaks. “Thank you.”

His voice is soft and gentle and hearing it so close to my ear makes me feel like every stream of blood running through my body is warming as it moves.

Of course he ignored everything else I said aside from the compliment. Proving my point without even realizing.

“You’re welcome,” I mumble, shoving my face into my pillow, wishing the earth would crack apart and let me sink within its depths.

“I have to go,” he says, “but, Lopez, I find you entirely distracting too.”

When he hangs up, I scream into my pillow and try to hide the smile forming on my lips.

CHAPTER 9

Character Statements

Statement from Basketball Coach (Coach Thompson):

“Theo became captain younger than any other student I’ve had. He’s a good kid. A leader. A leader doesn’t vandalize school property. And if he did, he’d have admitted it. That’s what a leader does, and he’s a good one. Check the team’s record and you’ll see. Undefeated all last year. Never been done; yeah, the kids are great, but it starts with the coach. You’ve been to one of my games?”

My dad, bless his trusting, adoration-filled heart, is not at all suspicious that Lexie and I begged him not to take overtime this weekend and come to Ruby’s Creek. Granted, the task became so much easier when I listed all the discounts his favorite floral vendors were having, plus all the giveaways he could enter for gardening subscriptions and supplies.

Now he walks from the lot toward Ruby’s Creek. We’re a couple of hours later than the 11:00 a.m. opening time since Vivi decided she didn’t want to go potty for hours and we didn’t want to risk an accident waiting for us at the house, so there’s already a gathering of people narrowing from the graveled lot toward one of the large boardwalks.

We all squish together as we make our way, and Lexie wraps her arms around mine. “Please, I need this body heat, it’s freezing out.”