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Chief almost never sought me out anymore.

He leaned against the lockers. He was still in jeans and a dark T-shirt, football bag slung over one shoulder, broad enough to make the hallway seem narrower.

My heart started acting stupid immediately.

I hated it.

His eyes went to my face. Then lower.

Back up.

“You okay?” he asked.

There was no greeting.

No explanation for why he was there.

I shifted my backpack higher on my shoulder. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

His jaw moved. The tiny crease appeared between his brows. That one.

The one that meant he was holding something back.

“You saw it,” I said.

Chief didn’t pretend otherwise.

“The list,” I added.

“I know what you meant.”

Of course he did.

People streamed around us toward the exits. More than one person looked.

Chief noticed. I knew because his eyes sharpened.

“Does it bother you?” he asked.

I laughed once, without humor. “Which part?”

His mouth tightened. That was answer enough.

It opened a flood. “The part where everyone thinks I’ve slept with half your family?” I asked quietly. I paused. “At least half. Or let’s see, the part where you hate my guts? Or is it the part where Clayton being in love with me is apparently school property? Or the part where everyone seems to know who I want instead?” I couldn’t quite believe that had come out of my mouth.

Something changed in his face.

Tiny.

Gone immediately.

I wished I hadn’t said it. Wished I could take it back. Too late. Everything was too late.

Chief looked away from me. “You don’t have to listen to them.”

“That’s incredibly helpful.”

“I mean it.”