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My eyes widened at the handfed excuse. “Uh, yeah. I was afraid I’d be contagious.”
“Do you want me to let you go, and you can call me back—”
“No!” I shouted. Then in a softer voice, added, “No, that’s okay. As long as you don’t mind . . .”
“It’s cool. You look allSilence of the Lambs, but in a cute kind of way with that thing on.”
“Oh. Ha ha. Um, thanks.”
“What is it, exactly?” he asked, gesturing toward his face.
“It’s a facesheet. I don’t stay this beautiful on my own, you know,” I said, then wanted to immediately facepalm myself for it. The situation was bad enough, and I looked completely ridiculous without me sounding like a dork, too.
Topher scoffed. “I bet you couldn’t look ugly if you tried.”
My heart melted into a puddle by my feet, and I had to remind myself, he wasn’t talking about me. At least not the real me.
I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry I didn’t call or text to let you know.”
“It’s no problem. Bummer though, there was a friend I wanted you to meet, and she actually showed. I think the two of you would hit it off.”
“Oh, yeah?”
He nodded. “She’s pretty cool.”
“Should I be jealous?”
Topher glanced to the side, and even though he laughed, I swore I saw some sort of untapped emotion flicker through his eyes. “Nah, we’re just friends. And I’m totally not P’s type anyway.”
I frowned. What was that supposed to mean?
“How could you not be her type?” I asked, hoping he’d elaborate.
“Let’s just say she used to hate me.”
“And now?”
He grinned. “I’m turning her around. Just like I did with you.”
“Oh, you did, huh? Did I say that you won the bet yet?”
He laughed. “Did I?”
“Maybe.” I grinned and it hit me. I was flirting. Like, really flirting.
“Maybe?” He chuckled. “Pshtt.You know you do. Come on, admit it. Even that day you texted me, you did so hoping I’d take the bait and bite back. And now, I’ve proven to you I’m a good guy, and you like me.”
I swallowed as his words clanged in my skull.Even that day you texted me, you did so hoping I’d take the bait and bite back.
Oh god.Is that what I’d been doing? Did I secretly harbor a crush on Topher this entire time, even before the tutoring and the texting? Is that why the cruel jokes hurt so much all these years?
The thought turned my stomach because it made me feel even more pathetic than before, and when I opened my mouth to speak, nothing came out.
“I’ll take your silence as defeat.” Topher fisted a hand in the air as I fought for composure.
“I plead the fifth,” I croaked.
“You can’t evoke fifth amendment rights. That doesn’t apply here.”
