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Ugh. Why do I sound so lame? Whenever I imagined meeting my secret admirer face to face, I pictured it would go really well and be the best moment of my life. But this feels all kinds of awkward.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I know you didn’t want me to figure it out yet. But after I got your last poem—which was so sweet and perfect—I just needed to know who you are. I’m sorry if it was an invasion of your privacy—”
“Wait.”
“Please let me finish. I’m so flattered that you think so highly of me. You seem to know so much about me, but I don’t know anything about you. All I know is that your name is Derek Chen and that you’re a freshman. My friend is in your biology class. Rather,you’rein my friend’s class because you’re taking a junior class. I think it’s so cool that you’re in an advanced bio class—”
“It’s not me,” he says.
My lips snap shut. “What?”
“I’m not the one writing you those letters.”
I just stare at him as my brain gets stuffed with cotton. “W…what?”
He sighs like he’d rather be anywhere but here. “I’m not the one writing you the letters, okay? Sorry.”
“But…but…if it’s not you, then who is it?”
He hesitates, then shakes his head. “I can’t tell you that.”
“Why not?”
“I’m sworn to secrecy.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” I step back and take a few breaths, trying to regulate my breathing and calm my racing heart. “Are you telling me that someone asked you to put those letters in my locker?”
He shuts his eyes for a second as a breath leaves his lips. “Yeah. I’m really sorry. I’m not a bad person, I swear. It’s just that…”
“What did he promise you?”
“Limited editionLord of the Ringscollectibles.”
I just gape at him, not believing this is happening. This guy, Derek Chen, isnotmy secret admirer. Someone’s bribing him to put the letters in my locker.
“Please, you need to tell me who he is,” I beg.
He steps away and shakes his head. “I told you, I’m sworn to secrecy.”
“This is messing with my life. I can’t sleep at night. I’m not eating properly. I’m not concentering in my classes.”
Derek seems sympathetic, like he’s fighting an internal battle. It looks like he might crack, but he shakes his head with a regretful frown.
“You’re not going to help me all because of thoseLord of the Ringscollectibles?”
“They’re so rare that you can barely find them at a store or online. And they’re pretty expensive. I know it sucks, but Ireallyneed them.”
I blow air from my lips and drop down at an empty desk. “Is there anything I can do to change your mind?”
He shakes his head again. “Like I said, I’m really sorry.”
As frustrated as I am, Derek is not the person to blame. I can’t be upset with him.
“Can you give him a message, then?” I ask.
“I guess. What’s the message?”
“Tell him that Chloe Barrington is done playing games. If he’s serious about the way he feels about me, then he should meet me face to face so we can have a real conversation. If he can’t do that, I want him out of my life. No more letters, no more poems. Can you tell him that?”
