I fold my hands over my chest. The air is colder than ever, a crisp winter chill. But there’s no snow anywhere yet. TJ’s golden hair glows from the porch light.
I stare at him so long, his smile fades away. “Well?” he says.
“Did you vandalize my greenhouse?”
The question hangs in the air for so long I start to wonder if I actually said the words out loud, or if maybe I just imagined that I did.
“No,” TJ finally says, but it sounds like a question. “What makes you ask that?”
“Did you vandalize my greenhouse?” I ask again. “With Gavin?”
“What the hell has he told you?” TJ exhales through his nose, his nostrils flaring. “He’s just jealous that you’re mine now.”
“I’m not yours,” I snap. “Answer the question.”
“I didn’t do shit to your greenhouse. Damn.” TJ rattles his car keys in his hand. “If you’re gonna be a bitch, I’ll just go home.”
“If you’re going to be a liar, you should go home.”
He shuffles on his feet. “I didn’t do anything.”
I’ve never seen someone so bad at lying. “We’re done,” I say, taking a step backward. “Don’t call me anymore, don’t text me. Whatever this is, it’s over.”
“Clarissa, seriously?” he says, throwing his hands in the air. “Are you serious right now?”
“Yeah,” I snap, turning around and walking toward my door. “Bye.”
I feel a rush of adrenaline as I walk back inside my house and close the door behind me. I stood up for myself and I told off a guy and it felt great. I lean against the wall and peer out the crack of the window to watch TJ get back in his car and leave.
“What are you doing?” Grandpa asks.
I look over and find him sitting on the couch, the TV turned to the news.
“Just looking out the window,” I say.
“I hear it’s supposed to snow tonight,” Grandpa says. “I wish I could see it.”
“Maybe you can go outside and feel it.”
He considers it for a moment. “That would be nice.”
I smile even though he can’t see me, and I squeeze his hand on my way to my bedroom. Then I call Livi and tell her every single detail of what just happened.
“Whoa,” she says. “But you don’t even sound upset.”
“Why would I be upset?” I lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling. “I feel like a badass telling him off like that.”
“Yeah, but, he was like…kind of your boyfriend.”
“TJ?” I groan. “Not really.”
“You’ve been sort of dating him for a couple weeks now,” she says. “And now you find out he lied to you and he was part of the greenhouse vandalism and you’re totally fine? No tears at all?”
“I guess I am fine,” I say with a shrug. “I definitely don’t feel sad.”
“Okay, but you were devastated when you found out that Gavin had lied to you about the exact same thing.”
I swallow and run my hand down my face. “That’s…different.”
