Me:I just rolled my eyes so hard I think they’re broken now.
Max:If you want to hate me, hate me. But please tell me what gave you the idea that I’m dating someone?
Me:hmm, let’s see.
Me:Maybe the fact that she YELLED AT ME when I texted you on Sunday morning.
Max:How? Who?
Me:I texted you and you wrote back. Only it wasn’t you. It was a girl saying she was your girlfriend. She told me to stop texting you, so I did.
Max:There is no such thing on my phone.
Me:Because she clearly deleted the texts after sending them.
Max:Okay but that doesn’t even make sense because there is no girl.
Me:Well then your phone is haunted.
Max:Can you screenshot me a picture of what the texts say?
Me:No, because I deleted them.
The bell rings, startling me out of my texting argument. I jump, and blink my eyes after some idiot turns on the lights. I shove my phone in my back pocket and then gather my backpack and make my way down to Abigail’s locker.
“You’re never going to believe what stupid lie Max is telling me now,” I say.
She lifts a brow. “I thought we weren’t taking about him.”
“We’re not. So I’ll make this quick.”
I tell her about what happened in English class, and then she looks over my phone as we walk out to her car.
“This is so weird,” she says, handing my phone back. “I mean…I don’t want to sound crazy here, but he sounds really sincere. Like…he’s telling the truth.”
“I know.” I climb into the passenger side of her car. “That just means he’s an excellent liar.”
“Then forget him,” she says, flashing me a grin. “Music will make you feel better.” She starts her car and then blasts hip-hop from her stereo.
I grin back at her and sing along to the song, trying really hard to forget about Max. The good thing is that he still hasn’t replied. Maybe he realized how deep of a hole he dug for himself and now he can’t get out of it. Maybe he’ll finally leave me alone for good.
Of course, I was wrong to be so optimistic.
At night, when I’m blow drying my hair and watching Netflix on my laptop, my phone lights up. This time he’s calling me.
My heart pounds so hard I have to take a deep breath to calm myself down. But it doesn’t really help, because I decide to do something really stupid.
“Hello?”
“Jess?”
I exhale. He really does sound sexy on the phone. Boys are the worst.
“Yeah, it’s me. What do you want?”
“You sound cute,” he says, and I can tell he’s grinning. My stomach flutters.
“Don’t flirt with me, Max. Why are you calling me?”
