He stares at me like I’m being thick on purpose.
I sigh. “Okay, that’s a dumb question. But if you knew going with me would upset her, why would you ask me to go to the movies in the first place?”
Oliver frowns. “My life doesn’t revolve around whether Ruby would approve.”
“If it doesn’t, why did you lie?”
Oliver stands up, and instead of looking down, I have to angle my eyes up. “Because I didn’t want to expose you when you hadn’t told her.”
I stare at him.
“I asked you because I thought you’d enjoy the movie,” he says.
“We didn’t have to go together,” I say.
He frowns. “If you didn’t want to go, you could have said so.”
I sigh. “Sorry. I enjoyed going with you — I don’t know why I said that. I just feel guilty.”
After a second, Oliver’s frown dissolves. “It’s not a big deal.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re not her best friend.”
“True. But Ruby shouldn’t be so … possessive in the first place… for years, she’s bit my head off any time I’ve hung out with you.”
“I know.”
“You don’t know.”
“She’s only like that because … she’s jealous of you, Oliver. She doesn’t want me to ditch her for you.”
He stills. “Why would you do that?”
“I wouldn’t,” I say, gesturing with my hand. I accidentally touch his arm and snatch my hand back.
Then I see how close I’m standing to Oliver. Our feet are almost touching. I step back, and something passes over Oliver’s face.
“Eve,” he says. “If I’d known that—”
The classroom door swings open with a slam, and I jump further away. A group of girls enter the classroom, grumbling about homework.
“Um. Anyway. I should …” I point to my seat.
His expression shutters. “Yeah. Cool.”
I walk back to my seat without another word. My heart is still hammering when Mrs Rodgers arrives. That whole interaction with Oliver was weird. When I think about it, my cheeks flush. If he didn’t think I was strange before, he does now.
18
Noah: Socialising Lessons
Henry and I sit on the benches at the front of the school, where all the students wait for the busses to arrive. I’m not going to Henry’s this afternoon — I haven’t been since we argued in the pool house — but I keep him company most days, as Ben is late to pick me up.
Henry talks about how Declan and Kaito wouldn’t stop annoying him in their English class, teasing him about Alison. “They want me to make a move or stop leading her on,” he says.
I nod, pretending this conversation is interesting and doesn’t make me want to shrivel up.
“I amnotleading her on, so why is everyone saying that? Sure, I talk to her, but she starts all the conversations. Nothing I’ve done could be construed as romantic. Right? I’m just being friendly.”
