He steps toward me, catching my gaze. “We can hang out, but I’m not doing homework.” He glances away, then at me. “Can I borrow one of your favorite books?”
“What? Why?”
He doesn’t say anything.
“Be right back.”
I leap up the stairs, grab a book from my room, then zoom back down. I hold it out to him. “This is another one of my favorites.Jane Eyre. It was required summer reading, but I think I’m the only one who read it.”
He takes it from me. “Hmm. Okay, I’ll start it tonight.”
“No pressure or anything. Maybe we can watch the movie, too. Or we can watchwhatever you want. Or nothing at all.” I staple my lips shut. “Sorry. I’m being too clingy.”
His lips lift a teensy weensy. Is that an equivalent of a smile? “I don’t mind. I’ll see you tomorrow, Artemis.”
A shiver runs down my spine as he says my name. “Yeah,” I croak. “See you.”
After the door shuts behind him, I drop down on the couch, only I’m too far and fall to the floor instead. Hugging my knees to my chest, I rest my head on them. And yell a silent yell. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I spent the day alone with Ryan. And he wants to hang out tomorrow.
But I need to remember that he just sees me as a friend.
My head lifts. Does he, though? Why do I get the feeling it’s more than that?
Or is it in my head, like usual?
Was he right that he said I like a guy like Mr. Darcy?
Is hemyMr. Darcy?
Chapter Twenty
Artemis
Monday morning, I drag myself into the school building, following Jenna and Jason. Ryan and I didn’t get to hang out yesterday because we had to visit Mom’s sick aunt a few towns over. Ryan and I texted a little, but that’s pretty much it. I’m a little bummed we couldn’t hang out. Okay, I’m a lot bummed.
Jenna leans against my locker while Jason goes to talk with some of his friends. “We didn’t get a chance to talk, but what the heck happened between you and Ryan at the Ball? Hello, hedancedwith you. He totally ditched Brianne to dance withyou.”
I don’t say anything as I pull my locker open and dump some things inside. “It’s no big deal. He doesn’t like Brianne.”
Her jaw drops. “No such thing. All guys like Brianne.”
I shrug. “He doesn’t.”
She narrows her eyes, thinking. Then they light up. “Art, do you think he likes you?”
“No. He’s just a friend.”
She grabs my hand. “That’s not what I asked. Art, I think he does.”
I pull away. “No. He told me he wants to be my friend, and I can’t let myself get hopeful, because it’ll just hurt me.”
She frowns. “But you guys are so cute together. I mean, hechoseyou.”
I roll my eyes. “He didn’t have anyone else. Besides, he’s probably comfortable with me because we already danced together.”
She’s about to say something, but I go on, “Jenna, I don’t think he’s interested in a girlfriend, and that’s okay. I can be his friend.”
She searches my eyes. “Are you really okay with that? Because you don’t have to be his friend if it hurts too much.”
