He reaches for me again, but I bend away. “Artemis—”
“No! Don’t you dare touch me. I can’t believe this. All this time, I actually thought you liked me. But it’s fake.” I gesture toward us. “All this has been fake!”
Spinning on my heels, I stalk out of the park. He calls after me, but I don’t look back. I don’t want anything to do with him. Ever again.
I was so, so stupid. Putting so much of myself, of my heart, into him. Making myself vulnerable, letting myself believe that Ryan had strong feelings for me.
No guy has ever wanted me. Why did I think it’d be different with him?
“Hey, sweetie,” Mom greets as I shove the front door open and pass the kitchen. She gapes at me as I march past her up the stairs to my room. No, not my room. The traitor’s.
I fling Jason’s door open, where he’s sitting at his computer. He turns to me with wide eyes. I probably look like a madwoman and I don’t care.
“Art? Are you okay?” he asks.
I stomp over to him, pinning fiery eyes on him. “No, I’mnotokay.”
He holds up his hands like shields, getting to his feet. “Artemis, what the heck is wrong with you?”
I narrow my eyes. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I’m super pissed because I found out youpaidRyan to take me to the dance.”
His eyes widen and mouth drops open. “Oh, man…you’ve got to let me explain.”
I turn away from him.
He places his hands on my shoulders. “It’s not what it looks like.”
I narrow my eyes. “Did you pay him or not?”
He sighs. “I did.”
I’m about to push his hands off, but he says, “Just let me explain.”
I tap my shoe on the floor. “Fine. Whatever.”
He rubs the back of his neck, keeping his other hand firmly on my shoulder like he’s worried I might take off. “You were so upset that no one asked you to the dance. You were crying that you wanted to go with Ryan. So…I asked him to take you.”
I give him a look. “You mean you paid him.”
He holds up his free hand. “Okay, I paid him. But I thought I was doing the right thing. I just wanted to make you happy, sis. I didn’t think…”
“What? That I’d like him that much? You knew I had a crush on him. What did you think would happen? That we’d have a nice time at the dance and I’d forget about him?”
He scrubs his hand down his face. “Okay, I screwed up and I’m sorry. But Ryan is a good guy. You know that.”
I throw my hands up. “I don’t know anything anymore. And I don’t want anything to do with him.”
He shakes his head, sighing heavily. “He returned the money to me right away.”
“What?”
“He thought it was wrong that he was paid to take you out. He said you were great and he was having an awesome time. And that it wasn’t right to take my money. He quickly gave it back, like he didn’t want anything to do with it. So you see, Art, Ryan likes you, really likes you. From the bottom of his heart.”
I’m quiet as I try to process his words. “So…he had fun with me and was happy he came with me?”
He nods earnestly. “He was. And he was kicking himself for taking that money. Art, I think he loves you.”
My body feels hot and cold at the same time. I back away from him. “No…he just thinks he does.”
