“We’re running a little behind,” Troy Ingleson said as he handed over my number.
I glanced down at the circled digits on my receipt. “Thanks.”
“You going to Sadies?” Troy asked next.
I tore my gaze from the receipt to take in Troy’s wide grin. Were those new braces? Sadies, short for Sadie Hawkins, was one of Sweet Water’s girl’s choice dances. “I’m not sure,” I said. “TJ doesn’t exactly like school dances, so…”
Troy nodded. “Sweet Water probably wouldn’t let him in, anyway. Think you’re supposed to be a high schooler still. I haven’t been asked yet.”
I blinked. Why did it feel like this kid was asking me to ask him? “Huh. Hope someone asks you,” I managed with a nod. Man, was the Sadie’s dance coming up so soon? I was supposed to help the theater department make posters for it. But who knew if I’d actually be showing up to the thing myself. It was just one more way that TJ stood out from the crowd, and not in a good way. Why couldn’t he just be a normal kid and do normal things like go to dances and lead up to a kiss slowly like he was supposed to?
I spun around to see Jett waiting for me beside the large oak tree. I looked at the ground as I walked toward him, feeling the awkwardness of the moment times ten. I wanted to pretend that this was normal and that we were just a couple of friends getting together to do homework and have a shake, but ever since Jett sort of dared me to kiss him, the guy roused too many conflicting emotions in me.
I stopped walking once I was about a yard away and glanced up to see his face. Yep. Still gorgeous. Annoyingly so. It seemed almost cruel for someone to be that…attractive.
“What’d you order?” he asked.
“Cookie dough shake. Fries. You?”
He grinned. “Mint shake with tots.”
“Mmm,” I said. “I used to get mint every time.”
He grinned. “You did? Until when?”
I folded my arms as a breeze blew in. “Until I tried cookie dough,” I said with a laugh.
Jett lifted a brow. “That good, huh? You’ll have to let me taste it.”
I felt my eyes widen in surprise as I tried to picture what that would look like. Me scooping a heap onto my spoon and feeding it to him? Or would he simply reach in with his own spoon and take a sample for himself?
“What the …” Jett’s eyes hardened suddenly. I stared at him, watching as his gaze followed a trail from the lot to the ordering window. I was about to turn around and see who was here for myself when Jett’s gaze shifted back to me. The angry scowl hadn’t left his face yet but I somehow knew it wasn’t meant for me.
An odd dose of anticipation skittered over my skin as I spun to look over my shoulder. At first glance, I noticed a bunch of kids our age, but as I took a longer look, I realized it was the crew from Jessie’s garage. There was Jessie, Dino, and…Tasha?
A sudden wave of nausea flared as I realized who she was cuddled up to.Reallycuddled up to: TJ. There he was, ordering at the window while Tasha snuggled her face into his chest. Which meant those hands resting very closely to her rear end were TJ’s.
“You’ve got to be kidding.” I turned away from the sight and shook my head. What was going on here?
Jett stepped closer to me. “Are you two broken up?” he asked under his breath.
I glanced up, moved by the intensity I saw on his face. “Not exactly.”
“Then what the crud is he doing?”
I sank my face into my palm and shrugged. “I’ve got no idea.” Except that was only partway true. Sure, TJ said that while I study with Jett, he and Tasha might hang out. Hanging out was different from hanging all over each other.
“Do you want to go confront him?” Jett asked.
I didn’t bother pulling my face away. “No,” I mumbled against my hand.
“Do you wantmeto confront him?” he asked.
This time I pulled my hand away, and quick. “No,” I assured, surprised that he’d offered. Later I’d have to ask him what that would have entailed. But right now, I had to decide what to do. I imagined the newspaper article once more, thinking of how much closer TJ seemed to that gone-too-soon rock star fate with his little crony, Tasha, at his hip.
“Tasha’s pathetic,” Jett growled.
And that’s when it hit me. Jett was jealous. Tasha was his ex-girlfriend, after all. I wondered how jealous TJ might be if he saw me cuddled up to Jett. Would it be enough for him to call off this side thing with Tasha and commit to only me? But then another question came to mind: Would Jett be interested in making Tasha jealous in return?
