I dabbed the tip of my strawberry into the brown sugar, rolling it until all the sour cream was coated, and paused before bringing it to my lips. “When we were researching the kiss,” I started, “this article said that women were, like, instinctively drawn in by men whose immune systems carried what their own lacked, so their babies would have strong immune systems.”
“That’s cool,” Bailey said. She was sitting up to my vanity rifling through my jewelry box and trying on my rings.
I replayed the effects of his kiss in my head and sighed. “I swear Jett and I would have kids with like, out of control immune systems. Probably superhero strength.”
It took me a moment to realize that both Summer and Bailey were staring off in some sort of daze. “That good, huh?” Summer asked dreamily.
“Indescribablygood,” I assured. In fact, it was possible Jett had some super power of his own. “But I don’t even know what to do now. What, are we in some dumb…let’s-pretend-we-like-each-other-in-front-of-our-exes type of thing?”
Bailey gasped from her seat at my vanity and looked at me with wide eyes. “A fake relationship. Yes, I’ve seen that a million times. The couple starts out pretending like they’re going out, all to make someone jealous or make a parent happy or something like that, but then they actually end up falling in love.”
“Oh my heck, yes,” Summer joined in. “That’s perfect. If he’s really just trying to make Tasha jealous, play along for now and it will turn into something more.”
I hated how convinced they were that Jett was, in fact, just making Tasha jealous. Hated it because I was trying to convince myself otherwise. But what else did they have to go on? They hadn’t seen the way Jett had flirted with me when Tasha wasn’t there. Plus, I hadn’t explained how very chivalrous he was when we were together. Although, he was probably just as chivalrous to random ladies at the store, being raised as he was.
“The idea that he was only kissing me to get back at Tasha…” It hurt to even say the words aloud. “That just ruins everything.”
“I’m sure he likes you too,” Bailey said. “I doubt he would’ve used just anyone.”
“True. I hate the wordusedthough. It’s enough to make me just…wish I could forget about the whole thing.”
“Yeah, but you still have to finish the assignment with him,” Summer pointed out. “My vote is for you to jump into this whole fake relationship ruse with both feet. Ask him to the Sadie Hawkins dance even.”
“Good idea,” Bailey cheered. “Hurry and do it before Tasha does.”
I gasped. “She wouldneverdo that. They’re broken up. It would make her look desperate.”
“Yeah, well TJ probably can’t go since he’s already graduated, and Tasha would never skip a dance.”
I didn’t volunteer the fact that TJ hadn’t exactly received his diploma since he’d missed too much school. It was one of the things I’d been working on with him. Who knew what would happen with TJ’s future now. Meanwhile, I wasn’t even so sure Jett liked me the way I liked him. Which was bad.
If I thought I’d been crushing on Jett Bryant before all of this, now that he’d kissed me the way he had, I liked him so much it hurt.
I dropped the strawberry I was about to eat and groaned. A hot and pounding sort of ruckus clanked around my heart. It felt like a pair of fists were tightening around the inside of my throat. “Just thinking about all of this is making me sick. I don’t know why. I guess I’m just…”
“Afraid of rejection?” Summer guessed. “Worried about looking like an idiot? Scared that no matter what you do Jett will never feel the same?”
I shot her a glare. “Sheesh. Yes. All of the above, I guess.”
“I know the perfect way to start playing the part,” Bailey said with a clap. She hurried over to the goody tray and grabbed a big, lopsided strawberry. She wore a ring of mine on every finger including her thumbs. “You should go to his basketball games. They have a home game tonight.”
Tonight’s game wasn’t exactly news to me since I’d overheard Connor and Jett talking about it. In fact, I could have sworn he hoped I was listening. Like he actually wanted me to show up.
If hope had a scale of zero to ten, mine moved from point-five to point-six. Maybe point-seven.
“Let’s do it,” Summer said.
The idea of seeing Jett Bryant in his element was definitely tempting.
I nodded. I might not agree to staging the whole fake romance idea like Summer and Bailey suggested, but I could go to his basketball game, couldn’t I?
“Okay,” I said with a nod.
A rush of new anticipation pushed through me as I agreed, as if I’d somehow agreed to a whole lot more. I pushed back the odd dose of fear that came along with it. “Let’s do it. Let’s go to the game.”
* * *
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I’d been entertaining what Summer and Bailey suggested. Tasha wasn’t going to be able to cheer, but shewouldbe at the game. And guess who else would probably be there? TJ.
