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“I know. Let’s just do Operation THTHT.”

“Very hard to say. And it’ll never work. Axel doesn’t like me. He’s basically told me that a million times.”

“Okay, better name. Operation Sadie Hawkins Dance.”

I just stared at her.

“You gotta ask Axel to the dance.”

I shook my head. “You’re making this seem so easy. But it’s not. I wanted to go to the dance with Jacob.” I pictured the smile on his face when I’d asked him. And I just wanted to cry.

“I don’t want to say I told you so, but I did tell you that asking him a month in advance was a total jinx.”

I groaned and put my forehead down on the counter.

Sophie rubbed my back. “The only person that hates Jacob more than you right now is me. I’ve been thinking of an epic prank...”

I lifted my head. “I don’t hate him, Soph. I love him.”

Her eyes softened.

“Maybe I should ask him to the Sadie Hawkins dance. Maybe he’ll give me a second chance.”

“He humiliated you in front of the whole school. Why would you want to give that asshat a second chance?”

“Because I was the one that messed everything up.” I think. I didn’t even know anymore.

“I say screw Jacob. I’m Team Axel.”

I laughed. “You flipflop so easily.”

“Me? You’re the one that fell in love with Jacob when you were trying to get Axel to fall in love with you.”

I sighed. “I’m a mess.”

“A beautiful mess who’s going to ask Axel to the Sadie Hawkins dance.”

“I can’t.”

“Of course you can. Scar, I’ve been through a million breakups. The best thing to do is start dating again, trust me.”

I didn’t trust her. Because like Axel, she was the one that was always doing the breaking up. I don’t think anyone had ever dumped her. No one had ever told Sophie that she wasn’t their type. She had no idea how hard this was. I hadn’t stopped loving Jacob. He’d stopped loving me.

“This conversation is ridiculous,” I said. “I still like Jacob and Axel doesn’t like me.”

“Axel was your first love. That doesn’t just go away.”

I picked up a piece of pizza and took a bite.

“And don’t pretend for a second that you haven’t liked him being in your bed again.”

“I have liked that. But he’s made it very clear it’s just a friendship bed thing.”

“Has he pushed that narrative? Or have you?”

I finished my bite. “Honestly, I have no idea at this point. But he definitely started it. There’s no reason to ask someone to the dance that doesn’t like me like that.”

Sophie sighed like I was exhausting her. “So are you saying that you’re not going to ask Axel to the dance unless you have proof that he’s into you?”