Little White Lies by Jessica Burkhart Page B

continued, her brown eyes warm. “The best friend Paige and I could ever have. We hope you have the most amazing birthday ever!”
    â€œNot just today, but also at your actual party!” Paige added, laughing.
    â€œCheers to that. Thanks, guys.” We touched our juice containers together and giggled. We started eating and I glanced up at them for a second. Even though I was keeping secrets from both of them, I was more convinced than ever that I was doing the right thing.
    Half an hour later, Callie left and Paige started to get ready for class.
    â€œSooo,” Paige said. “I have an early sort-of present for you.”
    I put down my blush brush. “Really? What?”
    Paige looked at me from the mirror as she flatironed her hair. “Fall break is, like, three-ish weeks away. I’d love for you to come stay with me in New York. If you want, of course.”
    I bounced up and down. “Really?! Omigod, I’d love to!I loved New York so much and we didn’t even get through half of the things on our to-do list.”
    â€œExactly.” Paige grinned. “Ask your parents. Mine already said yes.”
    â€œI totally will,” I said. “Now we have something awesome to look forward to when we’re up till one studying.”
    â€œFor sure.”
    We finished getting ready and Paige shouldered her bag, looking at me.
    â€œYou go ahead,” I told Paige. “I want to check my e-mail. I’ll see you in class.”
    â€œOkay,” Paige nodded. “See you there.”
    I stuffed the rest of my books into my backpack, waiting until Paige’s footsteps disappeared down the hallway before I sank into my desk chair. I played with a charm on my bracelet—a good luck horseshoe that Eric had given me on our first date. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I’d been at school barely six days and I was already exhausted from classes, riding … and worrying. But I reminded myself that I was also keeping the secret to save my relationship with Eric. If he found out what I was hiding from him about Jacob, he’d be furious.
    I opened my eyes and flipped open my sleeping laptop.I pulled up my e-mail and saw
two new messages
. I clicked and my shoulders slumped a little when I saw the subjects—
You’ve won a million dollars in the lottery!!
and
Come find Mr. Right at DateGirl.com.
    I slammed the lid closed. I’d thought maybe … no. I wasn’t going there.
    â€œUgh!” I said out loud.
I
was the problem! If I told Jacob to stay away from me, then why was I disappointed when he didn’t e-mail to say happy birthday?
    I jumped up, my left knee slamming into the desk. “Ow!” I rubbed my knee and yanked my backpack off my bed. I jerked the door shut behind me, probably hard enough to rattle every window in Winchester.
    What was my problem?! I liked Eric. Jacob had been a jerk to me and we’d both hurt each other. The last thing I should care about was if Jacob remembered my birthday or not.
    I almost knocked over a girl on the sidewalk and I didn’t even stop to apologize. I couldn’t think about this right now. Had to put it away. But what if … no.
    â€œNo,” I said aloud, not caring if anyone saw me and thought I was crazy for talking to myself.
    I.
    Did.
    Not.
    Like.
    Jacob.
    By the time I got to history class, I considered that hyperventilation might be a possibility. I didn’t want to go to class with Eric and Jacob. We had assigned seats—Eric was two rows away and three seats in front of me. Jacob was in the next row and one seat behind me. They’d ignored each other every class we’d had so far.
    When I got into the classroom, a few people were already inside. Jacob was sitting at his desk, flipping through the reading from last night. Eric wasn’t here yet.
    â€œHey,” he said.
    I ignored him, not turning back to look. But a tiny part of me wanted