asks, rolling her eyes.
“Yes, actually,” I say. “Besides that.” The sound of a toilet flushing comes out of one of the stalls, and a random eighth grader comes out and starts washing her hands. I pull Mel over to the side.
“Okay,” Mel says slowly. “Are you going to tell me?”
“So yesterday, when I was talking to Lexi about how Jared and I were together, I had to give her a reason notto tell anyone.” Please don’t be mad, please don’t be mad, please don’t be mad.
“And?” Mel says, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“Well, I kind of accidentally told her that the reason she couldn’t tell anyone about it is because Jared and I are dating in secret.”
“Dating in secret?” Mel’s expression turns from suspicion to confusion. Her blue eyes crinkle, and I feel horrible.
“Yeah,” I say slowly. “And the reason I told her we were dating in secret is because I said you have a secret crush on him.” I hold my breath and wait for the explosion.
“WHAT?!” Mel shrieks. “Devon! Why would you do something like that?”
“Because,” I say, “I don’t know, I don’t know, I just panicked and I got nervous and I didn’t know what to do. It just kind of popped out.” I bite my lip. This is definitely not worth it. If Mel is upset with me to the point where she’s going to go ballistic and get really mad, I need to put an end to this whole thing right now.
“But I don’t like Jared not even one little bit!” Mel says. She throws her hands up in exasperation. I notice she’s wearing new, pink nail polish.
“I like your nail polish,” I say, taking her hand in mind. “Veryglam.”
“Don’t try to change the subject,” she says. She folds her arms across her chest. “I can’t believe you did that, Devon! Of all the people! Jared Bentley! You know how I feel about him. With his gelled hair and his gym clothes and …” she trails off, like Jared is so horrible, she can’t even finish the sentence. I’m willing to overlook the fact that she’s saying these things about my future husband because she is obviously distressed.
“You’re right,” I say. “I shouldn’t have done that. And I’m going to fix it. I’m going to go out there right now and tell Lexi and everyone the truth.” Well, maybe not everyone. There has to be a way I can maybe sort of pull Lexi over to the side and whisper it to her. And then beg her not to tell anyone, ever in her life. I rack my brain for some kind of secret I have, something I can use to blackmail Lexi with. But there’s nothing. She’s perfect. Which is why Jared likes her. “Seriously, Mel, it’s not worth it. Even if I get blacklisted and my life is ruined, it’s not fair to you. I’m going to tell the truth.” I start walking out of the bathroom, but Mel grabs my arm
“No, wait,” she says, sighing. She bites her lip andconsiders the situation. “Lexi’s the only one who thinks I like him?”
“Yes,” I say. “She’s the only one.”
“Fine,” Mel says. “I don’t care, whatever.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I say, hugging her. I feel like jumping up and down.
“But, Devon,” she says, pulling away and looking at me seriously. “You are going to have to stop this.”
“I know,” I say. “It’s just until I can stage a fake breakup, I promise.” Or until I can get Jared to fall in love with me. I make a cross over my heart to show Mel how serious I am.
When Mel and I get back to the lunch table, somehow the seating arrangements have changed, and Jared is now sitting across from Lexi. What? Why?
“It’s a totally awesome movie,” Jared’s saying. “I have it on DVD.” He looks at her expectantly, waiting for her to invite herself over to watch it. Or at least hint that she wants to. Thankfully, Lexi thinks Jared is a taken man, so she doesn’t get the hint. What is Jared doing, anyway? Why would he be flirting with Lexi when I just told him SHE DOESN’T LIKE HIM LIKE
“Yes, actually,” I say. “Besides that.” The sound of a toilet flushing comes out of one of the stalls, and a random eighth grader comes out and starts washing her hands. I pull Mel over to the side.
“Okay,” Mel says slowly. “Are you going to tell me?”
“So yesterday, when I was talking to Lexi about how Jared and I were together, I had to give her a reason notto tell anyone.” Please don’t be mad, please don’t be mad, please don’t be mad.
“And?” Mel says, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“Well, I kind of accidentally told her that the reason she couldn’t tell anyone about it is because Jared and I are dating in secret.”
“Dating in secret?” Mel’s expression turns from suspicion to confusion. Her blue eyes crinkle, and I feel horrible.
“Yeah,” I say slowly. “And the reason I told her we were dating in secret is because I said you have a secret crush on him.” I hold my breath and wait for the explosion.
“WHAT?!” Mel shrieks. “Devon! Why would you do something like that?”
“Because,” I say, “I don’t know, I don’t know, I just panicked and I got nervous and I didn’t know what to do. It just kind of popped out.” I bite my lip. This is definitely not worth it. If Mel is upset with me to the point where she’s going to go ballistic and get really mad, I need to put an end to this whole thing right now.
“But I don’t like Jared not even one little bit!” Mel says. She throws her hands up in exasperation. I notice she’s wearing new, pink nail polish.
“I like your nail polish,” I say, taking her hand in mind. “Veryglam.”
“Don’t try to change the subject,” she says. She folds her arms across her chest. “I can’t believe you did that, Devon! Of all the people! Jared Bentley! You know how I feel about him. With his gelled hair and his gym clothes and …” she trails off, like Jared is so horrible, she can’t even finish the sentence. I’m willing to overlook the fact that she’s saying these things about my future husband because she is obviously distressed.
“You’re right,” I say. “I shouldn’t have done that. And I’m going to fix it. I’m going to go out there right now and tell Lexi and everyone the truth.” Well, maybe not everyone. There has to be a way I can maybe sort of pull Lexi over to the side and whisper it to her. And then beg her not to tell anyone, ever in her life. I rack my brain for some kind of secret I have, something I can use to blackmail Lexi with. But there’s nothing. She’s perfect. Which is why Jared likes her. “Seriously, Mel, it’s not worth it. Even if I get blacklisted and my life is ruined, it’s not fair to you. I’m going to tell the truth.” I start walking out of the bathroom, but Mel grabs my arm
“No, wait,” she says, sighing. She bites her lip andconsiders the situation. “Lexi’s the only one who thinks I like him?”
“Yes,” I say. “She’s the only one.”
“Fine,” Mel says. “I don’t care, whatever.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I say, hugging her. I feel like jumping up and down.
“But, Devon,” she says, pulling away and looking at me seriously. “You are going to have to stop this.”
“I know,” I say. “It’s just until I can stage a fake breakup, I promise.” Or until I can get Jared to fall in love with me. I make a cross over my heart to show Mel how serious I am.
When Mel and I get back to the lunch table, somehow the seating arrangements have changed, and Jared is now sitting across from Lexi. What? Why?
“It’s a totally awesome movie,” Jared’s saying. “I have it on DVD.” He looks at her expectantly, waiting for her to invite herself over to watch it. Or at least hint that she wants to. Thankfully, Lexi thinks Jared is a taken man, so she doesn’t get the hint. What is Jared doing, anyway? Why would he be flirting with Lexi when I just told him SHE DOESN’T LIKE HIM LIKE
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