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I raise an eyebrow and stare down at her. “I thought that was obvious.”

Margo’s cheeks burn, and she pushes me. “You can’t do that.”

I laugh. I’ve never seen Margo act out. I stand my ground. “I’m pretty sure I can flirt with whoever I want.”

She pulls at her hair, turning away. “No, you can’t.” She turns back to me. “You can’t like me. Annie is the one who likes you. Not me.”

“But I like you.”

Margo’s breath catches, and she staggers back. “No. You can’t.”

My heart races, and the hair on the back of my neck stands. Why can’t she accept my feelings? “I can be a better person. I can be the person you want to be with.”

She shakes her head, and I don’t know if I’m imagining it, but I swear her eyes start to water. “You shouldn’t have to change your entire personality to be with someone. You don’t have to change to be with Annie. She likes you the way you are.”

“And you don’t. Is that it?”

“No, I—” She huffs, eyes darting. “I like you the way you are. I wouldn’t want you around Annie if I didn’t... I just don’t like you the way Annie does.”

“So you like me, but won’t do anything about it because of your sister?” It makes sense now. While I admire her for being loyal, at the moment it’s incredibly frustrating.

“That’s not true. It’s complicated.”

“Oh, so you do? You just admitted it.”

She scowls, and her hands clench at her sides. “You are so infuriating! I didn’t admit anything. If you spent more time with Annie, you’d see how great she is. Go flirt with her.”

“You’d really be fine with that?” I know I’m right. Margo likes me but is afraid to say anything because she doesn’t want to hurt Annie.

“Of course,” she says, but her eyes falter.

“I don’t believe you.”

“It’s true! I want you to get to know her!” She must think if she says it louder, it’ll be more convincing, but I can see through her lies.

I give Margo space the rest of the morning, but that only makes me more agitated. How could she honestly say that she’d be okay with me flirting with Annie? I don’t want to do that. I want Margo to tell me how she feels, but she’s never done what I want. Why would she start now?

When I walk into the cafeteria at lunch, I spot Margo sitting by herself, and I find myself gravitating toward her.

“Hey,” I say, sitting across from her.

“Hi,” she replies, stirring her mashed potatoes around her tray. “So you sit with people at lunch now too?”

“No, but I’ll sit with you.”

She sighs. “Look, Daniel. I think you’re a great guy, but that doesn’t mean I’m interested in you.” She takes a bite and looks away.

“Then why can’t you look me in the eye when you say it?” I know how Margo acts when she believes something. She’s confident. Determined. Unmovable. If she meant what she’s saying, she should be saying it with her head held high.

She looks up, and the smile I’ve grown so used to seeing isgone. It’s replaced by a scowl. “You think you’re so smart, that you have me all figured out, don’t you? But you don’t really know me, or what my life is like.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” It’s true, I don’t know what her life is like, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know who she is.

She sighs. “Just forget it.”

“No, tell me,” I say.

Annie sets down her tray next to Margo, face turning pink. “Hi, Daniel.”