Page 45

“Yep, and it’s my birthday, so I get to decide.”

There’s a small smile on his face, and he nods once in agreement. “Well, okay, then.”

“Anyway, I just got through baring my soul to you yesterday, so I think it’s your turn now. And listen, bro, I’ve got some serious questions for you.” I lean in, making my eyes wide, and he looks nervous. “We’re friends now or whatever, so I’ve gotta ask.” I pause for effect and I see his Adam’s apple bob. “Did you really think that fake-dating mess would work? Like,really?”

“Ha!” His head falls back. Another point for me. “I mean... maybe? I don’t know. I really wasn’t thinking clearly.”

“Well, that was obvious.” Something stormy passes across his face, and it reminds me of the way he looked when we were docked in Palermo and he saw Natalia. He had the same look last night, when she walked past our table in the dining room on the way to the bathroom, waving awkwardly. There’s still some feelings there... but what kind? Is he still into her? Idecide to press on the bruise a little bit more. You know, just out of curiosity.

“What happened with you two?”

“Ahhhh.” He puts his face in his hands, and when he looks up again, the storm has cleared for the sunshine of his smile—tentative, with flushed cheeks. “I’ll tell you, but you have to promise not to laugh.”

“I will promise no such thing.”

He rolls his eyes, and then takes a deep breath. “She... she said I wasn’t real; like I was playing the part of the boyfriend in a movie instead of being myself?”

I press my lips together, holding in a cackle. “So this fake-dating plot of yours was actually... totally in character?”

“No!” His cheeks flame some more. “Well, I guess maybe... yeah.”

I let the laugh out then, and he joins in, shaking his head at himself.

“So what does that mean, exactly?” I ask. “What did you do?”

“I don’t know, just like the normal stuff.” He shrugs and takes a long drag from his milk shake. “I put these notes in her locker every day, reminding her what I loved about her. I walked her to all her classes, sat with her and her friends at lunch, even when it meant ditching Michael sometimes. I posted about hereveryWCW....”

I feel a pang of jealousy in my chest, but I push it down. Stupid.

“I, you know—I did what I was supposed to do.” He nods once, and his jaw is set.

“Well, that doesn’t sound very romantic,” I start.

“What do you mean?” he asks, throwing his hands up.

“I did what had to be done,” I say, putting my fists on my hips and imitating his serious tone. “You sound like you were checking items off a to-do list, not actually feeling some type of way for this girl! Going through the motions of what you thought was expected... I don’t think relationships work like that.”

Says the person who threw coins into the Trevi Fountain to find love.

He shakes his head at me, incredulous. “So you’re on her side?”

“Uh, I’m on the right side,” I say, holding my finger up. He wrinkles his nose, but then his face settles into a grin.

“What was the last straw, then?” I ask.

“It was this spring—”

“Oh no,” I cut him off. “Don’t tell me you did a promposal!”

“What’s wrong with a promposal?” he mumbles, eyeing the table. “Not that I did one? But you know, just. For science.”

“So she dumped you because of your promposal.”

He looks up at me, exhales loudly, and then nods. “She dumped me because of my promposal.”

“What did you do?!”

“Have you seen that really old movie,10 Things I Hate About You?”