Page 28

I was the guy they wanted to make out with or parade around in front of their friends. When girls came to me, they wanted a relationship that was light and meaningless, so that’s exactly what I gave them. What was the point in trying for more when that was all I was really worth?

“Perhaps the fact she’s laughing at your flirting is a good thing?” Seth suggested.

I caught the tennis ball out of the air and paused. I’d always liked when I made Clary smile or laugh, and the thought it might actually be helping my cause made my stomach flutter with anticipation. “What makes you think that?”

“Well, she might not be returning your advances, but at least you’re entertaining her. Girls like guys that make them laugh.”

Clary had certainly been slightly less hostile toward me since she’d started living here, so maybe Seth had a point. Each time Clary smiled or laughed at me, it was like I was chipping into the wall she had built up between us, and if I chipped at it enough, eventually it had to crumble.

“So, you think the flirting’s working and I need to lay it on thicker?”

“Ah, no, I’m sure you’re already flirting more than enough.”

He’d responded far too quickly, and I scowled at the far wall. “Now you think I’mtooflirtatious.”

Seth chuckled down the phone. “Yep, you’re a total lost cause in that department. At least most of the ladies like it.”

“Great,” I muttered. “It’s a shame it doesn’t work on the one girl I want it to work on.”

“I don’t think you’d like her as much if it did.”

It was strange to hear my feelings for Clary laid out like that. I had to admit Seth was right again. Part of what drew me to Clary was the fact she didn’t fall at my feet like so many other girls in our year. She wasn’t impressed by my looks, and she didn’t just want me as a trophy she could show off to her friends.

“Which is why she needs to see the real you,” Seth continued. “If she suddenly started flirting back, are you sure you’d still like her?”

I didn’t know how to respond, and I worried he was right. Seth seemed to sense my concern because he continued. “How about you focus less on flirting and try to have a real conversation with her instead?”

“We talk.”

“About what?”

“Uh, well, we had a great conversation about how I was a manwhore the other day.”

“That wasn’t the kind of real conversation I was thinking.” I could practically hear his grin over the phone. “Why don’t you try for something a little deeper?”

“I mean, I suppose I could do that.” It couldn’t hurt to try, but the thought of actually attempting to have a serious conversation with Clary terrified me. Plus, I wasn’t sure how easily I could simply stop flirting with her. Most of the things I said to her came out of my mouth before I could really think it through. I was probably just as shocked as she was by half the crap I came up with.

“Good,” Seth said. “Okay, I’ve got to go. My mom’s calling me.”

“Does she want you to watchOutlanderwith her again?”

“I hate you.”

I laughed as he hung up the phone. It was so easy to rile him up.

I placed my phone back in my pocket before swinging my legs off the bed. I couldn’t stand another moment being in my room. Perhaps it was time I put Seth’s plan into action by trying to have a deep and meaningful conversation with Clary.

I left my room and walked across the corridor toward Clary’s. The door was closed, but I was pretty certain she was in there. I hesitated before knocking though. What would I even talk to Clary about? It was easy enough to chat to her when I wasn’t trying to be serious, but a deeper conversation felt so much harder. I didn’t do deep and I didn’t open up.

I lifted my hand to knock but quickly lost my nerve and stepped away. I could try to talk to her again later. Much later. Perhaps I’d try tomorrow or the day after that. Or maybe it was best to just leave it completely. I’d probably only say something stupid. This was Seth’s advice, after all. He was about as useless with girls as Elliot.

Thinking of my younger brother, I decided to head downstairs and pay him a visit. He was in his bedroom, and I was completely unsurprised to find him with his eyes glued to his TV screen as he played his latest PlayStation game. It was the middle of the afternoon, and I doubted he’d left his room all day.

I walked right in front of him, blocking his view of the screen. “What are you doing?” he yelled.

“Getting your attention. Waiting for you to pause the game takes way too long.”

Elliot grumbled, but I heard the game pausing behind me before he placed his controller to the side. “What do you want?”