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Holding back an exasperated sigh, I force myself to speak in a nonthreatening tone. “I really need your cooperation. At least until I can win back Ben. And fix your bike.”

“How long do you think it’ll take to get him back?”

“I figure a few days. A couple weeks tops. Once the fog of his camp-induced haze lifts and he sees Olivia in her natural habitat, he’ll come crawling back. The ultimate goal is to go to winter formal together.”

“Shouldn’t the ultimate goal be getting back together? Wait,” he says before I can respond. “Winter formal…as in December?” Axel wiggles in his seat like it pains him to have to sit still for more than two minutes.

“Yeah.”

“That’s four months away,” he says, studying me. “This is kind of a long commitment.”

“Don’t worry. It won’t take that long.” He stares at me, not quite believing my words as much as I am. “Worst-case scenario, and we need the full four months, I’ll make it worth your time.”

“How? This is a business arrangement, correct? Not a friends with benefits relationship.”

“We’re not friends,” I say, narrowing my eyes at him. “And like you said, it’s a partnership.”

“Rule three,” he interjects. “You need to pretend to like me in front of other people. That means being nice and not recoiling every time I touch you.”

“I don’t recoil, and I don’t not like you. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“It’s nothing personal.” It’s just…he’s not Ben.

“You did play along really well back at my house,” he says. “For a second there, I thought you may have enjoyed yourself. It was my hair, right? Reeled you in? Or maybe the smell of maple syrup left over from breakfast.” He grins and all his perfect white teeth show.

“You’re incorrigible.”

“Incorrigible?”

“It means beyond hope.”

“Rule four: no big words.” Axel smirks. “And from where I sit, I’m the only hope you have, so I wouldn’t bite the hand that feeds.”

“That’s not even…” Before I can finish, Axel has stepped out of the car. He appears at my door and opens it for me.

“M’lady.”

I suck in a sharp breath and grab my bag from the backseat before slamming both doors shut. Axel takes my hand in his as I shoulder my backpack. I debate pulling away, but we’re surrounded by people and, to be honest, walking into the building with someone next to me beats the alternative.

“It’s time we hard launch this…partnership,” he says, pausing at the end of the parking lot. He grabs his phone and holds it out in front of us before whispering, “Pretend I’m Benji.”

“It’s Ben! Just Ben.” I grit my teeth and tilt my head to his, giving off the biggest smile I can muster.

“Ooh, nice teeth,” he says, staring at the picture. “Now let’s do another, a little poutier this time. I know you can do that.” Just as I’m about to flip off the camera, Axel nuzzles my neck and itcatches me off guard. He takes another picture and shows it to me. My eyes are wide. My mouth opened slightly. I look like I’m in heat.

“That’s the one,” I say. “Tag me.”

Once he’s done, I take his hand and head into the building with my secret weapon. Axel’s right. He’s all I’ve got right now so I’d better play nice.

After I showed Axel around the school before morning bell, we parted ways and agreed to meet in front of the cafeteria at lunch. It was weird walking the halls with someone else. When I was with Ben, I didn’t notice other people and, surely, they didn’t notice us. But this morning, it felt like me and Axel were at the premiere of a movie or something. All eyes were on us. There was whispering too. I used to whisper to Ben. That’s when everything felt like an inside joke.

By second period, there are over a hundred likes on the picture Axel posted. I’ve never received a hundred likes on anything. I made my Instagram profile public yesterday, like Axel’s. It was a strategic decision. Even if Ben were forced to unfollow me because of Olivia, he’d still be able to keep track of what I’m doing and who I’m doing it with. It’s kind of comforting that he hasn’t unfollowed me. Maybe he still cares. He must. You don’t just forget about someone you were with for three years that easily. At least, I couldn’t, even though I tried to convince Ben otherwise.

Before meeting Axel for lunch, I stop at my locker to unload my calculus and chemistry textbooks. The hall is empty and it feels like I can finally turn off the act for a second. The day isn’t even half over and I’ve had more than ten people come up to me to ask about Axel, like he’s some sort of celebrity. A few of themrecognized him from the TikToks he used to do with his friends. It’s preposterous. I dated the most intelligent, handsome person in all of Maple View and no one ever thought to congratulate me on my choice in partner. They’d rather celebrate someone with “sick moves” and a big following.

Ben appears from around the corner. “Hey,” he says, casually strolling up to me, like he’s done a hundred times before. He leans on the locker next to mine. “How’s the first day back?”