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“Jamie? Sure.”

Real convincing, Axel.

His father nods and smiles. Axel mouths “what’re you doing here?” Did I do something wrong by showing up unannounced? I thought I was supposed to play the girlfriend role. My stomach twists at Axel’s lackluster response to my presence. He’s usually happy to see me.

“Easha’i?” his father asks. Axel shakes his head.

“Um, no?”

His father grins. “Do you know what I asked you?”

Axel, who remains on the bottom step, behind his father, pretends to eat something out of a bowl. I didn’t realize coming here would mean a spontaneous game of charades.

“My mom is expecting me home for dinner. But thank you,” I say, trying to recover. “I just wanted to give Ax—Alexander something.”

Just when I didn’t think things could get any more awkward, the front door swings open and Axel’s mom walks through with two other women, who look a bit like Axel. Must be his older sisters. All three of them pause when they see us standing in the foyer. One by one, smiles grow on their faces, each telling a different story.

“Ahlan, Jamie,” his mother says, greeting me. She says my name the same way Eli does when he pulls out his fake accent. Only hers is real. “Are you here for dinner?”

I shake my head again. “No, thank you. I just have something to give Axel.”

“Is it a shirt?” she asks, eyeing her son. “Here.” She places her shopping bags on the floor and pulls out a T-shirt. “Put this on.”

Axel takes the shirt and smirks before throwing it on. His mom comes up behind him, pulling off the tag.

“Mama, Baba, leave them alone,” one of his older sisters says. She pushes her parents toward the kitchen and turns back to wink at us. “You too, Chrissy.”

“Let’s go outside.” Axel hops off the bottom step and puts on his slides. I follow him out, feeling all eyes on us.

“Sorry for showing up unannounced like this,” I say once he closes the front door.

“Whydidyou show up?” His tone is cold. So is his body language.

“I dropped Ben off after tutoring. Figured I’d try to get you to sign the contract again.” I let out a small laugh but he doesn’t reciprocate.

“What’s the point anymore?” he asks, folding his arms across his chest. “I mean, do you even need my help? Seems you’re doing fine without me.”

“I am doing finebecauseof you.” Axel faces the street and I walk right up to him, placing my hand on his arm. “Do you not want to do this anymore?”

“Guess how many people I’ve turned down since starting Maple View?”

“People? What people?”

“You haven’t noticed other girls checking me out? Guys too. They pretty much undress me with their eyes when we’re together, and when you’re not around, I have to practically bat them off with a stick.”

I shake my head. “I-I didn’t know. I guess I’m not always that observant of what’s going on around me.” I remove my handfrom his arm and stare out at the street, side by side with Axel. My stomach clenches as dread makes my chest tight. “Do you want to fake break up?”

“No.” His voice is low.

“Well, clearly I’m getting in the way of your love life.”

He turns to face me. “Say we met under normal circumstances; would you have given me a second look?”

“That’s not a fair question,” I say.

“Why?”

“Because I probably wouldn’t have.” His eyes dart away from mine. I can see I’ve hurt his feelings, but how can he be surprised? Half the time we’re together, we bicker. And we didn’t exactly get off to a great start when we met.