Page 46 of I Don't Need Your Romance

He just continues laughing with his friends.

“Harold?” I ask, giving him one more chance to prove he’s somewhat decent, even though I know with every fiber of my being that he isn’t.

One of his friends finally looks up. “What are you even doing here? There are enough empty tables for you to sit at.”

“For your information, I don’t have to sit at an empty table. I sit with my friends.”

“Congratulations? Seriously, what does she want?” he asks his friends.

With a roll of my eyes, I sweep my tray with my half-eaten food off the table and make my way to my usual table.

When I pass Damian’s table, I notice he has a sympathetic expression on his face. I lift my head, informing him that this won’t deter me. Iwillfind someone to have a relationship with and Iwillprove that it’s nothing like my books.

When I reach my table, Addie, who wears a dejected look, says, “You okay?”

“Yep.” I lower my tray on the table and slide in next to her. “Cross Harold off the list. He was never much of a contender anyway.”

“Don’t lose hope,” Carly says. “Finding the perfect guy is like searching for a needle in a haystack.”

“I’m not worried,” I assure her as I take a bite from my crepe. “I told you I’m winning the challenge.”

“I believe you’ll have a boyfriend when all this is over,” Addie says.

“I believe I’ll have a new book boyfriend when all this is over,” I inform her. “Although, maybe not. I can’t imagine anyone being better than William King.” I sigh happily as I picture him in all his romantic glory.

“You really need a real boyfriend, Sophie,” Carly says.

“I really don’t.”

At that moment, the bell rings. I quickly gobble down whatever I can and follow my friends out of the dining hall. We hug goodbye, Addie reminds me to look over the list again so I should know who to approach, and then we separate to our classes.

I have chem now. I really hope Damian reviewed the notes I sent him last night because I have a feeling Mrs. Sullivan will give us a pop quiz. She tends to do that whenever we cover a difficult topic.

When I enter the classroom, my eyes immediately snap to the back table to see if Damian is there. Maybe I’ll sit with him today. I haven’t in the past because it seems he prefers to be alone, but it would make our tutoring sessions so much easier if I knew whether or not he understands the material.

But I notice that Carter McMillian sits alone at a table. I know for a fact that his partner is sick with the flu. Considering he’s on Addie’s list and was her pen savior, maybe I should try my luck with him? I can always sit at Damian’s table tomorrow if things don’t work out with Carter.

I stop before his table and swing my backpack to the floor. “Hey, Carter. You need a partner, don’t you?”

He raises his eyes from a game he’s playing on his phone and his forehead creases. “Don’t you have a partner?”

Geez Louise. Am I really that invisible that he doesn’t know I sit alone at my table? Other than Damian, everyone else has a partner. We haven’t yet had a lab, so I wasn’t asked to team up with anyone. I’m pretty sure my teacher would tell me to be Damian’s partner.

“Actually, no,” I say.

“Why not? You’re like the smartest kid in class.”

My cheeks flame. “I’m, uh, not really…”

“You’re the first one to raise your hand every time Sullivan asks a question.”

“How do you know that?” I ask as I sit down next to him.

“I notice things like that.”

“Sullivan doesn’t always call on me, though,” I say with a laugh. “I think she might be sick of me.”

He laughs softly. “Doubt it. Don’t teachers worship teachers’ pets like you?”