Page 62 of Notice Me, Jameson Hart

“Kevin.” Adam’s voice goes even softer, which somehow makes everything worse. “I don’t want you to get hurt. You’re my little brother. It’s my job to protect you.”

“From what? From having friends?”

“From getting too attached to someone who might not feel the same way.”

The words hang between us, unspoken truths crackling in the air. Adam knows about my crush. Of course, he knows. He’s probably always known, even when I didn’t have words for it myself.

“It’s not like that,” I lie.

“Okay.” He clearly doesn’t believe me. “At least ease up a little? Give him some space? You don’t want to come across as clingy.”

I nod, and he leaves. I stare at my phone. Three new messages from Jameson, continuing our pizza debate. Myfingers hover over the keyboard, but Adam’s words echo in my head.Clingy. Too attached. Just being polite.

I set the phone aside without responding.

Twenty minutes later,Robbie bursts into my room like a golden retriever wanting treats.

“Dude!” He launches himself onto my bed, making the whole frame shake. “Adam told me that you and Hart are texting buddies now? That’s so cool!”

“It’s not a big deal.” I pull my knees up to my chest.

“Not a big deal? Kevin, Hart is texting you! The same guy who caught the winning touchdown in the state semifinals!” Robbie’s enthusiasm is infectious and cuts through my Adam-induced funk. “What do you guys talk about?”

“Stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?” He grabs my phone before I can stop him. “Can I see?”

“Robbie, no?—”

But he’s already scrolling through our messages, his eyes getting wider with each exchange. He bats my hand away as if it’s an incessant fly. “Oh my God, you guys textconstantly. This is…this is more than Rita and I text, and I’m basically in love with her.”

I freeze, my hand hovering in the air. “You’re what now?”

He waves me off, still reading. “Kevin, he sent you a selfie with his cat before the sun was even up. Do you know what this means?”

“That he has a cat?”

“No, dummy.” Robbie sets my phone down and looks at me seriously. “It means he was thinking about you first thing in the morning. Guys don’t send random cat selfies to people that they don’t care about.”

“Adam thinks he’s being nice because I’m your brother.”

Robbie snorts. “Adam’s an idiot. I mean, I love him, but he’s being an idiot.” He picks my phone up again and scrolls some more. “Holy crap, you guys discussedThe Great British Bake Offfor…forty minutes?! That’s commitment.”

I nervously fiddle with the edge of my blanket. “You don’t think I’m being clingy?”

“Clingy?” Robbie gapes at me, genuinely confused. “Kev, he’s texting you as much as you’re texting him. That’s not clingy, that’s mutual interest.”

My phone buzzes. Another message from Jameson. I grab the phone out of Robbie’s hand.

Jameson

Did I scare you off with my pizza opinions? I promise I have other redeeming qualities. Like I can juggle. Sort of. Two balls max, but still.

A minute later…

Jameson

Oh, gosh. Why does that sound dirty? I meant juggling with actual balls. Ping-pong balls. Tennis balls.