Cooper shows up to lunch late, but when he does, he joins farther down the table with the cute blond girl he sits next to in calculus. In class earlier, he stayed on the opposite side of the room. When I passed him in the hall, he didn’t so much as glance my way.
I try to forget the fact that I caught a glimpse of the boy I used to know on Saturday because, apparently, we’re back to pretending we don’t have a history. He’s not being snarky toward me anymore, but he’s still aloof. Detached.Avoidant.
Which I guess is good, because the more I think about this past weekend, the more embarrassed I become to have put myself out there only to be rejected.
“I’m having a party on Friday,” Jake says. “My mom’s going on a business trip.”
“Cool.” I take a bite of my food.
“You going to come?” he asks.
“No.”
He chuckles. “Not even going to think about it, huh? Just no?”
“There’s nothing to think about,” I tell him with a shrug. “I have to study for physics.”
He furrows his brow. “But it’s on Friday night.”
“Yeah, I heard that part. Still, I’ll be studying.”
Slug laughs and shakes his head.
Jake’s face contorts. “Freak.”
I laugh. “Listen, we can’t both be slackers. How will you pass physics if I don’t study?”
Jake looks away guiltily, probably figuring out that I caught him copying my pop quiz today. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But even if I did, I’d say I’d rather you come to my party and we fail physics together.”
“Not going to happen.” I put my hand on his shoulder as the bell rings. “Sorry, Jakey.”
“Aw, you have a little pet name now,” Slug says.
“It sounds like a toddler name,” Jake grumbles.
“Well, if the shoe fits…,” I say.
Slug laughs and Jake stands, frowning at me.
“I’m so nice to you, and yet this is how you treat me,” Jake says.
I laugh. “You’re nice to me so that I’ll let you copy my quizzes.”
“No, that’s just a perk.” He sighs and grabs my tray. “Maybe you can study extra hard tonight and tomorrow, then you won’t need to study Friday.”
“Maybe. But probably not.”
“Just tell him you’ll think about it,” Slug tells me. “I can’t listen to him bitching and moaning about it all week.”
I laugh. “Fine. I’ll think about it.”
Jake’s whole face lights up. “Hell yeah.”
I wait while he dumps our trays, and when he comes back, he holds out his hand. I take it—even though I don’t need it—and he pulls me up.
“You sure you don’t just want me to carry you to class?” he says.
“I’m sure. I’m fine.” I don’t need any more boys carrying me anywhere.
