Even though Laila is an expert at flirting, I feel so uncomfortable. “Anyway, good to see you. We’re going to talk to our friend now.” I point blindly to the side and then let my gaze follow. I’m now staring at the lake and a group of people standing on the sandy bank. I realize I’m pointing right at Bobby, who’s showing everyone he can manipulate mass by walking across the water. Speaking of show-offs. Ugh. I roll my eyes.
“Bobby? He’s one of my best friends.”
It makes sense that the two of them would be friends. It confirms my feelings about Duke’s true nature. This also solves the mystery of how Duke knows my name. Bobby probably told him who he was going to ask to homecoming. “Really? You’re best friends?” Laila asks. “But I’ve never seen you hang out. I thought you and Ray were best friends.” She looks around as if she just realized Ray wasn’t there to prove her point and she now must find him.
“Yeah, we are. All three of us. We live on the same block, grew up together. We’ve known each other since we could walk.”
“Oh.” Laila hums as if the relationship now makes complete sense.
“Good to know.” I grab Laila’s arm. “We’ll see you at the next football game.” I start to pull her away.
“Well, you probably won’t see me at the next football game,” he says, and Laila jerks to a halt.
“Why not? Did you get hurt or something?” she asks.
“No, I meant Addie.” His eyes lock on mine. “What is it? You don’t like football, or you just don’t believe in supporting your school?”
“Ever since a football hit me in the head, I can’t seem to look at them the same.”
He scoffs. “So you’re telling me before two weeks ago you went to every football game?”
“How do you know I didn’t?” Did this guy do a background check on me or something?
“I don’t. It was a question.”
“It sounds like one you think you already know the answer to.”
“I believe I do. But you can still tell me I’m wrong.”
He wasn’t wrong. I’d only been to one football game. It was my freshman year. I learned rather quickly that Para-football wasn’t really my thing. Aside from the fact that it was a complete waste of my time, it wasn’t like the Norm football I sometimes watched with my dad. They rarely tackled one another, the Telekinetics on the team kept the ball airborne, tugging it back and forth. Occasionally a player would trip with no one around. In the end, the team with the best abilities won. But because I can’t stand the smug look on his face I say, “You’re wrong.”
He takes a drink. “Well then, I’m sorry I’ve ruined your football enjoyment for life with my stray ball.”
“I thought you had perfect aim,” I remind him.
He raises his glass slightly in a mocking toast. “I do.”
Confused, I start to question him, but instead shake my head and successfully pull Laila away.
“Holy crap. What was that all about?” she asks, when we’re out of earshot. “He likes you. In a big way.”
“He does not. It’s Duke. He flirts with everyone. Besides, you heard him, he’s Bobby’s good friend. I’m sure man code applies.”
“But you hate Bobby. It’s obvious he knows that and now wants to swoop in.”
I stop by a speaker. The music is loud, and I yell, “Swoop in?”
“Don’t you dare get sidetracked by my word choice. The boy likes you. You have to Search it. Find out if … I don’t know, find out if he asks you out or something.”
“First of all, I can’t just ask the universe if Duke likes me. It doesn’t work that way. I have to be faced with a choice. There is no choice here. Second, even if I did get the opportunity to find out my future with Duke, I wouldn’t, because if it tells me I end up liking that guy then I’ll just kill myself now.”
“That guy? That guy is Duke Rivers, Addie. What is wrong with you?”
“He’s a player.” The song has ended and my words seem to echo in the new silence. My head whips around to Duke, and he holds my eyes for a single count, then looks away.
Laila lowers her voice and leans toward me. “And maybe you can be the girl to help him change his ways.”
I shake my head. I don’t want to argue about this. And I definitely don’t want to be that girl. Every other girl may go weak in the knees anytime Duke is around, but I don’t.
The next song starts, and a group of people behind us cheer and start dancing.
This is ridiculous. Even if I was interested, I didn’t get “fought over” or “handed off” or whatever this was. Laila is reading way too much into this.
“I must be their charity case. The popular crowd is having ‘do a good deed’ month. Or maybe they’re having a bet or something. I see it in the movies all the time—two popular guys see who can get the average girl first.”
Laila throws back her head and groans. “Seriously, who taught you to be so cynical? You’re gorgeous and smart. Who wouldn’t like you? Just relax a little and give the guy the benefit of the doubt.”
“Hey, I’m still in my-parents-just-got-a-divorce mode. Remember? This is the time when I’m allowed to question all relationships, wonder if true love exists at all anymore, and swear to a life of celibacy.”
“Are you trying to live out every cliché?”