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“Nope.”

“There has to be something. I’ve seen you smile before.”

“You sure?”

Sighing, I dropped my arm and fell back against the bench. Ladybug jumped up to all four paws at the sudden movement, and her leash tangled with the strap of my backpack, sending it toppling forward onto the grass. Contents spilled from the open zipper pocket: notebooks, pens, lip balms.

Bones.

My cheeks burned as I stared down at the evidence of my godawful crush, lying at our feet in broad daylight. Tara had given it to me after Ladybug kept slobbering on it because she thought it was a dog toy.

Reed’s eyes followed and quickly landed on my source of embarrassment. He blinked twice, then bent over, picking up the Beanie Baby toy he’d purchased for Tara three months ago.

Humiliation rocketed through me.

I was certain he saw me as a silly little girl; a dreamy-eyed teen carrying around a stuffed animal in her backpack for comfort. “That’s nothing,” I choked out. “Tara gave it to me.”

I tried to snatch it away, but he dodged me.

Ugh!

I wanted to disintegrate and melt into the park bench.

Reed turned the toy over his hand, slowly, brushing his thumb along the soft fur as his throat rolled.

Then his eyes flickered with something I suddenly felt compelled to freeze in time.

Inhaling a jagged breath, I raised the camera.

He looked at me.

Reed lifted his chin, glanced my way, and his eyes glittered in the sunshine as half his mouth tipped up with the tiniest grin.

Click.

I snapped the picture.

I made it count.

“Grab the bananas!” Tara shouted through her laughter as we battled through a level of Donkey Kong Country 2 and cruised to the finish line.

My thumbs danced over the controller, my tongue pressed between my teeth in concentration. Dixie Kong leaped through the air, her yellow ponytail trailing behind her, and flew across the banana arch before landing on the target.

The level completed, celebrating our win with dancing, victorious monkeys.

“Yes!” Tara dropped her controller and high-fived my right hand. “Even with that sling, you’re better than me. So not fair.”

Whitney was sprawled out on the loveseat behind us, her ribbons of brown hair blending with a cocoa-colored pillow. “How about that movie?” Yawning, she glanced over at Reed who was seated on the opposite couch. “My work day is catching up to me. I’m fading fast.”

My smile slipped as my focus snapped to Reed and held.

He stared back.

We looked away at the same time and I rose to my feet. “I’ll make popcorn.”

“I got it,” Reed cut in, pulling up from the couch and sweeping past me toward the kitchen without a backward glance. I watched as he rubbed his shoulder, wincing slightly before he disappeared out of sight.

Tara stretched her arms over her head. “I’m gonna call it a night. I’ve got that chem test tomorrow. Yuck.”