Page 26 of Lonely Hearts Day

“I told her that I’d talk to you.”

“Why would you tell her that? This is a singles party. Besides, I thought you guys broke up.” They’d gotten together about six months ago and broke up two months later, both claiming that the anticipation of being together was more fun than actually being together or something like that.

“I was thinking about giving her a second chance.”

“You were?” I asked. Proof that second chances were a thing. The tiny flicker of hope grew in my chest.

“Do you think I should?”

“Probably, but tell her that second chances should start the day after Valentine’s Day.” Today, people were skipping around giving out cheap stuffed animals and even cheaper chocolate, making love feel worthless. “Don’t hate me.”

“I don’t hate you,” he said.

“Don’t be irritated with me. Tomorrow is a better day.” Today was the one-year anniversary of my parents’ separation. Today was hard for a lot of reasons.

“You know you can talk about it,” he said. “Get it out. Ask for what you need.”

“I talk about it.”

“You don’t. You never do.”

“But you know how I feel, and that helps,” I said.

He just offered me a grimace, as if to say that wasn’t the same thing.

“That girl is checking you out,” I said, pointing to the girl giving him a long stare as she weaved between parked cars. We were still waiting to exit. It took forever to get out of the parking lot after school. “Maybe you can ask her out for tomorrow too.” That came out snarkier than I meant for it to.

Jack had filled out a lot this year. He’d kept his hair long and updated his glasses again. I caught girls giving him double takes in the hall all the time. I wanted to scream,he still hunts Pokémon sometimes!

He gave me one of his head tilts, thinking.

“What?” I asked.

“It’s just... are you... never mind.”

“What?”

“Are you moving forward?” He pointed to the car length of space in front of me.

That wasn’t what he was going to say but I inched forward anyway and shut my mouth because there were a lot of mixed emotions swirling inside of me when it came to Jack, and I refused to acknowledge any of them right now; not today.

“I thought we were going to the store,” Jack said.

I slowed the car as we approached Cassidy’s house. It was big. “I just want to see why people are still choosing their party over ours.” I’d been checking out posts people had made from last year’s party, but it was hard to see details from selfies.

“Because they’re not single,” Jack whispered. “And you’re very strict about that rule.”

“That’s not why... well, maybe it is.” I pulled along the curb across the street.

“Are you stopping?” he asked, slouching down in his seat. “Don’t stop!”

“Just... just wait here.” I turned off the car and reached for the door handle.

“Scarlett! What are you doing?” He pulled on the back of my shirt.

“I’m not going to knock on the front door or anything. I just want to look around back.” A lot of the photos looked like they were taken outside.

“This isn’t like you,” he said.