Page 55 of Better Than Revenge

My hand dropped quickly to my side.

“Thanks,” Theo said, turning a smile on the plant giver. “Is this from you?” Most of the time the gifts were delivered by the leadership students as we sat in class. But there was also an option to buy them and deliver them yourself.

“There’s a note,” she said, and then squeezed his biceps and scurried away.

“Nice,” I said. “If this is your reality year after year, I’m suddenly seeing why your ego has grown to this size.”

“It’s not my fault people are drawn to me,” he said.

I pushed myself off the wall where I had been leaning for our talk and continued walking. “I guess I’m covered in repellant.”

He laughed. “Are you? I don’t think you’re using the rightkind.”

I sighed. “We’re not practicing today. I’ll feel too pathetic. And besides, one of those notes will probably be an invite to some date tonight. I wouldn’t want you to miss that.” I nodded toward the pot in his hand.

“So youaregoing to send me one of these and ask me out,” hesaid.

“You wish.”

“Maybe I do,” he said.

My stupid stomach fluttered to life with his words, surprising me. We were not going there with him, I reminded it. He’s too arrogant, too annoying, too risky. My body didn’t get to forget that this soon. “Maybe it’s your turn tosenda gift for a change instead of always getting them,” I said.

“Maybe it is.”

Those were the words we parted on that morning, so when I was sitting in podcast class, brainstorming some topics I could research and the door swung open with a delivery, my heart skipped a beat. And that beat doubled in speed when a potted daisy was placed in front of me.

Across the way, Jensen’s full attention was on me. He had the earphones that weren’t plugged into anything on his head and the microphone pulled up close. He’d been doing another mock episode with Nolen watching on, but now he was quiet.

I unfolded the little attached card. My brain literally thought it was going to say:Go out with me tonight. Life is about taking risks. —Theo

Much to my relief, it did not say that. What it really said wasSmile big and try to blush. It will drive you-know-who crazy. —Deja

I couldn’t blush on command, so I quickly lowered my eyes to the table and forced a smile. Then I brought the flower to my nose and took a sniff. For whatever reason, that caused me to let out the loudest sneeze known to man. The class laughed. There was the blush I’d been instructed to produce earlier. I lifted my hand in a small wave, thanking my audience.

“Who is it from?” Ava asked from where she sat next to Jensen across the table.

“Um…Theo,” I lied. Why did I lie? I could’ve just said I didn’t know. I could’ve said a secret admirer. I could’ve said anyone else. But I knew Jensen was listening and I knew I did that for him, and I hated myself for it.

“Really?” she asked, as if she didn’t believe me. “He’s always the pursued and never seems interested. Until now, I guess.”

“No, we’re just friends,” I said.

She lifted her eyebrows. “It seems like a little more than that.”

I looked back down at my podcast topics notes, desperate to move past this.

My eyes couldn’t stay focused for long, though. They traveled from the paper in front of me to where Jensen and Ava sat. She was laughing at something he said. They weren’t even taking notes, or practicing anymore it seemed. They were literally just talking. Was this how all of next year was going to be? We would have to scramble around doing all the work while they worked on their chemistry and connection? The seniors overseeing us now would be gone, giving them even more freedom to do what they wanted.

As if sensing he was being watched, Jensen looked my way. “Can I see the podcast topics you’ve come up with?”

I almost said no but then noticed Nolen was watching. I’d already been on the wrong end of drama in here, so with a groan that could only be heard in my own head, I slid the notebook down the table. Jensen stopped it with a hand to the top. He read through the ideas I’d come up with and then narrowed his eyes a bit. “These are a good start,” he said. “A little on the predictable side, though. I thinkour year should be more out of the box, entertaining for a larger audience.” He slid the notebook back. “Keep trying.”

Acid rose up my throat and I swallowed it down. Did he really think he was the leader in here now? How about this idea for a podcast:How to get away with murdering your ex-boyfriend who is now a total jerk. Is that outside of the box enough? Relatable to a larger audience?

The door opened again and another gift was brought in—a single rose. This one was delivered to Jensen. He smiled and blushed on cue.

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