Page 87 of Better Than Revenge

“Say yes,” Jensen said. I whipped my head toward him. I hadn’t realized he’d followed me around the table. “I suggested the feature idea for you.”

Never mind. I still very much wanted to make him pay. “Yeah, actually I can’t,” I snapped to Nolen. “I have a conflicting obligation during football games. Maybe someone else could do it, though.” It seemed like my ideas were up for grabs anyway.

“What conflicting obligation?” Jensen asked.

“Jensen, can you not,” I said, anger surging.

“Think about it,” Nolen said. “You deserve a spot.”

“Okay, thanks.”

I headed back toward my seat, and Jensen was like my shadow. I turned. “Do you even want the internship?”

“What?”

“Next summer. The podcast internship at the community college.”

“Oh, is there an internship? Yeah. That would be cool,actually.”

I groaned. “Please, just leave me alone.”

“Can we talk after class? It’s important. I promise to leave you alone after that.”

I wasn’t sure I believed any of his promises, but if there was a chance he was telling the truth, that this really would be the last time he’d try to talk to me, I decided it was worth it. “Fine.”

After class, I remained in my seat as the room emptied out. This room in the library wasn’t big enough to house normal-sized classes, so it was empty most of the time. It had large glass windows so Mrs.Hughs could keep an eye on the students that used it.

“My friends are waiting for me,” I said. I already had a lot to smooth over there. I didn’t need Jensen holding me up. “You have two minutes.”

He was across the table from me, and he stood and paced, his arms crossed. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“You mean more than you’ve already hurt me?”

“Yes. Is that what you want to hear? I don’t want you to get hurt more than I’ve hurt you, but if you keep seeing Theo, you’re going to.”

I stood. He’d already said this. He thought saying it again would make a difference? “We’re done.” I headed for the door.

“I didn’t want to have to tell you this, but I realize that I have to now!” he called as I reached for the handle.

I turned, and he came around the table and spoke low and fast. “Last month, at that party at his house, Theo told someone that he was better than me in every way possible. That he could kick better than me even with an injury. That he could steal my girlfriend if he wanted to. It would be easy.”

I rolled my eyes. “Toldsomeone? Who?”

“A friend.”

“And you believed it? You know how gossip is. It gets twisted. Besides, I’m not your girlfriend, so there was no stealing necessary.”

“But he’s just doing this to show me he was right.”

“You’re the one who lost me, Jensen. All on your own.”

“Mark my words, this has more to do with me than you think.”

“It has to do withme,Jensen. He likes me. Is that so hard to believe?”

He looked at his hands, then bit his lip, his nervous reaction. “I…” He didn’t want to say whatever he thought Theo’s motivation really was forstealingme. I nearly rolled my eyes at that thought again.

“You have to believe me.”