Tyson had cracked my armor completely.

  Lying in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, I took a mental inventory of my life. Tyson was right—I was pying the martyr, and I had absolutely nothing to show for it.

  Look at the rest of the brotherhood. Tyson and Amy were practically an old married couple. Even Alvin had finally taken my advice; he had taken Faye on an actual date two weeks ago. My scrawny, nerdy best friend had a girlfriend before I did.

  Then there was Jones. He was constantly showing off Airin, the girl from the mansion party. But something about them always felt off to me. It felt forced, like he was putting on a massive show to use her as a cover-up for something else. I didn't know what his angle was, but my gut told me they weren't a real couple.

  And what did I have?

  I thought about Stephany. Did I actually like her? She was chill, and the flirting was a fun distraction, but I knew the score. She was a social butterfly. I often saw her hanging out with uppercssmen during lunch. We were just killing time together.

  Then there was Jessica. My jaw tightened just thinking her name. Her recent behavior infuriated me. She had immediately assumed the worst of me during the driveway fight, refusing to see that I was only trying to protect her. If she couldn't give me the benefit of the doubt, then she didn't really care about me.

  But... if she didn't care about me, why had her voice dripped with pure, venomous jealousy when she sneered about my "Sunday date"?

  Fuck. The math wasn't adding up. My brain was spinning in useless circles. I rolled over and forced myself to go to sleep.

  The rest of the week was a blur of scheduled distractions. Thursday and Friday were dedicated to the boys and the weight room. Saturday, while the rest of the guys were out taking their girls to the movies, I locked myself in the dojo and battered the heavy bags until my knuckles ached. It was fine. Being productive was better than sitting at home wallowing in self-pity.

  *

  Sunday morning.

  I hated the mall. It was a chaotic, fluorescent maze designed to trap people. Because of that, I arrived at 7:30 AM, grabbed a bck coffee, and scouted the yout before the crowds arrived.

  At 8:00 AM, my phone buzzed. Stephany was at the main entrance.

  I walked over, finding her leaning against the gss doors, texting on her phone. I stepped up quietly and tapped her shoulder.

  "Hey, Steph."

  She jumped slightly, spinning around. "Oh! You're already here? I figured you'd sleep in."

  "Nah. I got here half an hour ago. I needed to get the yout of this pce. I avoid malls like the pgue."

  She blinked, then burst into a bright giggle. "My God, Daeron. You really are a massive nerd, aren't you?"

  "Fuck off," I said, a dry smirk touching my lips. "I'd rather run drills in a freezing park than wander aimlessly past a hundred clothing stores."

  "Aww. Are you afraid you're going to get lost in the food court, kiddo?" she teased, poking my chest.

  "Careful. Every time you insult me, your debt goes up. You currently owe me two premium hotdogs."

  "Hahaha! For a fit guy, you have an insane appetite."

  "I burn it off. Now come on," I said, gesturing to the sprawling indoor promenade. "What exactly is the mission today?"

  She fell into step beside me. "Next Tuesday is my dad's birthday. He recently had a mid-life crisis and got super into working out, specifically tennis. I don’t have any brothers, and I know absolutely nothing about sports. I need you to transte 'guy athletic wear' for me."

  "I don't py tennis," I noted practically. "But the mechanics are the same. Lots of teral movement, lots of sweating. What's the target? Shirts? Shorts? Court shoes?"

  "I have a decent budget saved up. If we can get a full outfit and the shoes, that would be amazing."

  "Alright. I can check the grips on the shoes and the fabric weights. But you're navigating. I have no idea where the sports stores are in this maze."

  "Don't worry, Daeron" she grinned, grabbing my sleeve and pulling me toward the escators. "I know exactly where we're going."

  The shopping trip was surprisingly easy. Stephany was organized; she had already checked her dad's closet for his sizes before we even arrived. After an hour of comparing grip textures on court shoes and checking the breathability of athletic shirts, we had the perfect gift bagged and ready to go.

  To celebrate the successful mission, I drove us away from the crowded mall and parked near the city park.

  "Why did we have to drive all the way out here for hotdogs, Daeron?" Stephany asked, pulling her coat tighter against the winter chill as we walked up the path. "The mall had a massive food court, you know."

  "Because this specific cart is the best in the city," I said, my voice completely deadpan. "Take one bite, and you'll understand why I brought you here."

  We reached the cart, and I pulled out my wallet.

  "Hold on, put that away!" Stephany protested, reaching for her purse. "I’ll pay! I’m the one who dragged you out of bed on a Sunday to accompany me."

  "Don’t worry about it. You just drained your savings buying Nike gear. Let this be my treat, and you can buy me a coffee some other time. Deal?"

  Stephany paused, a soft pink dusting her cheeks. "Hmm. Alright then. Thank you, Daeron."

  We grabbed our loaded hotdogs and walked over to a nearby wooden bench. I was just about to take my first bite when a fsh of vibrant, fiery ginger hair caught my peripheral vision.

  I froze.

  Jessica was sitting on a bench just across the walking path. She was wearing a thick winter coat, holding a steaming paper cup of coffee. She wasn't ignoring me. When my eyes locked onto hers, the cold, defensive wall she had been putting up for a month completely vanished. Instead, she offered me a soft, familiar, breathtaking smile.

  Fuck.

  My brain completely short-circuited. The noise of the park faded. The smell of the food vanished. The only thing tethering me to the earth was the gravity of her green eyes.

  "Daeron?"

  Stephany's voice sounded like it was coming from underwater. I blinked hard, ripping my gaze away from Jessica.

  "Why are you spacing out?" Stephany frowned, holding her half-eaten hotdog.

  "Uhh. Nothing." I stared straight ahead and took a mechanical bite of my food, chewing without tasting a thing.

  Stephany wasn't stupid. She followed my line of sight across the pathway. She spotted the ginger girl sitting on the bench.

  "Isn’t that Jessica?" Stephany asked, her voice dropping a fraction.

  "Uhh... yeah, I guess it is."

  Stephany went quiet for a moment. She looked at me, then looked back at Jessica. "...Do you like her?"

  "She is my friend," I answered automatically, my stoic mask slipping back into pce. "Or, she was. I guess. She's been avoiding me for the st month."

  "No, Daeron." Stephany turned her body on the bench to face me directly, her eyes searching my face. "Do you like her?"

  "Well, yeah, she’s a really good friend to have."

  "Daeron. I know you’re not stupid," Stephany said gently, but firmly. "I'm asking if you have feelings for her."

  The question hung in the freezing air between us. I looked at Stephany, then gnced across the path. Jessica was still watching us.

  "..... I’m not sure," I finally whispered.

  Stephany stared at me. The pyful, flirtatious energy she had carried all morning completely evaporated. She gave a small, understanding nod, realizing instantly that she was standing in the middle of a battlefield she had no part in.

  ".....I see." Stephany stood up, dusting off her jeans. "Well, I actually have to head back home now. Thank you for accompanying me today, Daeron."

  "Sure. Let me drive you home," I offered, standing up with her.

  "No need.... I’m just going to meet up with my friends first. See ya."

  She didn't look back. She just walked away down the snowy path, leaving me standing alone with a half-eaten hotdog.

  ".... See ya."

  I let out a heavy sigh. I should’ve been focused on Stephany today. She was a great girl. But it was useless; Jessica’s mere presence was enough to completely derail my mind.

  I tossed my food into the nearest trash can. I crossed the paved pathway and stopped right in front of Jessica's bench.

  She looked up at me, taking a slow sip of her coffee. The soft smile was gone, repced by a wicked, triumphant smirk. "Where’s your date?"

  My jaw clenched so hard my teeth ground together. "What?"

  "I saw you with your date," she hummed, gesturing zily toward the vendor. "Eating hotdogs from the exact same stall that I showed you."

  "What is that supposed to mean?" I demanded, my voice low and tight.

  "I don’t know. I’m simply making an observation, you know." She tilted her head, her green eyes fshing with pure arrogance. "Or... do you just enjoy my company more than hers?"

  The anger fred hot and fast in my chest. She had blocked my number. She had ignored me for a month. And now she was sitting here gloating because she knew she still had complete control over me.

  Without saying a single word, I turned on my heel, marched straight to my car, and drove home.

  **

  Monday. My phone screen remained bnk. Stephany hadn't replied to a single text since I dropped her off on Sunday.

  When the lunch bell rang, I decided to tackle the problem head-on. I walked down the busy corridor toward her homeroom. I spotted her standing near the lockers, chatting with a group of friends.

  "Steph! Hey."

  She stopped talking. She turned her head, gncing at me for a few agonizing seconds. The warm, flirtatious energy from the mansion party was completely gone. Her expression was ice cold.

  "Hey. I just wanted to apologize about yesterday, Steph."

  "Yeah. No problem," she said in a ft, dismissive tone, already turning her back to me. "I gotta go to css."

  She walked away, slipping into the crowd without a backward gnce.

  Shit. I had blown my chance completely. The Weirdo's Queen had officially resigned.

  Almost overnight, my daily routine at school became miserable. Stephany was actively avoiding me. And Jessica? After her smug victory at the park, she went right back to icing me out. If we crossed paths in the hallway, she looked right through me, pretending to be deeply engrossed in conversation with the other cheerleaders.

  What the actual fuck does this girl want? I thought, smming my locker shut.

  The brotherhood offered zero refuge. Suddenly, every hangout was a couples' retreat. Tyson was solid with Amy. Jones was dragging Airin around by the hand. Alvin was blushing and stuttering next to Faye. I was officially the third wheel—a massive, silent rock sitting on the edge of the sofa while everyone else flirted.

  Normally, Tyson was the guy who recognized my discomfort and kept me grounded. But our high school had just secured a spot in the Regional Basketball Championship starting March 1st. Tyson was the starting power forward; he was practically living in the gymnasium, running drills until he vomited.

  The regional championship was the biggest social event of the semester. The boys and I had already agreed to sit in the stands and support Tyson. Of course, Jones and Alvin were bringing their girls. Amy was going to be on the floor with the cheerleading squad.

  I did the math in my head. That meant I was going to be the only sad, single guy sitting alone in the bleachers while my best friends cuddled with their girlfriends.

  I refused to let that happen. I needed a tactical solution. I needed a date.

  Since Stephany wasn't replying to my texts, I braved myself, tracked her down in the library, and tried to formally invite her to the championship game to make up for Sunday.

  She shot me a look of pure pity, declined immediately, and walked away.

  Damn it!

  My patience snapped. I was not going to be beled as the pathetic, single friend. And honestly? This entire mess was Jessica's fault! If she hadn't smiled at me in the park, I would have smoothly secured Stephany as my date.

  Jessica broke it. Jessica was going to fix it.

  I didn't think about it. I just reacted. During the lunch break, I marched straight toward the junior wing and found Jessica standing by her cssroom door.

  "Cheeto!" I barked.

  She jumped, her eyes widening in shock as I stormed into her personal space.

  "Listen to me, Cheeto," I said, pointing a firm finger at her. "You ruined my chance and my date st Sunday. So now, you owe me! You are going to accompany me to the basketball match!"

  "What is wrong with you, Daeron?" she asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

  "I said, you are going to accompany me to the basketball game." It wasn't an invitation. It was a demand.

  "Alright... but—"

  "Good. I’ll pick you up at the scheduled time." I didn't give her a single second to argue or set terms. I spun on my heel and marched back to my cssroom, satisfied that the problem was solved.

  When the final bell rang that afternoon, I was shoving textbooks into my backpack when a shadow fell over my desk.

  Jessica walked into my empty cssroom, leaning against the doorframe.

  "Cheeto," I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "The match is happening next Monday."

  "Tiger!" She let out a frustrated sigh, putting her hands on her hips. "Did your brain completely turn off? I’m on the main cheerleading squad! I have to perform at the game!"

  "Oh, fuck!" I dragged a hand down my face. I had completely forgotten she actually had a role at these events. I let out a heavy sigh, the frustration returning. "Fine. I'll try to find someone else—"

  "It’s fine," Jessica cut me off quickly, stepping into the room. "I can still accompany you afterward. When the match is over, we can hang out. Okay?" She tilted her head, a pyful smile returning to her lips. "Now, let’s go find a snack, Tiger!"

  "Whoa, hold on." I stopped her, crossing my arms defensively. "Don't act like you're doing me a favor. You’re the one who owes me, Cheeto. You ruined my date, remember?"

  She stopped walking. She crossed her arms to match my posture, raising an eyebrow. "What exactly did I do, Daeron? I was sitting on a public bench enjoying my coffee. You are the one who left your date to come over to me."

  Shit. The logic was fwless. I couldn't argue with it.

  She giggled softly at my stony silence. The smugness faded, and she took a slow step closer to me.

  "I’m happy, though," she said, her voice dropping into a soft, quiet register. "Because you chose me. Because you invited me."

  She looked up at me. "I’m sorry... for everything."

  I froze. For a fraction of a second, the pyful, energetic cheerleader vanished. Her green eyes looked incredibly heavy, filled with a deep, crushing sorrow that I had never seen before.

  Before I could even process the shift, she turned around. She grabbed my hand, her fingers intercing with mine, and pulled me toward the hallway.

  "Let’s go!" Her loud, happy voice echoed in the empty cssroom.

  I let her drag me out the door, but my mind was spinning. What was that? I stared at the back of her ginger head. I was absolutely sure I had seen something break behind her eyes. She looked so... sad.

  What happened, Jess?