Page 132 of What I Like About You

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Samira Lee@s_lee244 1min

???

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Elle Carter@ellewriteswords 25s

lol that hand holding is the opposite of romantic

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Samira Lee@s_lee244 now

brb blowing up nash’s phone as we speak

TWENTY-THREE

I’m wrong,” Nash says. “Tell me I’m wrong.Please.”

And that’s how I know I’m the reason he’s here.

Not me, Halle.

Me, Kels.

There never was a Nick thing—it was always a Kels thing. With this realization, my cheeks flush pink and I clench my fists so tight I make fingernail marks in my palms. Focus on the pain of nails attempting to break flesh.

I knew Nash probably still had some feelings and questions. But this is more than that. Nash came all the way toBostonto maybe meet another girl, and thathurts. Even if that girl wound up also being me—he didn’t know that.

“I can’t,” I whisper.

Nash blinks, stillsoconfused. “Kels?”

The second time he says my name, it is twenty levels too loud and suddenly it is chaos. Random pairs of eyes flash to us, tome. A blonde girl behind Nash asks if it’s true, if I’m Kels. She may as wellhave screamed because it sets off a ripple effect of questioning for confirmation, of professing their fandom, of gushing over my cupcakes. People pull out their phones and start taking photos and in an instant, my face is going to be plastered all over Book Twitter. My anonymity is officially gone. And not in theHey, you made these awesome cupcakes and have amazing book tastetype of way I’d always imagined.

Nash stands. He takes my hand and pulls me through the crowd, through the noise, to the quiet outside. Away from the cupcakes and Ariel Goldberg fans asking if I am Kels,excited that I’m Kels, with absolutely zero awareness that my whole life is blowing up right in front of my face. The moment we’re away from the crowd, Nash drops my hand like it is on fire and continues straight out the door.

I push through the double doors after him and even though he’s stopped out front I don’t stop walking. I put as much space between Kels and Central Square Books as I can. I focus on speed walking in wedges that pinch my toes with every step. Cross the street and turn the corner,don’t stop. I don’t know what to feel first, who to feel it for.

Halle is freaked because she is caught red-handed in her lie.

Kels is overwhelmed by her whole online world exploding.

Halle is crushed because Nash lied too.

Three blocks later, I am sitting on an empty bench, my arms wrapped around my knees. Nash arrives and paces back and forth the length of the bench. He runs a hand through his hair and I know he’s waiting for me to speak, but I’ve never been so lost for words.

I don’t know who I’m angrier with—Nash or me.

“I’m still, um, processing,” Nash says. “This doesn’t make sense? You’re Kels.”

He needs to believe it, so I flip my phone screen to show him One True Pastry’s Twitter account. To show him my blown-up notifications, the pictures, the excitement surrounding the fact thatI,Kels, showed up to the Ariel Goldberg event. Even bigger news to Book Twitter? Nash and Kels being spotted there.Together. IRL.

“Kels,” Nash repeats.

I swallow my scream. “A Nick thing?”

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