Page 30 of Wallflower

I didn't bother answering. It wasn't a question. We'd gone to school together for years.

She kept studying me, and while I liked Estelle, I wished they'd all go away. With Ingrid here, Whitney couldn't be too far behind. The girls were BFFs.

"Were you watching soccer practice?" Ingrid asked.

"Yes," I said slowly.

She nodded. "Because you like Tyson."

My brow furrowed. Her comment came out of nowhere. "No," I said. "I'm giving Dare a ride home. Tyson's not even here."

She tsked and put her hands on her hips. "But you do like him, right? I was just wondering because it really seems like you do."

"I have no idea why you'd think that."

"Well, after what happened, I figured you had a major crush."

I looked at her blankly, but then she said, "Your confession, silly. I heard the whole thing."

My heart dropped to my toes.

"You…heard?" I said.

"Yeah, I wasn't trying to listen." Ingrid frowned. "I just forgot something in the locker room and overheard as I was coming back out."

My pulse started to pound. Forgot something? Yeah, right. Ingrid was literally the worst gossip in the whole school. It was a wonder the news hadn't leaked already.

"That was private," I breathed.

"I know. It's kind of why I didn't tell anyone."

Until now when she outed me to Estelle and these other girls. Ugh.

"We should get back," Estelle said, and I threw her a grateful look. "Whitney will blow her lid if we take too long."

But Ingrid waved her off.

"Oh, she'll be fine," she said then turned her attention back to me. "It was awful how he turned you down like that, Viola. But seriously, what did you expect? Tyson's one of the hottest, most popular guys in school. Did you think he'd want to be your boyfriend or something?"

No, I thought he was moving across the world.

I didn't know what it was, the sympathy on Estelle's face, the feigned pity on Ingrid's, or the way the other two tittered after one of them coughed "As if," but something set me off.

"Actually, I already have a boyfriend," I said.

I knew the words were a mistake the second they left my lips, but it was too late.

"You do?" Ingrid crossed her arms. "But you said you were in love with Tyson."

"I thought I was," I said.

She hmphed. "It's been less than two weeks," she said. "This guy must be something if you got over Ty so quickly."

I nodded. "Oh yeah, he is. So thoughtful, smart and funny, too," I said, gushing like I hadn't a care in the world. "He made it easy to get over my little crush."

"Good for you, girl," Estelle said and clapped her hands. "I can't wait to meet him! Ooh, you and your man could go on a double-date with me and Jovonte! Wouldn't that be awesome?"

Yeah, I thought, that'll be tough since he's technically imaginary.

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