Page 67 of Zero Chance

Wondering if the haircut was what had caused Mr.Bergamen to give me a second look, I ran the strands Oaklynn had shortened between two fingers.They sure did give me a whole new vibe.

And still… I bet Keene wouldn’t even notice them when he next saw me.

Except, wait, did I evenwantto see him again?Because I don’t think I did.The idea of having to face him after what had happened sent panic through my stomach.I mean, what if he took one look at me and knew I’d been the one who’d deceived him?

No.

Just no.

Not happening.

Setting a hand against my abdomen as everything inside me roiled with unease, I drew in a few deep breaths, deciding not to think about it.Because hell, it was possible we may never cross paths again.

Just because he religiously visited the library where I worked and was roommates with the only friend I had didn’t mean seeing him was inevitable.

If luck was on my side, last night had been the last time I ever laid eyes on the man.

Except shit.With my luck, I was doomed.I was going to have to drop out of school, flee the country, and work for goat farmers in Sweden if I wanted to avoid him.

I didn’t even know if Swedenhadgoats.

Trudging upstairs, I veered right toward Gates’s room to glance inside and make sure he was okay.

Camped out on his bed, he sprawled against the headboard, his back padded with pillows as he played on his tablet.A headset swaddled his hair from ear to ear, and he was screeching out his encouragement to someone else, making me think he was playing an online game.Probably with Jackson who he’djustbeen with.

I waved to get his attention.“Hey.Good morning,” I called since he hadn’t even acknowledged me when he’d gotten home.“It’s nice to see you too.”

Glancing up, he rolled his eyes and sighed.“Just a sec.”He pulled one earphone away from his head, finally addressing me with a harassed, “What?”

“Nothing,” I mumbled.“Just saying hi.”

“Hi.”Rolling his eyes, he plopped the headset back into place, only to lift it away from his ear and claim, “I’m hungry.”

My brow furrowed.“I thought you ate breakfast at the Bergamen’s.”

He blinked in confusion.“Yeah.So?”

With a sigh, I muttered, “Okay.What do you want?”

He made a face as if the question was crazy.“I don’t know.”

I lifted my eyebrows.“Well, I’m sorry, I don’t know how to cook that.”

“Seriously?”He sent me a dry look.“I don’t care.I’m just starving—Oh!”he wailed suddenly, noticing something on his tablet.“Dude, did you just see that explosion?Was that you?No, it wasn’t me.I swear.”

I figured he was lost to me from there, so I started to turn away, only for him to glance up.“Cheetos,” he called.

Cheetos.ThatI could handle.

I didn’t even care if Mom wouldn’t approve; at least it wasn’t popcorn that could get caught in his braces.I returned downstairs to the kitchen, played merry-go-round with the island, and fetched the bag of cheesy corn puffs from the highest shelf in the cupboard before toting it upstairs.

Without a word, I stepped about a foot into Gates’s room and tossed the unopened bag onto his knee.

Glancing up briefly, he smiled—actually smiled his approval—and even gave me a thumbs-up.“Right on.”

Snagging the bag, he ripped the Cheetos open and started to snarf them down, his fingers instantly coated with bright orange dust.

Yep.I knew the way to his heart.

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