“I’m sorry,” I tell him as I catch my breath. “I … really, really want to keep doing that—like, wow, a lot—but I need to tell you something. I said honesty was important to me, and you deserve it too, even if it’s going to make you think a little less of me.”

He rubs his bottom lip with his thumb, as if he’s still feeling a little tingle there. Lord knows I am. “If you’re the one who drew that picture of Hoffman on the bathroom wall, for the record, I support that a thousand percent. It was hilarious.”

“I thought you did that.”

“Oh, yeah, I did do that.”

“Salem.”

He flutters his eyelashes innocently, and God, I am so mad at how attractive I find him. People should not be able to creep up on you like that. But there’s no question—Salem and his rock-star hair and angular jaw and stormy eyes are stupid hot. Which, considering he landed Jenna London, seems like another thing everyone knew before I did. “Peach, whatever it is, it’s going to be fine.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Another deep breath. Another silent prayer for courage. Maybe I should be going to chapel on the weekends after all. “I made out with Lucas.”

“Oh.” He scratches the back of his neck and looks up at me. “Wait, Lucas Burke? I thought Sabrina told me he’s been with Heather since the school year began.”

I look away, and get another, quieter, more heartbreaking “Oh.” He takes a deep breath and shifts a few inches away from me on the bed; it feels like miles. “That … doesn’t really seem like you.”

“It isn’t,” I say quickly. “I mean, I didn’t know he was with Heather—it was literally my first day. But he’d seemed sweet, and interested, and after everything with my ex and my sister, I just … wanted to be with someone who chose me, I guess? And of course, even he’d chosen someone else first. So much for being a nice guy.”

“You know he’s the kind of guy who tells everyone what a nice guy he is and is an actual, certifiable douchebag, right? Everyone on the team hates him.”

“Well obviously I know he’s a dick now.” I swipe a tear off my face, and another one quickly appears in its place. “Anyway, there you have it—I’m a bad girl after all. Sooo proud.”