Salem’s been gone for two seconds, and already I’m regretting letting him leave my side. “What could I possibly have to say to you, Lucas?” God, there really are trash boys everywhere you look, but I guess I’m evolving because I sure can pick ’em out now.

“Can we please talk somewhere else?” He touches my arm as he asks, and I instinctively pull it away. It’s amazing how quickly you can go from dying for someone to kiss you to finding their touch utterly repulsive.

“No, right here’s good, if you must say something.” The line moves down, and I grab the whipped cream and spray on thick spirals. “Though if this is about Heather, no, I haven’t said a word.”

“It’s not about Heather,” he says through gritted teeth, even though I haven’t seen her in the room. “It’s—did you do it because of me?”

I move on down the table toward the berries and pour on a pile. “Do what because of you?”

“The window.” He gestures down at my ankle, still wrapped in an Ace bandage and surrounded by a boot. “Did you throw yourself out of a window because of me?”

I blink. “Are you for real?”

“Can you just answer the question?”

I glance past him at my table, where Salem’s doing something on his phone, paying no attention to me and Lucas. He’s got a green apple in hand, and his hair hanging in his eyes, and all I want to do is brush it back into place. Truly, I do not have time for a minute more of Lucas Burke’s bullshit.

“I didn’t throw myself out of a window, period,” I snap, keeping my voice low, “but even if I had, rest assured that your being a lying, cheating asshole would not be the reason. You’re someone else’s problem now, much as I think she deserves way, way better than you.”

If my venomous response has fazed him at all, it doesn’t show. “You better not say a word to her.”

I roll my eyes. “I didn’t, and I won’t, because I’m not interested in hurting her, and you’re the person she should find out from. Personally, I think Heather deserves better than being lied to. I did tell my boyfriend.” God, that feels good. “But you do you, as long as you do it far the fuck away from me.”

His eyes are burning a hole in my back as I make my way toward Salem, but he doesn’t stop me, and I don’t turn around. I can’t prevent him from being in my English class or dating my friend, and I’ll have to see him around far more than I’d like (read: ever), but he’s taken all he’s going to get from me, and he doesn’t get another minute.