In another minute he’ll see me, and he’ll try to catch my eye, try to see if I’ve given any more thought to what he said, if Jack and I have miraculously changed our minds.

Suddenly, I feel very compelled to be on time to class.

I have no choice but to avoid Miguel for the rest of the day, which is surprisingly easy since we only have one class together—physics, in which we’re not lab partners, since they were assigned—and I know where he spends every other minute of the day. I get my fair share of surprised looks in the library when I spend lunch there, doing my homework and sneaking bites of an energy bar I begged off Coach Armstrong, and I head straight home after practice.

But Friday is Books and Balls Day, which also means Game Day, and it’s impossible to avoid the football players when we spend every free minute with them, posing for yearbook pictures and selfies and breaking into impromptu cheers in the halls. Books and Balls Day is basically a wild freebie, with everyone dressed up to represent the clubs they’re in, from the football team and cheerleading squad to Model UN and the chess club.

“Smile, y’all!” Melanie Stern motions for Miguel and me to squeeze together while she holds up the enormous camera around her neck—I guess she hasn’t heard the news you can take pictures on your phone now?—and we dutifully pose with huge smiles and pretend pom-poms in the air. “Beautiful! We definitely need the ‘before’ pic of our top homecoming king and queen contenders.”

On autopilot, I amp up my smile at that, but I hate how hollow it feels. If Miguel and I were both single while doing this fauxmance thing, it’d be hilarious and wildly fun and we’d do ourselves all the way up. Instead, I know we’ll both just be thinking about the two people who aren’t there but should be.

“And who says they’re the top contenders?” I hadn’t even seen Diana come over, but suddenly there she is, Aidan in tow. “I think it’s time these two got a little competition.”

Oh yes, competition. Something I definitely need more of as I watch my grip on the team slip away in favor of those who want to make Jack’s life a living hell. God, Diana—can you not just let me have one thing?

“Does this mean y’all are officially a couple?” I ask, maybe a little pointedly, maybe with a little extra eyelash flutter in Aidan’s direction to remind him what committing means giving up.

“I don’t—” he starts to say, but he’s immediately spoken over by Diana.