A million images flash before my eyes in the millisecond after his question. Dominic and me together, him climbing on top of my lap whenever I got too distracted by camera shots in rom-coms, those kisses turning into so much more, him making me feel like he wanted me to give him all of my body and that nobody else mattered. But then he ripped that away without any warning. Just so he could have someone new. A new boyfriend. My mind runs through the Love Shot List scenes where I planned to be by Dominic’s side for everything, but now D will be with Miguel: two more swim meets, including state qualifiers, the film showcase that the whole school attends, the Pre-Prom Pier Fundraiser, actual prom, graduation. I can’t show up to those things solo while they’ll be on top of each other. It’ll wreck me. It’ll make me miserable, probably make me mess up my opportunity for state and not dance to a single song at prom, all while I look at Dominic and Miguel, heartbroken.

Ross’s words echo through my mind: He’s totally jealous!

Dominic isn’t asking me who I was talking to because he’s interested in what’s going on in my life; he’s asking because something in him, something in his heart, is telling him he should still be with me, that he still has claim to me. But if I’m with someone else, that could never happen. And the only way to make him see that, to make that claim louder and louder, telling him he made the wrong choice by dumping me, is to let him know that I’m not his anymore. That I’m somebody else’s.

“They’re my partner.” My stomach rolls when Dominic wrinkles his nose like he always does whenever he hears something he doesn’t like. Part of me is ecstatic that this plan actually has legs, while another part of me thinks he’s a fucking hypocrite. But it’s the first part that wins out, and this clanging rings through my mind. It’s not the late bell. It’s this resounding bell of clarity because I know what I told Ross yesterday is true: I want Dominic back.

And that might not be as impossible as I thought.

“Yeah,” I say, clearing my throat. “That’s Ross. My new partner. Things have gotten pretty intense pretty fast.” I’ll let him interpret intense however he wants.

“Already?” Dominic asks, confirming he absolutely is a fucking hypocrite. But his voice falters when he says it. He’s hurt. Serves him right. But also, I want to pull him in and say I’m so sorry. But now’s not the right time for that. “That was fast,” he continues. “That doesn’t sound like you at all. And if that’s the case, why are you still wearing my ring?”