Oh, and he was my first kiss. Did I mention he’s cute? Very cute. But Alex is very much off the market. He’s basically married to his longtime boyfriend and my own self-proclaimed frenemy, Kyle Meeks. I love Kyle, but more than that, I love to hate Kyle.

“All right,” says Mr. Higgins as he lowers the lights. “Settle down. Eyes and ears up front for announcements.” He’s the kind of teacher who was definitely taunted in high school and enjoys his power now just a little bit too much. I mean, the guy is wearing a sweater vest and a turtleneck. At the same time. That’s a whole new level of nerdy white guy I didn’t know existed.

A spunky intro plays with graphics zooming across the TV suspended in the corner of the room until the screen cuts to Millie Michalchuk behind the desk of the school newsroom. Millie and her boyfriend resurrected the once-defunct school news program by using it as a vehicle for morning announcements, which I am a huge fan of, because this Millie chick is sunshine. She used to do the morning announcements from the intercom in the attendance office, but someone at this school woke up and gave her the spotlight she deserves, though based on the snickering at the back of the classroom, not everyone agrees.

I roll my eyes and mutter, “Let a fat girl live.”

Behind me, Tucker Watson loudly shushes me.

I repeat: he shushes me.

And that’s it. That’s Tucker Watson’s third strike against me.

I whirl around in my seat and say, “Excuse you. Rude.”

His mouth forms a soft O, like he’s shocked I would ever talk back to him.

And somehow, despite all the ways he’s been a total dick in the past, I’m still slightly disappointed by this confirmation of his dick-ishness.

“Mr. Brewer,” warns Mr. Higgins, and I turn back around, still snarling.

Strike one: sophomore year. Tucker and I are paired up for a class project in Texas Government. We make a plan to meet twice outside of school to prepare. The first time is at my house. It goes fine. Great, actually. And I might even have had a very slight harmless crush. Our second meeting is at his place, but when I show up, he doesn’t answer. I see the blinds move while I wait outside. I swear a few kids walking by even laugh at me. When I confront him the next day, he tells me he forgot and that we should finish the project separately.

Strike two: junior year. First day. World Literature. We’re seated at the same table. Tucker asks for a seat reassignment. In front of the whole class.