Ron nods. “She was. She insisted. She’d warned me more than once to stop pursuing her. She told me if I didn’t stop, she’d have to go to the administration. At the same time, she assured me no one knew, not even her parents. Not even you. She knew how much you admired me, and she wanted to keep you out of it for that reason. But she wanted me to leave her alone. She was under too much pressure. She didn’t want to have to deal with me, too. That night at the dance, I made one more attempt to convince her. I…was heavy-handed in my approach. I tried to kiss her. I came very close, but she pushed me away. That’s all that happened. And that’s when she told me she couldn’t keep it from you any longer. She felt it was hurting your relationship, that she hadn’t been honest with you, and she couldn’t go on that way. She was going to report me to everyone. To you, to the school. Report all of it.”

“And you told her not to tell.”

“Of course. I didn’t think you could handle it. You’d be angry. Not at her, but at me. And hurt as well.” He waves his hand as though dismissing those emotions. “But Chloe had a mind of her own. That’s why she was so upset that night. She knew it would devastate you because she knew you hold me in such high regard.”

“Held. I held you in such high regard.”

A smirk spreads across Ron’s face. “You haven’t heard a thing I’ve said. No matter. She must have told you that night after my failed attempt at a kiss, and so you must have grown upset at the news. I can only assume the two of you had a difference of opinion on how to proceed with her news. Maybe you wanted to confront me right then and there. And maybe Chloe didn’t. I’m not sure. But you debated it in the parking lot and then left.”

“How did you know I wouldn’t remember what she told me?” I ask.