“So what do I do?”

“What makes you think that I know the answer?”

“Because … I called you.”

“Pfft, that’s your mistake.” Samuel smiles.

“Please, just a little advice?”

“I already gave you everything that I know, Neil. You wouldn’t have called me without a reason, and I think you know what that reason is.”

I hate that he’s right.

I didn’t want to hear it, and at the same time, I know that I did want to hear it.

I have a crush on Wyatt Fowler.

“So what do I do about it?”

“Well, you can keep it quiet and let the feelings simmer until they boil over, probably in a very messy way that’ll be impossible to clean up, hurting both of you in some way, shape, or form.”

“That’s dour.”

“Or, if you’d let me finish, you could go for broke and tell him how you feel.”

“Yeah, right.”

“What do you have to lose?”

All I do is glare at him.

“Yeah, you’re right. We got anxiety, bitch.”

“Things are starting to get better between us,” I say. “I feel like we’re friends now. And I don’t want to mess that up.”

“What makes you think you’ll mess it up?”

“Because I’m me.”

“Right, yeah. That’s a pretty good excuse.” I hear Samuel let out a sigh. “Well … the best I can tell you is that you should try.”

I sit there, waiting for whatever comes next.

“You know how you feel about Wyatt, maybe not totally, but you know that you like him. And you should do something about it. The worst that Wyatt can say is no.”

“The worst he can do is reject me and never talk to me ever again.”

“But do you truly think that will happen? You think Wyatt Fowler of all people will hate you and ignore you until the school year is over?”

“No.” I know the answer immediately, because that isn’t the kind of person Wyatt is. This version of a cruel Wyatt who hates me is something that my anxiety invented. I know that, but it’s so hard to convince myself that it’s the reality.

“All you can do is try, dude. That’s all anyone is ever doing.”

“I hate that you’re right.”

“What did you want me to say?”

“That I’m stupid and crushes are dumb and that I should shut up.”

“But then you’d be disappointed, wouldn’t you?”

I pause. “Yeah.”

“There you go.”

“I hate you.”

“I hate you too.” Samuel smiles. “I’ve got to do another raid, so I’m gonna hang up.”

“Okay,” I say. “Thanks for talking to me about this. And please don’t tell anyone.”

“My lips are sealed; just buy me dinner next week.”

“Sure.”

“Bye, dude.”