“I called Bryce stupid once in seventh grade,” I say, risking a look at Caleb. His eyebrows shoot up in surprise and I feel the need to defend myself.

“We were arguing about something in class,” I explain, “and he was getting on my nerves so I called him stupid. I know that’s not okay, but, in my defense, I didn’t think he’d hold a grudge about it for five years.”

“That’s not much of a defense,” he says, squinting at me skeptically as he shovels pizza into his mouth. Why the hell do I find that endearing?

“Yeah, I know. Thanks,” I bite back. “Two wrongs don’t make a right. I get it.”

“Hey, I can’t judge you. I’m, like, the king of putting two wrongs together.” A little frown crinkles his face and I have a million more questions now.

“I have a hard time believing that,” I scoff, and his face crumples a bit more. Okay, maybe I should dial down the snark a bit—it seems like he might actually want to talk to me, which is … well, this whole thing is just incredibly surreal.

“I just mean, you seem like a stand-up guy,” I continue. A stand-up guy? Oh god, I’m turning into my mother.

“A stand-up guy?” he echoes, the frown turning into a small, self-conscious smile that makes him look vulnerable and cocky all at once and man, I am so screwed.

“Oh shut up,” I mumble into my pizza. So much for reeling the snark in. “I just mean that I can’t imagine you calling anyone stupid.”

“I think you’re a little stupid,” he says, and I snap my eyes back up, ready to fight. But he’s still gently smirking and—is he teasing me?

“Excuse me?” I ask, mock-scandalized, trying to play along.

“I mean, first you call Bryce stupid to his face—” he starts, counting on his fingers.

“Yeah, five years ago,” I say in my own defense.

“And then you try to go toe-to-toe with the guy, which is just completely idiotic.” Caleb is fully smiling now and I swear, sunlight is literally bouncing off his teeth and blinding me. “Bryce is huge, there’s no way you ever could have taken him, especially with Justin standing right there.”

“I’m not gonna run scared from some dumb bully like Bryce,” I growl, crushing the lighthearted atmosphere that Caleb had been building. “I’m not a coward.”

“I never said you were,” Caleb says earnestly, “but you have to know when to walk away. You’re not gonna win a fight against Bryce—”

“I wasn’t trying to fight him—”

“Are you sure?” he asks, like he already knows the answer. He’s staring me down and, once again, it’s like he’s looking right through me.