“Oh, trust me. This is happening. You’re just delaying the inevitable.” I poke Austin in the shoulder to let him know we aren’t done. It’s been the same routine for the past month since we got back from Christmas break. I ask for Devin’s number and Austin refuses to give it to me.

It’s been months since Devin kissed me and I still can’t get that brooding jerk out of my head. I’m not the type to obsess over a guy, but he’s gotten under my skin. He devastated me with that kiss then just drove off. Who does that?

After admitting to Jake how much I liked him, I spent my entire Christmas break scouring social media to find Devin, but the guy is a ghost. He doesn’t go to our school and I don’t know his last name. All I know is he’s a friend of Austin’s. Which is why I’ve resorted to my daily harassment.

“Give me one good reason. I just want his number, not a virgin sacrifice,” I deadpan. “Hey, Elizabeth.”

“Hey, Jessie,” Elizabeth answers with a chuckle. She knows the drill. I badger Austin for eight minutes from the end of our Marketing Principles class until I have to jog across campus to catch my next lecture.

Austin sighs. “Look, I like you, Jessie. But I’m not going to let my best friend be your next conquest.”

“Conquest?” I scoff. “I want to date the guy, not plant a ‘Jessie was here’ flag in his ass.”

“You know what I’m talking about. It’s a game to you.”

“So what if it is? Games are fun, Austin.”

“Games are drama. And not Devin’s style. So, for the hundredth time, I’m not getting in the middle of this,” Austin answers with an exasperated sigh.

“Too late. You introduced us. You’re already in the middle.”

“What if the situation was reversed? Would you want me giving your number out to strange guys?” Austin asks. He tucks Elizabeth in against his side and starts walking them towards the parking lot. Elizabeth wraps an arm around his waist and interlaces her fingers with the hand draped over her shoulder. They’re sickeningly cute.

I let out a breath. I’ve never been jealous of someone else’s relationship before. I’ve always known that I want a marriage like my parents’, a partnership. But that has always been in the future. The distant, maybe-some-day, can’t-really-see-it-from-here future. I’ve got a lot I want to do before I settle down. Still, having someone look at me the way Austin looks at Elizabeth, like she’s his everything, might not be so bad.

“It’s not the same thing. I’m not some strange guy. You know me. Devin knows me. He kissed me, for fuck’s sake!”

“And yet he still decided not to give you his number. What does that tell you?”

Ouch. Elizabeth comes to a screeching halt. She pulls away from Austin, crosses her arms and glares. She’s tiny and about as terrifying as a newborn squirrel, but I’m glad she’s on my side.