Page 52 of Crazy for this Girl

“Laynee, there’s nothing else to talk about,” he says placidly. “I want her to go home. I didn’t ask her up here.”

“Call her mom.”

His greens narrow. I mean, what is he going to do, tattle-tail on her? “You act like I have her number written down on a piece of paper or memorized in my head.”

“Will your mom call?”

“My mother will tell me exactly what you just did. Talk it out. I’m not going to be with someone like that. You shouldn’t want me to be with someone like that.”

Now it’s my turn to flash my disgruntled look on him. “Then why did you date her in the first place and not break up with her before coming up here?”

Brain meet mouth and shut it.

I think I see him blush when he averts his gaze from me as if he’s ashamed. He’s always prided himself on not being your typical jock, and he should. Cal is generous and sticks up for the underdog.

God, he’s my friend, and look at me.

I can’t say I’m upset in the least that he broke with anyone no matter how great it could’ve been.

“I guess I was stupid and didn’t see it at first,” he mutters. “The other night... I tried to convince her that it was boring up here and she should go, but she cried like I was kicking her out and didn’t want to spend any time with her.” I stare at him in question, and he notices. “Yeah…I know. I was so excited about coming over here...I blew it off.”

“Alright…well, what will make her want to leave, then? Should we get a bee’s nest or something? Put a spider in her shoe. You’re going to have to do that because I’m not.”

I’m half-kidding, half-serious.

“I had something else in mind.” He steers his full attention back to me, and the weight of it alludes that it’s going to be something mean. I haven’t seen it since he “accidentally” sprayed his mom with the sink sprayer the other day when she wouldn’t stop complaining that Hallie felt neglected.

“Okay…” I steady myself for the worst. “What is it?”

Cal holds his breath, and I notice his chest still right before my eyes. And the next words out of his mouth almost knock me down the rest of the hill. “Kissing you.”

My eyes widen before I blurt, “What? No, ew.”

And not in the sense that I don’t want to kiss him, but that it’s only to get rid of his ex.

“I told her I liked someone else,” he quickly vouches as a deep and hot blush descends on my cheeks. “And you’re the only girl around here.”

“Gee, thanks.”

Ever have your lungs deflate? Have a guy you like say that to you.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he double backs. “You know I didn’t—”

“How about we make some fake lemonade but it’s really banana pepper juice.” Cal stares blankly at me, like it’s the stupidest idea he’s ever heard. “Or we could put bubble wrap in her pillow. When it pops—”

“Where did you learn to play a practical joke on someone, for one?” His face knots like I’m an idiot. “And two, she’d know it was us, Laynee. Who else would it be? This isn’t the Parent Trap, where we’re at camp, trying to get rid of the other girl.”

“Well, your plan is messed up.”

“It’s the only way.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Yes, it is. Damn, Laynee…I’m not that ugly.”

I scrunch up my nose because now he’s just being a dumbass. “It’s not about your looks, Cal. You kissing…a girl within minutes of breaking up with her. Dude, c’mon...”

“Sometimes,” he pauses and shrugs with a defeated sigh that doesn’t sound so heartbroken about it. “You gotta be an asshole to make a point.”

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