Page 92 of Wicked Dreams

He stubs out a cigarette against a tree and tosses it into the woods, winking at me. “Our little secret, yeah?”

“How did you see it on your phone?”

He flashes his screen at me. Ian’s tinny voice comes out of the speaker. “Live streaming on social media is all the rage for embarrassing moments.”

Great.

“What do you want?” I dab at my face with my sleeve. The tears didn’t fall long enough to make my mascara run or puff up my eyelids.

“What do I want?” He pauses. “I’d love to know why Ian got such a visceral reaction out of you. God knows Caleb’s been trying to do the same for weeks.”

I shrug and look away. “He just touched a nerve.”

“Your mom.”

There’s a gleam in his eye that I don’t like.

I straighten and face him. “If you run back and tell Caleb that’s my secret weakness, I will destroy you.”

He laughs.Laughs. “I’ve always wanted to hear what it would sound like to be threatened by a toddler.”

I turn away from him. “I came out here to be alone. Not…”

“Not accosted by your bully’s best friend?”

I snort.

“I was just heading back. I should’ve offered you a hit before I tossed the joint.” He comes up beside me, offering his arm. “Besides, isn’t this just what you need?”

I squint at him.Of course it wasn’t a cigarette. A star hockey player wouldn’t ruin his body with nicotine and tobacco. Instead, he’s getting high in the woods behind the school. On a Saturday.

“Liam was going to make this offer, but I’m happy I beat him to it,” he says.

I straighten. “What?”

“We walk in there together, pretend to have a newfound interest in each other… It’ll get the cheerleaders off my back, and Caleb will put you on yours.” He grins. “Win-win.”

I swallow. Do I want to play that game?

I did before. I was going to corner Liam and ask. And here’s Theo, offering the very thing I schemed about. I should do it, just to rub in Caleb’s face the fact that he’s dating Amelie.

He’s mine, but he’s not until he breaks up with her.

“It’s a useful trick. Old-school play.” He keeps his arm offered, seeming to know that I’m having an internal debate about it.

“Why are you being nice?”

He scowls. “Who said anything aboutnice? Liam isn’t the only one who enjoys getting on Caleb’s nerves.”

I haven’t heard him say more than one sentence to me, and now we’re having a full-blown conversation. About…Caleb. The one person I’d rather not talk about.

“Just admit that the idea of him and Amelie is driving you nuts,” he says softly. “And let’s do something about it.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Are you into her?”

“Me?”

“Why else would you want to get on his nerves, if not about Amelie? Or do you hate her?”

---