Page 44 of Let's Pretend I'm Okay

She continues walking, but it doesn’t stop her from side-eyeing me. “This better not be like the time you force-fed me apple pie because you swore I’d like it if I tried it.”

“No sane person dislikes apple pie.”

“I don’t.”

“I never said you were sane.”

She pinches me. “Do you want a ride or not?”

“Well, now you have to give me a ride. I’m injured.”

She rolls her eyes. “You’re a baby.”

I hip check her before running off. “Whoever gets there first picks the music!”

“Get back here, you cheater!” She passes me in no time, speeding up to the car.

I slow down as the bones in my legs ache, and then I clutch my side and breathe in deep.

“Nuh-uh. I know what you’re doing,” she says. “Don’t be a sore loser, and get in the car.”

I straighten my posture and force a smile to hide the pain. She thinks I’m faking, and I don’t want her to know it’s real. “You aren’t going to fall for this?”

“Nope. You lost fair and square.”

“I did.” I keep my pace controlled, not moving too fast while I round the car. I open the door and sit in the passenger seat.

“What book are you reading today?” I ask.

She laughs as she turns on the car. “You just don’t want me to pick the music.”

“We’ve listened to the same Broken Sage song, on repeat, the entire drive here this morning.”

“Because it’s brand new, and it’s perfect.”

“Can’t we listen to a different song this time?”

She sighs, turning on another Broken Sage song. “There, happy?”

I nod. It’s acceptable. “So, what’s the book?”

“I’m branching out.”

“What does that mean?”

She blushes, which I’ve unfortunately started to notice as a pattern whenever she thinks about a certain someone.

“Jules Verne. You’re reading one of his books, aren’t you?”

She looks in the back window as she starts to pull out of the parking spot. “Mm-hmm. I figured it would give us something to talk about if I ever see him in the library again.”

I rest my head back on the seat and internally groan.

“You don’t understand,” she says. “I wish there was someone you liked because then you’d get this.”

“Get what? Delusion?”

“Having a crush is exciting. You spend the whole day hoping you’ll see them, and your stomach turns to butterflies when they look at you. Your heart races. Your breath catches.”

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