Page 14 of The Love Simulation

Simultaneously, Roman and I jump apart. We turn to find Monique standing at the opening of the aisle where Roman was before.

Monique looks between us, and at first I’m worried she’ll say something about us being alone. I can imagine her little voice singing,Miss R and Mr. Major sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.Honestly, I don’t hate the image that evokes, but it would spell bad news if she went around yelling about anything she thinks she saw.

Blessedly, the sweet child blinks up at us innocently and cements her place as my favorite student. “Miss Rogers, there you are. I was looking all over. The food trucks are here, and the superintendent asked me to escort you out there.”

“Thank you, Monique,” I say, and look over at Roman. “I guess I better close up in here and head out.”

Leaving the seclusion of the shelves, I grab the chain and head for the doors. Roman stands just outside the library. He looks at Monique, who’s apparently taken her job to heart and isn’t returning to the celebration without me, then he looks at me. It feels like we’re leaving a million things unsaid, but it’s probably better this way. I turn away to close the door and he makes his way down the hall.

“Is Mr. Major your boyfriend?” my ex–favorite student asks as we pass empty lockers.

Roman is ahead of us but luckily not in hearing range. I tear my eyes away from his sexy-as-sin walk and try to look composed as I answer. “Of course he’s not. Why would you ask? Because we were back there? We were just talking about books and the new library.” It’s probably way too much of an explanation and a simple no would have sufficed, but Monique doesn’t seem to mind.

She shrugs. “Oh, okay.”

When we reach the front of the school, where the drop-off circle has been converted into a mini festival, Monique goes off on her own and I let out a breath. I inhale again, and the scents of turkey legs, smoked chicken, and street corn cause me to salivate.

Once our crew was complete and everyone agreed the grand prize money would be put toward the library remodel, Superintendent Watts insisted on a celebration both in honor of school officially being over and to send us off on the simulation. Much to Principal Major’s dismay. Students, parents, and teachers walk around with food and balloon animals. There’s a booth from one of our local independent bookshops with colorful books displayed on tables and a tent with NASA employees in blue-and-white shirts surrounded by curious students. My heart is so fullas I take it all in, and I don’t know whether to explore or eat first.

Before I can decide on any direction, I see Superintendent Watts walking my way. She smiles and waves to students running by with cotton candy, then stops beside me. “Look at how excited everyone is. You keep making moves like this, you bring home that money for the library, then I don’t see how anything will be able to stop you. Not an unyielding principal”—she pauses and clears her throat—“or his ambitious son.”

I’m almost positive I make no outward movements or sounds, but when she brings up Roman, my muscles lock. Did she somehow see us in the library together? Did Monique report back with the news? I knew I was too gracious in calling her my favorite student. I hope she’s not running around telling anyone she can about what she thinks she saw.Scandal! Scandal!flashes before my eyes, but I blink it away and try to remain composed.

“Honey, I get it,” Superintendent Watts goes on. “He’s young and he’s got it going on with his smooth walk and bedroom eyes.” I want her to stop. “But there are plenty of men with the same attributes. You’re a rising star, Brianna.” She levels her eyes at me, making sure each word she says has maximum impact. “Don’t let the wrong decision set you off course.”

I swallow, feeling like a Goody Two-shoes in trouble for the first time. “I won’t,” I say. And I mean it. I have no plans of doing anything with Roman that would jeopardize my career.

Superintendent Watts must believe me, because her eyebrows relax and she gives my hand a brief squeeze before walking away.

I let out a slow breath. In hindsight, I should have leftthe library once Roman apologized. Bulldozed right through him if I had to.

But then I would have missed how he held his breath while waiting for me to accept his apology and how his eyes softened when he called me amazing.

God, I am a mess. At least this is the last day I’ll see him for a couple of months. With my mind focused on completing the simulation and winning the money, I will be way too occupied to worry about him.

On that hopeful thought, I start walking around again. I wave at students and accept wishes of success from the grown-ups. They’re as excited as we are at the prospect of a better library. I slow down as I come upon the bookshop’s booth. They’ve got a wonderful, diverse selection of Middle Grade and YA books, as well as a table loaded with essential bookish items: bookmarks, tote bags, reading lights. I pick up a cute book-themed kaleidoscope and aim it at the sky, twisting the end to see changing prisms with red, green, and yellow. When I set it back down, I see a kid with shoulder-length locs shove a graphic novel in front of his mom’s face.

“Can I get it, Mom? Please?” he asks, nailing her with puppy dog eyes.

She makes him sweat for a moment but eventually caves and says yes. I clench my fist in victory. If she hadn’t bought the book for him,Iwould have been tempted to, and then I would’ve gotten stuck buying books for every other kid out here to make it fair.

I keep walking and spot Principal Major talking to Renee. Renee looks uncomfortable, and while I sincerely hope she isn’t getting chewed out for some arbitrary reason, I don’t have the energy to go run interference. I do, however,have the energy to give Principal Major a mocking wave when he glances my way and scowls. Jerk.

Next I come across a group of people dancing around a speaker. Scratch that, it’s Angie dancing while a handful of people stand around recording her. I don’t remember her ever mentioning being a professional dancer, but she is on point with those moves. Her arms alternate between fast and slow movements without missing a beat. She’s doing the Beychella “Everybody Mad” dance. It’s not the same song, but I’d recognize those iconic movements anywhere, and she’s nailing them better than any majorette could. Watching her almost makes me wish I could jump right in, but I am not trying to be the vice principal who goes viral that way. I’ll have to live vicariously through Angie and be glad she can dance so well without her back bothering her. Ha.

I smile to myself and look around, unsurprised when my eyes land right on Roman as he stands on the other side of the circle, holding a huge turkey leg in one hand and a white cup in the other. It’s the fall dance all over again as we both stand on the outside with no one to cut up with but each other. I’m not upset at him anymore, and despite Superintendent Watts’s warning, I wiggle my eyebrows as if to say, “Where does a computer sciences teacher learn moves like that anyway?” However, something gets lost in translation. Instead of answering, Roman walks around everyone and comes to stand with me.

He holds the cup out. “Corn?”

I swallow back my shock as I look from the cup of corn, with its layer of cotija cheese and chili powder, to the turkey leg to Roman’s lips, then force my eyes back to his and shake my head no. “No, thank you.”

He shrugs and bites down on the turkey leg. It’s the biggest piece of poultry I’ve ever seen, but he handles it like a champ.

“Is it good?” I ask.

I take his muffled “Mmm” as confirmation before laughing and turning back to Angie, who’s now dancing with some students.

I play it as cool as I can, but my mind is racing. I’m all too aware of Roman’s presence beside me and my hammering heart that won’t give me peace whenever he’s around. And why is he hanging around like we do this all the time? Why did he seek me out again?

---