Page 84 of Steps

I could tell you more about my school.

“Ooh, it’s a boy, isn’t it?” Alison says,giggling. “I know that look.” She refocuses on the TV. But Varen is watching mefrom the armchair with a scowl.

“Who is it?” he blurts shamelessly.

“Uh, nosy much?” Alison scolds, then looks at me.“Someone from your school? Guys tend to wait until summer break to expresstheir feelings. Maybe he wants to spend time with you.”

I scoff. “It’s not like that. It’s just August. Hewants to know if I’m interested in going for coffee tomorrow to talk about JH.”

Varen straightens. “He’s asking you out?”

Alison perks up with curiosity. “Wait, AugustCaldwell? Say yes.”

“He’s introducing me to a friend in the writer’sprogram at Johns Hopkins.” I laugh it off. “It’s really not anything else.”

“Hmm.” Alison resumes watching the movie. “Toobad. He’s a good guy.”

Varen still appears on edge, watching me.

A few minutes later, Alison gets up to use thebathroom. The second he hears her room door, he grunts, “Why the hell is hetexting you? When did you give him your number?”

I sigh. “At the engagement dinner. He was nice,Varen. He knows I’m interested in his university; he’s just trying to help.”

He snorts. “Sure he is. Tell him no.”

“Why? Are you jealous?” I tease.

Varen sucks his teeth. “He knows you have aboyfriend and yet he’s asking you out to coffee. Did he say this friend will bethere?”

Drawing my mouth to one side, I scowl and look backat the text. “No. But he did mention it when I saw him on the day of the tour.”

Something flicks in his blue eyes. “You never toldme you saw him that day.”

I shrug. “It was random. Didn’t think it was a bigdeal.”

“Fine. Whatever. Tell him no. Maybe you should goto UMD instead.”

“Excuse me?” I laugh short. “Varen, you can’t tellme what college to go to just because you’re jealous. It doesn’t work likethat.”

“All right. But as for the text, tell him no.”

We hear Alison coming back and settle down.

“No,” Varen mouths to me as she enters thefamily room.

Deciding to mess with him, I flash a sneaky smileas I text my reply and mouth back to Varen, “Yes.”

His eyes expand. He parts his lips to speak butcan’t. He can only fume in secret.

“Let’s watch another,” Alison says, using theremote to scroll through movies and series.

Wanting to help her pick something, I sit out onthe sofa beside her. “How about a romantic comedy?”

Varen hates those.

Alison glances at him. “Okay with that, V?”

He tosses the cushion aside and jumps up from thearmchair. “I’m going to bed. Watch whatever you want.” He seems so annoyed ashe storms off.

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