Page 97 of Zero Chance

Since I was nine, I didn’t answer,when he took my hand during the most frightening grief of my life and made me feel special by telling me he liked weird people.

But aloud, I scoffed and rolled my eyes.“You can’t love someone you don’t really know.”

Xander merely lifted her eyebrows.“Kind of sounds like you know him to me.You’re not even deluding yourself into thinking he’s flawless.You’re perfectly aware he’s…”

“Immature?Aggravating?A complete hound dog?Yeah.”I slumped miserably.“I’m aware.”But he was still Keene, and his heart was pure and beautiful, and it made me happy to watch him be him.

“You should definitely tell him,” Xander decided, nodding encouragingly.

But I shook my head.“I can’t,” I rasped hoarsely.“I couldn’t handle the rejection if he was disappointed.”

She shook her head.“But I don’t think he’dbedisappointed.It only took a few weeks for you to become one ofmyfavorite people.You have a good center too, you know.He?—”

“And even if he wasn’t disappointed,” I countered, though I knew hewouldbe because I knew him.He did not want me.“What do you really think would happen?He doesn’t date.Ever.There would be no future there.”Nodding out my own assurance, I claimed, “I got my one perfect”—deceitful—“night with him.And I’m okay with that.I don’t want to ruin it by being greedy for something more that I already know I can’t have.”

Xander frowned in displeasure before huffing out a breath.She wanted to believe in happily ever after and soul mates.Even after she’d gotten her heart shattered by Liam, I could tell she still wished it were possible.

But she also knew I was right—Keene Dugger was not a happily ever after kind of guy—and she should stop pushing for that.

Thankfully, the professor arrived to start class before she could admit it aloud, and I was able to turn my attention to the front of the room, ending the conversation there.

But it stuck with me, and the more I thought about what she’d told me, the more I worried about how soon he was going to learn the truth.All of his friends’ girlfriends were going to know soon enough.And every single one of those girlfriends seemed like the type to share secrets with their boyfriends.

Parker, I could trust to keep his mouth shut.But the rest… They were Keene’s best friends.

Someonewas going to spill the beans.

My guts knotted with dread, and I honestly didn’t know what to do.

I’d messed up beyond redemption when I’d let him assume I was someone I wasn’t, and now everything was beginning to snowball out of control.

Karma was coming for me.

* * *

When class finally let out,I lurched from my chair, needing to escape.

Xander tried to be supportive and hurry with me.“Hey, do you want to?—”

“Not right now,” I told her, shoving my textbook into my bag and sending her an apologetic look before shaking my head to let her know I was drowning here.“I gotta go.I just—I gotta think.”

“Right.”She nodded in understanding.“I get it.Call you later, okay?”

“Okay.Thanks.”After zipping my bag closed, I slung the strap over my shoulder and caught her eye.“Later.”

She smiled.“Yeah.”Tipping her head in reassurance, she added, “You’ve got this, Frankie.Everything’s going to be okay.I know it.”

I seriously doubted that.But I smiled my thanks for her support, anyway.

My first instinct was to go to the library.That was my safe space.Except Keene hung out there way too often.And I really wasn’t ready to face him again, not after Saturday and the moment we’d shared behind the checkout counter, and especially not after learning he had a picture composite of me he was showing around.

Honestly, it kind of stung to hear he was still chasingherafter he’d almost kissedme.And yes, I knew Iwasher.Buthedidn’t.

This just proved I was nothing to him, our moment had meant nothing, and Xander had been putting silly ideas in my head.I just needed to reboot and get my mind straight again.

I went to the library because there was nowhere else for me to go.

The second floor was his least favorite place to hang out, so I headed up the wide, slightly curved, carpeted staircase, trailing my fingers along the ornately decorated wooden railing as I went.

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