Page 33 of Not Fooling Anyone

I return to the kitchen, throwing a Hot Pocket in the microwave. “I have to get to work soon.”

“We made spaghetti earlier if you want any leftovers,” Travis says.

“I’m fine.” I’m not a moocher.

“I’m beginning to think you don’t like my cooking.”

I stare at my sad meal rotating in the microwave. “Travis, I’m fine.”

“Well, have some when you get home from work.”

I nod, listening to them continue to look up boys they liked in high school, giggling over each other’s crushes. What would it be like to be so comfortable with someone you could do that?

And why do I care? It’s not like that’s in the cards for me.

There’s no use dreaming about what you can’t have.

CHAPTERSEVEN

ETHAN

Lexie’s hairshines in the sun, a halo of dark fire around her head as she sits on a bench outside the Psych building, waiting for me. We decided before meeting here last week that we should always walk into the lab together, like a normal couple would.

“Hey, how’d you do on the test yesterday?”

She squints, holding a hand up to shield her eyes against the sun as she looks up at me. “Good. You probably got an A, Mister Three-point-nine.”

I give her a broad smile, glad she can joke about it now. And her blurted admission of what she thinks of me? Perfection.

I know better than to bring it up, though.

“Don’t be a hater.”

She rolls her eyes, standing and handing me her backpack. “You’ll carry this for me, right, Snookums?”

Wow, someone’s in a good mood. “Of course, Pookie Bear.”

We walk up the stairs to the fourth floor where the Psychobiology lab is, Dr. Clark greeting us warmly. “We’re splitting up the group today,” she tells us. “You two will be with Justin down the hall using the fMRI machine.”

Great. He’ll probably ask me if I went to the doctor. I did… but it wasn’t the news I was hoping for.

“They must be doing those brain scans today,” Lexie whispers as we follow our professor to a room with a computer and multiple monitors. Against one wall is a long glass window showing another room with a huge piece of equipment in the center. It’s kind of intimidating looking.

“Hope you’re not claustrophobic,” I whisper back.

“No, I’m fine.”

“Hey, guys,” Justin says, his back to us as he does something hunched over a tray table in the corner of the room. “Just give me a sec to finish up here.”

Dr. Clark leaves us and I look through the window, studying the machine, asking if I can go in the room to examine it.

“Yeah, but no touching.”

I open the door and wander over to it, leaning over and sticking my head in the hole.

Lexie follows me, elbowing me in the side. “Don’t do that. It could be on.”

“It’s fine.” I turn to face her, finding her right there, our faces only a few inches apart.

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