Page 26 of The Do-Over

“Long story short—my car got towed.”

I looked at Chris in disbelief as he put on his coat and slammed his locker. On top of everything, of all the tragedies of that god-awful day, Chris had no car with which to drive us home? I said, “So…?”

“So we’re walking home, I guess, because Rox is already gone and my parents are both in meetings.”

“Ugh,” I groaned. “I cannot believe this day.”

“I checked and the wind chill is just south of ten degrees, so yeah—this is gonna blow.”

“You guys need a ride?”

I closed my eyes when I heard the voice.Of courseNick Stark wasthere. Why wouldn’t he be? He was every-fucking-where that day. I opened my mouth to give him a big oldNo thankswhen Chris said over my shoulder in a near-squeal, “For real?”

I turned in time to see Nick shrug and say to Chris, “Sure. You ready now or—”

“I have to do something first,” I interrupted, giving Chris a look. “I have to, um, run something to the north hall meeting room really fast.”

Chris rolled his eyes, catching on to what I was up to. “I just want to go home, Em.”

“I need to find Josh first. I’ll be quick.” I held up a finger at them, turned, and started speed-walking down the hall toward the meeting room, but they followed me. Over my shoulder, I said, “You don’t have to go with me—I can meet you at the car.”

“Nah—we want to,” Nick said, giving me a smart-ass look as they kept walking with me.

“Can’t you go over to his house later?” Chris sighed dramatically and added, “Like a normal human being on Valentine’s Day?”

“I just have to give him his gift before I go.” We reached the meeting room, which was where Mock Trial did their thing, and I took a deep breath. “One minute and I’ll be ready.”

Chris rolled his eyes. I knew I was acting desperate, but really—I was desperate. I gestured for them to move and give me a little space, but they weren’t budging.

Fine.

I pulled open the door and popped my head inside. People were sitting at multiple tables, talking, and I squinted as I scannedthe room for Josh. I was almost ready to give up when I noticed the back of his head, sitting at a table on the other side of the room.

I was a little surprised by the bubble of rage that blurbled inside of me at the sight of his curly hair—the outing with Macy was too fresh—but we were going to do the damn love thing if it killed me.

“Josh!” I whisper-yelled. “Pssst! Josh!”

He didn’t hear me, but Owen Collins—one of Josh’s I-purport-myself-to-be-a-college-professor friends—did. He stood and said, “Joshua, you are being paged by your girlfriend.”

Which made every single head swing around in my direction.

“Can we go, please?” Chris muttered from behind me.

“One sec,” I said as Josh walked across the room and toward me.

“This is so romantic,” I heard Nick mutter, sounding like he thought anything but.

Chris giggled.

“Hey. Em.” Josh looked at me. “What’s up?”

“I, um, I have your present.” I held up the wrapped box and smiled. “I thought maybe we could do our exchange really quick before I go.”

“I don’t have your present with me.” Josh glanced behind him and then said to me, “And I really have to go.”

“But don’t you have to work after this?” I tucked my hair behind my ears, anxious to convince him because I desperately needed to turn the day around so February 15 was a possibility. “I really want to give you my gifttoday.”

“Desperate much?” Chris said, and I knew he was right, even asI kicked out my leg and struck his shin. I knew he was right, but I still had to try.

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