Page 69 of Didn't See That Coming

“I’m not saying that that’s all youhaveto offer—” Well, to be fair, I don’t know that he does have anything else to offer. “But, like, for example, even with us, you were just all about showing off your wealth. Like you so proudly pointed out just now, you took me on your yacht.Youfeel that the only thing you have to offer is wealth, so you can’t blame your exes for being attracted to you for your wealth. Why don’t you offer them something else? Good conversation. Banter. Askthem about themselves, show some interest in them instead of yourself.”

There’s a moment of choked silence. I can practically hear my words being digested by Jonas. Maybe I was too harsh. But then again, maybe that was exactly what he needed to hear to drop me as a girlfriend.

Then he sighs. “See? That’s what I like about you. You’re so intuitive. And you tell it to me like it is.” He smiles ruefully at me. “Come on, the Spring Dance isn’t that far off. If by then you haven’t developed feelings for me, we’re done. That was the deal, right?”

I release my breath in a long, heavy sigh. The Spring Dance is this Saturday. Jonas is right that it isn’t far off, though in this moment it feels like an eternity. On one hand, I’m sad because, of course, a small part of me had been secretly hoping that Liam would ask me. Not that there was any chance of that ever happening, but try telling that to the stubborn little thing called hope. On the other hand, that means I only have six days left as Jonas’s girlfriend. I can just about manage that. Having an end date in sight is such a relief that I nod quickly. “Okay,” I say before he can change his mind. “Deal.”

“But you have to promise to keep an open mind,” Jonas continues. “You’ve gotta actually give me a chance for this whole thing to work.”

The idea of giving Jonas an actual chance is unthinkable. I don’t even know what that would be like. I’m about to just nod and go along with it, but then I think, maybe he deserves the truth. “You were tormenting me from the very first day Igot here and dared to disagree with you. I honestly don’t know how to ‘keep an open mind’ with you.”

Jonas sighs. “Doesn’t the fact that I’m no longer teasing you count for anything? And I told you, I only teased you because I like you.”

I keep quiet then. I don’t see the point in prolonging the discussion. Best thing I can do is go along with it for the rest of the week. Be as pliant and boring as I can be and call it quits right after the Spring Dance.

Of course, as soon as we get to school, it hits me just how hard another week as Jonas’s girlfriend is. We’re walking with each other, with Jonas right in my personal space. It signals to everyone that we’re an item. He even insists on carrying my laptop bag, which is a dead giveaway. Eyes brush over us, take in my bright teal laptop bag slung over one shoulder, and stop, widening. Whispers fly like wind rushing through the trees. I have no idea what to do with my hands, so I white-knuckle it from the entrance of the vast school all the way to class.

Liam glances up when I walk through the doorway, his eyebrows lifting, but Jonas is right behind me, and when he sees Jonas, the light in Liam’s eyes wanes a little. My stomach flips. God, I want so badly to tell Liam the truth. I can’t stop sneaking glances at him as Jonas makes a show of handing me my laptop bag and saying loudly, for the benefit of others, “I’ll see you later, yeah?”

I manage a curt nod before hurrying to my desk, reminding myself to be grateful that Xingfa has such strict rules surrounding dating. No touching allowed on school premises. So Jonas is limited to loudly proclaiming to everyone that we’regoing to have lunch together. I should be thankful for every small blessing, really.

“Hey,” I say softly to Liam after I settle into my seat. Should I ask him how his Sunday went? Maybe ask him what he’s reading? I sneak a glance without moving my head but can’t quite see the book title.

“Hey.” Liam straightens up and tugs lightly at the collar of his uniform. He clears his throat. “Do anything fun over the weekend?”

I have to bite my cheeks to keep from grinning wide. “Well, you know. Tried to murder a fish. Failed.”

A smile appears, and god, how is it possible for a guy to be this cute?

“Well, you know, those small fish, they’re known for being deadly.”

“Oh yeah.” I nod solemnly. “Very deadly. It wasn’t small, really. It was big and strong. A real monster.”

“Uh-huh, exactly.” Liam grins at me, and it’s so sweet and sincere that I almost blurt out everything to him.

Is he going to bring up that incredible moment we had on the yacht? Where I was so sure that he was about to kiss me? But for the next few seconds, we just smile at each other expectantly, the moment growing more and more awkward until I clear my throat. “Anyway, how was the rest of your weekend?”

He shrugs. “It was fine. I spent Sunday with my dad. We watched a movie. Sat in Velvet Class.”

“Oh, fancy. Velvet Class is the one with beds instead ofseats, right?” I nod solemnly at him. “Yeah, definitely the place to go with your dad.”

Liam bursts out laughing. “We had no idea the cinema would have beds instead of seats! I mean, what the hell? And when we bought the tickets, they didn’t even bother telling us. My dad and I ended up perched on opposite sides of the bed. I had one leg hanging off the side.”

By now, we’re both laughing like mad. “To be fair, the ticket person was probably quietly judging you guys for being weird,” I say.

“Thanks for that insight. Very helpful.”

I give a mock bow. “I try.”

I love the banter I have with Liam, but I’m also smarting at the thought that this is the only kind of conversation I can have with him in person. Only surface-level stuff and nothing more. I can’t talk to him about all the stuff with his mom, his going to see a therapist, or anything meaningful like that. I can’t even talk to him about our real hobby,Warfront Heroes.So I guess that’s that. I’m just going to have to be patient and wait until Jonas and I are officially over before sorting out the mess with Liam.

When Mr.Tan walks in and tells us to go into our respective groups, things become even more awkward. The first thing Jonas says once we’re settled into our groups is “Look at that, two happy couples working together on a bomb-ass project.”

Liam, Peishan, and I glance at each other. I have no idea what’s going through Peishan’s head, but she looks as uncomfortable as I feel, which makes me feel even more shitty, because none of this is her fault. She has a crush on Liam, andshe doesn’t know that I have one on him as well and—and—god this is all a mess.

Liam clears his throat. “Uh, anyway. I really like the direction our project is headed.” He gives me a quick smile, and though it lasts for about a second, it conveys so much.

It takes a moment for me to recall where we left off in our last meeting, and when I do, my spirits lift. Because last group meeting, we outvoted Jonas and settled on a game set in outer space. The main character crash-lands on an alien planet and has to scavenge for parts to try to rebuild a working spaceship. It’s basically a gathering/engineering game with a female main character who’s fully covered in a spacesuit, no in-your-face boobs or butt. Jonas whined that it was boring and had no clear target audience, but Peishan made a case that, actually, farming/gathering games are a huge subgenre, and the engineering aspect would make it popular among parents.

---