Page 34 of The Beta Test

“Me too.”

“So… did you find someone else to do homework with?”

Boom!

My face nearly cracks from how hard I’m smiling now. I can feel the jealousy in his voice! Braden still loves me! I try to play it cool though—maybe it’s a good thing we aren’t FaceTiming because I know my face would give me away.

“Oh! Well, not exactly. I mean, I’ve met up with someone a couple of times, but that’s it.”

“Huh,” he replies. “Anyone I know?”

“Yeah, actually. You know Jenna?”

“Of course I know Jenna, Avery.”

“Right. Do you remember her brother, Jake?”

“Isn’t he, like, two years younger than you?”

“Well, two years younger than Jenna, but I’m young for my grade. So I guess he’s not that much younger than me. And actually, Jake skipped a grade and now he’s a junior. He’s pretty good at math too.”

“Huh.”

Pause.

“Isn’t he a hockey player or something?”

“Yeah.”

Pause.

“Does Jenna come when you do homework together?”

“No, she’s not in calculus.”

“Huh.”

“Why do you keep saying ‘huh’?”

“It’s kinda weird, don’t you think?”

“What’s weird?”

“You hanging out with Jake alone.”

“Are you jealous or something?”

I cross my fingers hoping he’ll say YES! I’m jealous! Stop doing our thing with someone else! I love you forever, Avery!

“It’s just… when we were younger, I thought he had a crush on you, but back then it was cute, you know? Now I’m gone and he’s moving in on you? That’s not cool.”

My expression drops. Moving in on me? That’s not the response I was hoping for at all. Now he’s making it out to be some macho competition between the two of them instead of declaring his devotion to me.

“First of all, Jake never had a crush on me.”

He scoffs, but I ignore it.

“Secondly, doing calculus homework together a couple of times doesn’t mean he’s ‘moving in on me.’ What does that even mean?”