Chapter Four

As she sat down, Jack nudged his tray toward her. “Fries?”

“You didn’t even flinch when I called you cute,” she muttered, stealing one anyway.

“I flinched on the inside.”

“Oh.”

“But like... in a good way.”

Pause.

“Anyway, these fries are undercooked and taste like sadness, so you’re welcome.”

Lily chewed thoughtfully. “Delicious.”

Across the cafeteria, her friend Amelia waved dramatically, mouthing something that looked like “OH MY GOSH IS THAT JACK???” followed by wild flailing.

Lily gave her the internationally recognized signal for shut it, human—an aggressive side-eye and a subtle throat slice motion.

Jack noticed. “Friend drama?”

“No. Friend being nosy. She thinks this is a date.”

“Isn’t it?”

Lily choked on her fry. “WHAT?”

Jack smirked. “I’m kidding. Mostly.”

She covered her face. “You’re the human version of a plot twist.”

Just then, Taylor “Too Cool for Everyone” Bryant walked by and did the Head Nod of Mild Acknowledgment™ at Jack.

“Whoa,” Lily whispered. “Was that Taylor nodding at you? That’s like... social gold.”

Jack looked proud. “I gave him a granola bar during gym class. He was cramping. I think it changed him emotionally.”

“You saved his blood sugar and his soul.”

Jack shrugged. “That’s just who I am.”

*******************

After lunch, they walked to class together again, and Lily noticed something wild.

People were looking at them.

Not in a mean girl pointing and whispering way, but in a whoa, are they a thing? kind of way.

She felt her stomach flip in a way that had nothing to do with undercooked fries.

Jack must’ve felt it too, because he said, very casually, “So... you okay with people thinking we’re... like... something?”

Lily paused.

Then shrugged.

“Let ‘em think what they want,” she said, trying to sound cooler than she felt. “I’m not hiding my waffle socks for anyone.”

Jack laughed. “That’s my girl.”

He froze.

Lily froze.

They both stared into the void of social tension for approximately eight million years.

Then Lily said, “You know what? I am your girl.”

Jack blinked.

“Your girl... who’s a friend,” she clarified quickly. “Your girl-friend. With a hyphen. Like grammar. Not emotion.”

Jack opened his mouth. Closed it. Then nodded like a confused penguin.

“Right. Totally. Hyphen. Yep. Normal.”

They split at the hallway.

Lily walked to English feeling approximately 93% flustered and 7% thrilled.

Because... maybe this whole lunch-date-possibly-a-real-date thing?

It wasn’t so bad.

Especially if fries were involved.

Lily had three main fears in life:

Accidentally replying “you too” when someone says “happy birthday.”

Public displays of anything—affection, attention, or acne.

School dances(especially ones boys are invited to) .

And yet, there it was. Slapped on every locker in neon orange:

💃 SPRING FLING IS THIS FRIDAY! 🕺

Theme: “A Night Under the Stars” (aka glitter everywhere)

Dress to impress. Or at least, wear deodorant.

Lily stared at the dance poster like it had insulted her ancestors.

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