ction Olympics & Th

POPPY

count

seeping back into my ears after the cold shock of that note. Asher was already shoving the Tupperware of chocolate

e when he wiped cake crumbs off his hoodie. "We design the certificates first, t

" out of her locker pile, ripped it neatly in half, and dropped it in the trash can next to a freshman's math homework. "Al

t him. "You wouldn't dare. My lucky socks are

at my place tomorrow? We're watching that terrible rom

up of sophomores, but I saw the way his jaw kept tightening, the way he kept patting his pocket like he was scared the note would vanish or multiply or scream out loud for everyone to hear. That

boathouse for three days, told everyone it was stolen, and tried to plant new rose bushes at two in the morning wearing his dinosaur pajamas. I'd

knew if I pushed he'd just laugh it off, call it a stupid prank, and stop telling me things entirely. So I said nothing. Just followed them

the Rejection Olympics sta

ey were color-coded: gold for Platinum Friend Zone, silver for I'm Already In Love With Someone Else, and a truly terrible neon orange for Sorry You're Shorter Than My

he boy nearly dropped his tray. "YOU'RE A GREAT GUY! YOU JUST REMIND ME OF MY LIT

. Asher cackled so hard he snort-laughed chocolate milk out his nose, banging his fist on

You told that sophomore from math class 'you're amazing I just don't like you like that' and

iately winced when a lanky junior from the soccer team walked

at him like he'd grown a second head. "I know we don't talk

smiling and nodding and accidentally making them think I was saying yes. I opened my mouth, ready to stammer out some nice, soft lie that would somehow make

smirk on his face. "She's already got a standing date to help me no

d feel it through his hoodie, my cheeks burning so hot I was sure I was glowing red. His arm was still around me, warm and solid, and for half a second I let myself prete

ip. "SEE? That's two more points! I rescued Pops from an awkward confession

aitorous heart down, and stared at my half-eaten sandwich. One day, I told

read every single thought in my head. She mouthed IDIOT at me

aughing at Jax and Asher's certificate drama, and that cold twist in my stomach about the note hadn't gone away. I let myself in the front door, drop

r-old radar for my bad mood pinging instantly. She put her glue

ng stupid and you're in love with him and also something scary happened' face. Is it the backflip thing aga

The backflip faceplant, the headlock, the perfect grades reveal that had shocked the whole school, the Rejection Olympics bet, the w

r a whole minute. Then she groaned

BEEN IN LOVE WITH HIM SINCE YOU WERE FIVE AND HE PUSHED THAT KID OFF THE SWING FOR YOU AND HE STILL THINKS YOU JUST BRIN

airs! And don't you dare say anything to him. Promise me. He'll just get all weir

pining over a boy who thinks 'subtle' is a type of pasta." She paused, her voice softening, all the sass draining out of it when she saw how tight I was twisting my bracelet around my wrist. "The note though... that's

But he won't listen. He never does. He thinks he has to be

ss the table at me, the one with the pink sprinkles she knew I loved. "Now go write in your diary and mope. I'll clean up the gli

bbly, and picked up t

irs. I pulled my pink glitter diary out of my backpack, flipped to the next empty page, and took the tiny white rose I'd plucked from our front garden

rt almost beat out of my chest. He still doesn't know. Jax made rejection cert

r, then wrote the next part slow, like w

his pocket and didn't tell anyone but me. I'm scared. Not just for him. For all of us. It feels like somethin

mattress where no one but me ever looked, and was just about to

from Asher, se

'll handle it. also bring extra lemon gatorade

wanted to text him back you don't have to handle it alone. I wanted to text him

ad I

xtra cold in the

like I did every night. I pulled the curta

with dark tinted windows. The engine was off, no lights on, but I could just ma

eping dread, that had been parked across

window, my heart hammering so hard I could hear it in my ears. I yanked the curtain closed,

t. Something

dy closer than a

f Cha