P.S. I Like You(22)

She smiled. “Do you make it a habit of laughing at your dates?”

“Only when they do something funny.”

Mrs. Clark thought for a second. “When I was dating, my girlfriends and I used to say, ‘Don’t cry in front of him before date three.’ ”

“Cry?” I echoed, frowning.

“Yeah. Guys gets skittish when you cry.”

“I don’t think I have to worry about that one.”

“You don’t cry?”

“I don’t make it to date three.”

She smiled again, like I hadn’t been making a joke. I had been. Sort of. “Rules are silly,” she said. “Just be real.”

“Easier said than done.” I entered the last sign out into the computer, then filed away the hardcopy. “Done.”

“Oh, good.” She pointed across the room. “Can you grab the keys and drop this packet off in Mrs. Lungren’s room?”

“Sure.” I got to my feet. “Why do I need keys for that?”

“Mrs. L locks up during fourth. Prep period.”

“Where are the keys?”

“Have I never had you drop things off in locked rooms before?”

“No.”

She gave a grunt like she was surprised. “Well, you’re responsible, so I can trust you.” She winked and went over to a cabinet at the very back of the office, retrieved some keys, and then placed them in my hand.

“Super responsible,” I promised with a smile.

So responsible that after dropping off the packet in Mrs. L’s classroom, I found myself in the Science building, heading toward room 201. The room where I had Chemistry. I’d just look in the window, I told myself. See who sat at my desk. True, Isabel had Chemistry fourth period, and I could have just asked her. Why was I doing this? My best friend would’ve mentioned if she’d seen someone writing notes the whole class. She noticed things like that. Especially because she knew I was exchanging notes with someone. My pen pal had to have it second period.

Still, I wanted to look.

My heart was racing when I reached the room. But it was dark, and locked. Why? The keys I held dug into my hand and I was so tempted to use them. But for what purpose? To retrieve the note early? To see if my note was already gone? Both seemed too pointless to risk it.

I turned and rushed off before Mrs. Clark realized I had been gone way too long and took my future key privileges away.



When it was time for my Chemistry class, I arrived at the door to find it locked again, and the classroom still empty. This time I noticed a sign taped to the door. Had it been there earlier? It must’ve.

LAB TODAY. MEET IN ROOM 301.

Lab. I’d forgotten about lab. That meant there would be no note today. It also meant he hadn’t read my note from the day before. I didn’t remember exactly what I had written. I vaguely remembered trying to make a few jokes. Would he think I was laughing at him? Was I trying too hard to be funny?

It didn’t matter. I wasn’t trying to date the guy. I didn’t even know who he was. I wasn’t going to overanalyze it. Besides, rules were stupid.

“It says: Lab today. Meet in room 301.” Cade said each word of the sign slowly.

I turned, wanting to throw an elbow as I did, but kept my arms safely at my sides. “Yeah. I got that.”

“You were standing there for so long I wondered.”

“Are you stalking me now?”

He held up his hands and stepped to the side. “I was just trying to be helpful. It’s who I am.”

“You should reevaluate your definition of help.”

He smiled and started ticking words off on his right hand. “To assist, to save, to be handsome. I think I have them all.”

“Pretty sure you only possess the one that doesn’t even fit the definition.”

“I’m glad you think I’m handsome, Lily. I always knew you did.”

My cheeks went pink as I realized I had walked right into that.

He leaned close. “That makes it two hundred and one … ” He pointed at himself. “To three.” He pointed at me. “Since you’re keeping score.”

I gave him a little push and walked away. “I have at least five points,” I mumbled.

I got to the lab and settled into my seat next to my lab partner, Isaiah. I knew there would not be a note under the long lab table. I looked anyway. There were only tubes leading up to the Bunsen burners. My pen pal and I probably sat in completely different seats for lab. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t disappointed.

Isaiah handed me a pair of goggles and said, “I should probably control the fire this time. Your paper dragon last time almost set off the smoke alarm.”

“Thanks,” I sighed, and got to work.





I was the first to arrive at the library after school. I found a table near the back and placed my backpack in the center. This was already off to a better start than the last time I hung out with David because it was taking place outside of my house. No spilled Legos and stacks of laundry, no bloody-chinned brothers and definitely no rabbits with bladder control issues.

Okay, I told myself as I settled back in the chair. Isabel is trying really hard in her self-appointed quest to make you dateable. You can try, too. I wasn’t sure what trying consisted of. Not talking?