GAME ON

Chapter 28~ Don't You Dare!.

JASMINE'S POV

I step into the hallway expecting to see Rosie because we agreed to meet before first period.

The hallway's loud like it always is, but the second I see him, everything else goes quiet.

Connor.

He's back. Two weeks of no teasing, no obnoxious comments about my math homework, no random snacks thrown at my head in chem. Two weeks and I told myself I didn't notice.

Liar.

He's leaning against the lockers like he's trying to look casual, but his shoulders are too tight. Hands shoved deep in his pockets. He looks nervous. Connor never looks nervous.

"Jasmine. Can I talk to you for two minutes? Before Rosie shows up and rescues you."

His voice is lower than usual. No teasing edge. That alone makes my stomach do something stupid.

"Depends," I say, crossing my arms. "Are you here to blackmail or use me in another revenge plan?"

He flinches. Good. He should.

"No," he says too fast. "God, no. I'm sorry about the diary thing. I thought... I thought if I made you go to that party with me, Chris would get mad and it would prove how much I can get under his skin. I used you. And that was messed up."

My first instinct is to snap back. _You think 'sorry' fixes that?_ But the words get stuck because he looks miserable saying it. Like he actually means it.

"I know," he keeps going, running a hand through his hair. "And I'm sorry I used your diary as a leverage to make you do all that. I'm really sorry Jasmine. To be honest I only opened the diary once and I closed it because it felt so wrong.

_What?_

Well that's new. I know I write about Jake being overprotective, about Rosie's terrible taste in music and her indecisiveness, about how annoying Connor is.

But I expected him to read the entire book and tease me about it endlessly.

"Well can I have it back?" I ask before I can stop myself.

"Yeah, here it is" He hands me back the diary and I stare at it before taking it . It felt too good to be true.

Is he really giving me back?.

"I'm sorry I've been a jerk these past few years I thought maybe if I annoyed you enough, you'd notice me back. Even if it was just to yell at me. I just can't stop thinking about you Jasmine"

Oh.

He says it fast, like if he slows down he'll take it back. And then he just... waits. Waiting for me to laugh, or slap him, or walk away.

My brain short-circuits.

He thinks about me. _Me._ Not as a pawn, not as Jake's little sister, but as... me. And he's apologizing for being a jerk?

Am I dreaming?

Stupid.

So stupid.

But also-

Two weeks without him and the hallway felt too quiet. Two weeks and I caught myself looking at the empty seat behind me in history. Two weeks and I missed his stupid jokes, even the ones that made me roll my eyes so hard it hurt.

I'm not mad. I should be mad. But I'm not. I'm relieved he's standing here, looking like an idiot, waiting for me to say something.

"You're an idiot, Connor," I say. It's safer than saying anything else.