If I Tell

either.” She glanced down the hallway. “Maybe if Marnie feels comfortable, we could double-date.” She looked at me and started laughing. “Chill. I’m only teasing you. Ha. You should see your face!”
    I narrowed my eyes and gave her a dirty look, not amused.
    We came to a “T” in the hallway and Ashley pointed left. “I’m this way. You want to meet on the front steps at lunch?”
    “Sure.” I waved and rushed to my own class, cheered by an unusual sense of belonging.
    ***
    I met up with Ashley at my locker, and we grabbed our lunch bags and then headed for some fresh air outside. This time of day, kids would be sprawled all over the front walk and steps, spilling onto the lawn and enjoying the break from class.
    As soon as I stepped outside, the sunlight blinded me. I breathed in cool, fresh air and heard a car horn honking. Just another car alarm going off, I assumed. I assumed wrong.
    “Jaz. Hey, Jaz,” a voice shouted over the noise.
    I lifted my hand to block the sun and tensed when I spotted the person shouting.
    “What the heck is he doing here?”
    “Hey. That’s Simon,” Ashley said, noticing him at the same time.
    “No kidding.” I swore under my breath and snarled. “What does he want?”
    Simon waved his arms in the air and jumped up and down on the other side of the road.
    “Hey, Jaz! Jaz,” he shouted.
    He seemed reluctant to cross the sidewalk separating the school yard from the road, even though in jeans and a T-shirt and hoodie he barely looked older than most of the high-school kids. I wanted to yell at him to get away from the school. Get away from me.
    People stared, watching him and then me. I spotted Tina and her clones a few feet away. Tina was standing and looking around as if she was waiting for someone.
    “Another new boyfriend?” Tina called when she saw me.
    “It can’t be. She’s with the lesbian,” one of Tina’s groupies squealed.
    “I liked it better when they ignored me,” I said.
    Ashley raised her middle finger without looking over.
    Simon continued waving his arms. I lifted my hand to let him know I’d seen him and to stop his ridiculous gesturing. “I have to go see what he wants,” I told Ashley, even though he was the last person in the world I wanted to talk to. “Do you mind? I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”
    “Uh, I guess not,” Ashley said. “Things cool between you guys now?”
    I ignored her and hurried down the sidewalk toward Simon, eager to get away from the people watching us. I hurried to cross the road, but when I reached him, I stopped.
    “What?” I demanded, frowning at his expensive designer sunglasses. Who was he trying to impress?
    He grinned. “Hey. I haven’t seen you in ages, and that’s all I get? What?”
    I clutched my lunch bag close. “What are you doing here, Simon? You’re a little too old to be hanging around my high school.”
    His sunglasses almost hid his hurt expression. Almost. He smiled again with regular voltage. “I knew you’d come outside for your lunch break. I’m on a break from work too. We’re doing a house close by, so I thought I’d pop over to see if I could take you for lunch.”
    I uncrossed my arms and lifted my brown paper bag in the air. “I brought lunch. Grandma insists I don’t waste my money.”
    He stepped toward me and took the bag out of my hand. “Throw it out. I’ll buy you something hot and greasy.”
    I glanced behind me at the school. Ashley had disappeared. “Grandma will be pissed if I throw out my lunch.”
    “Don’t tell her. You don’t need to tell her everything you do, you know.”
    I already knew Simon was good at hiding things.
    “Come on, Jaz.” He pushed the bag toward me. “Save it for later if you don’t want to throw it out. I’ll buy you McD’s.” He put an arm on my shoulder. “I’d really like to talk to you. It’s been awhile.” He squeezed my shoulder. “It’s important.”
    I wanted to say no. I pressed my lips tighter.
    “Please.”
    I grabbed my bag from his hand and wiggled my shoulder away from him.
    He pointed to his car. His stupid yellow Beetle. “Come on. I’m parked illegally.”
    We were being watched. I had a couple of choices. Make a big scene and stomp away. Or, go and deal with him in private.
    “Fine.” I strutted to the passenger door, yanked on the handle, pulled the door open, and jumped inside.
    I tossed my paper bag into the backseat as Simon climbed into the driver’s seat. He started the