The Truth About Faking

Jerk.
    Robin shoots me an apologetic look, but I keep walking. Maybe it isn’t much, but I can at least walk away from them, not sit by and pretend to agree with their ignorance. I catch Jason’s eyes as I pass. He can tell something’s wrong, and as I push through the heavy cafeteria door, I see him frown.
     
    The rest of the day’s pretty quiet, and by the time the final bell rings, my anger’s subsided. Shelly’s beaming rainbows and sunshine in the car. It’s nice she’s having such a breakthrough in her personal life and all, but it just reminds me of Stephanie and Jason.
    Was she serious about breaking it off with him? And if so, then what? Will he be all hurt and need a recovery period? No. They only went out once. But it only took me once to be hooked on Jason.
    “Okay. Frown police,” Shelly glances at me while turning onto my street. “What’s going on?”
    I sigh. Since the whole Aaron-love thing, I figure it’s safe now to tell her. “I was just thinking about Jason.”
    “Jason? I thought you got over him weeks ago.”
    I chew my lip. She technically was going out with Jason during all our encounters at the creek.
    “Well…” I’m not sure how to say it.
    “Well, you’ve finally realized what a super hottie he is?” she smiles. “I told you that the first day, but you were so into Trent.”
    “I guess. But I can’t stop thinking about him now. And he’s all with Stephanie.” I exhale, hoping it’ll ease the pressure in my chest.
    Shelly turns into my driveway and kills the car. “Okay, I’m going to tell you something.” She turns in her seat to face me. “I should’ve told you weeks ago, but I didn’t think it mattered.”
    “What?” I frown, and she reaches across and presses her index finger between my eyebrows.
    “Piece of tape right there,” she says. “Supposed to break the frown-habit.”
    I bat her hand away. “Just tell me.”
    “Don’t get big-headed, but the whole time we were dating, I could tell he was still into you,” she says. “You could so get him back if you wanted, I just know it.”
    My heart jumps. “But what if he really does like Stephanie?”
    “Too soon,” she says. “And have I taught you nothing, Grasshopper? If you want him, go get him! Assertiveness. Break the Cycle!”
    I fall back against the seat. “I tried that,” I say. “I texted him and asked him to meet me at the creek.”
    Shelly’s eyes widen with her smile. “Now we’re getting somewhere!”
    I shake my head, looking down. “No we’re not. He thinks I’m only into him now because of what happened with Trent.”
    “Ew.” Her smile fades. “Gotcha.”
    “Tell me about it,” I sigh again.
    I watch her thinking a few moments, then she jumps. “Go to his house,” she says.
    I shake my head and reach down for my bag. “I can’t do that.”
    “Old Harley can’t, but Assertive Harley can,” she says. “Go there and stand in his driveway and tell him how you feel. It’s in all the movies. The ultimate romantic gesture.”
    I think about it. He did come to my house that night—and the next day—to ask me not to date Trent. And he did at least show up to meet me at the creek the night I texted him.
    “But what will I say?”
    “Just say what you feel.”
     
    I walk back to my room after dinner. Mom’s washing the dishes. Dad’s in his study reading as usual. My conversation with Shelly is the only thing on my mind. I go over and sit on my bed, pulling open the little drawer under my lamp where my old list is hidden. Also stuffed in the drawer is my copy of the police report from the day Jason hit me with his car. I wonder for a split second if I should’ve given this to mom, but more importantly, I see written on the top right side Jason’s address. I know exactly where his house is. I can do it, I can go there tonight. But how can I get out of my house?
    I walk back to Dad’s study. He glances up at me and smiles. “How’s it hanging, biker-chick?”
    “Missing the open road.”
    He chuckles. “Kids at school behaving?”
    I nod. “For the most part. There’s been some gossip, but I just ignore it.”
    He puts his book down, smile disappearing. “It’s hard, I know,” he says. “I’m sorry if the gossip hits home sometimes.”
    “It usually doesn’t bother me,” I say, looking down. “I mean, we’ve all grown up together. We all know each other.”
    “But when it’s your mom—”
    “Oh, it’s not that. Ricky killed all