Chapter 4

Foster was thrilled with our progress, so she stopped setting up scenes.

As she wished, I spent all my free time alone with Brooks in the classroom.

Brooks was brilliant.

Concepts that seemed impossible to me, things the teachers explained a hundred times, he could break down in seconds.

Of course, sometimes he teased me for being slow, tapping my head and joking that I was giving him a headache.

I’d look up at him, pout, and see him framed by the window. The golden hour light hit his face, highlighting his perfect features.

I stared.

His breath hitched.

We both quickly looked away, pretending nothing happened, just like the times our hands accidentally brushed.

Two weeks flew by.

My midterm grades skyrocketed, almost catching up to Foster's.

She started getting anxious.

"You nerd! I told you to seduce Brooks, not do homework with him!"

"How is he going to fall in love with you if you're just studying?"

"How are we going to ruin him after the breakup? Where is the fun in that?"

"Take him to the mall this weekend!"

"Buy him a watch or some sneakers. That's how you hook him. Got it?"

I remembered overhearing Foster asking our parents to take her shopping this weekend.

I realized what she was planning and agreed.

Besides, Brooks’s birthday was coming up, and I wanted to get him something.

When I went to find him, I overheard him on the phone with Foster.

Foster’s voice was demanding: "You know what to do if you run into my parents, right?"

"Act close with Christy. Make it look like you've already slept together..."

After he hung up, disgust flashed in his eyes.

I waited a moment before walking in to invite him to the mall.

Brooks asked, "I thought you said your parents don't give you money?"

I smiled. "I have my ways."

That weekend, I took Brooks to a flea market first.

I pulled out the gemstone necklace he had given Foster.

His face darkened. "Where did you get that?"

"Foster threw it in the trash. I liked it, so I kept it."

"It looks expensive. Honestly, I don't want to sell it. But Brooks—"

The weather was getting cold, and he was still wearing a thin, worn-out jacket.

I touched his hand, my eyes filled with concern. "Your hands are always freezing. I want you to be warm."

His breath hitched.

I could feel something shifting in his eyes.

He slowly leaned in, closer and closer.

Just when I could hear his heartbeat, a hand snatched the necklace.

"Looks nice. How about $300?"

"You kids look poor, this probably isn't even yours. $300 is a steal."

Brooks grit his teeth. "You bastard, that's my—"

He stopped himself.

I haggled with the customer. "$566."

"$566? Why such an odd number? $400 max!"

I stood firm. "$566. Not a penny less."

Because the coat I wanted to buy Brooks was exactly $566.

Seeing the price tag on the coat later, Brooks’s eyes turned slightly red.

"Christy, you..."

I cut him off, wrapping the coat around him. "Happy birthday, Brooks."

Suddenly, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into his chest.

I struggled weakly, then let myself melt into his embrace.

The warm moment was shattered by a sharp voice behind us. "Christy! What do you think you're doing?"