Three months into being a writer for the school paper, I’ve been pulled into Emma’s, I mean, Rosie’s clique. We spent breaks, lunch, and after classes together. Rosie and I were getting close, but a boy in our clique was also pursuing her. So I stayed romantically distant. Friendly, but never showing signs of anything but being a friend.

Ian, the boy pursuing Emma, I mean, Rosie, suspected there was more going between us because we spent so much time together goofing about. He suspected it so much that he confronted me one afternoon.

“Hey Dex, can I talk to you?”

“Yeah, what about?”

“Do you like Rosie?”

“Yeah, I guess,” I knew where this was going. But I pretended I didn’t.

“No. I mean like her as more than a friend.”

“Oh, you mean romantically?” I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “She’s nasty when you really get to know her. I wouldn’t worry too much about me liking her if I were you.”

“But do you?” He asked again, grabbing my shoulders and forcing me to face him upfront.

I tried to look him in the eyes and appear truthful. “No man! Whatever gave you that idea?”

“It’s okay to admit that you like her Dex. I wouldn’t even be surprised about it. Just admit it to yourself.”

“For the last time Ian, I told you we’re just friends. You can go knock yourself out courting her for all I care.” I was getting pissed off now with his annoying persistence.

“What about if we decide who gets to court her with a coin toss?”

“The fuck is wrong with you? I told you I don’t like her and I don’t want to play this twisted game with you.” I was really angry now and turned to leave him.

“I’ll never stop bothering you until we decide this now,” he called out behind me.

I wanted to scream in frustration at the audaciousness of this guy. I sighed and slumped in defeat as I turned to face him.

“Okay, call it.”

He flipped the coin and called it. “Heads.”

While it was turning in the air, I mentally wished for it to turn up tails. It came up heads. Ian gave a triumphal shout. I tried my best not to show my disappointment.

“Dex, this is an agreement man to man. I expect you to stick to your word.”

“Yeah, whatever makes you feel better.” I seethed inside. First for being pulled in with his games, and second for not being able to control my feelings and still pining for a girl who will never like me. I walked away from him and wondered if I would ever regret having agreed to that coin toss in the first place.

I met Emma, I mean Rosie, as I was turning the corner to our classroom.

“Oh, hi Dex! Was that Ian I heard shouting?”

“Yeah.” I felt guilty. I felt I looked guilty. I tried not to look guilty.

“What was it about?”

“Oh nothing. Just a question he had to settle.”

She smiled. “Well I hope whatever it was got settled.”

I smiled impishly at her. “I hope so too.”