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The nextfor Brandon to arrive in his Jeep

When that didn&039;t happen, I lingered in the hallway to catch hi and he still didn&039;t show, I had no choice but to go into class Brandon&039;s seat remained empty The clock above the chalkboard ticked as my mind raced Had Dr Maddox put Brandon on a plane to Europe? Had he taken hiuesthouse like he&039;d askedwith you today?" Ivy asked when the bell rang for lunch later that day

"Nothing"

"I know you are worried about lunch," she said "But I guess you don&039;t have to feel compelled to sit with Brandon since he&039;s not here today"

"Yeah, you&039;re right"

"Are you worried about co back to our table?"

"What? Ohyeah, I can&039;t sit there with Heidi It would be too weird"

"We&039;ve had a talk with the guys," Abby said authoritatively "Heidi won&039;t be sitting at our table And if she does, on&039;t be sitting with her"

"Really?" I asked

"Yes," Ivy concurred "We told Jake and Dylan that if she does, then they can eat alone"

"You did?"

"I told theuess it worked," Abby said as we entered the caf "Look - the guys are all waiting for us and no sign of any cheerleaders"

My friends really did have my back

Ivy sat by Jake, and Abby by Dylan

I paused for a moerlad to be back to normal - or somewhat norrinned a wide, toothpaste-colad to have you back, Celeste," he said "You knohy I did it Just to show you what you&039;d bewith Brandon"

"But that&039;s not why - " I said

"I know," he said resignedly "But it hit hohtto start over," he said "I thought you le rose

Nash had never before displayed such a roesture, public or private, and I wasn&039;t sure how to handle it It wasn&039;t that I didn&039;t like Nash I did But as a couple ere more different than alike However, I admired him as a friend and still cared for hi a more mature and serious suitor, I couldn&039;t help but feel aard I didn&039;t want to reject him in front of our friends, and I really didn&039;t want Brandon to walk in and seeand charisuy asn&039;t in the lunchrooined Nash taking the time to buy it at a store on his way to school, and the floas beautiful It was truly sweet and thoughtful I had to ad of me in this way

"Aw!" my friends cooed

"That&039;s so rouys be irl to our table yesterday," Dylan charged "That&039;s what you want?"

"That&039;s not why she was here," Nash retorted "Celeste knows the real reason"

"Yeah, to get back at her for sitting next to Brandon," Jake said

"No," Nash said, still in the hot seat "That&039;s not why"

"Then why?" Jake asked Nash wasn&039;t used to talking feelings in front of our clique

He nervously dru to coht words "I wanted her to see what life was like without me"

I was shocked I was surprised to see Nash lay his feelings out so honestly before everyone He was truly changing

My friends must have been as surprised as I was They paused for a hed "How romantic," they said in unison

Dylan and Jake rolled their eyes and burst into laughter

"Wow - you are the char his friend

"So it was et back at her?"

"Uhyes," Nash agreed, but I knew better

"Man, you are good," Dylan said softly "It really worked"

"Let&039;s put the flower in a cup and we can use it as our centerpiece," Ivy suggested Before she could take it from me, I placed it on erly placed the rose in ht

As we started to settle in, lanced over to Brandon&039;s table and saw his seat still e toward the Westsider&039;s table "Finally we don&039;t have to see you girls fussing over that weirdo," he said

"We don&039;t fuss over him," Ivy shot back

"You bet you do," Dylan went on "Since he returned your dog, it&039;s like you&039;ve started an Eastside chapter of the Brandon Maddox Fan Club"

"Jealous?" Abby said

"Not even close!" Dylan scowled

"Well, now you see how he is," Jake said "Probably so freaked out he can&039;t come to school"

"Is that what you wanted?" I asked

"Uh, no But you don&039;t want to be seen with a wolfman, do you?" Dylan snapped

"Well, we don&039;t want to be seen with an airhead cheerleader, either," Abby shot back

As we began eating, I did feel a sense of relief being back with ed to be with Brandon, but since he wasn&039;t even here, I was glad to have Ivy&039;s and Abby&039;s usual lighthearted banter take ain at Brandon&039;s table, where his seat reht be up to Nash must have noticed

"I kneould work," Nash said so only I could hear

"I came back because I wanted to sit with ht?" he asked