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While she eats, I take a bite of mine and try to figure out how to say the next part, because if I wait any more, I feel like I’m going to explode.

“So, um. What about us?” I ask.

“What do you mean?”

“I should’ve done all of it differently,” I say, scratching my jaw. “When Supreme gave me your photo, I should’ve said no and found some other way to get to the info about Elsie. But I made your life hell, and then I pretended to be the only guy on campus who cared about you. And I want to talk to Aniyah. She should know you never touched her paper.”

Her eyes widen. “You’d do that?”

“Yeah. She’ll probably hate my guts afterward, but it was never your fault, so...”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Wow, okay. And... are you going back to playing soccer?”

“Yeah. Well, I’ll try. Hopefully, Coach won’t notice anything suspicious about my injury and recovery.”

“Okay. Um, about your question... I really like you. Like, a lot, and it’s so annoying, because I’m supposed to be mad at you.”

Holy shit, she likes me, and I kind of want to fling her door open and yell it down the hallway so every nosy girl on this floor hears it. A grin tugs at my lips.

“How mad are we talking?” I ask.

“A little.” She tilts her head. “But I don’t even know who you are. I know the guy who messed with my head for Supreme, and I have no idea what you’re like when no one’s making you do anything. I want to meet the real you, you know, without all the society drama and some creep deciding everything for us.”

My heart rate picks up, because this is all I’ve been looking for. A second chance to fix things with Veronica. “I’m pretty boring, though, but still in love with you, if that matters.”

Her lips part, and then the corners of her mouth quirk up. “Okay, good to know. Boring sounds kind of great after all this.”

“Then let me take you out on a real date. Dinner somewhere off campus.”

“Deal.”

My face hurts from grinning so hard, and I probably look like an idiot, but I don’t give a damn, because for once, nothing between Veronica and me has anything to do with the society, and I’m determined to show her exactly who I am. And finally, I can see what I really want in life rather than focusing my energy and everything just on finding out the truth.

Still, I wouldn’t change anything at all. Elsie got justice, and I met Veronica. Now our college lives are finally starting as they should, and I’m looking forward to everything that’s coming, good or bad. Somehow, I’m very optimistic about the future.

Epilogue

VERONICA

AS THE TEAM JOGS OUT onto the field, everyone around us jumps up from their seats, and Aniyah whoops right along with them.

“If they don’t reach the final, I’m going to be so mad,” she says once the noise dies down a little. “I don’t even care about soccer, though.”

I bite back a laugh, because she’s wearing a Blackerville scarf and chanted along with the rest of the crowd from the moment we got to our seats, so she obviously cares, even if she refuses to admit it.

On the field, Jayden takes practice shots at the keeper while the guys stretch around him, and then he cranes his neck and searches the stands. I have no idea how he’s going to spot me between all the banners and phones in the air, but a grin breaks out on his face and he points right at me.

Some girls in the row in front of us twist around, and one of them looks me up and down as if she’s trying to figure out what’s so special about me. Good luck with that. I lift my hand and wave at Jayden, and let the girls gawk all they want. At least no one thinks I’m a creep anymore and not just because I’m dating Jayden. A rumor spread that Camden was the one who stalked students, so somehow his files ended up in my presentation, which is close enough to the truth, I guess.

Jayden confessed once that he missed some easy shots at the first home game he invited me to, because he couldn’t stop checking the crowd for me, and I laughed so hard that I almost rolled off the bed. When I finally caught my breath, he made me swear I’d never bring it up in front of the team. I haven’t, but it’s my best weapon whenever he gets too cocky with me.

When Walton calls him over, Jayden rakes a hand through his hair. Back when I said I wanted to meet the real him, he warned me he was pretty boring, but that’s so not true because every day with him is fun. Last night, he was snoring on my shoulder before the narrator even got to the good part of the documentary we were watching, and when I woke him up, he swore he heard every word. It was hilarious.

The referee blows the whistle, and Aniyah boos the other team. For most of the first half, I barely breathe. Our opponents have a huge guy in midfield who follows Jayden everywhere and shoves him and yanks at his jersey whenever the referee looks the other way.

“Foul!” Aniyah yells, cupping her hands around her mouth. “Are you blind?”

“Come on, Jayden!” I scream too, even though he probably can’t hear either of us over the crowd.