I raise an eyebrow. “Hey, it’s sort of like this entire school.”
He mirrors my gesture. “Possibly. We all fulfil a role.”
“What role do I fulfil in your game, Cole?”
“Woah.” He pretends to be taken aback. “You do me injustice, Teal.”
“How about your injustice? You think I don’t know you told Ronan about the club?”
“Why would you assume it’s me?”
“You’re the only one from school I saw there. It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.”
“Not the only one. There’s someone else you’re forgetting about.”
“That someone else wouldn’t tell Ronan.”
His lips curve again. “How can you be so sure?”
“I had a deal with her. Besides, you’re the only one who plays games.”
“Noted.” He flips the page as if he’s been reading the entire time. “However, in my defence, Ronan would’ve figured it out anyway, so I thought I might as well tell him and gain favour.”
“He wouldn’t have figured it out if you hadn’t told him.”
“Oh, he would’ve. Ronan is like a dog — a trained one. He smells things from afar and doesn’t stop until he finds his prey. If I hadn’t told him, he would’ve followed you, stalked you, broke in, hacked your phone and emails, and eventually gotten what he wanted. I simply made it easier for everyone.”
I huff. He makes it sound as if he’s the angel in this tale and we should all bow down in thanks and possibly offer some sacrifices at his altar.
“Because of you, he now has me by the arm, and do you know what I’m tempted to do, Cole?”
“Tell me. I’m all ears.”
I allow myself a cunning smile. “If you ruined my fun, what stops me from ruining yours?”
“I didn’t ruin your fun — I made it happen. Can’t you see that?”
I stare incredulously. “You made it happen? How the hell is being involved with Ronan making my fun happen?”
“Teal, even you can admit that Ronan has added an interesting flavour to your life. I’m just being a good Cupid here.”
I scoff even as I boil on the inside.
Cole doesn’t understand that he ruined much more than he knows. My plan, for instance — it used to be so clear, but now it’s all murky water and feelings I can’t even begin to comb through.
“Tell me about Ronan,” I say.
“Tell you about Ronan?”
“After what you did, the least you can do is give me information. Why does he act different sometimes?”
He chuckles. “Oh, you saw that part.”
“So you know about it.”
“The three of us do, but he doesn’t like to show it. We barely get it once a year during Halloween. May I ask how you managed to poke it out?”
“I’m trying to figure out how to tuck it back in, not poke it out.”