“Well, uh… that’s okay. I was just coming over to get a Snickers,” I said. Right before—

“Hi, Rafe!” someone else said behind me.

I turned around and Marley Grote was standing there. I’d known Marley since about first grade. She was okay, I guess.

“Hey, Marley,” I said.

“You were awesome today!” she said.

“Thanks,” I said, but I was still looking at Jeanne.

“How did you know all that running around was going to work?” Marley said. “It was crazy! Mega-crazy!”

I’ll bet you anything Marley is someone’s little sister. It’s like they’re all programmed to show up and start talking at exactly the wrong time.

“Sorry, Marley,” I said, “but Jeanne and I were kind of having a conversation.”

Jeanne looked up like she was thinking, We were?

“Oh,” Marley said. Then she laughed. I don’t know why. “Well, I guess I’ll see you in school,” she told me, and ran over to where Amy Bernstein was waiting. The two of them started whispering and they walked away like they were attached at the head.

When I looked back at Jeanne again, she didn’t seem too happy. In fact, she had her mad-at-Rafe face on. Believe me, I know what that one looks like. I just wasn’t sure how I’d blown it this time.

“What?” I said.

“That was so rude,” she said.

“It was?”

“Marley obviously likes you—”

“She does?”

“And you just completely blew her off. Nice going.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. Why did Jeanne think Marley liked me? How could she tell so fast?

And what were the chances of getting a do-over on this one?

Jeanne took a deep breath and shook her head like I was some kind of lost cause. Or like that touchdown didn’t mean anything at all.

“I’ll see you later, Rafe,” she said.

“But…” I said.

“I have to close up,” she said.

“But… but… Snickers?” I said. Right before she slammed that snack bar window closed in my face. And on my heart. Again.

I know, I know. I’m pathetic. I have a better chance of throwing a pool party on the sun than I do of getting Jeanne Galletta to fall in love with me. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still want her to like me, or at least think I’m not a complete jerk. The truth is, Jeanne’s been there for me more than once. If she ever needed anything, all she’d have to do is ask.

But unless GO AWAY counted as needing something from me, I didn’t think that was going to be happening anytime soon.

Better luck next lifetime.