Side Note: I Think I Love You (Side Notes Book 1) - COMPLETE

Chapter 17 - Attie

Throwing those words back at Rue yesterday was so satisfying you have no idea.

Today, however, was very much the same. I sat with the football team, ate lunch, and other somewhat normal things. The only difference between today and yesterday is having to stay after school for the first official animation club meetings with the newcomers. Sierra and I had talked about today's meeting countless times during math because we didn't exactly have a full-on plan. Last year's president and vice president graduated and moved away, so that means we're basically starting off from scratch.

"But did you see Leslie's face when we told her about the semester project?" Sierra cackles as we walk out of the classroom.

"It was funny," I agree. I've never seen someone both so excited and terrified for a project.

We pass the hall of fame and open the doors to the other parking lot. This school has at least three exits, and one of them leads directly to the football field. Since Sierra's brother is also on the football team, I agreed to walk with her to the bleachers so she could stay until practice lets out. It's a bonus since Jason stays after school to use the weight room and I need to look like a good "girlfriend" by watching Ian practice.

"I still can't believe you didn't tell me about your relationship with Ian," she whines. "If I had known that you were dating the hottest boy at school, I would have died." She's kidding. I think.

Pulling my sketchbook out of my bag, I say, "that's kind of why I didn't tell you." Sierra is a bit boy-crazy. I know this because she's the first girl my brother ever dated. At least nothing bad happened between them—their relationship lasted one month of the seventh grade—so I had been able to stay friends with her. "Whatever happened to Caleb, anyway?" I inquire. She's been crushing on this guy from Suze's—the best diner in Southern California if you ask anyone with working brain cells—and I've heard every minute detail she could give me.

She sighs, loudly. "I don't know what's going on. I mean, I think he likes me but it's hard to tell." She rests her head on my left shoulder. "How did you know Ian liked you?"

I freeze. Legit, my pencil stops moving over the tree trunk I began drawing. I hadn't discussed this with Ian. Shocking that we never came up with a backstory about how we got together. Should I have known better after reading an entire trilogy about this very thing I got myself into?

Side note: Yes. Yes I should have. Didn't I learn anything from Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky?

"Well," I begin, tucking a piece of ombre hair behind my ear. I tried dyeing my hair sophomore year but the bleach job didn't go so well so I'm stuck with this madness until I can either cut it or dye back to my natural hair. "He told me."

"He told you?" Sierra asks, a puzzled look on his face. "That doesn't sound like a lot of guys."

"Ian isn't exactly like a lot of guys." I move my eyes back to the sketchbook, adding some branches to the tree. "He's never lied to me in the past so I had no reason to not believe him." The irony is strong with this situation I'm in. Look at us—lying to everyone we know about our feelings for each other.

"So should I've believed you when you had told me—not two weeks ago, might I add—that there was nothing going on between you and the Captain America reincarnate standing on that field right now?"

I don't say anything for about five seconds before finding my voice again. "I didn't think there was before he told me." I should really talk to Ian about this. Coming up with a backstory is going to make this whole fake dating thing so much easier.

"Aww, look at that," Sierra giggles. "Looks like he is softer than I thought."

"Are you done with twenty questions now?" I laugh.