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Channel.”
    “All Lifetime Channel movies are bad,” Tammy said.
    Kent tossed his lunch onto the table. “What a bunch of whack jobs. I don’t get why people have to act like that all the time. What would it have hurt for her to say hi?”
    “It’s their MO, Kent,” I said. “They’ve gotta make everyone else look bad to try to make themselves feel more important. One day, they’re gonna get what’s coming to them, and I hope I’m there to see it.”
    “Can we just drop the entire subject?” Attie asked. “Really, I’d rather not let those jerks ruin my lunch.”
    I reached for her hand but remembered our hoax and put my hands back in my lap. She noticed the gesture and smiled up at me.
    “If you two are gonna keep trying to fool everyone, you better stop giving each other those googley eyes,” Kent warned. “There isn’t a soul in this room that’s gonna fall for it.”
    Attie snickered while she looked down and poked at her pasta salad. I picked up a pen and started drawing on my notebook.
    “Everyone’s talking about her,” Tess said. “‘Is she the one living with Riley?’ ‘Is she the one from the accident?’ ‘Are they really together?’ ‘I thought he was dating Tiffany.’”
    Attie shoved her food out of the way and laid her head onto the table. “Seriously, is it that bad?”
    “It’s worse.” Anne walked up to the table, stood behind me, and stole a Cheeto out of my chip bag. “Tiffany isn’t wasting any time trying to take you down.”
    Attie groaned.
    Kent slammed his fist on the table, causing plates to crash, drinks to topple, silverware to scatter, and Attie to pick her head up. “I’d like to knock a few rungs off her ladder, if you know what I mean.”
    “Actually, Kent,” Anne said, “I have no idea what you mean.”
    “I’ll be fine. Everyone will settle down in a few days. I’m sure this doesn’t just happen to me, and it happens to new people all the time.”
    The words that came out of her mouth didn’t match her body language. She was bothered by what people were saying about her, and I think I was bothered by it even more. There was no way I was going to let her go through it all by herself. I stood and moved my way around the table. “All I know is that I’m not gonna sit back and let you go through it all by yourself.”
    “What are you doing, Riley?”
    “I’m coming to sit with my girlfriend, that’s what I’m doing.”
    Attie looked puzzled. “But I thought we were trying to keep it secret for a few more days.”
    “Not anymore. I’m tired of trying to hide it.” I straddled the bench and sat down.
    She turned, threw her legs onto the bench, and sat cross-legged so we could face each other. “It’s only been a day and a half day; you’re tired of it already?”
    “I was tired of it yesterday when you asked if I enjoyed all my time outside.”
    “That was a good one, huh?”
    I leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “It got my attention, I’ll say that.”
    “Uh, Riley … ” Tammy muttered.
    I ignored her and kissed Attie on the nose before reaching for my lunch and pulling it toward me. “So the rest of your day’s been okay?”
    “Yes. Pretty uneventful. Thanks for leaving the note on my mirror this morning.”
    “You’re welcome. I just thought you should know I was thinking about you. I hate leaving before you wake up.”
    Tammy slapped me on the shoulder. “Riley!”
    I looked over at her. “What, Tammy? What?”
    “I think this entire room just went up in flames. I swear I saw heads exploding all over the place.”
    Looking around, I saw hundreds of eyes looking our direction.
    Kent stood and turned to face the crowd. “Y’all just mind your own dang business and eat your lunch. They’re just dating; it’s not like it’s the apocalypse or anything.”
    Attie laid the top of her head against my chest and looked across the table. “I wish it were still summer. Either that or we could just fast forward a