07

“It’s okay, Seth. We actually have enough volunteers,” I said, reaching out to pluck the agenda sheet from his hand but he quickly held it out of my reach.

“I know you don’t,” he answered, his eyes scanning the sheet. “Two of the student council officers showed up in my class this morning campaigning for other volunteers to sign up.”

I got up and tried to snatch the paper away. “Well, you’ve obviously already made the choice to not sign up so let’s not waste more paper and give that back to me.”

He stepped back farther away from the table and continued to read. “Ali Benning, head of marketing committee. The marketing committee is still in need of volunteers to run the solicitation booth. Can I sign up to volunteer for that ?”

I scoffed. “You ? In the solicitation booth ? I don’t think you’d feel comfortable asking people for money.”

“I think most girls would be happy to hand him their college trust fund,” Liam mumbled to himself, earning a kick on the shin from me.

Seth couldn’t resist a smile. “Hey, I have friends who won’t mind donating some money for a good cause. I could get them to show up and donate. And I’ll get them to get other people they know to come and do the same.”

“He has a very valid point, Ali,” Liam added in a sing-songy voice though he kept his body turned away from me in the event of more spontaneous kicks to the shin. He handed the sign-up sheet to Seth who quickly signed it.

“I’ll go in right now and attend the meeting and you can’t stop me,” Seth said with finality, motioning towards the door. “Thanks for the invite, Liam.”

“You’re welcome,” Liam answered as Seth disappeared through the door. He turned to me with a self-satisfied smile. “Isn’t he just the cutest ?”

I glared at him. “And aren’t you just the meanest ? I told you I want him as far away from me as possible.”

“Hey, the guy has the right to participate in any charity event he wants,” Liam argued. “And I don’t doubt that he can rake in tons of money for the event. His friends are all the way up there in the millionaire’s club.”

“This is not a showdown of who’s got more money, Liam,” I muttered in defeat, slumping against my seat.

I glanced at the sign-up sheet and saw his scribbled signature, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach.

It felt like Seth just signed on a contract to permanently torment my life.

“Am I late ?” Seth asked when he walked into the library and saw me sitting by the waiting area with six books on my lap the next day.

“Nope, I’m just early,” I answered, getting up and almost dropping the textbooks had Seth not caught them in time. “Sorry.”

He took four of the books from me and shook his head in amusement. “So, where do we sit ? Have you already outlined our meeting for the day and all the resources and the minutes we’re spending on each of them ? Have you printed and photocopied them and laid them out on the table ?”

I rolled my eyes. “Haha. That’s so funny. Here.”

I slapped a two-page research outline down on the book at the top of his pile and picked up my backpack. “I got all the books we need. Let’s go.”

“Where are we going ?” he asked as he followed me out into the open hall. “I thought we’ll be working in the library.”