Chapter 82

As we invited Kate to join us for lunch, the four of us embarked on our journey back to what we jokingly referred to as our "usual spot." As we leisurely strolled along, I could not help but notice the subtle glances exchanged between Kate and Paul. It became apparent to me that these two had most likely already engaged in conversation before Paul admitted to us about his crush.

Meanwhile, Ian and the cheerleading captain who had quite the reputation for her misbehavior occupied the seats with the other four boys, leaving only two unoccupied chairs at our desired location. As we approached the scene, a collective decision was reached among Josh, Paul, Kate, and myself—we would settle for the table adjacent to them. Introducing Kate to the boys, I intentionally disregarded the presence of the two individuals involved in their own tumultuous love affair.

Opting to avoid any potential conflict, I chose to remain silent about what Louise did, even though I was conv