I began walking slower, hoping that he would just leave.

He saw me, though, so walking slower only made it so that he stared at me as I walked towards him even longer.

So I sped up, and in a few seconds was standing next to him.

“What do you want?” I said in what I had hoped would be an angry tone. But I just sounded nervous.

Jake sighed. “Look, Jo. I know that you don’t seem to like me very much, I know that you don’t want to go out with me, but I had to try again.”

I felt a bit sick. No, I wanted to say, no, I do want to go out with you Jake. I just don’t want to actually go out with you.

“So I’m going to put it to you this way. Tell me that you don’t like me and don’t want to go out with me to my face, and I’ll leave you alone. I won’t bother you ever again. Or, say something else, anything else, and I’ll pick you up on Friday at eight o’clock, leaving you alone for the rest of the week.”

I sighed, looking down at my shoes.

I couldn’t say that I didn’t like him.

So I sighed.

“Fine.”