After that, Raymond and I returned to our usual interactions, and during that time, Brandon came looking for me.

He raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh, really? That’s it? The misunderstanding cleared up so quickly?"

I rolled my eyes. "I should be thanking you. Next time something like this happens, please let me know in advance. I don’t want to be outdone by my rival again!"

When Brandon heard the word "rival," he looked me up and down with a knowing ...