The Stand-In Boyfriend (Grove Valley High #1)(22)
“Well you’ll come to our game, right?” Aaron asks. “We’re partying at Chase’s afterward.”
“Of course she will,” Sophie declares with conviction.
“Actually I can’t,” I say quietly, hating that so much attention seems to be focused on me and what I’m saying. “I’m going to the JV game and it won’t be over by the time your game starts.” I’m talking to Aaron but everyone knows it’s Chase who will be listening to the answer.
“The JV game?” Jennifer asks incredulously, like the mere thought of skipping the varsity game for the junior varsity game is ridiculous.
“Yeah,” I tell them, looking toward Sophie for some reassurance. “My friend Jessie is on the team and I never miss his matches.” I feel Chase stiffen at my side.
“Oh, that’s right,” Abigail says, a smirk covering her entire face. “Your good friend Jessie Stephenson. Wouldn’t want to miss one of his games, would you?”
I shift uncomfortably. “The team is actually doing really well. Jessie scored last week and they’re getting better all the time.”
Chase scoffs. “Well they couldn’t get any worse.”
“That’s not fair,” I shoot back instantly, and I hear Abigail chuckle from her seat next to Aaron.
“You know, I always thought you and Jessie were together, Livy.” My face betrays me as it blushes red at her comment. She has no idea how much I wish that were true. “I’m not surprised you want to support him. You guys just look like you go together.”
“Um…”
“You know I was surprised when I heard he hooked up with Courtney again. I really don’t think they work as a couple.”
I press my lips together. I don’t know what to say, and in all honesty, it’s probably best if I say nothing or else I’ll give away my true feelings.
“I can talk to Courtney if you want?” My eyes find hers and she focuses on me intently. She looks almost concerned, like she knows it upsets me and she wants to help. “Get her to back off. Just say the word.”
I swallow hard, mortified that she seems to have figured out my crush on Jessie. The truth is Courtney probably would listen to Abigail—she’s the sort of social climber who would love the chance to interact with Abigail—but how demeaning for me that she knows she could do that, that she knows with just a snap of her fingers she could change something that’s been tearing me up. All I’d have to do in return is stop this thing with Chase—whatever this thing is.
Sophie gives me another swift kick under the table. “We’re just friends,” I mutter.
“Like you and Chase, right?”
“I—”
“Shut up, Abigail,” Sophie cuts in, effectively rescuing me from digging myself any farther into this hole. “You know we’ve always been friends with Jessie and they just told you Chase and Livy are dating. You continuing to talk about it won’t make it any less true.”
Abigail grins, her perfect teeth on full display. She stands slowly from her chair, tossing her bag over her shoulder and flipping her hair. “They don’t even look like they know each other, let alone like they’re dating,” she says to Sophie triumphantly. “Better luck next time, Chase.”
With that final shot she turns and walks out of the diner, her friends scrambling after her. Aaron and the rest of Chase’s male friends just kinda shrug, unsure exactly what’s going on. As far as they’re concerned, we are dating, but there’s no denying the lack of chemistry between Chase and me. Chase just waves them on, his jaw tense. I might not know him well, but even I can tell he’s pissed. Rather than putting Abigail off, it now almost looks like she’s seeing it as a challenge. Not exactly what he was hoping for.
Sophie and Aaron are the only ones left at our booth. Chase shifts away from me, and I know without even having to look that he’s not happy with my performance.
“Well that went well,” Aaron starts.
Sophie snorts and grabs her bag from the ground. She rounds the table and leans down between Chase and me. “You two are going to have to try a lot harder than that if you want anyone to believe you. I have more chemistry with my mailman.”
IT’S BEEN ALMOST TWO WEEKS since the Ferguson’s debacle, and luckily Chase has given me a wide berth ever since. He showed up at my game, as promised, but I think he got the message when I awkwardly thanked him for showing up then point blank refused to hang out with him and Aaron afterward. I think he’s finally realized acting isn’t my forte and he should find somebody else to play his pretend girlfriend. It’s not like he’ll be low on offers.
One good thing about last week was that Jessie definitely heard about it. Immediately after Chase kissed me in the cafeteria, he asked me if we were hooking up, but I denied it. When he didn’t see us together and the rumors died down, he didn’t mention it again, but he straight-up asked me if I went to Ferguson’s with Chase and when I told him I did, he went all quiet and distant. Even so, he came over the next day and hung out while I was babysitting my brother all day, and it was the most normal things have felt with him since before Aaron’s party. He’s even waiting for me now as I exit English lit, and when I see him standing across from the door, leaning up against the lockers, it gives me the kind of warm glow only he can cause.