The Stand-In Boyfriend (Grove Valley High #1)(32)

He scoffs. “Right, that’s why whenever I suggest going to one of their parties or hanging out with them you always look like I’ve told you to take up ballet or something.”

I resist the urge to tell him Chase never invites Jessie to do anything, that it’s always Jessie following him around. “Okay, so if you want to hang out with them sometimes then you must like Chase. What’s the problem?”

A muscle in his jaw ticks. He’s trying to control his temper. He’s not happy, and it’s plain to see—he doesn’t like that I’m with Chase. Please tell me that means he’s jealous.

He shakes his head and looks past me. I’m expecting him to barge through and set up camp in my kitchen, helping himself to the fridge like he usually does, but he doesn’t move from the doorstep. Eventually, his gaze returns to me.

“And really? You’re ditching now?”

“Jessie—”

“That’s not you, Liv. You know that.”

He’s not wrong. I’m in no rush to ditch again any time soon. I’ve been stressing about what I missed and of course imagining there will be a pop quiz based on today’s lesson. Seriously, my paranoia is ridiculous.

“He’s a bad influence already.”

I almost start laughing right then and there. He’s really grasping at straws now. Jessie ditches all the time. I have to constantly pester him to make sure he’s going to his classes, and Chase? Chase is the first person who’s managed to make me stray from my routine in years, made me do something without Sophie or Jessie being present. He witnessed one of my anxiety attacks and helped me deal with it, and he doesn’t even know me. He should get a medal as far as I’m concerned.

“Sollomon gave me detention. I didn’t know what he was talking about in class and when he questioned me, the crap I made up didn’t fly.”

Guilt washes over me. I did say I’d help him with that. “I’m sorry I—”

“I just never pegged you as one of those girls who picks her boyfriend over her friends.”

“Jessie!” This time my voice is sharp, and he finally looks me in the eye, his brown eyes flashing irritably. “Picking my boyfriend over a friend?” I shake my head in annoyance. He let Courtney tell me I looked washed out and didn’t say a word in my defense. “Look, you don’t always—”

“Here are the notes you missed.” He thrusts a notebook into my hand, one I hadn’t even noticed he was holding. He sighs, and I can tell he almost doesn’t want to give them to me. “I know you’re freaking out about what you missed.”

My gaze finds his and though his jaw is hard, his eyes have softened. He does know me. I smile and he rolls his eyes. He’s mad at me but still took notes for me, and as I flip through the notebook, I see that they’re thorough—way more than he usually writes in class. He hates taking notes, which is part of the reason he ends up flunking the classes we’re not in together because he can never remember what the teacher has said. But, he still took notes for me. He might be pissed at me about Chase, but he’s still my friend, one of my two best friends—my Jessie. “Thanks, Jess.”

“Whatever,” he mutters then turns and walks away without another word. I don’t even care that he didn’t come in. I’m grinning from ear to ear—absolutely beaming—because Jessie Stephenson actually thought about me for a change and did something for me completely on his own, and if the look on his face is anything to go by, he really is jealous.





“SPILL IT.”

I glance to the side and see Tia and Hallie beside me. We’re in the girls’ locker room, changing before practice starts.

“What?” I feign ignorance though I’m pretty sure I know what they’re about to say.

Tia rolls her eyes and flips her hair over her shoulder. Tia is the most unlikely soccer player imaginable. She has a weekly manicure and pedicure, struts around school in heels because she’s only 5’1 and says she needs the extra help, and never has a hair out of place. She also has the meanest tackle on the team, has been sent off the pitch at least four times for being too aggressive, and is the most underestimated player in most games. The opposition used to smile when they saw her lining up, but they soon changed their mind once she started playing. “Quit the bullshit. You know what we’re talking about.”

“Yeah.” Hallie grins at me. Her eyes almost disappear when she smiles, which is all the time. Hallie is our captain and one of the central defenders. She’s a fearsome opponent, and with her broad build and height, she’s the strongest player we have, rarely letting anyone past her at goal. In my opinion, she’s better than half the players on the boys’ team. “I thought you said there was nothing going on with you and Chase Mitchell.”

I shrug and feel myself blush. They all quizzed me about Chase after the rumors following Aaron’s party and that small kiss in the cafeteria. I told them it wasn’t true and because they didn’t see us together again, they accepted it. I definitely blew that yesterday. “We’re just hanging out,” I tell them. “Seeing how it goes.”

“Are you guys official? Is he your boyfriend?” Hallie inquires.

I force myself to nod my head. It feels weird doing this, but I’ve committed. I just need to remember it’s a means to an end, and my end is Jessie.