The Stand-In Boyfriend (Grove Valley High #1)(53)

“Come on,” she encourages. “I’ll come with you.”

I nod my head and gather my things. She’s right. Despite the way things have been lately, this is a big deal and I’m really happy for him. I need to stop overanalyzing things and just go talk to my friend.

I follow Sophie out of the library and match her pace as she veers out a side entrance to the left. She cuts across the picnic benches outside the cafeteria and we’re outside the outdoor locker rooms the team uses within minutes. It feels kind of awkward just hanging outside the boys’ locker room, and I bounce lightly on my toes trying to quell the nervousness forming in my gut. I’m being ridiculous—I know this—but for some reason I have a strange feeling about showing up here.

The team starts to trickle out gradually. I recognize most of the players from when I’ve watched Jessie play, and he doesn’t appear until last. He pulls up short when he sees us, his eyes darting back and forth between us before taking a step forward.

“Hey,” I greet him.

“Hey,” he replies shortly before looking past me toward the parking lot.

I swallow. “So, Soph told me about your game tomorrow. That’s awesome, Jess.”

He snorts and rolls his eyes before brushing by to head to his car.

I glance at Sophie, eyes wide, and she has her brow scrunched in confusion. “Hey, Jessie,” she calls, following after him. “Wait—where are you going?”

“Home.”

“You’re being kinda rude.”

He stops and turns back to us, his eyes sweeping to me for a second before he turns back to Sophie. “Stay out of it, Soph.”

“Jessie, I’m—”

“Save it, Livy. You don’t get to pick and choose when I’m supposed to be your friend.”

It feels like he’s slapped me.

“When was the last time you stopped by my house, Livy? You used to be there every week. Now all I hear is that Chase’s house is the place to be after school.”

I swallow hard. “I didn’t know…” I clear my throat. “I didn’t think you—”

“You seem to have forgotten all about your real friends now that you’re rolling with the popular kids.”

I honestly don’t think he could hurt me more if he physically punched me.

“You’re just jealous!” Sophie spits at him.

He scoffs in disgust, but she’s right. I’ve achieved my goal—Jessie is clearly jealous of Chase—but it doesn’t give me the sort of feeling I was hoping for.

“Jessie, I didn’t…I would never pick those guys over you. You’ve been so busy with Courtney—”

“Don’t use her to make yourself feel better.”

“Hey!” Sophie snaps at him. “You’re being an ass.”

Jessie rolls his eyes and turns back to me. “Typical. You know something might not go your way so you bring your guard dog along to defend you.”

My jaw falls open. Jessie never speaks to me like this.

“Don’t—”

“Jessie,” I manage to stammer out, cutting Sophie off while my heart hammers wildly in my chest. “I know things have been weird between us recently but I just wanted you to know how happy I am that you made the team. I’m really looking forward to cheering you on tomorrow.”

His lips curl in disgust. “Don’t bother,” he tells me.

I freeze. “What?”

“I said don’t bother coming.”

“But I always come to your games.”

“Do you really think I want you there when the only reason I’m getting a game is out of pity?”

I shake my head. “It’s not a—”

“We all know what it is,” he says sharply. “The only reason I’m getting a chance to play in a game is because it’s a scrimmage and because your precious boyfriend has already written his name into the history books at this school, has a state title to bask in and a top scholarship waiting for him. That’s the only reason they’re giving the rest of us a chance.”

I start to blink rapidly, mortified that tears are springing to my eyes. Jessie is not like this. I don’t know why he’s attacking me all of a sudden.

“And what’s worse is that I know all this but I’m still going to play because we both know it’s what I’ve been working toward for years. Still, the last thing I want is Chase-fucking-Mitchell’s girlfriend supporting me out of pity.”

Chase Mitchell’s girlfriend. He glares at me for a minute, sees I have no response, and then turns, gets into his car, and drives away without a backward glance.

I swallow hard and stare at the ground for a good two minutes, trying to get my emotions together and not fall apart, my breathing coming out ragged. Sophie places her hand gently on my arm. “He’s out of line,” she says softly. “You haven’t done anything wrong. This is his own messed-up issues and the only reason he said that stuff about you ditching him for Chase is because he knows that’s what he’s been doing with Courtney.”

I nod my head slightly. I know she’s right, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. The last thing I want is Chase-fucking-Mitchell’s girlfriend supporting me out of pity. Chase’s girlfriend—not my friend I’ve known since middle school who would do anything for me, not my best friend, Livy.