The Stand-In Boyfriend (Grove Valley High #1)(83)

Sarah looks visibly dismayed that she’s not about to witness this encounter, and Brendon and Aaron glance over at Chase, who nods his head ever so slightly. Everyone disappears, leaving just the two of us.

We still don’t say anything to each other, and it makes me momentarily so sad to think that a week ago he would have been teasing me about getting a tardy, knowing that would be stressing me out. Today, he doesn’t tease me. He doesn’t say anything to me.

“How are you?” I manage to choke out, glancing down the hallway behind him.

He shrugs indifferently, like this is any normal day to him, but then maybe it is. Maybe it’s just me who’s feeling like something is horribly, horribly wrong.

“I, um, I…” I don’t know what to say, don’t even know what I want to say. I just want him not to hate me. I want him to be my friend again. “I tried calling you yesterday.”

He nods. “I know.”

I gulp and look away. How am I supposed to answer that?

After another thirty seconds, I say the only thing I really need him to know. “I’m sorry.” My words are a whisper.

He doesn’t respond, just continues to stare at me, his face stoic.

“I’m really sorry, Chase.”

“Are you with him now?” His words are clear and loud and such a contrast to mine that I almost jump.

I force myself to look him in the eye. “Yes.”

He doesn’t react, not at all. I’m not sure what I expected him to do or say, but it wasn’t this. It wasn’t nothing.

After what feels like a lifetime, he turns away from me and starts walking down the hallway.

It triggers me into action. “Stop, wait! Wait, Chase.”

He turns back, his face giving nothing away, and I cover the distance between us. I try not to wince when he deems me too close to him and takes a step back.

“I, um, I hope we can be friends,” I manage to force out. “I really, really want us to be friends.”

His mouth turns into a sneer. “Why?”

I suck in a breath. Why?

“Uh, because…because…”

“Look, Livy, just don’t worry about it.”

“No—I mean, yes, I do worry about it. I know before Saturday things had started to change between us and our feelings—”

His scoff cuts me off and I suddenly feel more exposed than I would if I was naked at a pep rally.

“It’s fine. We’re good. Everything ended up just like we planned. What can I say? I’m a really good actor.”

It’s like he’s slapped me. “Actor?”

“Yeah, turns out I didn’t just have Stephenson convinced—I had you too.” I freeze. No. No, it wasn’t in my head. I know it. I know things had changed between us. “Just do me a favor, yeah?” he asks.

I’m not capable of saying anything in return. I can’t even nod my head.

“Stay away from me, okay? I feel like we could both do with some space from each other.” Then he does turn and walk away, and this time I don’t stop him. This time I sink into the locker beside me and try desperately to remember my breathing exercises or else I know I’m going to go into a full-on panic attack. All I wanted to do today was make sure Chase doesn’t hate me, and if that exchange is anything to go by, he doesn’t. It’s worse than that—he doesn’t care enough to hate me.





“HOW’S LOVER BOY?” MARIA ASKS.

Tia snorts next to me. “Which one?”

Hallie scowls as I blush bright red. Tia looks over at me and rolls her eyes. “Oh, come on. You’ve got to admit it is funny. You don’t date anyone for years and all of a sudden you have two guys fighting over you.”

“They’re not fighting over me.” Quite the opposite actually. Chase won’t even look at me. I doubt he’ll even allow himself to mention my name.

“Leave her alone,” Hallie snaps. We’re in the girls’ locker room and have just changed into our practice jerseys for the last time. Today is our last soccer practice of high school. I thought I’d be sad about this day but I truly couldn’t care less. I have way too much going on in my head to add getting upset about soccer to the mix.

“We’re just kidding.”

“So if Chase is single again, you won’t mind if I give him my number, will you?” Maria asks, a challenge in her eyes.

I blink in surprise and try to ignore the hammer to my heart that her words bring. “Uh, n-no.”

She smirks. “Great, because I was walking behind him yesterday, and that ass…” Her eyes slide to me, waiting for my reaction. I don’t say anything. Yes, he has a great ass. Yes, he’s gorgeous. Yes, every girl in school is now circling, waiting for him to make his next move. “And I need to move fast if I want to get in there before Abigail.”

I suck in air through my nose. I’ve seen them together a lot around school but haven’t heard they’re getting back together. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time though.

Tia shakes her head. “They’re not getting back together. Rumor is she’s not even trying.”

“Good,” Maria states. She’s staring straight at me. “You know you did us all a favor, Livy.”