The Stand-In Boyfriend (Grove Valley High #1)(86)

“Let me guess, you thought it was a stupid idea too but he persisted and you eventually gave in.”

It’s frighteningly accurate. “Something like that.”

She sighs. “My brother is such a fucking idiot. Anyone with half a brain should have been able to see this would end disastrously.” Her eyes find mine. “Well, aren’t you going to say something?”

“Uh…”

She sighs. “Sorry. I don’t mean to snap. This isn’t your fault, not really. This is just typical Chase—wanting something so bad and going about it in such a stupid way.”

“Sorry, what?”

“Your last name is Chapman, right?”

I nod my head. She stares at me for a couple of seconds before pressing her lips together and nodding. “I knew it as soon as I met you. That’s why he jumped in that time and wouldn’t let you tell me your name.”

“What do you mean?”

“How did he do it? Why did he say he needed you to pretend to be his girlfriend?”

Um… This is getting weird. I was expecting her to get angry with me, not ask a million questions. “He said he wanted to focus on soccer and have Abigail finally leave him alone.”

She smiles ruefully. “Jeez, he’s not even original.”

Her phone vibrates on the counter next to her. She leans over, swipes a finger, and reads a text. “I gotta go,” she tells me. “I was supposed to meet my friend five minutes ago but I wanted to talk to you first.”

She grabs her bag and I take a quick step toward her. “Wait, how did you know my last name?”

She swings her bag onto her shoulder and shakes her head at me. “You should really talk to Chase.”

“But I can’t. He won’t talk to me. He won’t answer any of my texts.”

She pauses and turns to face me fully. “What’s your end game?”

I’m startled. “What do you mean?”

“Are you with this Jessie kid now?”

“Uh, I…I don’t know.” That’s not true. Jessie definitely thinks we’re together. Chase definitely thinks I’m with Jessie. Everyone at school thinks I’m with Jessie, but I can’t be—not until I make things right with Chase. Nothing feels right and won’t until I know Chase doesn’t hate me.

“Do you want to be with Chase or not?”

What? I don’t even know if that’s still an option. All of it was fake. It was fake for so long and I know our feelings were all messed up by the end, but maybe now that Chase has had a chance to think about it and get away from me, he’s realized he’s better off without me, and Jessie—I finally have Jessie. I’ve waited for him for so long, and I can’t just throw that away.

“You need to figure it out, Livy. Figure it out and then go talk to him—the sooner the better.”

“But he won’t talk to me.”

“He will. Eventually he will.”

I’m getting frustrated. “How do you know?”

She rolls her eyes like I’m a complete idiot. “Because he’s waited for you for like six years. He’s gonna wait a little bit longer.”





“HI.”

I stare back in shock then glance around in confusion, sure there must be a camera crew somewhere to record my reaction, because no way can Abigail Baker be here to see me without some kind of crazy explanation.

“Hi,” I say hesitantly when no prank show host appears and she just stands there looking as awkward as I feel. What is she doing here? Has she come over to gloat about having Chase back? I still haven’t heard anything on the rumor mill about them getting back together, but I’m sure it’s just a matter of time.

She clears her throat. “I, um…I just…” She sighs and shrugs her shoulders. “Look, I know this is weird, okay? But can we talk? I really need to talk to you.”

I bite my lip but nod anyway. I have a feeling I’m not going to want to hear this but also suspect I don’t have much choice. Today is full of surprises, and my mind has been reeling since I spoke to Rosie. I came home in a daze, sat in my kitchen, and only moved when the doorbell rang. Looking at Abigail’s determined expression right now, I can tell the day’s only going to get weirder. I hold the door open and step inside so she can come in before leading her toward the kitchen and gesturing that she should take a seat at the table. I go to the fridge, pull out a container of orange juice, grab a couple of glasses, and set them down in front of her.

“Thanks,” she mutters, but she makes no move to pour a drink. It takes a while for her to say what she wants while I sit waiting. I can see her battling with herself, and she opens her mouth to start speaking but then stops again. Something tells me she doesn’t want to be here. “I’ve always been a bitch to you, haven’t I?”

I shrug. She’s never been a fan of mine, but then we’ve barely had any regular interaction until the last couple of months, and it’s only since then that she’s gone out of her way to be horrible to me.

“Do you remember me when we were freshman?” she continues. “Not at the end of freshman year, but right at the start?”

I think back, trying to remember. We’ve only ever had one class together, and that was sophomore year. She was randomly really bitchy to me when I was waiting for Sophie one day when we were freshmen. I remember it being hot so it must have been toward the end of the year, and I remember being shocked that some random girl I’d never said a word to before would comment on my appearance and lack of boobs without even knowing me. “Not really,” I finally answer.