The Stand-In Boyfriend (Grove Valley High #1)(88)

“He told you this?”

She smiles sadly. “He doesn’t need to. It’s obvious, and even if it wasn’t, the way he’s been since Jessie’s party confirms it. He’s heartbroken.”

“Do you know that it was fake? That we were just pretending to make Jessie jealous and put you off?”

She smirks. “Yeah, he told me that. Stupidest idea ever.”

Yup, that’s the general conclusion about my fake relationship with Chase. Looking at the mess it’s created, it’s hard to argue with.

“You’re not mad?”

She shakes her head. “I want him to be happy.”

“I know he cares about you,” I tell her, suddenly desperate for her to know that, to know he does care for her, maybe just not in the way she wants. “He really cares about you.”

She nods and offers me a sad smile. “I know. I think that’s why he kept giving me another chance when we’d break up. I think he genuinely did want it to work between us for a long time, and I think he felt guilty that he didn’t feel the same way as I did, but it’s not the same as what he feels for you. We’re just friends now, good friends.”

We’re silent for a moment, both of us taking in what she just explained.

“When I talked to him last week, he told me he was just acting the whole time.”

“He’s lying. He knows you picked Jessie and he’s trying to protect himself.”

“Why…why are you telling me this?”

“Because I remembered something when I saw his face after he saw you and Jessie together.”

“What?” I whisper, trying to keep up with everything she’s saying.

“I remembered him when we were freshmen and he looked out for me. He was my only friend when I really needed one. I remembered how over the last few years he’s been there for me whenever I needed him, even when we haven’t been dating, how he doesn’t let my stupid insecurities push him away and tells me straight when I need to stop being crazy.” She tilts her head and offers me a sad smile. “And that’s why I want him to be happy, even if it’s without me. You make him happy, Livy, happier than I’ve ever seen him.”





“I NEED TO TALK TO you.”

Aaron glances away from his locker warily.

“I mean it, Aaron. I’m your friend too.”

He sighs. “It’s not a good idea, Livy.”

“I’ve tried to talk to him but he won’t even look at me.”

“What do you expect?”

What do I expect? I expect someone to tell me the truth, to stop talking in riddles and actually tell me what’s going on.

“His sister talked to me, and so did Abigail.”

He freezes momentarily and I know he knows. He knows what I’ve been told and he knows it’s true, but I need it to be confirmed. I need him to tell me it’s true. He sighs in defeat, closes his locker, and turns to face me fully. “I can’t get in the middle of this.”

“Is what they said true?”

He eyes me, his face serious. He’s about to open his mouth when his eyes dart past me and he straightens up. I turn to see what’s caught his eye: Sarah Billington and Sasha Pierce are standing farther down the hall. They’re joined by Brendon, who hears something then looks in our direction.

“Not here,” Aaron tells me. He jerks his head toward a classroom across the hall. “Come on—quickly, before he shows up.”

I follow him into the empty room and he closes the door behind me. “He won’t talk to me at all,” I say.

“I know. He’s really hurt.”

“But—”

“I get it, Livy. I’ve told him. He should have been honest from the start. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

Then why have you been avoiding me? I am so fucking confused. I want someone to just be honest with me.

“Aaron, what is going on?”

“Liv—”

“Seriously, someone just needs to tell me what’s going on!”

“He’ll kill me if I say anything.”

“Aaron!”

He sighs. “Why do you want to know? Will it make a difference about you and Stephenson?” He doesn’t quite hide the sneer on his face.

“This isn’t about Jessie. Is what they said true?” He looks around the room, clearly torn and trying to decide what to do. “I hate this.” I’m mortified to find tears welling in my eyes. “I know I messed up with Jessie, but I’m trying to fix it and Chase won’t listen to me and I just want to know the truth.”

“He’s…he thinks…”

“He hates me, doesn’t he? Any feelings he had are gone and now he hates me. I mean, God, he won’t even look at me.”

Aaron scoffs. “He doesn’t hate you. I think it would be a lot easier for him if he did.”

I look him right in the eye. “His sister said he’s waited for me, and…” I pause. I still can’t believe what Abigail told me, but if anyone knows, it would be Aaron. “Abigail said he liked me way back, like since we were freshmen.”

Aaron looks up to the ceiling and I think he’s going to make an excuse and leave, not give me the answer I’m so desperate to hear, but he doesn’t. Eventually he looks back at me. “I think it happened before we were freshmen.”