THE WRONG PROM DATE

ALEXANDRA MOODY
 Copyright © 2020 by Alexandra Moody
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Developmental Editing by Pete Thompson
Proofreading & Copy-editing by Kelly Hartigan (XterraWeb)
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 CONTENTS
1. Hayley
2. Ethan
3. Hayley
4. Hayley
5. Ethan
6. Hayley
7. Hayley
8. Ethan
9. Hayley
10. Ethan
11. Ethan
12. Hayley
13. Hayley
14. Ethan
15. Hayley
16. Ethan
17. Hayley
18. Hayley
19. Ethan
20. Hayley
21. Ethan
22. Hayley
23. Hayley
Epilogue
Stay Connected
Also by Alexandra Moody
About the Author
 1

HAYLEY

I t was officially the worst day of my life.

Even worse than the day I peed my pants in kindergarten
or the time I forgot my one line in the school play. My car had
broken down—which in the grand scheme of things wasn’t all
that bad. But, it had happened right in front of the town sheriff,
who was currently giving me a ride home while a tow truck
took my baby away.
I felt like I was going to die of embarrassment as I sat in
the back of the cruiser and stared out the window. I was not
some delinquent who got rides home from cops, and the
sheriff kept giving me such stern looks in his rearview mirror
that I was worried I might suddenly spill every deep, dark
secret I had. Not that any secrets I had were dark. Humiliating
though? Most definitely.
“Hayley, remind me again why your car was stopped in the
middle of the road?” he asked.
I swallowed and tried not to look as terrified as I felt.
“There was a fox,” I lied.
“A fox? I thought you said there was a squirrel…”
Crap.
“Yeah, I was getting to that. There was a foxy-looking
squirrel that dashed across the road. I thought I hit it and
stopped the car to get out and take a look, but then it darted off
the road and into the bushes. I knew it was okay, so I went to
drive away, but my car wouldn’t start.”
 “I see.”
I tried to keep my face straight, refusing to crack under the
pressure of his knowing stare. All I could see were his eyes in
the mirror, but they were more than enough to intimidate me. I
didn’t need to see the rest of his face to feel the brunt of his
disapproval.
“And you didn’t think to pull over first?” he asked.
“Sir, a squirrel’s life was on the line.”
I couldn’t believe I was lying to a police officer, but I
couldn’t exactly tell him the truth. My favorite song had come
on the radio, and I’d stopped the car so I could belt out the
lyrics and give the song the tribute it deserved. It’s not like
there were any other cars around, and you just can’t sing
Taylor Swift and drive at the same time. Especially not when
you’re also dancing in your seat. If I could rewrite the rules of
the road, that would be the first thing all new drivers would
learn—don’t dance and drive; stop and sing. Unfortunately, I
didn’t think Sheriff Daniels would agree.
I blew out a breath as I thought through my predicament. I
was devastated that my car was officially out of action, but I
was more concerned about how everyone would react. My
parents would probably be angry, and my best friend Madi was
never going to let me hear the end of this. She often told me I
was the world’s worst driver. I was beginning to think she
might have a point.
We finally reached my street, and as we pulled up at the
front of my house, I glanced up at the windows, scanning them
for any prying eyes. I’d never been more eager to get out of a
car in my life, but I didn’t want witnesses either. It was bad
enough I had to tell my parents about my broken car; they
didn’t need to see my shameful ride with the sheriff too.
Thankfully, it seemed the coast was clear.
“Well, thanks for the ride, Sheriff Daniels.” I went to open
the door only to find it locked, and a tendril of fear shot
through me. Maybe, he’d changed his mind about dropping me
off at home. Could he really arrest me for having car troubles
though? I really hoped not, because I knew I wouldn’t do well
in prison. I spoke without thinking all the time—which
probably wouldn’t go down well with my cell mates. Plus,
jumpsuits just weren’t my thing.
The sheriff swiveled in his seat and peered over his
shoulder at me through the metal bars that separated us. “I
hope this is the last time I see you in the back seat of my car,
Hayley. Next time you think you hit a squirrel, make sure you
pull over before coming to a stop.”
“Yes, sir.”
He nodded, and my heart seemed to start beating again as I
heard the lock on the back door being released. I scrambled
from the car, all too happy to escape. I took several deep
breaths as I stepped onto my driveway. I could almost taste the
freedom in the air around me. It was a crisp, fresh sensation
that actually seemed to fill my lungs, unlike the back of the
cop car, which had been so hot and suffocating.
The sheriff didn’t need to warn me—I had no intention of
seeing the back seat of that car again. I was done breaking
rules, which sadly meant no more stopping in the middle of
the road to sing. I wasn’t even going to risk getting a parking
ticket from now on.
I had barely taken three steps down my driveway when I
heard a car door clicking shut. I stilled, and my eyes darted in
the direction of the sound. Luckily, it had come from the house
next door to ours and not Sheriff Daniel’s car, which was still
idling on the curb behind me.
The last thing I needed was some nosy neighbor
witnessing my walk of shame, but as my eyes landed on the
broad shoulders of Owen Beck, all thought of my shameful
trip home fled from me. My brain seemed to shut down, and
my mind went blank, because Owen was the last person I
expected to see getting out of the car next door.
I blinked several times as I waited for my brain to reboot,
and it took several long moments before I could form a
coherent thought. Owen had always had that effect on me, and
it seemed things hadn’t changed.
 What on Earth was he doing here? It was the middle of the
school semester, and Owen should have been busy at the
prestigious academy he went to on a football scholarship. He’d
been there throughout high school, and I’d only caught the odd
glimpse of him when he visited home over the holidays. It was
certainly not the holidays now, so his presence left me baffled.
I tried to come up with a good reason for his mysterious
return, but I was drawing a total blank.
I should have just gone up to him and welcomed him home
—like a normal person would—but my body was frozen in
place, and all I could do was watch as he began walking
toward the house with his mom. He didn’t look in my
direction, but that might have been a good thing. Thanks to an
intense after-school cheer practice and my car breaking down,
I was a bit of a mess tonight. The fact I was watching him like
some infatuated schoolgirl wouldn’t have been a good look for
me either.
It was hard not to notice how unbelievably gorgeous Owen
was these days. He’d put on a heap of muscle since I’d last
seen him, and it seemed like he’d gotten even hotter—if that
was possible. Had it really only been a few months since his
last visit home? Because the amount of bulk he’d acquired in
that time just couldn’t be humanly possible.
It wasn’t until he was inside the house and firmly out of
sight that I managed to shake off my surprise at seeing Owen
and start moving again. It was as though I’d woken from a
dream, and my limbs were tingling like they had been asleep
for hours. My hearing seemed to start working again too,
because I suddenly heard the car trunk slam shut and finally
noticed that Owen hadn’t been alone with his mom.
His brother Ethan stood by the car with two large duffel
bags hung over each of his shoulders. He was glaring in the
direction of his house, but he didn’t immediately move toward
it. It was hard to believe the guy could be Owen’s twin, as the
two of them couldn’t have been more different.
The Beck brothers may have shared the same blue eyes,
but that was where all similarity between the two of them
ended. Owen had dirty-blond hair, a constant tan, and large
muscles from all the football he played. Ethan’s hair was dark
and constantly messy. He always seemed to have a light spray
of stubble across his jaw, and the glasses he wore added to his
nerdy vibe. He wasn’t doing himself any favors with the lack
of effort he put into his wardrobe every day either. The baggy
band T-shirts, old jeans, and ratty sneakers were hardly the
stuff of a teen girl’s daydreams.
The real difference between the two of them lay in their
personalities though. While Owen commanded the attention of
every room he entered, his twin tended to avoid the room
altogether. Ethan still went to Lincoln High with me, but you
wouldn’t know it. He always seemed to disappear into the
background, so it wasn’t difficult to see why Owen had always
been more popular.
I doubted I’d ever said more than two words to Ethan, but
that didn’t stop me from making my way toward him. If
anyone would know why Owen was home, it would be his
brother.
“Hey, Ethan,” I called out.
He was adjusting one of the bags across his shoulders, but
his movements stilled at the sound of my voice, and he very
slowly turned to look at me. His eyes widened slightly as he
watched me walk toward him, and he pushed his glasses up his
nose as his initial surprise turned to confusion. I couldn’t
really blame him for reacting that way. We’d been living next
door to each other for years, and I’d never randomly greeted
him before. I’d probably be shocked myself if he struck up a
conversation with me.
Several long seconds passed before he finally responded.
“Hayley, can I help you?” His voice was deep and surprisingly
smooth; it wasn’t hard to miss the caution in his tone though.
At least he knew who I was, which I guessed was a good start.
I formed a large smile in response. I couldn’t just waltz
right up to him and start interrogating him about his brother, so
I tried a different tactic. “Looks like you’re the one who needs
help. Do you want a hand with those bags?” I nodded toward
the heavy luggage weighing down on his shoulders. Despite
the size of the bags, he didn’t seem to be struggling with them.
He quickly shook his head though. “Thanks, but I’ve got
them.”
He went to turn away, and I saw my window of
opportunity closing. “Your brother’s back in town?” I
sputtered out. The words had rushed out so fast it would be a
miracle if he heard them correctly.
Ethan whipped his head back in my direction, and a frown
creased his brow. His whole body seemed to tense, and I got
the feeling he wasn’t as happy as I was about his brother’s
return. “Well, you just saw him walk up our driveway, so I’d
say that answers your question.”
“Not really,” I muttered, earning myself a hint of a smile
from Ethan. “Let me rephrase. Why is your brother back in
town?”
The smile quickly disappeared, and his expression
darkened. “Please don’t tell me you’re a member of his fan
club…”
“Of course not,” I scoffed. I wasn’t just a member; I was
the president.
I had been in love with Owen for many years now, but I
wasn’t about to admit that to Ethan. Owen Beck was
completely unobtainable, and the fewer people who knew
about my infatuation with him the better. Not that I was alone
in my crush. Even in middle school, he’d been like a god
walking amongst us mere mortals. All the girls had been after
him. Unlike most girls though, I hadn’t put that crush to bed
when we started high school and Owen left town. Every time I
saw him, my heart still fluttered like crazy, and I was being
slammed with the same feeling again now.
It was funny because I hadn’t always liked Owen. I
actually used to believe he was completely stuck up, but then
one day in English class, he’d surprised me.
We’d all been given a poetry assignment for homework,
and Owen’s was so good the teacher had asked him to read it
out in front of the class. I could immediately see why, because
the poem was beautiful. It had shown there was so much more
to him than the star footballer the school knew and loved.
There was a thoughtful and deep soul buried beneath the
layers of humor and frivolity. His words had laid his troubled
heart bare, and I’d fallen for him right there in class. It
certainly didn’t hurt that he was gorgeous and had only grown
hotter over the years.
“So, why’s Owen home?” I prompted.
“Why do you want to know so bad?”
My cheeks warmed, and I struggled to maintain eye
contact with him. “I don’t.” I did. “You know what, it doesn’t
matter. I was just making polite conversation. I’ll see you
around, Ethan.”
I turned and rushed up the driveway before he could
respond or before my cheeks flamed bright red and gave me
away, just like they always did when I was embarrassed. I
didn’t need Ethan Beck uncovering my secret crush on his
brother. I’d have to leave the mystery of Owen’s return to
Lincoln for another day.
My embarrassment carried me inside but was quickly
replaced by a flurry of nerves as I remembered how this
stressful and emotional afternoon had begun. My car was
broken, and I needed to tell my parents. I slowly traipsed
through the house in search of my mom. Dad would still be at
work, so at least I wouldn’t have to face him yet. I knocked on
the door of Mom’s office, the feeling of trepidation only
increasing as she called out for me to come in.
I cracked the door open, easing my way into the room.
Like always, her office was a mess, and today, it looked like a
curtain factory had just exploded in here. Mom worked as an
interior designer, but she wasn’t exactly the most organized
person, so she never put any of her things away.
“Hayley, honey, you’re home,” Mom tittered, flashing me
a smile. She grabbed two pieces of material and brought them
over to me. “I’m replacing those drab curtains in the family
room. Which do you prefer, the hunter green or the emerald
green?” Her eyes were bright with enthusiasm, like she’d just
asked me to choose between a family vacation to Disneyland
or a trip to SeaWorld. She always got this way about her work.
Mom was one of those people who lived life at the emotional
extremes of the spectrum. She never expressed herself in a
half-hearted way.
“Er, neither?”
Her eyes narrowed, and she gave a decisive nod of her
head. “Yes, you’re completely right. We should be looking at
something more neutral.” She turned to walk back to her desk
and started searching for more options. “How was your day at
school?”
“It was fine.”
“And cheerleading practice went well?”
“Uh, sure.” Wow, I was really struggling to tell her what
happened with the car. Mom was the understanding parent, so
it shouldn’t be so hard. I was usually quite good about owning
up to my mistakes. The car breaking down wasn’t even my
fault, but the ride home in the cop car had freaked me out.
Suddenly, it felt like I’d done something wrong.
“Is Laurie still pushing you hard?”
“She wouldn’t be Laurie if she wasn’t pushing,” I replied.
The captain of our cheer squad had made me run laps of the
field for most of practice because I’d been stupid enough to
stop for a drink of water. Apparently, that meant I was lacking
in stamina. I wasn’t Laurie’s favorite person, so my
punishments were always particularly brutal, and today’s was
no different. I wasn’t sure why she disliked me so much, but I
had a feeling it was because I didn’t worship her like most of
the other girls on the team.
It would have been so easy to keep chatting about
cheerleading, but I knew I needed to tell Mom the truth about
my car. I squared my shoulders, knowing it was now or never.
And never wasn’t really an option because I desperately
wanted my car to get fixed.
 “Mom, my car broke down today.” I said it quickly, like I
was ripping off a Band-Aid. My face even scrunched in
preparation like I was preparing for the shot of pain that came
when you ripped the adhesive from your skin.
“What?” Mom spun to face me, a look of concern etched
across her features. “What happened?”
“Well…” I launched into my explanation about how I’d
stopped the car while driving home so I could sing a Taylor
Swift song. That, at least, Mom understood, and she nodded in
agreement. She probably would have done the same thing, as
we both tended to sing with a lot of hand movements—
especially when it came to Taylor’s songs. When I got to the
part about my car needing to be towed away and the sheriff
driving me home, she rushed forward and gathered me up in a
big hug.
“Oh, my poor little girl, that must have been so terrifying
for you.”
I smothered a laugh. I wasn’t sure if terrifying was the
right word, but at least she wasn’t angry with me. “The tow
truck driver took the car to Mike’s garage,” I said, pulling out
of her hug. “He told me we needed to give Mike a call
tomorrow to see what the problem is.”
Mom nodded seriously. “I’ll push back my first meeting in
the morning so I can drive you to school.”
“Mom, you don’t need to do that. I can probably convince
one of my friends to give me a ride.” Our place was slightly
out of the way, but I was sure it would be fine for one
morning.
“Don’t be silly. I’ll drive you.” She looked determined to
help, and I knew there was no arguing with her once she made
up her mind. I scuffed my foot across the ground as I
considered my next question. “Do you think Dad will be upset
with me?”
Dad tended to do all the worrying for our family. It was
probably a good thing one of us took life seriously, but it made
me nervous he’d freak out when he found out there was a
problem with the car.
Mom took me by the shoulders and started to walk me
toward the door. “Don’t worry about your father. He’ll be fine.
Now, why don’t you go get started on your homework?”
I let out a breath and smiled. “I guess I could get cracking
on my English paper.”
I felt a sense of calm run over me as I walked from the
office. Mom had completely understood about the car. I should
have known it would be fine. My relief was short-lived though
and quickly replaced by irritation when I saw my sister
waiting for me at the end of the corridor. Kitty was four years
younger than me and was pretty much the real-life tween
embodiment of Regina George from Mean Girls—she was
evil. Her life revolved around being popular, and she would do
just about anything to rule her grade at school. She had even
joined her middle school cheer squad to heighten her status. I
only cheered because I enjoyed it, and I couldn’t stand half the
girls on our team.
“Are you trying to make me die of embarrassment?” she
screeched at me.
“Oh, hey, Kitty. How was school?” I didn’t stop to ask
what I’d done to upset her now—there was always something
—and walked right past her. Kitty was apparently on a mission
though, because she tailed me down the corridor.
“What is everyone at school going to think when they find
out my sister was in a cop car?” she continued. “I can’t be
related to some criminal.”
“Are you guys still doing that bake sale on Friday?” I
always found the best way of dealing with her tantrums was to
pretend they weren’t happening. It only aggravated her more
—which I secretly loved.
I stepped into my room, and Kitty stopped just outside the
door, crossing her arms over her chest and giving me her
dirtiest scowl. “I won’t let you ruin my reputation, so I’m
giving you this one warning,” she commanded. “Whatever
trouble you’re getting into, it stops now.”
I tried to prevent the laugh from bubbling out of my chest.
I really did. But I just couldn’t seem to help it, and a small
snort escaped me. The sound only made my sister’s eyes fill
with more loathing, and I quickly started talking before I could
make things worse. “Look, thanks for the talk. You’ve really
put me on the straight and narrow.” I patted her on the
shoulder before swinging my door shut.
“I won’t let you ruin me!” she shouted through the door.
This time, I let my laugh free. I’d thought the ride home in
the cop car was bad, but Kitty’s reaction really put it in
perspective. There was no need to be so dramatic.
I went over to my desk to turn on my laptop and slumped
into my chair as I waited for the computer to boot up. My desk
stood under my bedroom window, and when I looked outside,
I could see right into the Becks’s house—Ethan’s room, to be
exact.
He was sitting on his desk chair strumming his guitar just
like he did every day when he got home from school. His mom
was always gushing to mine about the band he was in with his
friends. I had no idea if they were any good as I’d never heard
him play. Given the amount he practiced though, he couldn’t
be terrible.
As I watched Ethan, I couldn’t help but think about his
brother and wonder why he had come home. Even during
school holidays, Owen was rarely around as he always had a
football camp to go to. Would he be back for long or was this
only a short visit? Could I dare to hope he might be home for
more than a few days? I was desperate to know but had no
way of finding out. Perhaps, I should try asking Ethan about
his brother again.
As if he sensed me watching, Ethan glanced up from his
guitar and looked straight into my eyes. I panicked and
instinctively ducked my head. I did it so quickly though that I
lost my balance and fell off the chair, my arms and legs
flailing up in the air as I crashed to the floor. There was no
way Ethan had missed it, and I must have looked like a total
idiot.
As I lay on my bedroom floor, I felt completely mortified
—even more embarrassed than I had been when talking to
Ethan earlier. No only had he caught me staring at him, but my
reaction only made the whole thing worse. There was no way I
could ask him about Owen now. I’d be lucky if I could ever
look him in the eyes again.
When it came to the Beck brothers it seemed there was one
thing I could be certain of: I couldn’t stop myself from acting
like a complete fool around either one of them.
 2

ETHAN

M y life was over. Well, maybe, not over, but it was safe
to say my future was bleak. My brother had finally
done something stupid enough to lose his athletic scholarship
and get expelled from the stuck-up academy he’d been
attending for the last few years. The person who was going to
suffer the consequences of his mistakes the most though was
me.
Our family always ate breakfast together, and while I never
usually minded, today, it was torture. Dad was away on a
business trip, so it was just Mom, Owen, and me sitting around
the kitchen table. No one was talking and Mom had barely
touched her food. She couldn’t even look at my brother, which
was a noticeable change from the way she usually treated the
golden child of our family.
The silence that stretched between us wasn’t just
uncomfortable; it was painful. It was like the quiet had sucked
the moisture from the air and the very molecules around us
had become prickly and cold as they scraped against our skin.
It was a striking difference to the atmosphere in the house the
previous night. Owen had arrived home yesterday, and Mom
had practically lost her voice after hours of shouting at my
brother. Even Dad had put in his two cents’ worth over the
phone. He might have been a thousand miles away, but his
disapproval had been more than evident last night.
I’d disappeared to my room at the first chance. I didn’t
particularly want to take part in the fight, especially not when I
was still on a high from Hayley Lawson finally speaking to
me. She might have been asking about my brother, but I
wasn’t about to let that little fact ruin the moment. She had
noticed me for once, and I couldn’t believe it.
“You will be coming with me to the school today,” Mom
said, finally breaking the silence. She still refused to look my
brother in the eye, but it was fairly clear he was the one she
was addressing. “We need to get you registered so you can
start next week.”
Thanks to his expulsion, Owen was returning to Lincoln
High, and I was dreading it. We weren’t the kind of twins who
read each other’s thoughts; we were the kind who couldn’t
stand each other, and the rift between us had only grown worse
since he moved away. The academy he’d attended had
completely changed him, and over the years, he’d gone from
slightly self-assured to completely full of himself. He
legitimately thought he’d created the sun and it shone only for
him. The last thing I wanted was to see his arrogant face in
classes for the rest of the year.
“Sure, Mom.” He gave her his trademark smile, which was
usually one of the more deadly weapons in his arsenal. The
thing was like magic and had always managed to enchant even
the harshest critics. From annoyed teachers to strict coaches,
no one could resist Owen when he smiled at them like that,
and our mom was the biggest sucker of them all.
She barely looked at him though, and his smile faltered.
“This school is your last chance,” she said. “And you’re
unbelievably lucky they’re allowing you to enroll there after
what you’ve done. If I hear one whisper that you’re not acting
as a model student, I’ll be locking you in your room and
throwing away the key until you graduate. That good behavior
starts today.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but Mom was out
of her chair and headed for the kitchen before he could utter a
word. To say she was livid was an understatement, and I didn’t
blame her. Owen had done plenty of stupid things over the
years, but he’d finally gone too far.
 He’d barely spoken to me since his return, and I was more
than happy for things to stay that way. I didn’t want to hear
anything that came out of Owen’s mouth. Unfortunately for
me, I was now left alone with him.
“Happy to have me back, brother?”
I was suddenly missing the awkward silence that had filled
the house all morning. I looked away and took a bite of my
toast to save myself from having to respond. I didn’t really
want to lie, so I’d rather just pretend he wasn’t talking.
He grunted. “Well, at least the girls at Lincoln will be
happy to see me.”
My stomach twisted as I thought of the one girl who had
already shown an interest in his arrival: Hayley. What if he
noticed her in return? Had he seen her watching him
yesterday? My toast seemed to lodge itself in my throat at the
thought. I somehow managed to swallow it before I focused on
my brother once more. “Got your sights set on any of them?”
“Hardly.” Owen leaned back in his chair. “But, I’m sure
I’ll have plenty of them thirsting after me once I’m back in
class.”
“I’m sure,” I muttered in agreement. The rest of the year
was beginning to feel like it might stretch out for an eternity.
Owen being back was like some form of punishment, and I
really had to wonder what I’d done wrong to deserve it.
“From what I hear, I’ll be back just in time for prom,” he
continued. “Do you have a date?”
I didn’t answer, and he gave me a self-satisfied smile. “I
suppose not.”
“Don’t act so smug. You hardly have a date.”
His eyes lit with amusement. “True, but unlike some
people, I can have any girl I want. Plus, I would never secure a
prom date more than a day or two before the dance. Girls get
far too clingy, and who knows what you could be missing out
on if you lock yourself in too early?”
 I placed the rest of my toast back on my plate, my appetite
suddenly gone. My brother didn’t appear to care he’d lost his
scholarship. Were girls really all he could think about right
now? Didn’t he at least feel bad for upsetting Mom the way he
had?
I picked up my plate and stood from the table. I didn’t
want to hear whatever stupid thing my brother would say next.
“Where are you going?” he grumbled as he eyed my half-
eaten piece of toast.
“School. Some of us are still welcome there.” I didn’t wait
to hear his reply.

“W HAT ’ S UP , LOSER ?” Isla asked, as she slumped into the seat

next to me.
I’d been sitting in homeroom quietly stewing over Owen’s
return, and my friend was a welcome distraction. As I looked
at her, I noticed she’d dyed the ends of her dark hair blue over
the weekend. Combined with her army boots, skinny jeans,
and the plaid shirt around her waist, she looked like some kind
of Korean punk princess.
“New hairstyle?” I asked.
“Yep.” She grinned as she twirled the blue strands of hair
around one of her fingers. “Do I look cool enough to be in
your little band now?”
I chuckled. “You definitely look the part, but there’s still
the little problem of you being tone deaf, so I don’t think the
band thing is going to happen.”
“I’m not tone deaf. I’m tone challenged. And, you guys
should be so lucky to have my off-pitch musical styling.” She
was still smiling, so I knew she didn’t take any offense. We’d
been friends forever, and this was hardly the first time I’d
given her crap about her lack of musical skills. She actually
wasn’t all that bad at singing, but we’d been joking about it for
so long that I sometimes forgot it wasn’t true.
 “I guess I’ll just have to settle for being the band’s biggest
groupie,” she continued. “Do you think I’ll need to get your
face tattooed across my back to earn my place in the fan
club?”
“Ah, no.”
“Please don’t do that,” Colin added as he sat down at the
desk on my other side. “Ethan has enough groupies, and we
don’t want to give them ideas.”
“I don’t have groupies.”
“Yeah, you do,” Isla said with a laugh. “Not that you ever
pay them any attention.”
“I don’t have groupies,” I repeated.
“So, those girls always screaming your name when the
band plays are just a figment of my imagination?” she asked.
I grunted in response, deciding it was easier to ignore the
comment rather than trying to convince Isla otherwise.
“Anyway, if you’re going to get someone’s face tattooed on
your back, shouldn’t it be Dex’s?” I asked instead. Dex was
our drummer and had been Isla’s boyfriend for almost a year
now. He was in college and was the main reason we scored
most of the band’s gigs. He was an expert at talking venue
managers into giving us a shot, something I was certain Colin
and I would fail miserably at if it were up to us.
Isla started to respond, but I was distracted as Hayley
Lawson walked into the classroom. My gaze trailed after her
as she went to sit next to one of her friends, her high ponytail
bobbing as she glided across the room.
Homeroom was both the best and worst part of my day. It
was the best because I got to start each morning with my two
best friends. But it was also the worst, because every day, I
watched Hayley enter the room, and every day, she failed to
notice me. She might have finally talked to me last night, but I
knew it was only because of my brother. It was yet another
reason to hate him. He caught the attention of the girl I liked
without even trying.
 “Maybe Ethan’s the one who needs a tattoo across his
back,” Colin said, as he saw where I was looking.
I punched him in the arm. “Shut up.”
“Don’t you mean across his heart,” Isla added.
I scowled at her. “I would punch your arm too, but I can’t
because you’re a girl.”
“That’s so sexist,” Isla replied.
I rolled my eyes and lightly tapped my fist against her arm.
“Much better.” She laughed before her eyes turned serious.
“Are you ever going to stop pining over her?”
“I’m not pining after anyone.”
“Well, you are,” Colin said. “You have been for years.”
“And it’s getting ridiculous,” Isla added. “You’re the lead
singer of Velocity. And I know that means nothing to most of
the idiots who go to our school, but you guys won battle of the
bands last year, and you’re insanely talented. There are girls
who would kill to date you. College girls.”
“She’s right, you know,” Colin added. “Several girls were
waiting offstage for us on Saturday night, and I’m pretty
certain they weren’t there for me.”
“Sure, they were.”
“Yeah, because chicks dig skinny, redhaired guys,” he
replied, sarcasm dripping off his tongue.
“They do when you’re playing guitar,” Isla told him. I
nodded along with her. Colin’s talent when he played was
unrivaled, and there was no way we would have won battle of
the bands last year without him.
Colin scoffed. He’d never had much luck with girls, which
was probably why he didn’t believe us. I didn’t exactly have
the best track record either, but only because I was completely
fixated on the one girl who would never look at me twice.
I could remember the exact moment I fell for Hayley. We
were thirteen years old, and it was our first day of gym class
for the year. Bobby Newman had gone up to Hayley and told
her she looked hot. I remember her blushing right up until the
moment he lowered his gaze to her chest and congratulated her
boobs for finally making an appearance. She’d punched him in
the nose, sending him crying to the nurse’s office.
The moment felt like lightning striking me. I’d always
thought Hayley was beautiful. But it was her attitude that had
made my heart lurch. Hayley didn’t take crap from anyone—
which only made her more attractive.
There was something seriously sexy about a girl who stood
up for herself. I had no hope in the world of ever catching her
attention though. I was so thoroughly outside her field of
vision I had to wonder if I was just a blur in the background
whenever we were in the same room.
It really didn’t help my chances that Hayley seemed to like
my brother. She was always so full of life, but whenever he
was around her, it was like watching a rabbit in the headlights.
Her eyes went big, and she looked like she wanted to run
away. Last night, when she’d caught sight of him, she seemed
completely unable to move. It had been painful to watch her
walk down the driveway and turn into a statue as Owen
emerged from the car. It wasn’t until he’d disappeared into the
house that she’d even noticed I was there.
That was another major reason I didn’t want my brother
back at school with me. If he realized how amazing Hayley
was, she’d be lost to me forever. Owen was so wrapped up in
himself that I was hoping it wouldn’t happen.
“Why don’t you go on a date with someone who actually
knows you exist?” Isla asked. She was talking in what I’d
dubbed her mother hen voice, which she loved to use on Colin
and me whenever she felt the need to give us advice. She
wasn’t exactly one to hold back on her opinions, so the voice
tended to make a daily appearance.
“Hayley knows I exist,” I grumbled. She had at least
shown she knew my name last night, which was something.
“Are you sure about that?” Colin asked. “I know you like
her, but maybe, Hayley’s just like all the other cheerleaders in
our school.”
He wasn’t looking at Hayley when he spoke. Instead, he
was focused on the white-blonde locks of the captain of the
cheerleading team. Laurie was nothing like Hayley though.
She was an ice queen who ruled our school by striking terror
into the hearts of all her subjects. I frequently saw her walking
through kids in the corridor as if they weren’t there, and she
really wouldn’t have any idea who I was. I was shocked Colin
could even suggest the two girls might be alike.
“Hayley knows I exist,” I repeated. “And she’s nothing
like Laurie.”
I looked to Isla for support, but she was staring at me with
her head tilted to the side, as if she were assessing me.
“Maybe, if you took your glasses off at school, the girls here
would notice you,” she suggested. “You never wear them at
gigs, and the glasses just emphasize that whole reclusive dork
vibe you’re always giving off. It’s hurting your image.”
“I need my glasses to read, Isla.” Plus, if they weren’t on
my face, I generally forgot them. It was far easier just to wear
them the whole time.
“And you always wear such scruffy clothes,” she
continued, like she hadn’t heard me. “You spend every
morning in your basement doing weights, and we all saw the
rig you’re hiding under those loose T-shirts last summer. If
you wore clothing that was a little more fitted, maybe, you’d
have more luck getting the girls here to notice you.”
“Have you been watching one of those makeover shows
again?”
Isla rolled her eyes. “I’m just trying to help.”
“Well, I appreciate it, but I don’t need girls to notice me.”
“Of course, you do,” she continued. “You know, if you
were a little more confident and put half as much effort into
your appearance as your brother, you’d get just as much
attention as him. Can’t you please let me take you shopping?”
“Don’t bring Owen into this, and we’re not going
shopping. My clothes are fine.”
 Isla knew perfectly well that I didn’t get along with my
twin, so I was surprised she’d used him as part of her little pep
talk. It was also strange she had mentioned him, because I
hadn’t told either of my friends that Owen was coming back to
Lincoln High to finish the year. He didn’t start classes until
next week, and I couldn’t bring myself to admit the terrible
truth out loud. They’d all find out soon enough, and I’d
probably never hear the end of it. This was my final week of
peace at school, and I didn’t want Owen disturbing it.
“Dude, even I know your clothes aren’t fine,” Colin said.
The teacher walked in, and the conversations in the
classroom lulled as she sat at her desk and started taking
attendance. I was barely focused on her though; instead, I
looked between my two friends.
“I’m not changing who I am to get attention from girls,” I
hissed at them.
“I’m not saying you need to change. I’m just suggesting
you highlight your assets,” Isla replied. “I’m sick of waiting
for you boys to get girlfriends, so it’s time you upped your
game.”
I groaned. Was this really what my life had come to?
Colin wore a broad grin, and I scowled at him for reveling
in my pain. His smile quickly disappeared though when Isla
honed in on him too. “Don’t get so comfortable, Colin,” she
added. “We’ll be focusing on your atrocious performance with
girls at lunch.”
He visibly swallowed, and I had to smother a smile. I
might have had no game when it came to girls, but Colin was
even worse. He could barely string a sentence together when
they were near, and though my lecture from Isla had been bad,
I felt sure his would be worse.
“Now, class,” Mrs. Carpenter said. Her voice had grown
louder and pulled my focus to the front of the room. “We have
an announcement to make this morning. Can you please give
your attention to Angus?”
 She waved toward Angus Fable, who was standing at the
front of the room. His chest was puffed out, and he wore a
confident smile as he surveyed the class. Angus was our
student council president and took great satisfaction in having
everyone in a room watching him. I didn’t know him all that
well, but I wasn’t a big fan of the guy. He was too insincere for
my liking, which probably made him a perfect president.
“Hi, everyone,” he said, emphasizing his words with a big,
and unnecessary, wave of his hand. “I have some exciting
news for you this morning. I know you’ve all been waiting for
this moment, but I’m pleased to announce that tickets for the
prom will be going on sale at lunch today.”
A flurry of excited squeals and whoops echoed through the
room.
Angus’s smile grew wider. “The theme for the dance this
year will be Winter Wonderland…”
“Real original,” Colin quietly complained at my side.
“And the student council will have a table set up in the
cafeteria, where you’ll be able to purchase tickets,” Angus
continued. “If you have any questions, feel free to talk to me
or one of the other student representatives. And, that’s all from
me. Take it away, Mrs. Carpenter.” He shot the teacher a false
smile before excusing himself from the room.
The moment Angus left, the class erupted in noise once
more, the sound of excited voices drowning out anything the
teacher was trying to say. Everyone was talking about the
prom, and my gaze immediately darted to Hayley. She was
speaking with another cheerleader sitting next to her and
looked just as happy as everyone else in the room about
Angus’s announcement.
“Man, I’d forgotten that was soon. Our school has too
many dances,” Colin grumbled.
I nodded emphatically. The whole class couldn’t wait for
the prom, but all I could think was that it was another
opportunity for rejection. There was only one girl I wanted to
go with, but there was no way it was ever going to happen in
this lifetime.
“Guess we’ll just have to go to another dance stag,” I said.
I couldn’t stop myself from glancing back in Hayley’s
direction and wishing things were different though.
 3

HAYLEY

I struggled to concentrate on the whiteboard. It was hardly a

surprise considering I’d been distracted all morning, and it
really didn’t help that Miss French was writing some crazy
complicated math problems up there. I wasn’t sure what I was
going to do when I grew up, but I did know that nothing in my
adult life would require anything other than basic addition and
multiplication. Perhaps, a little subtraction—but I was drawing
the line there.
Seriously though, who cared what x equaled when there
were much more pressing issues. Namely, who was I going to
go to the prom with? I’d pushed the dance to the back of my
mind, but now that tickets were going on sale, I couldn’t think
of anything else.
I let out a long sigh, the sound catching Madi’s attention.
She was sitting beside me, diligently writing the problem out
in her graph book, but she looked up at me when she heard the
sound.
She started scribbling a note before subtly passing it over
to me.
“What’s up?” the note read.
I didn’t write back and simply shrugged in response. Madi
wouldn’t understand what I was going through because she’d
spent almost all of high school with a boyfriend. She didn’t
know what it was like to want a guy who didn’t want you
back. She also had no idea how miserable it felt to wait around
for a boy to ask you to a dance. It was especially hard when
none of the boys at school were interested in you. My chances
of a prom date were so hopeless I might as well line up at
lunch and buy my solitary ticket now.
I hoped my shrug would put Madi off, but as soon as the
bell rang, she started questioning me again. “Seriously,
Hayles, what’s wrong?” she asked as we gathered our books to
go to our next class.
“You know how I feel about math. It’s always a massive
downer.”
Miss French looked up from her desk and scowled at me.
Yeah, she’d totally heard that. Whoops. I walked a little faster
to get out of the room and avoid the daggers her eyes were
throwing in my direction. Miss French really wasn’t my
biggest fan.
Madi stopped me as soon as we were out in the corridor. “I
know it’s not math bothering you. You’ve been in a funk all
morning.”
I bit on my lip as I looked at her. She had a determined
look in her eyes, and I knew she wasn’t going to let up until I
admitted the truth. “Okay, fine. I guess I’m worried about the
prom. I’m not sure who I’m going to go with.”
Her eyes lit with surprise, like this was the last thing she
expected me to say. “Can’t you go with one of those college
guys you’re always dating?”
I swallowed down a thick lump in my throat, unable to
meet Madi’s gaze. All of my friends thought I only dated older
guys, but in truth, it was a total lie. I’d gone on one date with a
guy who was in college last year, and it had been a complete
disaster. We had nothing in common, and he’d constantly
talked about politics—a subject I had very little knowledge of
or interest in. He’d looked at me like I was dumb, and his
condescending tone made me feel like I was too. I might not
be the smartest cookie in the jar, but at least my cookie had
chocolate chips and sprinkles, and I wasn’t a complete bore
like him.
 I couldn’t bring myself to admit the truth about my terrible
date to my friends though. So, I’d slightly overcompensated
and told them the date was so amazing that I didn’t want to
date high school boys ever again. I’d been stuck with the
stupid lie ever since and had no idea how to own up to it.
The worst part was that the story had spread, and now,
guys at school never bothered to ask me out. They all assumed
I’d just say no, and I was sure the prom would be no different.
I gave Madi a tight smile and nodded. “You’re right. I’m
sure I can rope one into it.”
Her brow pinched as she stared at me. Apparently, I hadn’t
lied convincingly enough, and I quickly kept talking before
she could interrogate me further. “Now, I think we should
focus on more important matters, like what we’re both going
to wear.”
Madi groaned. “Please don’t tell me you want to go dress
shopping.”
If anything could lift my spirits, it was the thought of
shopping, so I started to grin. “Is that even a question? Of
course, I want to go dress shopping.”
“But I’m allergic to shopping,” Madi complained.
“You’re not allergic, and we need to go soon if we want to
find perfect outfits in time. Have you got anything planned this
weekend?”
“Would it be bad if I said yes just to avoid a shopping
expedition?”
“Very bad,” I replied with a laugh. “And you’d only be
putting off the inevitable.”
“Fine, fine. You win. I’ve got nothing planned.”
“Perfect.” I might not have a date, but that didn’t mean I
wasn’t going to find the two hottest dresses in town for us to
wear. I started to walk toward my next class, splitting off from
Madi. “Keep your Saturday afternoon free,” I called over my
shoulder to her.
 She gave me two thumbs-up, but given the resignation on
her face, she was clearly dreading it. I knew she’d come
around once I found her something awesome to wear though.
I went to my locker to swap my books. It was right by the
school office, and as I started to pull out the books I needed
for my next class, the door to the office opened. My gaze
drifted toward it just as Owen Beck came striding out with his
mom at his side. My heart clenched at the sight of him, and my
body buzzed with curiosity. His expression was crinkled in a
frown, and his mom didn’t look much happier.
The two of them walked past without looking my way, but
I couldn’t keep my eyes off them. Why was Owen in the
school office? Why was he at school at all? I was desperate to
know the answer, but given how tense he looked, I could tell
now was a bad time to ask.
Still fixated on Owen, I closed my locker but instantly felt
a jarring pain as my finger got caught in the door. My books
dropped from my arms, and I sucked in a breath through my
teeth as I jerked my hand away from the offending metal door.
Several swear words escaped my lips as my finger started to
throb.
I scowled at the locker. “What did I ever do to you?” I
hissed at it before bending down to gather my fallen books.
My finger was really aching now, and I kept trying to
shake it out in the hopes the pain might fade.
“Hey, are you okay?”
My gaze shot upward at the sound of the masculine voice.
For a brief moment, I held the dizzying hope that Owen had
come to help me. Instead, I looked up to find his brother
standing there.
I was surprised to find concern lit his gaze as he crouched
down to my level. I’d never been so close to Ethan before, and
I found that I couldn’t pull my focus away from his blue eyes.
They were so clear they reminded me of the sky on a hot
summer’s day. Not the sky directly overhead though. No, the
light shade of blue made me think of the point where the sky
dipped toward the horizon and the color seemed to fade
slightly. For a moment, I felt trapped in his stare, but I quickly
remembered myself and turned my attention back to my hand.
“I’m fine,” I said. “I just had a fight with my locker.”
“It seems like the locker won,” he replied.
“Yeah, well, this week really isn’t my week,” I grumbled
to myself.
“Why isn’t it your week?” Ethan asked as he passed me
one of my textbooks. “Is this about the cop car giving you a
ride home last night?”
My stomach dropped, and my eyes darted around the
corridor in the hope that no one had overheard. Thankfully,
none of the kids walking past seemed to be listening. “You
saw that?”
He nodded though he struggled to retain eye contact as he
explained. “We arrived home at the same time. It was hard not
to notice.”
I swallowed and tried to remain calm. So, not only had I
embarrassed myself in front of this guy, but now, he probably
thought I was some kind of petty criminal. Even worse was the
possibility that Owen might have seen it too. My chances with
him were slim enough, but this might truly put me out of the
running for good.
“Were you in some kind of trouble?” he asked.
“No, of course not. My car broke down, and the sheriff
was kind enough to give me a lift home while the tow truck
took it away. It’s not a big deal,” I replied as quickly and
quietly as possible. I stood up and rearranged my books in my
arms, ready to end the conversation. “Thanks for your help. I
have to get to class.”
I went to walk away but stopped as I remembered what
had prompted the run-in with my locker in the first place. I
turned and searched the end of the corridor. It was still busy
with students moving between classes, but Owen was a
commanding figure, and it wasn’t hard to spot him as he
disappeared around the corner with his mom. My heart sank at
the realization I’d missed another opportunity to talk with him.
“Guess it’s going to be hard to keep that quiet,” Ethan said,
following my gaze to where his brother had disappeared. Now
that he was gone, I finally noticed I wasn’t the only girl
looking in Owen’s direction. Several groups of girls nearby
were giggling and clearly whispering about him. Apparently, it
only took one appearance from the guy to get the Owen Beck
fan club up and running again.
“What’s going to be hard to keep quiet?”
Ethan blew out a long breath before he answered. “Owen’s
returning to Lincoln High.”
“What?” I spun to look at Ethan. My response had been far
too eager, and I quickly tried to backtrack. “I mean, he is?”
This time, I managed to sound more neutral, but in truth, I
could barely breathe. This could not be happening. It was like
a dream come true.
Ethan nodded, but he looked as if the idea made him
completely miserable.
“But, why?”
“Because my brother’s an idiot,” he said. “Weren’t you
going to class?”
“Ah, yeah, I was.”
“I’ll see you around, Hayley.” He walked away before I
could ask him anything else about his brother. It was clear he
wasn’t thrilled about Owen joining us at school again, but for
me, it was the highlight of the year.
A sense of excitement rushed through me as I made my
way to class. I’d had a crush on Owen for such a long time,
and now that he was back, I might finally have a chance with
him. He’d never paid me much attention before, but I was
hoping that this time things would be different.
As I walked past a poster for prom that was plastered on
the wall, I felt a sudden burst of optimism. This morning, there
was no one I was interested in going to the dance with, but it
was amazing how much could change in a few hours. Now
that Owen was coming back to school, there was finally
someone I could picture as my date. The only problem was
that he needed to see himself going with me too.
I worried about it throughout my next class, and as soon as
the bell for lunch rang, I rushed to find Madi at her locker. She
was always the voice of reason in our little duo, and I needed
her opinion on what to do.
I found her as she was putting her books away with Cole
leaning against the locker beside her. He was smiling down at
her, his eyes crinkled with happiness as she laughed at
something he’d said. The two of them were far too cute
together, and for a moment, I wondered if Owen and I would
be as cute if we were together. I quickly dismissed the idea
though—I was getting way too far ahead of myself.
Madi’s smile grew as she closed her locker door and saw
me coming toward her. “I know your car’s out of action, but
Cole’s offered to give us a ride to go dress shopping on the
weekend.”
“That would be great,” I replied, but I didn’t sound nearly
excited enough. I was too distracted to whip up the appropriate
level of enthusiasm.
Madi’s smile faltered a little. “What’s up?” She knew me
far too well.
“I just heard Owen Beck’s returning to Lincoln High.”
“What?”
“Owen’s coming back to Lincoln,” I repeated.
Madi’s eyes were wide with surprise, but she was also
watching me closely. She knew I had the biggest crush on
Owen back in the day, but I never told her it didn’t exactly
fade with time. I could see she was trying to decipher exactly
how affected I was by the news. The answer? Very.
“Well, that’s unexpected,” Cole said, joining the
conversation. “I can’t imagine him giving up his athletic
scholarship. He was at one of the best football schools in the
country. Do you know what happened?”
 “Not really. Ethan was the one who told me the news, and
all he said was that Owen’s coming back because he’s an idiot.
It’s not much of an explanation.”
“No, that doesn’t give us a lot to go on,” Cole agreed.
The three of us started to slowly walk toward the cafeteria.
I was practically bursting at the seams to talk to Madi alone
though.
“Uh, Mads, we need to go to the bathroom,” I spluttered,
as we reached one.
“We do?”
“Yeah, I have a, uh, mascara emergency that I need your
help with.” I gave Cole an apologetic smile. “We’ll meet you
in the cafeteria,” I told him before dragging Madi away. I
wasn’t going to give her the opportunity to argue. This was too
important.
“What exactly is a mascara emergency?” she asked, as I
pulled her into the room.
“A very pathetic excuse to get you alone. I need to talk to
you.”
“Oh.” She laughed. “You could have just said so. Cole
would have understood.”
“I much prefer the whole cloak-and-dagger-type
approach.”
She shook her head at me, amusement playing in her eyes.
“So, what’s up?”
I glanced toward the toilet stalls. The doors were open so I
knew we were alone. I took in a deep breath and blurted out
my answer. “I want to go to prom with Owen.”
Madi started to smile. “So, you still like him?”
“That’s the understatement of the century.”
She looked surprised by my response. “You told me you
got past your crush on him years ago.”
“Uh…” I fumbled for a response.
 “It was right before the Sadie Hawkins dance in eighth
grade,” she continued. “You came over to my house to get
ready and said, and I quote, ‘I’m so over my crush on Owen
Beck!’”
Madi was right. I had said that to her, but unfortunately, it
wasn’t the truth. I’d been determined to ask Owen to go to the
dance with me, only I chickened out at the last minute and
Laurie had asked him instead. I was so embarrassed by my
epic failure that I pretended I didn’t like him anymore.
My crush on Owen had remained a secret ever since, and I
wasn’t sure my poor heart could handle watching him go to
another dance with the wrong girl. This time, it needed to be
me.
My cheeks warmed as I shook my head. “I saw him last
night, and apparently, the crush has been reignited.”
“What about your rule of only dating older guys?”
“It’s not a strict rule,” I grumbled. It wasn’t a rule at all,
rather an inconvenient corner I’d backed myself into. It was
time to change that though. “And I think I’m over the whole
older guy thing anyway. I’m definitely over it if Owen Beck is
back in town. So, do you think I’m stupid for thinking I could
go with him?”
“Of course not,” she immediately replied. “He’d be crazy
not to want to go with you.”
“Obviously,” I said, making her laugh. “Problem is, boys
are all crazy. How can I make this happen?”
“Well, for starters, don’t stress. The dance isn’t for weeks,
and you’ve got plenty of time. He isn’t even at school yet, and
no one else seems to know he’s coming back.”
I relaxed a little at her words. She was right; there were
still weeks until the dance. I was probably worrying over
nothing. Still, I always liked to have a game plan when it came
to these things. It certainly wasn’t going to happen if I left
everything up to fate.
“But once he’s back at school. What should I do?”
 Madi smiled. “You don’t need to do anything other than be
yourself around him and let him see how amazing you are. If
he gets to know the real you, he’ll ask you to prom. I’m sure
of it.”
I blew out a breath and nodded. Madi was always the voice
of reason, and I trusted her, but this time, I felt like she might
be wrong. Allowing Owen to get to know the real me was a
nice thought, but I’d seen the way girls were eyeing him in the
corridor earlier, and I knew this wasn’t going to be that simple.
There would be lots of girls vying for his attention, and if I
wanted to be the one he chose to go to prom with, I had to find
some way to stand out and convince him to pick me. I just
wished I knew how to make that happen.
 4

HAYLEY

P rom dress shopping just wasn’t the same when you had
an unwanted tagalong.
“What about this one, Madi?” Cole asked, lifting up a
dress to show her. It had large revealing cutouts in it that Madi
wouldn’t be caught dead in. Plus, it was neon orange.
Madi and I both scrunched up our noses. Cole might have
been one of the hottest guys at school, but he clearly had zero
taste when it came to picking out dresses. I quickly stole the
hanger from him.
“I hate to break it to you, Cole, but your skills on a football
field don’t seem to translate to fashion sense. How about you
leave the dress selection up to Madi and me?” I placed the
dress firmly back on the rack. “In fact, there’s an arcade a few
doors down. Why don’t you go play some video games?”
Cole’s face brightened at the idea, and he turned to Madi.
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“Go,” she answered, a little too quickly. She cleared her
throat before she continued. “I mean, of course, I wouldn’t
mind. You go have fun.”
He grinned and placed a kiss on her cheek before escaping
the dress shop. Madi and I both let out a sigh of relief at the
same time and started to laugh.
“Cole is the best boyfriend, but he is the absolute worst
shopping companion,” she said.
 “It’s like he has an inbuilt sensor for the most hideous
clothes in the shop,” I agreed. “I’m pretty sure the first dress
he picked up was actually a Halloween costume.”
“It was.” Madi grimaced as she shook her head. “I’m sorry
he crashed our shopping expedition. When he offered to drive
us today, I didn’t think he’d actually come into the shops.”
“It’s fine.” I waved away her apology. “If he hadn’t given
us a ride, we probably wouldn’t be here.” Being carless
sucked. There were only so many times I could ask my mom
for a ride. Also, it was much easier if she didn’t know I was
shopping for my prom dress. Mom had been a beauty queen
when she was younger and was even more obsessed with
clothing than I was. It sounded like a good thing until you
actually experienced a shopping trip with the two of us. It
turned into some kind of intense endurance sport that usually
didn’t end until the shops closed for the night. Admittedly, I
loved shopping with Mom, but I knew there was no way Madi
could handle it.
“Any news on when your car will be fixed?”
“They’re still waiting on a part,” I said, as I started to look
through the racks of dresses again. “It feels like it’s been gone
forever though.”
“It’s only been a few days,” Madi said.
“Yeah, but I’ve had to share rides to school with Kitty, and
I’m not sure how much more punishment I can take. Do you
think Sheriff Daniels would consider driving me instead?
Rocking up to school in a cop car feels like a better alternative
right now.”
Madi shared a sympathetic look with me. She knew what a
terror my sister was. I probably should have counted myself
lucky that Kitty was still in middle school and her campus was
on the other side of town. At least, I didn’t have to see her
during the day.
“I’m sure your car will be fixed before you know it,” she
said.
 “Here’s hoping.” I was distracted from our conversation as
a light-blue material caught my eye. I skipped the other
dresses on the rack and moved straight toward it. I absolutely
loved wearing blue, especially lighter shades. As I pulled out
the dress, I only became more convinced it was the one for
me.
“Hello, beautiful,” I said as I admired it. The material had
a natural movement to it that I was sure would look incredible
when I walked into prom. The shape was also perfect, so it
would highlight all the right features on my body.
Madi came up beside me, smiling. “Blue is definitely your
color.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” I agreed. Blue was
also the color of Owen’s eyes, not that I liked it because of
that. I pulled the dress up against my body and looked at
myself in the closest mirror. I was already in love with the
dress, and I wasn’t even sure if it was my size.
“I’m trying this on,” I said, facing Madi once more. “Have
you found anything?”
She bit her lower lip as she shook her head. “I can never
imagine what these dresses will look like once they’re on.”
“Leave it to me.”
The shop assistant came over to take my dress to the fitting
room, while I set to work on finding Madi some options. My
best friend was so pretty she would look amazing in anything I
picked, but I knew she looked incredible in deep colors, so I
tried to focus on those. I also knew there was no way she’d
even consider trying something on if she thought it was too
revealing.
I ended up finding several outfits for Madi to try, and we
both went to the fitting rooms. As I slipped on the blue dress
and caught sight of myself in the mirror, I felt a wave of
excitement. The dress hugged my waist, and the material
floated elegantly around my legs. There was even a light
shimmer to the material that I hadn’t noticed before. It was
perfect. The only problem was, I didn’t have the date to go
with it yet.
As I stared at myself in the mirror, I wondered if Owen
would like the dress. It was probably stupid to hope he would.
My chances of going to prom with him were just as slim now
as they had been earlier in the week. My heart clearly hadn’t
got the memo though, because it seemed to swell with
anticipation as I imagined his reaction.
“You dressed?” Madi called out.
I tugged the fitting room curtain aside and grinned as I
looked at my friend. She was wearing a glittering navy dress
that was short at the front and flared out longer at the back. It
was flirty and fun and perfect for the prom.
“Damn, Mads, Cole’s going to have a heart attack when he
sees you in that.”
She smiled as she twirled around, glancing at herself in the
mirror as she did so. “You think?”
“I know.”
“How did you find this? I swear I looked on every rack.”
Her gaze dipped toward me, and her smile broadened. She let
out a low whistle. “Speaking of heart attacks, that dress is
perfect on you.”
I smoothed my hands down the side of my dress as I
returned her smile. “Yeah, I think this is the one.”
“Definitely,” she agreed.
She looked back in the mirror, unable to stop herself from
beaming as she admired her dress once more. She looked like
a vision, and I was relieved we’d found something so perfect
for her so quickly. Madi hadn’t been joking when she said she
was allergic to shopping. The moment she walked into a
clothing store, she almost always came down with a case of
the grumps, and they only got worse the longer we took.
“And you thought shopping with me would be painful,” I
said.
 “Well, sometimes miracles happen,” she replied. “But
remember, we haven’t started on shoes or accessories yet.
Who knows how long that could take…”
She looked so genuinely terrified at the idea that I laughed.
“I think I’ll let you off easy today. We’ve still got plenty of
time before prom to figure out the rest.” Plus, we’d gotten this
far without her getting grumpy, and I didn’t want to push my
luck.
Madi’s jaw slackened with surprise. “You’re done with
shopping?”
“I’m never done, but it’s probably not fair to Cole. We
can’t exactly expect him to wait in a video arcade all day while
we shop.”
“I suppose that might be a bit mean,” she agreed,
completely failing to hide her jubilation at the thought of
finishing for the day. Her face had lit up like a child’s on
Christmas morning. She gestured toward our dresses. “So, are
we buying these?”
“Well, I think it would be a crime to leave them behind,
and I’ve already had one too many run-ins with the law this
week.”
Madi shook her head at me but smiled. “I guess we better
get them then.”
We both changed back into our normal clothes and met at
the counter to pay for our dresses. I was excited we’d both
found such great outfits for prom, but as the sales assistant
zipped my dress into a garment bag, I felt a flutter of nerves in
my stomach. From what I’d heard, Owen was coming back to
school on Monday, and I still didn’t have a game plan for
getting him to ask me to prom.
“Cole said he’d meet us by his truck,” Madi said, lifting
her gaze from her phone as we left the store. Her expression
dimmed as she looked at me. “What’s wrong?”
I didn’t want to ruin the mood, especially not when it came
to shopping and definitely not when we’d both just found
amazing dresses. I couldn’t deny the disappointment I felt over
having no date to prom though.
“I’m still worrying about my prom date,” I said.
“Why would you be worrying about a prom date?” Cole
asked, coming up behind us.
It felt like he had appeared out of nowhere, and I blanched,
wishing he hadn’t overheard me. “I thought you were at the
arcade…”
“Nah, I was hungry and went to get a burrito instead. Was
just heading over to play some games when I got Madi’s text.
So, why are you worried?”
“Oh, ah…” Seriously, why did Cole have to overhear that?
“I haven’t been asked yet, so it’s natural to worry.”
“Tickets have only just gone on sale, and I’m sure plenty
of guys would like to ask you,” Cole reassured me.
“Not the one she wants though,” Madi responded.
I shot her a hard look, and Madi winced. “Sorry,” she
mouthed, quickly realizing she probably shouldn’t have
revealed my secret in front of her boyfriend.
“Who are you interested in?” Cole had clearly missed
Madi’s silent exchange with me.
I exhaled, and the minor flare of irritation I’d felt at Madi’s
slip of the tongue disappeared. Cole wasn’t like most guys,
and I didn’t think he’d go gossiping to his friends about me.
Who knew, maybe he could even put in a good word for me
with Owen once he was back.
“You can’t tell anyone,” I commanded.
Cole lifted his hand to his lips and pretended to lock them
with an invisible key. “It’ll go straight in the vault.”
“It better,” I warned as I braced myself to tell him my
secret. “I want to go with Owen Beck.”
“Oh, yeah?” Cole said as a slow smile formed on his lips.
“Well, he’s back at school on Monday, and he’d be lucky to go
with you. I don’t see the problem.”
 “The problem is getting Owen to ask her to the prom…”
Madi replied.
Cole was silent for several moments as he considered my
impossible situation. “Why don’t you just ask him yourself?”
“She can’t do that,” Madi immediately responded.
“Why not?” Cole asked before focusing his full attention
on me. “He’ll be impressed you took the initiative. Guys like a
girl who goes after what she wants.”
Madi looked far from convinced, but I found myself
warming to the idea. I’d been too scared to ask Owen to the
Sadie Hawkins dance all those years ago; perhaps, it was fate
I’d missed my chance then so I could ask him now. “You think
that could work?” I asked Cole.
He shrugged. “If it doesn’t, then at least, you didn’t waste
your time waiting around for him to ask you.”
It wasn’t the answer a girl would have given. Madi would
have reassured me and told me that of course Owen would say
yes. It would have given me more confidence to actually go
through with it. I quite liked how direct and to the point Cole’s
answer had been though. His whole approach was simple, and
I couldn’t really fault it.
“So, if you and Madi weren’t dating, and she’d come up
and asked you to go to a dance with her, you would have been
down with that?” I asked.
“So down,” he said with a laugh. “Hell, I probably would
have told her to ask me again so I could video the moment and
keep it as a memento forever.”
Madi rolled her eyes but smiled at him. “You’re such a
dork.”
He wrapped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her close
before whispering in her ear. “When it comes to you, always.”
“And now, I officially need a bucket to throw up in,” I
groaned. The two of them could really be too much
sometimes. “Remember, guys, we’re a trike right now, not a
bike. I do not want to be a spare wheel!”
 “Okay, we’re a trike.” Cole laughed, lowering his arm
from around Madi. “Seriously, though. You should just ask
him. The worst that can happen is he says no.”
“And I’m embarrassed forever,” I added.
Cole shook his head though. “There’s nothing to be
embarrassed about. At the very least, he’ll be flattered and
impressed by your confidence.”
“I guess so,” I replied before turning to Madi. “What do
you think, Mads?”
“Cole makes some good points, but it’s up to you,” she
said. “I think it would be quite scary to ask someone to prom if
you’re not sure what the answer will be. I can understand if
you don’t want to go through with it.”
“Well, I’m all for throwing gender stereotypes on their
heads,” I replied. I’d been looking for a way to stand out from
the crowd of girls who were after Owen, and this would
certainly make him notice me. I liked that it was a proactive
option too. I wasn’t really the kind of girl who liked to sit
around and wait on other people.
“Who knows, perhaps, he’ll say yes,” I added
“I’m sure he will,” Madi reassured me.
I glanced at Cole to gauge his reaction, but he just
shrugged. “I have no idea what he’ll say. I haven’t hung out
with the guy in years.”
My nose crinkled as uncertainty wavered within me. I
wasn’t exactly encouraged by Cole’s blasé response or Madi’s
optimism. The truth was that neither of them could predict
what Owen would say. I wasn’t in eighth grade anymore
though, and I refused to let myself be scared off by
uncertainty.
“Okay, I’m going to do it,” I said. “The next time I see
Owen, I’ll walk right up to him and ask him to prom.”
It sounded simple enough. But even the thought kicked my
heartbeat up a notch. I’d been obsessed with Owen Beck for
years. Was I really just going to ask him to prom? And what
would I do if he said no?
I huffed out a breath, brushing my concerns aside. I wasn’t
going to let fear render me silent. I’d already spent far too long
crushing on Owen, and it was time I did something about it. I
was going to ask him to prom, and that was that.
It was a great idea in theory. I just didn’t realize I’d be
seeing him again so soon.
 5

ETHAN

W e absolutely smashed our band rehearsal on Saturday

afternoon. Our music was performed with passion and
precision that had been sorely missing from some of our last
few rehearsals. We were practicing for a gig the following
weekend, and it was the first time we’d managed to get
through our new set without any mistakes. We’d added several
new covers recently, so a rush of satisfaction flooded through
me at the accomplishment.
“And that’s how it’s done,” Dex cheered, emphasizing his
point with a clash of cymbals. Colin and I both grinned back at
him, and as I looked between the two of them, I could see they
felt the same elation as me. There was no greater high than
nailing a set. We were going to rock the gig next weekend.
“Oh, babe, you were amazing,” Isla said, as she jumped off
the hood of Colin’s dad’s car and rushed over to Dex. She’d
been silently watching our practice like she always did. And,
as usual, she had decided to end it by showing Dex just how
much she enjoyed it.
Colin and I both swiftly turned away as the two of them
started making out. I didn’t want to see Isla like that. It was
like watching your sister get all hot and heavy.
“Really, you guys?” Colin groaned.
The two of them were too busy kissing to respond.
“So, we’ll see you at practice on Wednesday?” I called to
Dex over my shoulder. I didn’t look because I’d already seen
enough of their tongues twisting together to last me a lifetime.
 Dex managed to catch a breath long enough to shout, “See
you then, man.”
I waved a hand and followed Colin out of the garage.
“They need to get a room,” Colin said. “And my garage
doesn’t count.”
I nodded in complete agreement. “I love Isla and Dex, I
really do, but I wish they’d wait until we were out of eyesight
before they started on the kissing.”
“Out of earshot too,” Colin agreed. “There’s nothing worse
than hearing the slurping noises they make.”
We both shuddered and started to laugh.
“So, any plans for tonight?” Colin asked as he walked me
to my car.
“Not really. What about you?”
“I’m going to my grandma’s for dinner,” he said though he
didn’t sound at all happy about it. “You ready for your
brother’s return to school on Monday?”
I’d finally caved and told my friends about Owen. Not that
I’d had much choice once the rumors started circulating.
You’d think the people at our school would have better things
to talk about. My brow crinkled as I thought of my brother
walking the halls of our school every day. “I don’t think I’ll
ever be ready. It’s bad enough he’s been back at home for a
week.”
Colin nodded his head in solidarity. He was well aware
what my brother could be like. He’d seen the years of torment
I’d been put through and had witnessed Owen’s crueler side on
more than one occasion. It didn’t help that Owen never used
Colin’s name when he spoke to him. Instead, he always called
him “loser” to his face, so Colin was definitely not my
brother’s biggest fan.
“Well, here’s hoping he gets expelled from Lincoln too.”
“If only,” I agreed.
 We reached my car, and Colin paused, leaning against the
trunk as he watched me carefully place my guitar across the
back seat. “Have you given any more thought to the prom?” he
asked, as I closed the door.
“Nope.” With my brother back home, the prom was the
last thing on my mind.
“You haven’t even considered asking your dream girl…”
I rolled my eyes. “You sound like Isla.”
“Well, that’s probably because we both want you to be
happy and are sick of watching you love Hayley from afar.”
“It’s not like that,” I grumbled.
“It is like that, and I think you should ask her to the prom.
I mean, she did finally talk to you last weekend.”
“But only to ask about my brother.” I let out a sigh as I
shook my head. “Hayley has no interest in going to the prom
with me. She barely knows I exist.”
“You don’t know that.”
“And, even if she were aware of my existence, girls like
Hayley go out with jocks not music nerds. Her best friend is
dating the most popular guy in school, so there’s no way she’d
look twice at me.” The thought was enough to make me wish I
were a little more like my brother. I might not like Owen, but
he had absolutely no issue talking to people or making friends.
“Perhaps, you’re selling Hayley short,” Colin replied. “I
mean, isn’t the whole reason you like her because she’s not
like most popular girls.”
“I guess.” I still didn’t think I had a chance. “Anyway, I
better get home. I told Mom I’d clear the leaves off the
driveway.”
Colin grabbed my cheek and tugged it. “Oh, you’re such a
good boy.” He proceeded to cluck at me like I was a baby.
I batted his hand away. “You’re a dick.”
Colin laughed and started back toward his house. “See you
Monday, munchkin.”
 “Have fun with Grandma,” I called back.
Colin threw his middle finger up at me before he turned to
walk up the stairs to his front door. I shook my head at him
and got in the car to drive home. My car was a serious fixer-
upper. It coughed like a chain-smoker whenever it started, and
the material on the seats was beginning to fray with age. The
rust on the door and chipped paint did little to add to its
appeal. It was the only car I was getting though, so I tried my
best to take care of it.
It was a miracle the thing still ran, but I hadn’t had any
issues with it yet. It let out a bang, and a waft of black smoke
appeared in my rearview mirror as I took off from the curb. It
was scary how much I’d grown used to that happening.
Anyone else would have been worried, but I’d learned to
accept the strange quirks of my car.
When I got home, Owen was out in front of the house
mowing the lawn. It was somewhat surprising, seeing as my
brother rarely did anything to help around the house when he
was home. He must have been trying to earn some brownie
points with Mom since my parents were both furious with him
for losing his scholarship.
It was almost a welcome change to have Mom and Dad
angry with my brother. He’d always been the favorite in our
house—the kid that could do no wrong. And his absence had
definitely made my parents’ hearts grow fonder toward him.
They used to miss him so much when he was away at school
that they granted his every wish whenever he returned home.
I didn’t think he’d ever mowed the law in his life, and it
was obvious he had no idea what he was doing. He hadn’t
managed to cut one straight line through the grass, and he
looked incredibly confused by what should have been an easy
task.
Owen killed the motor when he saw me getting out of the
car. “What’s up, loser?” Did I mention my brother was a total
tool?
“Owen,” I said in greeting. “I wasn’t aware you knew how
to do manual labor…”
 Owen grinned. “I’ve got a hot date tonight, and Mom said
I could take her car if I mowed the lawn.”
“Of course, she did,” I muttered. Owen was supposed to be
grounded and in the worst trouble he’d ever been in, yet my
parents not only let him go on a date, but they also let him take
Mom’s most prized possession. Her car was a vintage Jaguar,
and she wouldn’t let me touch it in a thousand years. The rules
were different when it came to Owen though.
Not even a week had passed since Mom was giving him
the silent treatment, but I probably shouldn’t have been
surprised she’d come around so quickly. Owen could be
persuasive when he wanted to be, and I’d seen him turn on his
charm enough times to know how easily he manipulated
people—and Mom was far from immune.
A small part of me wondered if Owen was simply taking
the car because he knew how desperate I was to drive it. For
years, Owen had been taking things just because he knew I
liked them. When we were kids, he’d just stolen stupid stuff
like my toy trucks or he’d asked our parents for all the
presents he knew I wanted on our birthday. It had escalated
over the years though, and I’d grown careful not to show an
interest in anything I liked around him—especially when it
came to girls, because once we hit our teens, he’d started to
take them too.
I learned the hard way that my brother had no limits to
how far he’d go to hurt me. I’d been stupid enough to tell him
about my first crush. She was a girl from my music class, and
I’d fallen hard and fast for her when I heard her play the
violin. Of course, Owen asked her out the very next day. They
barely dated for a week before he ditched her, breaking her
heart so badly that she never went near me again. It was like I
was guilty by association.
The next time he struck was when he saw me dancing with
a girl at our eighth-grade disco. I hadn’t even been interested
in dating the girl, but Owen was kissing her by the end of the
night. Stealing girls almost became a sport to him after that.
Even during the last summer holidays, Owen was only home
for one week, and he still managed to seduce a girl he caught
me looking at. We’d shared one smile at the local pool, but
Owen must have seen it, because by the time I left, she was
sitting on his lap and giggling.
It was a miracle I’d managed to hide my interest in Hayley
from him over the years, or she probably would have been
added to the list too.
“So, a date?” I prompted. “Who’s the lucky girl?”
“Only the head cheerleader at Lincoln,” he replied. “She’s
the third chick from school to ask me to prom so far. I’m not
even back there yet, and I’m already having to fend off all
these advances…”
It wasn’t all that surprising. I’d heard plenty of girls at
school gushing over him this week. It was enough to make me
want to burn my ears off. “Head cheerleader… You’re talking
about Laurie, right?”
“Yep.”
It was hard to picture the ice queen of Lincoln High
throwing herself at my brother, but from what I’d seen, she’d
always been the kind of girl to go after what she wanted. “So,
you’re going to prom with her then?”
“Ha, no.” A smirk began to spread across his face. “Like I
said, I’m keeping my options open. I told her the same thing
I’ll tell all the girls. I’m not deciding on a date until the day
before prom, so the answer is no, for now. If they want a
chance to go with me, they’re going to have to impress me.
Laurie seemed pretty eager to prove herself, so here’s hoping
she’s impressive tonight.”
I shook my head, unable to hide the disgust from my face.
My brother was a complete sleaze, and I couldn’t believe so
many girls fell for him. Owen was deliberately leading them
on, and he didn’t even care. He was rejecting them and giving
them a cruel sense of hope all in one breath. It was sick. That
was Owen though, steamrolling his way through life without
any regard for anyone other than himself.
I loved my brother. Somewhere deep, deep, deep down.
But, most of the time, I really couldn’t stand him.
 A car door slammed behind me, and I turned to see Hayley
and Madi getting out of a truck that was idling on the curb. I
didn’t recognize the vehicle until I noticed Cole Kingston
sitting in the front seat. He waved at the two girls before
driving off, and they shared a giggle as they watched him
speed away.
They were both carrying large dress bags and had happy
smiles pasted across their faces. Their identical expressions
shifted though the moment they noticed Owen and I were
standing on our front lawn. The girls exchanged heated
whispers, their gazes darting in our direction.
They were probably talking about Owen, and he must have
assumed as much because his chest seemed to swell in
response. I rolled my eyes. My brother was so predictable. I
was about to start toward the house once more, but Madi stole
Hayley’s dress bag and pointed in our direction. Hayley shot
her a dirty look before she blew out a long breath and headed
our way.
My stomach dropped as I watched her walk toward us, and
a wave of nerves rushed through me. I’d somehow managed to
talk to Hayley twice in the past week without embarrassing
myself, and I wasn’t sure if I could manage to stay composed
again. As it was, it was a miracle the nerves I always felt
around her hadn’t resulted in a bad case of the babbles. Could
I really be so lucky again?
Owen seemed to have noticed her coming over too as he
leaned his head in close to mine. “What’s her name again?”
My nerves lay forgotten for a brief second as I frowned at
him. How could he not remember her? “It’s Hayley.”
“Hayley.” He repeated the name as if he was practicing the
word, and a small smile lifted the corner of his lips, like he
enjoyed the way it sounded. I didn’t want him enjoying any
part of her even if it was just her name. He was already
stringing several girls along, and he didn’t need to add another.
From the amused way he was looking at Hayley, he already
seemed to be considering the idea.
 She was chewing on her lower lip as she drew close, and
her eyes were wide as if she were worried. Her steps were
hesitant as she stepped onto our lawn, and I got the impression
she wasn’t all that enthusiastic about reaching us.
“Hey, Ethan,” she said, coming to a stop in front of us. My
heart skipped a beat as she said my name. I wanted to say
something cool in response, but I was drawing a blank. I kind
of just stood there staring, which was the exact opposite of
what I’d wanted.
She wasn’t watching me though, and her eyes were
lingering on my brother. “Owen, welcome back.” Her voice
gave a nervous squeak as she said his name—not that he even
noticed. Owen was too busy checking Hayley out to have
heard her greeting.
I waited for my brother to say something, but his eyes
were still preoccupied with Hayley’s legs. Yes, they were
amazing, but so was the rest of her. When it was clear Owen
wasn’t going to respond, I somehow managed to find my
voice. “Hey, Hayley, is there something you wanted?”
“Oh, um, yes. No.” She was mumbling and looked
uncomfortable as she stood in front of us. I’d never seen her
this flustered before, and she started to back away. For a
second, it seemed she was going to leave as quickly as she’d
arrived, but then, a determined look entered her gaze. It
seemed to grow stronger until she squared her shoulders and
stopped moving.
“Actually, there was something I wanted to ask,” she
finally said, but again, she wasn’t looking at me when she
spoke. Her eyes were completely focused on my brother. She
barely took in a breath before she quickly blurted out her
question.
“I mean, you’ll probably think it’s stupid, and you might
not want to go, but our prom is coming up, and I was
wondering if you want to go with me?”
Cold shock washed over me as I realized her words were
directed at Owen. I would have done just about anything to go
to prom with Hayley, and I couldn’t understand why she’d
asked Owen of all people. My brother wasn’t a good guy—
especially not when it came to girls. He’d happily just told me
of his plan to toy with potential dates until the day before
prom, and it looked like Hayley was about to join that list of
unlucky girls. He was going to break her heart, and I couldn’t
believe I was going to have to watch.
Owen finally lifted his gaze from Hayley’s legs and looked
her in the eyes. A cocky smirk raised the corner of his lips as
he looked at her. “You’re asking me to prom? That’s cute…”
Owen was such a slimeball, and I couldn’t stop myself
from cringing. Hayley was clearly blind to it though because
her cheeks turned bright pink at his demeaning response.
Could she really not see how fake my brother was? That his
pores were practically oozing with false charm? That his voice
dripped with the putrid stench of insincerity?
Hayley bit on her lower lip and her eyes filled with
apprehension as she waited for him to continue. I knew what
was coming. He’d already rejected three girls, and Hayley was
going to be number four.
The thought of Hayley being hurt by my brother was
worse than the shock of her asking Owen to the dance in the
first place. I had to do something to stop this, but I felt
powerless.
“And I have to admit I’m flattered,” he continued.
“Because you’re hot and all, but…”
But. It was amazing how such a small word could pack
such a punch. Hayley’s shoulders immediately deflated, and
her skin turned a sickly shade of white. She knew what was
coming, just as much as I did, and it looked like she wanted
nothing more than to disappear.
I really couldn’t watch this train wreck unfold right before
my eyes, and in a moment of insanity, I came up with an idea.
It was a stupid idea, and Hayley was probably going to kill me
for it, but I would do anything to stop her from being hurt. I
started chuckling before I could rethink it.
 Owen halted mid-sentence, and he and Hayley turned to
look at me. I was nervous and awkward, and really not great at
acting, so I was going to have to put on the show of my life
right now.
“Hayley wasn’t asking you,” I said to Owen, who
immediately started to frown.
“Actually, I…” Hayley’s voice trailed off as she caught my
wide eyes and subtle shake of the head. Her brow furrowed as
she looked between the two of us, and I desperately tried to
silently convey the fact that she shouldn’t finish her sentence.
Apparently, I’d confused her enough because she didn’t
keep talking. I needed to act fast before that confusion cleared
though. She deserved so much better than being strung along
by Owen.
“Why would you think that?” Owen scoffed.
My mouth turned dry at his question, and I tried to stop
panic from flaring in my eyes. I needed a viable answer, but
only one came to mind.
Hayley was definitely going to kill me now.
I chuckled again before walking over and placing an arm
around Hayley’s shoulders. The gesture was stiff because I
was silently freaking out, but hopefully, it didn’t look that way
to Owen who was watching me with hawk-like interest. I tried
to ignore him though and looked into her eyes. “Because we’re
dating. Aren’t we, baby?”
Hayley lifted an eyebrow at the nickname, but thankfully
didn’t shrug my arm off her shoulder. She wasn’t the kind of
girl who would ever allow a guy to give her a pet name, and
from the look she was giving me, she wasn’t impressed.
“You guys are dating?” Owen interrupted our silent stare-
off.
Hayley stared into my eyes for several more seconds. I
hoped she could see my concern. That she could heed the
silent thoughts I was shouting at her. She needed to go along
with this.
 Her frown deepened as she looked toward Owen once
more. “Uh, yeah?” Her response came out like a question, and
she didn’t sound certain at all. At least, she hadn’t denied it
though.
I started to grin before she could reconsider or before
Owen realized we were both full of shit. “So, of course, I’ll go
with you to prom. Though I wish you’d given me a chance to
do the asking. I wanted to serenade you with a promposal at
my concert next weekend.”
“Well, it’s a shame I’ll miss that,” Hayley said. It seemed
she was past her initial surprise and was moving right on into
anger’s territory.
“It is,” I agreed, completely ignoring the sarcasm dripping
from her voice. Did she really not understand that I was saving
her right now? “Anyway, I’ll walk you home.”
I didn’t give Hayley a chance to object as I turned her
away from Owen and started guiding her toward her house.
My brother looked a little confused by what he’d just
witnessed, but there was a spark of interest in his eyes that
hadn’t been there before. I couldn’t get Hayley away from him
fast enough.
I kept my arm over Hayley’s shoulders as we crossed the
lawn and walked up her driveway. Madi was nowhere to be
seen, so I guessed she must have gone inside. The moment we
were standing on Hayley’s front porch, and out of Owen’s
sight, she shrugged off my arm.
She glanced back toward my house to check he couldn’t
see us before she exploded. “What is wrong with you?”
I stared at her blankly for several seconds, trying to figure
out how to reply. I’d just helped her, but she clearly didn’t see
it that way.
“You just ruined everything!” Hayley liked to use her
hands a lot when she spoke, and her movements seemed to get
larger the more impassioned she was. Judging by the size of
her gestures, she was really pissed at me
 I’d made such a snap decision earlier that I hadn’t had time
to prepare for the aftermath. I needed to explain myself
quickly before this got out of control. “Look, I just did you a
favor. Owen was going to reject you back there.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “You don’t know
that.”
“Actually, I do,” I continued. “He was literally just telling
me that he wasn’t deciding on a prom date until the day before
the dance. He’s already rejected several other invitations, and
it was obvious he was about to do the same with yours. Don’t
pretend you didn’t see it too. There was no way he was going
to agree to go to prom with you.”
“What?” The blood rushed from her skin as she listened,
and her shoulders caved as the fight drained out of her. Even
her eyes glossed over like she was fighting tears. Thankfully,
she kept them at bay, because I wasn’t sure I could handle
seeing her cry. “So, I really didn’t have a chance?”
Hayley’s visible disappointment made me feel guilty. The
truth about Owen’s motives must have been a lot for her to
take in, and I’d probably been too blunt in my desperation to
make her understand. I’d done all of this to stop her from
experiencing the pain of rejection, but it seemed like she’d
gotten hurt anyway. “I wish I could tell you differently,” I
murmured.
She slowly nodded, and her gaze became distant as she
considered what I’d said. I stood awkwardly on her porch as I
waited for her to process it all. I was still worried she might
cry, but it was better this way than in front of my brother. The
tears didn’t come though, and when she finally focused back
on me, it seemed her initial frustration had returned too. She
huffed out a breath and threw her arms up in the air.
“Well, thanks for your help, but now, he thinks we’re
dating,” she complained. “The whole school’s going to think
the same.” Her disappointment was like a dagger in my heart.
Was the idea of dating me so crazy? Probably. I was the crazy
one if I believed she would ever consider it.
 “If it makes you feel any better, you probably have more of
a chance with Owen now than you did before if he thinks
we’re dating,” I muttered.
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just that my brother might not have been planning to
accept your prom invitation before, but knowing you’re dating
me changes things. Owen has always coveted the girls he
thinks I like, and now that he believes we’re dating, he’ll
probably be interested in you too.”
Hayley’s brow furrowed as she considered my words.
“You really think he’d be interested in me because of that?”
“I can almost guarantee it.” The thought made me sick to
my stomach, but it was the truth. I might have saved Hayley
from being rejected, but in doing so, I’d made her a shiny new
toy Owen would have to have. He was much more likely to
want her as a prom date now. I probably shouldn’t have
intervened at all.
“So, there might still be a chance we could turn this
around?”
My chest tightened at the hope in her voice. “We won’t be
doing anything,” I replied.
“You got me into this mess, Ethan,” she said. “You’ve got
to help fix this for me.”
I didn’t, actually. I was quite happy with Hayley staying as
far away from my brother as possible, but I had no idea how to
put that into words without admitting I liked her.
When I didn’t respond, her eyes softened a little. “Look,
because you interrupted, neither of us will ever know for sure
how Owen would have responded back there. I mean, he’s
already rejected some girls, but perhaps, I would have been
different.”
“Perhaps,” I begrudgingly agreed. I wasn’t a mind reader,
but I supposed there was a slim chance she was right.
“And, if he’s truly not deciding on a prom date until the
day before, then maybe I still have time,” she continued.
“Maybe I still have a chance.”
She was in with more than a chance. Hayley was the most
gorgeous girl I had ever met, both inside and out, and Owen
would have to be an idiot not to see that. It was lucky for me
that my brother was, in fact, an idiot.
“I can’t help you.”
She reached out and lightly touched my hand, clearly not
dissuaded. “Haven’t you ever liked someone before who
didn’t like you back?”
I tried to ignore the tingling of my skin where her fingers
brushed against mine, and my voice was rough as I responded.
“Sure.”
“And if you had a chance at being with them, what would
you do?”
“Everything I could…”
“Then, can’t you understand where I’m coming from?” she
pleaded. “Ethan, I need you. Please, will you help me?”
The dagger plunged deeper into my heart. Hearing how
desperately she wanted my brother was torture. Her eyes were
so big and innocent as she stared up at me though. I knew
there was no way I could deny Hayley something she wanted
even if it was helping her take my brother to prom. Man, I was
a total sucker for this girl, and she had absolutely no idea.
I groaned. “What exactly are you thinking?”
Her face brightened, and hope lit her eyes. “So, you’re
going to help me?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You know you want to,” she replied.
“I really don’t.”
“You don’t need to worry. It’s going to be so simple,” she
continued, as if I hadn’t said anything at all. “Owen thinks
we’re dating, and soon, it’ll be all over the school. If what
you’ve said is true, all you’re going to need to do is keep
pretending to date me. Owen will finally notice me and want
to take me to prom.”
“That easy, huh?”
“That easy. Look, I’ll come over tomorrow, and we can
talk about our plan in more detail. But this is going to work. I
just know it is.”
I shook my head, at a loss for words. What was I getting
myself into?
She couldn’t have looked more excited. “So, I’ll see you in
the morning, yeah?”
“Uh, sure.”
“Perfect.” Her whole demeanor had changed as she spun
round and entered her house. There was a lightness in her step
that had been missing before, and a large smile lit her face,
making her eyes sparkle. My demeanor had probably changed
too, but I doubted it was for the better. This was a terrible idea,
but I only had myself to blame.
I stared at her front door, trying to figure out how all of
that had just happened. I should have been elated after finally
speaking more than a handful of sentences with Hayley. I
hadn’t garbled my words once, and by the end of our
conversation, I’d barely been nervous at all. I guess practically
fighting with a girl made you less worried about impressing
her. But, still, it was progress. I’d even had my arm over her
shoulder at one point, and on any other day, I would have been
on cloud nine. Instead, I was left wondering how I’d landed
myself in such an awkward position.
I walked back to my house in a total daze. All I could think
was that I was a fool for agreeing to this plan. Only someone
whose brain was fogged with unrequited love could think this
was a good idea. The more I thought about it though, the more
I began to wonder if I could work this plan to my advantage.
Hayley wanted to get Owen’s attention by pretending to date
me, but what if I could finally get Hayley to see me as more
than just her dorky neighbor?
 This might be my one chance at being with Hayley, so
perhaps, instead of worrying about Owen, I should try
showing her just what a great boyfriend I could be. Hayley
might have her vision for the plan, but I too had one forming
in my head. Maybe, I wasn’t so foolish, after all.
 6

HAYLEY

“H ow did it go?” Madi asked the moment I walked into

my bedroom. She was sitting on my bed, nibbling on
her lower lip as she watched me with concerned eyes.
“Well, you’d know how it went if you’d been watching
from the bushes like a good best friend would be. It’s like the
second cardinal rule of best friends.”
“And what’s the first rule?”
“That best friends should never post a bad picture of each
other on Instagram.”
Madi laughed. “This is the first I’m hearing of these so-
called best friend rules, and even if they existed, only you
would think that spying would be one of them. I wasn’t going
to hide in your bushes.”
“Well, they do exist, and it’s not spying; it’s more like
covert moral support. I really could have used your opinion on
how it went down.”
Madi’s face started to fall. “So, I take it asking Owen to
prom didn’t go well…”
“Not really. It’s more of a work in progress…”
“How so?”
“Ethan was there, and he interrupted Owen before I could
get an answer out of him. He thought Owen was going to
reject me, so he stepped in.”
 “Do you think he was right?” Madi’s voice was soft as she
spoke, and I knew she was trying to be gentle with me.
I wanted to say that Ethan was completely wrong, but deep
down, I felt like he was telling the truth. Owen hadn’t spoken
to me like a guy about to accept a promposal, and even though
I didn’t really know Ethan, for some reason, I trusted what
he’d said.
“I guess I don’t know for sure.” I replied. “But, I’ve come
up with a plan to fix it.”
The concern in Madi’s eyes only grew stronger. “Hayley, is
that really a good idea? Your plans don’t always end well.”
“Sure, they do.”
“Are you already forgetting the plan you made last
summer?”
“Well, no…”
“Because I don’t think anyone would agree that taking a
giant inflatable unicorn out into the surf is a good way of
impressing a hot lifeguard.”
“It was a great idea, and it worked. I got his attention.”
“Because you got swept out to sea…”
“Okay, so maybe that wasn’t the best plan, but this one is
going to work. I just know it.”
Madi looked doubtful, but she hadn’t heard the details of
what I was thinking yet. “Don’t look at me like that; you don’t
even know what the plan is.”
Madi let out a long sigh. “Fine, hit me with your brilliant
plan.”
I grinned. “Okay, if you insist, but we’re going to have to
start at the beginning…” I went on to tell her everything that
had happened since I stepped onto the Becks’ front lawn. I
told her how my failed promposal never would have worked in
the first place because Owen wasn’t picking a date until the
day before prom. I described how Ethan had rescued me from
rejection by pretending to be my boyfriend. And, I ended with
the most important part: how Ethan and I were going to keep
pretending we were together so Owen would finally notice me
and I would become the girl he picked as his date.
I clasped my hands together as I finished. “So, what do
you think?”
Madi had frowned the whole way through my detailed
explanation, and it seemed she still wasn’t convinced my plan
was quite as brilliant as I thought it was. “So, you’re telling
me that you want to date Ethan so his brother will get jealous
and want to steal you from him?”
“Um, sure.” When she put it that way, it sounded a little
weird. “But it’s not like Ethan and I will actually be dating. It’s
just pretend.”
Madi was silent for several long seconds. “Why would
Ethan go along with this?”
“Well, because he messed up my promposal and he wants
to help me fix it.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Of course.” A small part of me wasn’t convinced it was
true though. Ethan believed he had saved me for the
embarrassment of rejection, so why would he feel obligated to
fix something he didn’t think was a problem? I didn’t want
Madi doubting his motives though—not when she was already
skeptical enough about my plan—so I kept that to myself.
“I still don’t think this is a good idea,” Madi said.
“You also thought the True Love contest was a bad idea,
and look how that turned out.”
Madi’s eyes narrowed slightly. She really hated when I
brought up the The Bachelor style charity contest our school
had thrown, and today was no different. I wasn’t sure why she
got so embarrassed over it. Everyone had loved watching her,
and she was now in a perfect relationship with Cole.
“This isn’t the same,” Madi said. “It seems wrong to
pretend to date someone.”
 “Well, it’s not like Ethan doesn’t know it’s pretend, and
neither one of us have feelings for each other, so I don’t see
the problem.”
Madi blew out a long breath. “I still don’t see it ending
well.”
“You’ve gotta have faith, Mads. Everything will be fine.”
She slowly shook her head at me. “You said the same thing
about the swan.”

I WALKED over to Ethan’s house first thing on Sunday

morning. His mom answered the door and smiled brightly
when she saw me standing there. There was a hint of surprise
in her eyes, but that was to be expected. I was hardly a regular
visitor to the Beck household. Mrs. Beck knew me fairly well
though. She’d been friends with my mom ever since we’d
moved in next door.
“Hayley,” she said in greeting.
“Hi, Mrs. Beck, is Ethan home?”
She frowned a little at the question. “You want to see
Ethan?”
“Yes, we have, uh, a project we’re working on together.”
“Oh, is it that one for social science he’s been talking
about?”
“That’s the one,” I quickly replied. A fake relationship
kind of counted as social science, right?
“Well, come on in.” She waved me inside. “I’m not sure
he’ll be ready for you though. He never gets out of bed until
after ten on the weekend.”
“Wow, I wish I could sleep in like that. I always wake up
at the same time as the sun and can’t get back to sleep. It’s like
a curse.”
Mrs. Beck chuckled. “Or a blessing.”
 I followed her through the house, and she told me to wait
in the kitchen while she went to get Ethan.
“He’ll be down in a minute,” she said when she returned.
“Can I get you something to drink? Coffee? Water?”
“A water would be great, thanks. Caffeine and me don’t
mix so well.”
She smiled and poured me a glass. She’d just passed it to
me when Ethan appeared in the doorway. His hair was all
messy, and there was a sleep line streaking down the side of
his face. He was wearing sweats and a loose T-shirt, and it
appeared as though he’d just woken up.
What really surprised me though was the fact Ethan wasn’t
wearing his glasses. He always wore them at school, and I
couldn’t remember ever noticing him without them. But now
that the frames didn’t border his eyes, I could see them so
much clearer. Had they always had such a dark ring of blue
around them? The contrast was quite striking, and I felt like I
was looking at a shard of light that had cut through a darker
blue ocean.
It took me a moment to realize Ethan was frowning at me
and that I must have been staring. I jumped from the stool I
was sitting on and walked over to him, giving him a large
smile. “Morning, sunshine.”
He didn’t return my smile. Instead, he looked slightly
pained. “Hayley, when you said you were coming over today, I
thought you meant at a polite visiting hour.”
“It is a polite visiting hour.”
“Humans shouldn’t even be awake at this hour.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Ethan’s mom. “Is he always
this grumpy in the mornings?”
“Usually worse,” she replied.
“And on that note, we’ll be going to my room now.” Ethan
gestured for me to follow him from the kitchen, and I trailed
after him.
“Keep the door open,” his mom called after us.
 “Yeah, yeah,” he replied as he slowly started to trudge up
the stairs.
I laughed as I bounded up the steps behind him. “Man, you
are grumpy in the mornings.” He was more relaxed too, but I
didn’t say that part out loud. He was always so shy whenever I
was around, but it seemed he was still too sleepy to act like his
normal reserved self.
“No, I just haven’t woken up yet,” he insisted.
“Still grumpy.”
He turned to me as we reached his doorway. “And has
telling someone they are grumpy ever made them less
grumpy?”
“I mean, probably not. But, I’m kind of enjoying the
grumpiness, not trying to fix it.”
Ethan shook his head at me. “You know you make
absolutely no sense sometimes, right?”
I shrugged and tapped a finger to my temple. “It all makes
sense up here.”
He shook his head once more and entered his room. I
slowly followed him in. My bedroom looked directly into
Ethan’s, so I’d seen glimpses of it before. I didn’t realize how
strange it would feel to enter though. I’d never been in a boy’s
bedroom before, and I had no idea how to act.
The first thing I noticed was the smell. I’d always
imagined a boy’s bedroom would smell like sweat and week-
old gym socks, but Ethan’s was nothing like that. It smelled a
little like freshly laundered sheets with a hint of cologne. It
was also ridiculously tidy. Even his bed was made, and he’d
only just left it a few minutes ago.
“You had time to make your bed?” I asked as I hovered by
the end of it.
“Yes, well, not all of us treat our rooms like pigsties.” He
gave me a knowing look.
“My room’s not a pigsty.”
 “You forget that I can see it from here. You have a pile of
clothes that almost reaches the ceiling sitting on your desk.”
I didn’t need to follow his gaze out the window to know he
was right. I folded my arms over my chest as I glared at him.
“That’s where they belong. They’re clothes that are too clean
to need washing but have been worn just enough they don’t
belong in my wardrobe anymore.”
He shook his head at me like I was missing the point.
“Anyway…” I drew the word out, keen to move past my
somewhat untidy ways. Ethan clearly didn’t get that my mess
had purpose.
“Do you want to talk about the plan?” he prompted.
“Yes, the plan.” I jumped on the question, all too happy to
talk about anything other than my room. I glanced over my
shoulder toward the open doorway.
“Owen didn’t come home from his date last night, so you
don’t need to worry about him overhearing,” Ethan said,
guessing at my thoughts.
My heart sunk. “He was on a date?”
“Yeah, but don’t let it upset you. I doubt it was anything
serious.” Ethan’s gaze had softened, but it didn’t manage to
ease the blow. Owen going on a date with someone else hit me
hard. I already felt like I had slim hopes of capturing his
attention. What chance did I have when he was dating other
girls?
“Do you know who the date was with?”
Ethan frowned as he took in my expression. “Do you really
want to know?”
I thought the answer to that was obvious, but as I
considered the question, I wasn’t so sure. I was curious about
who Owen had gone out with, but as I thought about it, I
realized I also didn’t want to picture him with anyone else. I
had my own plan for Owen, and if I was thinking of him with
some other girl, I might lose my nerve to go through with it. I
let out a sigh and shook my head. “Actually, I probably don’t.”
I needed to remain focused on the end goal and not get jealous
and distracted. Sometimes, ignorance really was a more
pleasant existence.
“Anyway, we should really get down to business,” I said,
trying to push thoughts of Owen’s date to the back of my
mind.
“We should,” Ethan agreed. “Do you want to sit down?
You know you don’t have to hover in the corner like that.”
“Oh, ah, thanks.” I hesitated for several moments longer
though, unsure where to go. The only seating options were on
the bed beside him or his desk chair. There was an expensive-
looking guitar on the chair that I was scared to touch, but
something about sitting next to Ethan on his bed made me
nervous too. Ethan cleared his throat, and I realized I’d been
staring into his eyes again. I swallowed and quickly looked
away. Definitely the desk chair.
I handled the guitar gently as I lifted it from the seat and
placed it on my lap. I brushed my fingers over a few strings
and tried not to laugh as Ethan winced at the sound.
“Please be careful.”
I smiled. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt your baby. Besides,
how do you know I’m not a secret musical prodigy?”
“Because I’ve been in music classes with you before,” he
said with a roll of his eyes. “You were so bad the teacher took
your recorder away from you in fifth grade and you made Mrs.
Lowell cry when you attempted to play the flute in grade six.”
“They were tears of joy,” I replied.
“I was there, Hayley. There was nothing joyful about your
rendition of Mary Had a Little Lamb. In fact, I’d say you
pretty much slaughtered that poor lamb.”
“Okay, maybe woodwind instruments aren’t my thing.” I
tilted my head as I looked at him. “How can you even
remember that?” I could barely recall either of the incidents.
Ethan’s cheeks warmed slightly as he glanced away and
shrugged. “Guess I have a good memory.”
 “Well, it’s better than mine.”
He nodded though he still refused to meet my eyes. “So,
are you going to enlighten me about your plan?” he continued.
I sucked my lower lip between my teeth as I nodded. “I
mean, I haven’t exactly got it all mapped out or anything, but I
figured we could go on a fake date next weekend and make
sure Owen sees us together. And maybe, you could talk me up
around him?”
Ethan lifted an eyebrow. “That’s the plan?”
“Well, yeah…”
“It’s not particularly good.”
I huffed out an irritated breath. “You said Owen just had to
think we were dating and he’d get jealous. Do you have a
better idea?”
“Well, for starters, one date isn’t going to be enough.”
My shoulders deflated. “It’s not?”
“No. He needs to be totally convinced we like each other,
and that’s going to take a whole lot more than just one date.”
“So, we go on two dates?”
He shook his head. “This isn’t the kind of thing where we
can only pretend to be together when he’s around. Owen is
back at school tomorrow. He’s going to know something’s up
if we ignore each other at school but act differently when he’s
around.”
I started to frown. “So, you’re saying we’re going to have
to pretend to date all the time?”
“Pretty much.”
Ethan knew his brother best, so I trusted he knew what he
was talking about. I was surprised he was so willing to commit
to such an intense plan though. If anything, I was expecting to
hear the opposite from Ethan.
“And you’re okay with this?” I asked.
 His brow furrowed as a flicker of uncertainty flittered
through his eyes. “I wouldn’t say I’m okay with it…”
“Then why are you helping me?” It was a question that had
troubled me since Madi brought it up yesterday.
His skin seemed to pale, but he held my gaze as he
responded. “I messed up your promposal, and I want to help
fix that.” His voice was flat, and I got the distinct impression
he was just telling me what I wanted to hear.
“Is that really it? You said yesterday that messing up my
promposal was helping me…”
He visibly swallowed and his eyes darted away. There was
definitely a reason as to why he was helping me that he wasn’t
sharing.
“Ethan, is there something you’re not telling me?” I asked.
“Because as much as I appreciate your help, I’m not sure I
want to go through with this when I don’t know your motive.”
His eyes darted back to me, and for a moment, I thought I
could see panic in them. His expression changed so quickly
though it was impossible to know. He slowly blew out a breath
as he nodded. “Okay, you got me, there’s something I left out,”
he admitted. “But it was only because I’m embarrassed.”
“What are you embarrassed about?”
“There’s a girl I like.” His cheeks warmed a little in
response. “But she doesn’t really know I exist. I figured that
maybe if we date, she’ll finally notice me. I guess that’s why I
agreed to the plan.”
“Oh.” I suddenly felt guilty for pressing him for an answer.
“Sorry, Ethan, I had no idea.”
“Well, now, you do.”
“Now, I do,” I murmured in agreement. I was intrigued as
to who the girl could be, but it didn’t feel right to ask him
about her when he was already so embarrassed. Knowing he’d
agreed to our fake relationship for a similar reason was enough
to make me feel better. “Well, here’s hoping the plan works for
you too then.”
 “Here’s hoping,” he agreed with a small, almost hesitant,
smile. I’d never noticed before, but his smile was kind of cute.
There was an open friendliness to it that gave you a glimpse of
the genuine guy hiding behind the quietness. It made me feel
like I could trust him.
“So, what’s our cover story if people ask?” Ethan said.
“How did we get together?”
I quickly looked away from his lips and focused on his
eyes. “We should probably tell people something close to the
truth so we don’t mess it up.”
“So, we just tell them we started dating yesterday?”
“I’m sure they’ll want more details than that…”
“Okay,” he replied, frowning slightly as he thought it
through. “So, what do you suggest?”
“How about we tell them that you’ve secretly been into me
for a while and finally saw a chance to talk to me yesterday
and ask me out.”
He laughed awkwardly and looked away from me, his eyes
dropping to the floor. “Do you think people would believe
that?”
“I mean, it’s not that far-fetched. Why wouldn’t they
believe it?”
“Well, because we’ve lived next to each other for years
and never talked.” He stumbled over the words slightly and
coughed to clear his throat. “If I was secretly into you, surely, I
would have spoken to you before now…”
He still seemed to be avoiding eye contact with me, but
perhaps, he just found the idea embarrassing. He did have a
point though. If he’d really had a crush on me, he’d have at
least tried to strike up a conversation at some point.
“Sure, but no one else knows that we never talk.”
“I guess not,” he agreed. “Perhaps, if we add that you’ve
been secretly crushing on me too, then it might pique Owen’s
interest even more. We can tell people our relationship was
like fate.”
 “Fate, huh?” This made me smile. I could work with fate.
After all, it was pretty lucky that Ethan had been there when I
asked Owen to prom, or I would have simply been rejected.
“Okay, I think this story will work, but we’re going to need to
ground rules for our relationship.”
“Ground rules sound like a good idea,” he agreed with a
nod.
“Any suggestions?”
“Well, the first and most obvious rule should be that I get
to pick the dates.”
I scrunched up my nose. “You’ll probably take us to some
dive bar to listen to a band no one’s ever heard of.”
“Maybe.” He grinned.
I hated the sound of the first rule, but since Ethan had
agreed to help me, the least I could do was try not to be
difficult about it. “Fine, you can pick the dates. Next rule: no
getting handsy with me.”
Ethan burst out laughing. “You think I’m going to get
handsy with you?”
I couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed as he kept
laughing. “No kissing either.” That seemed to shut him up.
“You seriously think my brother is going to believe you’re
my girlfriend if he doesn’t see us kissing?”
I let out a breath. “Okay, you might have a point there. No
kissing unless it’s in front of Owen.”
He nodded though his eyes betrayed his displeasure with
the idea. He was probably just repulsed by the thought of
kissing me at all. I thought I’d be disgusted by it too, but the
idea wasn’t quite as uncomfortable as I would have expected.
It was especially easy to imagine this morning, because his
disheveled hair and sleepy eyes almost made him look sexy.
I immediately screwed up my face at the thought. Ethan
Beck was not sexy. I blamed the fact that I was in his room for
my temporary moment of insanity. Being in this small space
and surrounded by his surprisingly tempting scent, it was like
my brain had glitched.
“Any other rules?” I quickly asked.
He nodded, but he hesitated before speaking. When he
finally started to talk, his voice was quiet. “If this doesn’t
work, you still go to prom with me.”
“You want to go to prom together?”
He shrugged. “Because of the plan, I might not have a
chance to ask anyone else. At least this way, we’d both still
have a date.”
“But what about your mystery girl? Don’t you want to take
her?”
“I’d love to take her, obviously. But, if our plan works, we
won’t know until the day of prom if Owen is taking you. It
would be too late to ask the girl I like to prom then, and she
deserves better than being my backup.
“So, you can’t go to prom with her if you help me,” I
murmured as a swirl of guilt pooled in my gut.
Ethan quickly shook his head though. “I wouldn’t have a
shot at all with her if I didn’t help you,” he replied. “Prom is
just one night, and it’s one night I’m happy to miss if it means
I have a chance at forever with her.”
It was such a sweet response, and I almost felt a little
jealous of the girl he liked. Who knew guys could be so
thoughtful? It sounded like the mystery girl must be pretty
amazing if he was willing to wait for her.
“Okay, well, if you’re sure…”
“I’m sure.”
“Then, I guess we have a deal.” I stood and reached a hand
out toward him to shake on our agreement.
The corner of his mouth lifted as he stood and stepped
toward me. I was surprised by how much taller than me Ethan
was, and the soft scent of his cologne only became stronger as
I got closer to him. He wrapped his large hand around mine,
and I swallowed as he gave it a firm squeeze.
“Deal,” he agreed.
 7

HAYLEY

“A re you sure there hasn’t been any news from the

mechanic?” I asked Mom as I entered the kitchen on
Monday morning. It was almost a week since my car had gone
in for repairs, and I was beginning to worry I might never see
it again.
“Good morning to you too,” she said as she glanced up at
me from her cup of coffee. Just like always, Mom’s brunette
hair fell in glossy waves, and even though she wasn’t wearing
makeup, her skin had a dewy glow. I had no idea how she
managed to look so perfect in the mornings while I always
seemed to look like some kind of swamp rat that just had
crawled its way out of the sewer.
“Morning, Mom. So, any news?”
She let out a sigh and shook her head. “Not since you
asked me last night, and please don’t ask me to call him again.
Mike said the part would take a while and we’d hear from him
later this week.”
I groaned and collapsed onto one of the kitchen stools.
“This is torture.”
“It’s really not the end of the world.” Mom reached out a
hand and patted my arm. “At least, we get to spend a little
more time together on the drive to school.” She smiled widely
at me and seemed genuinely happy at the thought. No one
could ever say my mom’s heart wasn’t in the right place.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t spending time with Mom that was
the torturous part. It was the ten-minute ride to school with my
bratty sister that I couldn’t stomach. The thought of being
stuck in the confines of Mom’s car with Kitty for another week
was enough to make me consider calling in sick to school.
“Ugh, is she really riding with us again all week?”
And, my peaceful morning came grinding to a halt. I
turned to find Kitty standing in the kitchen doorway, her face
screwed up with disgust as she eyed me. Funny, how we both
shared the same sentiment. I didn’t want to be anywhere near
her either.
“I’ll be driving myself as soon as I can, Kitty, trust me.”
Kitty turned her gaze toward our mother. “Mom, this is so
unfair. Our schedules are totally different, and I’m either at
school too early or hanging around too late. Can’t I just get a
ride with Carly’s mom?”
“No. I won’t have her driving out of her way just so you
can avoid a car trip with you sister. A little extra time at school
won’t kill you for a week,” Mom replied. “You’ll be coming
with us, and that’s final.”
“But Hayley’s so annoying.”
I scoffed. “That’s rich coming from you.”
“Girls!” Mom warned.
I flashed her a guilty look, but Kitty simply folded her
arms over her chest. “Hayley started it!” she complained.
“Mom knows who started it. She was here the whole
time,” I shot right back.
Mom groaned and rubbed the ridge of her nose. “I’m too
old for this,” she grumbled.
I took that as my cue to leave before the bickering got
worse. “I’m going to jump in the shower.” I raced from the
room before Kitty could get another word in. Why couldn’t I
have had a brother?
I dragged my feet as I got ready. I struggled to handle my
sister at the best of times, but she was always extra snarky in
the mornings, and I wasn’t mentally prepared to head right
back in for round two with her.
She’d always been such a sweet kid, but she’d changed so
much once she’d grown close to her latest group of friends.
They were all cheerleaders and not the awesome kind like me.
I cheered because I loved it, but the girls Kitty was friends
with all did it for status and popularity. They weren’t getting
any nicer the older they got either.
Once I was dressed, I blew out a long breath and braced
myself to go downstairs and get in the car. The kitchen
altercation with Kitty had been relatively tame this morning,
and it was easy for me to leave. I couldn’t exactly jump out of
a moving car if she set off on me again—though I couldn’t
deny that I’d considered it on many occasions.
I made my way to the front door and was surprised when I
opened it to find Kitty standing on the front step talking to
Ethan. He had a backpack slung over one shoulder, and his
hands were tucked into his jeans. His glasses were back on this
morning, and he pushed them up his nose as he turned his
attention from my sister to me. A small smile pulled at the
corner of his lips as he noticed my confusion.
I stepped outside to greet him. “Ethan, what are you doing
here?”
Kitty didn’t give him a chance to answer. “He was just
telling me about some of the songs his band has been
rehearsing,” she replied for him. She kept primping her hair
and batting her eyelashes up at Ethan. She almost seemed
flustered, which was completely unlike my sister. Realization
struck me as I watched her. Kitty totally had a crush on him.
How had I never noticed this before?
“I’m fairly certain Ethan isn’t here to talk with you about
his band,” I said, earning myself a scowl from my sister. I
focused on Ethan instead. “I thought I wouldn’t see you until
school.”
“Oh, yes, about that…” He adjusted his glasses again, and
I got the impression it was a nervous tic of his. “I was
wondering if you needed a ride.”
 “You were?”
“Well, I figured since your car wasn’t in the driveway that
it must still be getting repaired, and it’s probably the least I can
offer for my girlfriend…” He was rambling a little, but it was
kind of cute, and my heart gave an unexpected jolt as he called
me his girlfriend. I knew we were going to be acting a part
together, but I was not prepared to hear him call me that so
soon.
“You two are dating?” Kitty asked, failing to hide the
disgust in her voice.
I ignored her comment, much like I ignored most of what
Kitty had to say. Acting aside, it was actually really thoughtful
of Ethan to offer to drive me. And now that he’d dropped the
girlfriend bomb in front of my sister, I could hardly turn him
down. To be honest, I would have happily strapped myself to
the roof of his car rather than get into a vehicle with Kitty.
“My car is still at the shop, so, yeah, that would be
amazing,” I replied, his grin broadening again in response. I
was again struck by how much Ethan’s face changed when he
smiled. It was a little like seeing a sunrise. It always happened
slowly, but each time it crested the horizon, it brightened the
world a little more.
“You ready to go now?”
“Yep.” I turned to my sister quickly before I left. “Can you
tell Mom I don’t need a ride?”
My sister nodded, her mouth still hanging open with
shock. That had to be a first. I followed Ethan from the house,
all too eager to get away from Kitty before she regained her
composure enough to call after me with some snide remark.
She stayed standing on the front porch, a disgruntled look
starting to form on her face as she watched us leave.
“I think she might like you,” I said once we were out of
earshot.
Ethan shrugged. “She was just being friendly.”
“Kitty doesn’t do friendly.”
 “She seems nice enough to me.”
I shook my head. The poor guy was clearly oblivious, and
I almost felt sorry for him. The last person I’d ever want
having a crush on me was Kitty. She’d probably erect a shrine
to him in her wardrobe or something. At least, she acted a little
nicer when he was around.
Ethan’s car was parked on the street. It had clearly been
around the block more than a couple of times, but as I climbed
into the passenger seat, I could see he took good care of it.
There wasn’t so much as a speck of dirt on the floor, and even
the dash was clear of dust. There was a guitar case in the back
seat, and as I looked at it, I noticed it was covered in stickers
from different cities.
“Do you travel a lot?” I asked, pointing toward the case.
He shook his head. “Nah, my dad’s always traveling for
work, and he brings me home stickers from the places he’s
been. I put the ones from places I want to visit myself on the
case.”
“That’s a lot of places,” I said.
He shrugged. “Well, I want to travel everywhere when I
finish school.”
I glanced back at the case and looked at the stickers once
more. Ethan wasn’t kidding when he said he wanted to travel
everywhere. There were stickers from Iceland to Vietnam and
even Australia. I scrunched up my nose at the last one. “You
don’t actually want to go to Australia, do you?”
“Well, yeah. That’s at the top of the bucket list.”
“But, there are spiders.”
“We have spiders here.”
“And when you’re not being chased by spiders, there are
also snakes, sharks and crocodiles to contend with. Do you
really want to die so young?”
This time, he laughed. “I’m pretty sure most tourists who
visit Australia live to tell the tale.”
 I pushed down a shudder. I was not good with creepy
crawlies and couldn’t understand how he was so blasé about
visiting a country filled with deadly ones. “Well, don’t say I
didn’t warn you.”
“I won’t,” he agreed.
Ethan started the car, and I jolted as a loud banging noise
erupted from the exhaust. I guess I had bigger things to worry
about than terrifying Australian beasts. Apparently, I’d be
lucky if I even made it to school. “How is it that my car’s in
the workshop and this thing is still on the road?”
Ethan chuckled as he caught the look of shock on my face.
“Just luck, I suppose. That, and I take good care of her.”
“I take good care of my car,” I replied.
“I didn’t say you didn’t.”
“You implied it.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did.”
He worked hard to smother a smile. “I guess we’re going
to be that couple that’s always fighting.”
“No, we’re not.”
He lifted an eyebrow as if to say “see.”
I huffed out a breath but couldn’t stop myself from
laughing. Ethan might have been quiet at school, but he didn’t
seem afraid to speak his mind once you got him alone. “This is
going to be impossible. There could not be a more hopeless
couple in the world than us.”
“Or maybe, you’ll be surprised,” he replied. His eyes were
serious, like he truly believed we could actually make this
work. “Crazier things have happened,” he added.
“I guess,” I agreed though I wasn’t sure I shared his
confidence. Ethan and I were just too different, and I was
getting more and more nervous about making our fake
relationship seem real.
 He turned to focus on the road as he took off from the
curb. The radio was playing an old rock song I hadn’t heard
before, and Ethan was subtly nodding his head to the beat as
he drove. It wasn’t Taylor Swift, but it wasn’t all that bad
either.
We didn’t talk again until we reached the school parking
lot. Ethan’s car choked out one last cough as he pulled it to a
stop, and silence replaced the constant rumble of the engine. It
was a miracle the car had made it here in one piece, but I was
growing less concerned about my safety and more anxious
about what waited for us beyond the large front doors of the
school.
“So, how do we do this?” I asked, turning to look at Ethan.
“Do what?”
I rolled my eyes. “The fake relationship at school thing.
Do we sit together in class? Do we hold hands? How far do we
need to go with it?”
“I’d say the further, the better,” he replied.
I thumped him on the shoulder. “Don’t be gross.”
“I wasn’t!”
“Uh-huh.” I blew out a breath and sat back as I tried to
figure out our next move. We definitely should have talked
about our first day back at school in our planning session
yesterday. I’d been so focused on the bigger picture though
that the day-to-day logistics of our fake relationship had
completely slipped my mind.
“Why don’t you just act how you would with any of your
other boyfriends,” he suggested.
I frowned and my chest seized with uncertainty. “I haven’t
really had any other boyfriends.”
His eyes widened with surprise. “I thought you went on
dates all the time.”
“Not as many as you might think,” I replied. I wasn’t
exactly prepared to tell Ethan just how pathetic I truly was or
how disastrously most of my dates ended. “And I might have
gone on dates, but I’ve never had a boyfriend. So, you’re
going to have to take the lead.”
“Okay…” He drew the word out and I got the distinct
impression he was uncomfortable with the idea. “That might
be a little difficult seeing as the longest relationship I’ve had
only lasted a week.”
“What? I thought you knew what you were doing.”
“I thought you knew what you were doing.”
I swore as I reached into my bag and took out my phone to
send an emergency text to Madi.
“Who are you texting?” Ethan asked.
“Madi. We need advice from a relationship expert if we’re
going to pull this off.”
Ethan stopped me though, gently placing a hand over my
phone. “I think we can figure it out between the two of us,” he
said.
As I looked into his eyes, I found myself lowering my
phone. He seemed so certain, and his confidence was
reassuring. I mean, how hard could faking a relationship really
be?
“We’ll start slowly,” he continued. “Today, we’ll hold
hands and sit with each other at lunch. That should be enough
to get everyone talking about the relationship. Does that sound
doable?”
I blew out a breath, the pressure in my chest easing at his
words. “Yeah, that sounds doable.”
“Well, then, it looks like we have a game plan.”
“We do,” I agreed. I liked that Ethan had suggested we
start showing our fake relationship in small ways. I wasn’t
sure how I would have reacted if he’d proposed we make out
in the cafeteria or something. Handholding was totally within
my capabilities.
At least, I thought it was until I got out of the car and I
walked around the front to meet Ethan. My pulse started
racing as I stopped before him. I knew I was supposed to take
his hand and that it didn’t really mean anything, but for some
reason, I was freaking out. I’d never walked into school
holding a guy’s hand before. Why did something so simple
seem so hard?
“I think this is the part where we hold hands,” he
murmured.
I looked up into his hesitant blue eyes. “Yeah, I think it is,”
I agreed. Was it just me, or did he seem nervous too?
“May I?” he asked, holding out his hand toward me.
I nodded, and he gently took my hand in his. His skin was
warm, and the feel of his grasp was reassuring. He had
calluses across his fingers, which I guessed were from the
guitar. I found I quite liked the slight roughness against my
skin though. My heart was fluttering furiously, but I felt sure it
was just because I was nervous about getting Owen’s
attention.
Ethan gave me one of his small smiles, like he understood
exactly how I was feeling. “This isn’t so bad,” he said.
“No, it’s not completely terrible,” I agreed with a laugh.
It was only the first step in our fake relationship, but, if
anything, it felt good.
 8

ETHAN

I couldn’t stop sneaking glances at Hayley as I walked

across the parking lot toward school with her. We were
holding hands, and I had to keep looking down at them to
convince myself the moment was real. I’d pictured it in my
head a million times, but I’d never imagined how wildly my
heart would beat against my chest or how my stomach would
pull taut in a mixture of nerves and excitement.
In my mind, I knew the moment was all pretend, but my
body was blissfully ignoring the stark reality of the situation. I
probably should have been trying to dampen down my
excitement, but living in this moment was far more enjoyable.
It might not be a real moment, but if it was the only one I’d get
with Hayley, then I was going to appreciate every second of it.
It wasn’t until we entered the school that I was pulled out
of my idyllic bubble. It was subtle at first. One person would
glance our way, then another. But as we entered the bustling
corridors lined with students and their lockers, it seemed like
everyone we passed was looking at our hands clasped together.
I had never been someone who sought out attention, but I
certainly had it now. It wasn’t exactly a confidence boost to
see so many confused looks pointed our way. Given the
puzzled expressions that greeted us, it was clear everyone at
school was trying to work out why Hayley and I were together.
Yes, I was well aware Hayley was too good for me, but it
really hit home just how much that was the case as we walked
down the corridor hand in hand.
 I knew all of this attention was a necessary evil though. We
needed word to spread that we were now a couple, and from
the looks we were getting, I felt certain it wouldn’t take long
before everyone at school knew about us. This gossip was too
good not to spread. The cheerleader and the music nerd: we
were the unlikeliest of pairings.
“So, you’ll come meet me for lunch?” Hayley asked when
we stopped by my locker. She let go of my hand as I went to
open the door and gather my books. I immediately missed the
contact between us and was already wondering when I’d get
the chance to hold her hand again. It was probably going to be
a little difficult with my arms full of books.
“Sure, but aren’t you coming to homeroom?”
She shook her head. “I have to meet with the guidance
counselor this morning.”
“You getting your results for the career aptitude test?”
She let out a sigh. “Yeah, but I have no idea what kind of
job she’ll suggest for me. I hope it’s something good.”
“I’m sure it will be.”
“I’m not,” she grumbled.
“She suggested I’d be suited as a musician, so don’t be
nervous. They must be pretty accurate.”
“Hence, why I’m scared,” she said with an exaggerated
shudder. “Anyway, I better run, or I’ll be late. See you at
lunch.”
“Yeah, see you then.”
She turned and disappeared down the corridor far too
quickly. I watched after her, still not quite able to believe what
was happening between us. I knew that nothing about our
relationship was real, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself from
loving every moment I got to spend with her.
The thud of a fist thumping me on the arm jolted me back
to reality. I turned to find a very confused Colin at my side.
“What the hell was that?” he asked.
 “Uh…” Where did I even begin to explain?
“Why were you holding hands with Hayley?”
“Because we’re dating?”
“What? Since when?”
“Will you keep your voice down?” I muttered, my eyes
darting around the busy corridor to see if anyone was listening
in. Luckily, now that Hayley was gone, it seemed I’d returned
to being invisible to everyone around me.
“Well?” Colin prompted. Thankfully, he’d lowered his
voice to a normal level.
My chest constricted as I considered what to tell my friend.
I could lie and give him the same cover story Hayley and I had
come up with yesterday, but Colin and I had always told each
other the truth. I couldn’t start lying to him now.
I glanced around us once more before I began. Yep, no one
was paying us any notice. “We’re not really dating,” I started.
“We’re just pretending.”
“Why on Earth would you do that?”
A sigh escaped me. “She wanted to ask Owen to prom, but
I knew he wouldn’t go with her. I told her if we pretended to
date then she might be in with a chance. Owen’s always
wanted whatever I have. A girlfriend should be no different.”
“Yeah, because your brother is a tool.”
“Pretty much.”
“Why would you even suggest this to her?”
I lifted an eyebrow.
“Right,” he replied. “Because it’s Hayley and you’d cut off
a limb for her if she asked.”
“I wouldn’t cut off a limb.”
“Yeah, you would.”
Colin was silent for several long moments before he finally
exhaled. “I’m trying to find a reason to support you in this,
really I am, but I don’t see it ending well. You’ve lost your
mind if you think this is a good idea.”
“I haven’t lost my mind.”
“It’s crazy. Pretending to date the girl you’ve been secretly
in love with for years so she can get closer to Owen is just a
heartbreak in the making. It’s going to destroy you when he
finally notices her and she dumps you for him.”
“Well, she can’t dump me because we’re not really
dating.”
“Semantics,” he grumbled.
“And she won’t dump me for him, because once she
spends some actual time with me, she’s going to see we’re
perfect for each other.”
Colin apparently didn’t share my optimism because he
shook his head. “Owen has dated any girl he’s ever wanted,
and this girl already wants him. You have no chance of making
this work.”
I folded my arms across my chest and tried not to scowl at
my friend. I knew Colin was only looking out for me, and he
made some very valid points. I felt like this might be my only
chance to be with Hayley though.
“I know the chances of a happy ending are slim, but I think
the risk is worth taking.”
Colin shook his head once more. It seemed like there
wasn’t anything I could say to convince him this was a good
idea.
“What does Isla think?” he asked.
“Isla doesn’t think anything. I haven’t told her.”
“Why not?”
“Well, judging from your reaction, I can’t imagine the
news going down well.” I didn’t need both of my closest
friends ganging up on me.
“You’re right there,” he agreed. “So, you’re planning to
keep this secret from her?”
 I shrugged. “For now. The less people who know the truth,
the better.”
“Well, I hope you’re sure about that, because she’s coming
this way.”
Colin had barely finished getting the words out when Isla
launched herself at me, grabbed my arm, and started jumping
up and down.
“Please tell me the rumors are true,” she said.
Colin gave me a pointed look, but I ignored him as I
focused on Isla. “What rumors?”
“The ones where you’re dating Hayley Lawson—a.k.a. the
love of your life!” She was bursting with excitement for me,
and I felt a flare of guilt rise up in my chest.
“How on Earth did you hear about that already?”
“So, it’s true?” She thumped my arm. “Why am I not the
first person to hear this news?”
“Ouch!” I rubbed the sore spot where her tiny hand had hit
me. For someone so small, she sure knew how to pack a
punch.
“I have no sympathy for you. You totally deserved that.”
She rolled her eyes, but her expression quickly returned to one
of enthusiasm. “I can’t believe this is happening. This might
be the best day of my life.”
I shook my head at her. “Are you dating Hayley or am I?”
“You are, obviously. It’s just, it’s like something out of a
fairy tale, and you know how much I like happily ever afters.”
“Don’t go getting ahead of yourself about the happily ever
after,” Colin said.
She shot him a scowl. “Where’s your optimism, O’Leary?
You’re totally ruining the vibe right now with such negativity.”
My vibe was nowhere even close to as excited as Isla’s,
but I gave Colin a knowing look. “Yeah, man. Don’t ruin our
vibe.”
 He laughed and rubbed a hand through his hair. “Sorry,
sorry. I’m really happy for you, Ethan.”
“Good.” Isla nodded with approval before turning on me.
“So, tell me everything. When did this happen?”
“Saturday, after practice,” I replied. Isla knew me really
well and would quickly work out I was lying if I didn’t make it
sound convincing. I took a deep breath in before I continued.
“Hayley came home at the same time as me, and I saw a
chance to talk to her.” I took another breath. Damn, this was
hard. “I guess all your encouragement to make a move must
have got to me because, before I knew it, I was asking her out.
I never believed she’d actually say yes.”
The story wasn’t actually that different from what had
happened, minus my brother and the whole fake relationship
thing. Hayley was smart to suggest we keep our story as close
to the truth as possible. There was no way I would have been
able to lie convincingly to Isla otherwise.
Isla’s eyes filled with awe, so I guessed she’d bought it. “I
mean, this is exactly what I’ve been telling you to do all
along,” she said. “I just can’t believe you finally went through
with it. How could you not tell us what you had planned
beforehand?”
“It was all pretty spontaneous,” I replied. “The moment
seemed right, so I went for it.”
She placed a hand against her heart. “How romantic.”
“Yeah, it was.” I gave her a tight smile and nodded. I
figured it was better I left the conversation as soon as possible
before she wanted more details.
“We can talk about it more later, but we should probably
get to class before we’re late.” I started to walk before Isla
could object. I really wasn’t a very confident or experienced
liar, but I seemed to have gotten through that one unscathed.
I’ D AGREED to have lunch with Hayley in the cafeteria, but as I
went to meet her, I began to regret the decision. I normally
hung outside during lunchtime and preferred to avoid the
cafeteria because the place was like a jungle.
It wasn’t any different today, and I felt like groaning as I
walked into the large hall and immediately caught sight of my
brother. It was his first day back at Lincoln, and already, he’d
made himself right at home at the popular table. He looked the
picture of confidence as he sat surrounded by some of the
prettiest girls in school. They were all hanging off his every
word as he animatedly described some dramatic football play
for them.
My brother’s date with Laurie must have gone well
because she was clinging to one of his arms and looked
completely enamored by him. I had no idea how he did it.
How could he have slotted in so quickly and easily at school
after being away for years? He might have been a dick, but my
brother certainly knew how to lure people in.
“Ethan, over here!”
I turned and found Hayley sitting at a table, waving me
over. She’d saved a seat beside her and was smiling as she
enthusiastically gestured toward me. She was sitting with
Madi and Evan. I remembered that their friend Teagan usually
sat with them too, but she’d landed a small role in a movie and
was currently filming in Hollywood. She was also dating the
star, Liam Black, and for weeks, it had been all anyone could
talk about. The people at our school really loved nothing more
than a bit of gossip.
I lowered myself into the seat at Hayley’s side and gave
her a nervous smile. I tended to avoid situations where I got
stuck speaking to people I didn’t know that well, and right
now, I was remembering exactly why. I had no idea what to
say to Madi or Evan. I’d never spoken a word with Evan
before, but I’d sat next to Madi in biology last year. She was
pretty friendly at the time, but I could hardly ask her how she
did on last year’s bio exam. My pulse was racing, and for a
moment, I wished I were more like my brother. Owen would
already have Hayley and her friends eating out of the palm of
his hand. Why did I have to be so awkward?
“Ethan,” Evan said in greeting, giving me a wide smile.
“Nice of you to join us in the circus today.”
“Circus?” Yep, my heart was galloping, but then, he
gestured around to the cafeteria, and I finally caught on. This
place was a whole lot like the zoo. “Circus, right. Yeah, one of
the monkeys insisted I come sit with her.” I glanced at Hayley
out of the corner of my eye and gave her a small smile, as
Madi and Evan both chuckled.
“Hey, I’m not a monkey,” she replied, shooting her two
friends an annoyed look. “If I’m going to be a circus animal,
I’d be a lion or something cool.”
“You are kind of ferocious,” Evan teased.
“And you do spend a lot of time grooming yourself,” Madi
added.
Hayley shook her head at the two of them. “I really don’t
know why I put up with you guys.”
“Because you love us,” Evan replied. “Now, you two need
to dish. When did you start dating?” His eyes seemed to
narrow in on the large gap between Hayley and me as he asked
the question, and I knew we needed to up our game if we
wanted people to believe our lie.
I slung an arm over Hayley’s shoulder, acting far braver
than I felt. Her skin was warm to the touch, and my stomach
dropped as we connected. Holding hands this morning hadn’t
felt nearly as intimate as this. We were far closer than we’d
ever been before, but I wanted to be closer still.
A hint of surprise entered Hayley’s eyes at the contact, but
she didn’t shrug my arm off, and within moments, she actually
began to settle against me. It was far more natural than I would
have expected. It felt like she belonged there.
“The weekend,” Hayley replied, sending a warm smile in
my direction. “We’ve been neighbors for ages, so I guess you
could say it’s been brewing for a while.”
 It certainly hadn’t been brewing on Hayley’s end, but you
wouldn’t have known it from the way she was looking at me.
She always landed minor roles in our school plays, but right
now, she was putting on a pretty convincing performance.
There was total adoration in her eyes, and a part of me had to
wonder if it was because she was picturing my brother at her
side. I immediately felt sick.
I gave Evan a tight smile. “Yeah, this has been a long time
coming.” I wasn’t nearly as believable as Hayley, but Evan
seemed to be buying it.
“Well, you guys sure do look cute together,” he said.
Apparently, he was convinced. Madi had been awfully quiet
throughout the conversation, but I assumed that was because
she knew the dirty truth. I couldn’t imagine Hayley hiding our
arrangement from her best friend.
“Uh, thanks?” I replied.
Hayley must have noticed how uncomfortable I was
answering questions about our fake relationship because she
quickly moved the conversation in a different direction. “But
enough about us,” she said. “You guys will never guess what
the guidance counselor suggested for my future career.”
Madi jumped in with an answer right away. “Fashion
designer?”
Hayley shook her head. “I wish.”
“Quantum physicist,” Evan guessed.
Hayley rolled her eyes him. “It’s like we’re not even
friends. Ethan, any guesses?”
“Australian tour guide?”
She looked at me for several long seconds before she burst
out laughing. “Australian tour guide?”
“Well, you made it sound like a job we’d never guess. So, I
went with something unlikely…”
“That was a great guess then,” she said. “But, no. She said
my test results indicate I’m perfectly suited as a driving
instructor.”
 Madi and Evan erupted in laughter.
“Are you serious?” Madi asked between laughs.
“Deadly,” Hayley replied, earning herself another round of
laughter from her friends. “I told you guys those things
weren’t accurate.”
“That really is the worst possible job for you,” Madi said.
“Are you that bad at driving?” I asked.
“Yes!” came the resounding response from everyone at the
table, Hayley included.
I smiled. “I guess I better keep driving us to school then.”
“I guess you better,” Hayley agreed, returning my smile.
She actually seemed pleased with the idea.
“So, Ethan, your brother’s back at Lincoln,” Evan said.
Owen was the last person I wanted to talk about, and I really
wished we could go back to laughing about Hayley’s bad
driving. I couldn’t see a way of avoiding the topic though.
“Yeah, he’s back,” I said, holding in the sigh that naturally
seemed to come out whenever I had to talk about my brother.
I glanced in Owen’s direction and saw he was currently
standing on his chair, making a tooting sound through his
hands like he was blowing a horn into the air. I didn’t even
want to begin to guess why. He was such a show-off, so it was
hardly surprising to see him doing everything in his power to
gain attention.
As I turned back to the others, I noticed Hayley was
looking at Owen too. I thought she’d been looking at me with
adoration before, but it was nothing compared to what I saw in
her eyes now. There was a longing in them that was
impossible to ignore and devastating to see. I wanted to
compete with my brother for Hayley’s affections, but seeing
her watch him like that made me feel like I’d already lost.
She blinked as she focused back on our table again, and
the look in her eyes quickly disappeared. It was like it had
never been there at all, but I knew I was going to find it hard
to forget.
 “So, why is he back in Lincoln?” Evan asked, leaning
forward on the table. He clearly couldn’t wait to hear all the
dirt, and he wasn’t the only one. Madi and Hayley both looked
intrigued too.
“He lost his scholarship,” I said with a shrug. It was hardly
a big secret, and anyone with half a brain could have figured
out as much.
Evan’s eyes widened, like he was shocked to hear the news
though. “What did he do?”
“Something stupid,” I replied. I refused to delve into the
details. I wasn’t a fan of my brother, but I wasn’t going to
spread nasty rumors about him either.
Madi frowned as she looked at me. “It must have been
pretty bad to lose his scholarship…”
Again, I shrugged. “It wasn’t great, but I’d rather not talk
about it.”
Madi nodded, and immediately, the subject was dropped.
The fact they were so quick to respect my wish not to talk
about Owen made me warm to Hayley’s friends. A lot of
people at this school wouldn’t have given in so easily.
They started talking about some assignment they had for
drama, and my focus drifted from the group. I found myself
looking over at my brother again, and I was surprised to see he
was looking back at our table. Specifically, he seemed to be
concentrating on how my arm lay across Hayley’s shoulders.
He turned away the moment I saw him, and I almost
questioned whether he’d been watching us at all. My stomach
tightened with concern though. Hayley and I had only been
pretending to date for one day. Had she already piqued Owen’s
interest though? I just hoped I’d mistaken the look, because I
wasn’t ready to give Hayley up. Not yet. Not ever.
 9

HAYLEY

“S o, I think day one of operation fake relationship went

well,” I said, as Ethan drove me home. We’d held
hands between a couple of our classes and eaten lunch
together without any problems. If this was all the effort that
went into pretending to date someone, I’d say we were in for a
pretty smooth ride.
“It was a good start,” he agreed. “Your friends are nice.”
I smiled widely at him. “Yeah, they’re the best.” I’d
worried it would be awkward having Ethan sit with us at
lunch, but Madi and Evan had both accepted him immediately.
In fact, they probably liked him a little too much, which might
cause problems when I eventually did a Beck brother
switcheroo—provided the plan worked, of course.
“Do you think your brother noticed us?” I asked. I’d been
dying to bring it up with Ethan all day but didn’t want to
sound too eager.
He hesitated and glanced at me out of the corner of his eye
as he drove. “I’m not sure our relationship is really on his
radar yet.” Ethan’s voice was soft, like he was worried about
breaking the news to me.
My shoulders slumped a little, but I tried not to be
disheartened. We’d only been at this for a day and still had
plenty of time to make it work.
As if he could sense my concern, Ethan continued. “But,
don’t worry. It’s only his first day back at Lincoln High. I’m
sure once he’s settled in he’ll take more of an interest.”
 I slowly nodded, knowing Ethan was probably right. If he
wasn’t worried, then I shouldn’t be either. I just had to be
patient, but that was hard when there had been so many girls
throwing themselves at Owen today. They were all over him at
lunch, and Laurie, in particular, was commanding his
attention. While Ethan seemed to think we had plenty of time,
I feared one of those girls would capture Owen’s heart before I
had a chance.
“So, the guidance counselor really suggested you become a
driving instructor?” Ethan asked.
“Yes!” I was almost relieved to talk about something other
than Owen. The thought of him with all those other girls at
lunch was making me anxious, and I needed a distraction. “I
just can’t believe it’s true though. I think she might be messing
with me.”
“You think?”
“Or perhaps, my test got mixed up somehow.”
“That’s probably a more likely reason than the teacher
pranking you.”
“Probably,” I agreed. “Though I swear she had an evil glint
in her eyes when she was telling me about my bright career in
the instructor industry.”
Ethan looked like he was struggling not to smile. “What
does an evil glint look like exactly?”
“Like I caught a glimpse into her soul and all that was
there was blackness.”
“Wow. You got all that in one look?”
“What can I say? I’m perceptive like that.”
Ethan was silent for several seconds before he let out a low
laugh. “I guess nothing gets by you then.”
“Nope. I’m practically omniscient.”
He grinned. “I’ll try to remember that.”
I looked out the window and was surprised to find we were
already pulling into Ethan’s driveway. The fact I was caught
off guard probably meant I was going to have to work on the
whole omniscient thing. The trip had gone so quickly though.
Talking to Ethan had been so easy, I’d totally lost track of
time.
“Thanks for driving me home,” I said. “I can’t even begin
to tell you how much I appreciate it.”
“It’s no problem,” he replied. “Your house is kind of on
my way home.”
“It is.” I laughed. My hand reached for the door handle,
but I stopped myself from opening it when I glanced toward
my house and saw Kitty standing out front. She was practicing
a cheer with one of her bitchy friends, and I really wasn’t in
the mood for a confrontation.
Ethan followed my gaze and grinned as he caught me
frowning. “You really don’t get along with your sister, do
you?”
I sighed and shook my head. “She’s not exactly easy to get
along with these days. All she can think about is being
popular, and it doesn’t exactly bring out her best qualities.”
“This coming from a cheerleader herself,” he replied. “One
who also happens to be popular…”
“Hey, I cheer because I enjoy it,” I replied. “And I’m not
really popular. Madi’s the one that everyone loves.”
A look of surprise crossed Ethan’s face. “If you don’t think
you’re popular, then I’m not sure you see yourself clearly.”
I shrugged. “I’m a little too feisty for most people.”
“Most people are crazy.”
“True.” I smiled.
I glanced in the direction of my house again. I was actually
impressed by some of the moves my sister was making as she
danced. She’d come a long way since I’d last seen her cheer. I
would have loved to compliment her form, but I knew there
was no point. She’d probably just throw the words right back
in my face.
 “So, are we getting out or sitting here scowling at a
thirteen-year-old for the rest of the night?” Ethan asked.
I laughed and opened the car door. “Getting out. I’d hate to
give her the satisfaction.”
He grinned in response before climbing out of the car. “So,
do you need a ride again in the morning?”
I bit on my lip and looked at my sad empty driveway. My
baby must still be getting repaired. “It looks like it,” I said,
turning back to Ethan. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Of course not, you are my girlfriend, after all.” He
winked at me before turning toward his house. “I’ll see you in
the morning, babe,” he called over his shoulder to me.
I rolled my eyes and tried not to laugh. “Yeah, see you
then, honey.”
He shot me a grin before giving a small wave of goodbye.
I turned toward my house and let out a sigh. My sister was
already glaring at me from across the lawn, and her friend was
giving me an equal look of disgust. Ethan had no idea how
lucky he was to have a brother.

E THAN DROVE me to school for the rest of the week. He

couldn’t always give me a ride home because I needed to stay
late for cheer practice some nights, and I began to dread when
Mom would swing by to pick me up with my demon-spawned
sister riding shotgun.
There was still no news on when my car would be fixed.
The part the mechanic needed was taking longer than
expected, and it truly felt like my car was gone forever. I was
already starting to forget the smell of it. How long would it be
until I forgot what it looked like too?
“Of course, you’re getting it back,” Madi said, as we
walked out of class together. I was worrying about my car for
what felt like the millionth time, but it was already Friday, and
it was clear I wasn’t going to be driving it again this week.
 “Mom told me she’d text me the moment she got good
news from the mechanic,” I replied. “She was going to call
him this morning, but since there’s no text, I’m guessing that
means no good news.”
Madi gave me a reassuring smile. “Well, at least, it’s not
all bad. You’ve solved the problem of having to drive to
school with your sister.”
“Yeah, Ethan’s been a godsend this week,” I agreed. “I
don’t know what I would have done without him.”
My stomach did a strange flip at the words, and the level
of gratitude I felt toward him surprised me. Before this week,
Ethan had been like a stranger to me, but our car rides were
always fun, and I was beginning to look forward to them. He
was easy to hang out with during lunch, and holding hands
between classes was feeling more and more natural.
“He’s going to a lot of effort to help you,” Madi said.
“Yeah, he’s really sweet. I feel pretty bad about how much
it’s messing his life up though. He’s been ditching his friends
all week to hang in the cafeteria with me, so I told him we’d
have lunch with them today.”
Madi rearranged the books in her arms. “And you guys
have your first date tonight, right?”
I nodded. “I have no idea what we’re doing though. All I
know is that I need to wear comfortable clothing and that he’s
arranged something his brother would notice—whatever that
means.”
I was completely clueless about the date, but I found I was
actually looking forward to it. Our relationship might be
pretend, but spending time with Ethan was real, and I liked it a
whole lot more than I probably should.
Madi frowned. “I still don’t like this,” she said. “Are you
really sure you want to go to all this effort just so you can go
to prom with Owen?”
I stopped in my tracks to look at her. “What do you mean?
Of course, I’m sure.”
 She bit her lip as she tucked a stray hair behind one ear.
“It’s just that he seems so different to how I remember him.”
“Yeah, he’s gotten even hotter…”
“I’m not talking about his looks,” she replied. “I don’t
know. He was always very confident, but it seems to have
intensified or something…” Madi was looking deep into my
eyes, as if she were searching for some kind of agreement.
When she didn’t seem to find it, she frowned slightly and
continued. “And he used to be so funny, but he’s become so
serious. I guess I feel like he’s changed a lot, and he might not
be the guy you fell for anymore.”
I paused as I considered what she’d said. Owen hadn’t
seemed overly serious when I’d spoken to him on Saturday.
Then again, it hadn’t exactly been a proper conversation, and
Ethan had interrupted us before we’d really gotten to talk. I
trusted Madi’s opinion more than anyone’s, but I also knew
Owen had never been someone to take at face value.
When I looked at him, I still saw the same scared kid who
had stumbled over his words as he read out his poem in class.
He had stolen my heart when he’d spoken of how he hid his
beautiful soul behind thick walls. Perhaps, those walls had
hardened over the years, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still
the same guy underneath it all.
“Look, he’s probably got a lot going on right now with his
return to school. Maybe, he’s acting differently because he’s
nervous?”
“If you say so,” Madi said though her frown didn’t ease. I
really wished she wasn’t being so negative about all of this,
but it had always been in Madi’s nature to worry. It was
usually a good thing, because then at least one person in our
little duo had some sense. I needed her to take a risk with me
right now though.
“I better go meet Ethan. He said he’d be waiting for me by
my locker.”
Madi nodded and forced a smile. “Have fun. I’ll see you
later,” she said before disappearing down the corridor.
 I couldn’t get Madi’s concern out of my head as I went to
meet Ethan. She had pretty good instincts about these things,
and I didn’t want to completely ignore what she’d said, but I
felt she was wrong about Owen. He was still the same
vulnerable guy who’d written that poem and bared his soul.
Wasn’t he?
10
 ETHAN

“C
asked.
an’t you give me some sort of clue about where
you’re taking me on our faux date tonight?” Hayley

I smiled and shook my head. “Nope. And before you ask

me, no, it’s not a dive bar.”
Hayley tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as she assessed
my response. “You promise it’s not a dive bar?”
I laughed. “I don’t even think there are any dive bars in
Lincoln. I’m pretty sure you’re safe.”
“Good. Now, on to the more pressing issue; where on
Earth are we going for lunch?”
We’d met by her locker, but I had guided her outside, and
we were en route to where I usually ate lunch with my friends.
When I caught sight of them, I stopped and pointed at Colin
and Isla, who were sitting toward the top of the bleachers.
“You eat lunch on the bleachers?” Hayley asked, her
forehead scrunching with confusion. “I mean, I know I never
see you guys in the cafeteria. But I didn’t think you’d be out
here.”
I grinned at how much the concept seemed to puzzle her.
“Do you have a better alternative?”
“Well, no,” she replied. “But why not just eat inside like
everyone else?”
“Because I like the fresh air. Come on.” I started to lead
her up the stairs toward Colin and Isla. Hayley didn’t ask me
any more questions about our lunch arrangement, so I guessed
that meant she was cool with it.
Eating outside wasn’t just about the fresh air to me though.
It was more than that. I enjoyed the freedom that came with
sitting out near the football field, and I hated being cooped up
indoors. The cafeteria always felt so forced and loud. There
were too many people, and I found it overwhelming. The top
of the bleachers was my little oasis away from all the chaos.
I stopped when I reached my friends and smiled down at
Hayley. “Hayley, you know Colin and Isla,” I said, introducing
them.
Hayley pushed past me and grinned. “Duh,” she said
before sitting next to them. “It’s like he’s forgotten we’ve been
in school together forever,” she said to Isla, who laughed.
“He can be a little dense sometimes,” Isla agreed. She was
trying to keep her composure, but I could see she was
practically bursting at the seams with excitement. Finally
seeing me together with Hayley seemed like a dream come
true for her.
“Definitely,” Hayley said. She turned to give Colin a
smile. “What’s up, Colin?”
He uttered what sounded like a mix between a small
whimper and a soft choking noise in response, and his cheeks
flamed bright red. This was hardly the first time I’d seen him
get flustered when talking to a girl. It would have been easy to
joke about it with him, but I knew how much it embarrassed
him.
Hayley barely seemed to notice Colin was acting
awkwardly though and kept on chatting. “I saw those pictures
you took for the last school newspaper. They were amazing.”
His face somehow managed to grow even redder.
“You should see his Instagram,” Isla said. “This boy has
some serious talent.”
Hayley whipped out her phone and asked for Colin’s
username. Isla answered for him, because it seemed like Colin
was still struggling to find his voice.
 Hayley’s eyes widened as his account appeared on screen.
She spent several long moments looking through his pictures
before she turned to him. “These are incredible. You know
that, right?”
My heart warmed at her compliment. Colin loved playing
in the band, but he was also incredibly passionate about
photography. His Instagram was mostly a gallery of his
images. They were all amazing, but there was a series of
pictures of parts of town that had been damaged in the
wildfires last year that were particularly stunning. They always
took my breath away when I looked at them.
“Thanks,” Colin finally managed to reply.
Hayley kept looking through the pictures, and I could see
she was liking them and commenting on them with lots of
emojis. That was one thing I really loved about Hayley; she
always made time to listen to people and take an interest in
what they were doing or what they were talking about.
Hayley was only drawn away from her phone when Isla
caught sight of her shoes and demanded to know where she
got them. Hayley grinned as she launched into her explanation.
It was strange to watch Isla hit it off so well with Hayley. I
could barely keep up as they talked in detail about shoes and
then clothes, and I was jealous at how quickly Hayley seemed
at ease among my friends. That was just the way she was
though. She wasn’t overwhelmed or nervous around new
people like I was.
Colin seemed to relax now that Hayley wasn’t focused
entirely on him, and he glanced up at me. “You going to sit
down?” he asked. His voice was steady, but there was a hint of
amusement in his eyes.
Now, I was the one who started blushing. I’d been so
engrossed in watching Hayley talk to my friends that I’d been
standing over them like an idiot for the last several minutes. I
quickly dropped down on the bench in front of Colin.
“It’s good to have you back with us,” he continued. “I’m
not sure I could spend another lunch listening to Isla gush
about Dex.”
I chuckled. “She spends every lunch gushing about him.”
“Yeah, but usually I have a buffer.” He gave me a critical
look, but I knew he was only joking. Colin was almost as close
with Isla as he was with me, and it wasn’t like he’d never
spent any time alone with her.
I focused back on the girls and found the topic of
conversation had now moved on to hairstyles.
“My mom would kill me if I tried to dye mine,” Hayley
was saying, as she eyed the blue tips of Isla’s dark hair with
envy. “But yours looks so cool. I wish I could try it.”
“Well, maybe you can’t dye your hair, but you could clip
in some colored hair extensions,” Isla suggested.
Hayley’s face lit up. “That would work?”
“Totally. Then you can have a bit of fun with your hair,
and you won’t have to get in trouble.”
“Do you think you could help me with it?”
“Sure.” Isla smiled. “Are you coming to Ethan’s gig this
weekend? I could come to your house beforehand and help
you with your hair…”
Hayley hesitated and shot me an uncertain look. It would
look strange if my girlfriend didn’t want to come to my
performance. But I also wasn’t sure if it would be something
Hayley would enjoy.
“Would you like to come?” I asked her. My voice was soft
and a little nervous. “It’s on Saturday night. I know we already
have a date planned for tonight, but there’s no rule against two
dates on a weekend…”
A small smile lifted Hayley’s lips, and for a moment, I
thought I caught a glimpse of excitement in her expression.
Her eyes started to darken though, and I wondered if it was
because she was suddenly remembering I was only inviting
her as her fake boyfriend. I wished I could tell her I meant it
for real. I wanted to do everything with her.
 “That sounds great,” she said.
Isla let out an excited squeal. “Okay, I’ll come to your
house on Saturday afternoon with some extensions. This is
going to be so much fun.” She clapped her hands, and the two
girls dived right back into their hair discussion.
I shook my head in disbelief. It was great that Isla and
Hayley got on so well, but a part of me felt like it was the
beginning of a friendship the world wasn’t ready for.
I’d felt nervous when lunch first started, but I began to
relax when it became clear that Hayley was fitting in just fine
with my friends. In fact, it was almost like she’d been hanging
out with them for as long as I had.
It seemed I’d calmed down prematurely though, because
Isla’s next question to Hayley sent my heartbeat skyrocketing.
“So, Ethan was pretty light on the details. I want to hear
more about how you guys got together…” she said.
Hayley glanced at me, her eyes full of uncertainty about
what to say. We’d already agreed ambiguity was our best
friend, but I hoped she’d be able to ad-lib a few extra details
without any problems. I gave a slight shrug, hoping she could
see I trusted her to say what she wanted. Hayley smiled in
response, so I guessed the message was received.
“Well, I’m not exactly sure what Ethan’s told you, but it
started last weekend,” she said, focusing back on Isla once
more. “I’d just bought my prom dress, and I was thinking
about who I should go with. It seemed like fate that Ethan was
standing on the front lawn of his house when I arrived home.”
I smirked at her mention of fate. I was pretty sure Hayley
felt my presence in that moment was the opposite of fate at the
time. Not that you’d know it now. She told the story with a big
smile on her face like she actually enjoyed recounting the
incident that had brought us together.
“He saw me struggling with my dress bag and came over
to help,” she continued. “I couldn’t believe he was actually
talking to me. I mean, I’d been noticing him across the fence
for years. I guess Ethan had been noticing me too because he
asked me out, and I didn’t hesitate to say yes.”
Isla was captivated as Hayley spoke, and she was beaming
by the time the story was finished. “Well, it’s about time you
guys got together,” she said.
A flutter of panic shot through me at Isla’s words. She
wasn’t aware that Hayley’s story was all made up, and by
insinuating our relationship was a long time coming, she’d
made it sound like she knew I’d been into Hayley for years. I
was far from ready to admit to Hayley that the cover story for
our relationship was completely true on my end.
I prayed that Hayley hadn’t noticed the slip, but of course,
she started to frown and then glanced in my direction like she
was searching for an explanation. I had no intention of
clearing up her confusion, and I quickly started talking before
she could ask any questions. “Isla, are you still giving Dex a
ride to the gig on Saturday night?”
Isla didn’t seem to notice Hayley’s questioning gaze and
happily replied. My whole body stayed tense as I tried to drive
the conversation as far away from my secret unrequited love
as possible. I somehow managed to keep everyone on other
topics, and once the girls started talking about some new show
on Netflix, Isla’s comment about me seemed to be long
forgotten.
The rest of our lunch went by without incident, and Hayley
was genuinely smiling when she said goodbye to Colin and
Isla and we separated to go to class.
“That was fun,” Hayley said, as soon as the two of them
had disappeared from view. “Colin is so sweet, and I’m
officially in love with Isla.”
I laughed. “I swear you could make friends with anyone.”
She scrunched up her nose though. “Not anyone. I have
high standards.”
“Really?”
“Yep. I only make friends with cool people.”
 “So, you’re saying Isla and Colin are cool?”
“Definitely,” she replied. “Isla has so much great energy
and the best sense of style, and Colin’s such a sweetheart you
can’t help but like him.”
Colin hadn’t done much more than blush anytime Hayley
asked him a question during lunch, but I was just glad she
liked my friends.
“What about me? Am I cool?” I asked. I found myself
wanting to know the answer to that more than anything.
She tilted her head as she stared at me. “Not sure yet.”
“So, my friends are cool, but I’m not?”
She grinned. “Like I said, I have high standards.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop myself from grinning
along with her. Before I knew it, we’d reached the doors that
led back inside school. Neither of us moved to open them
though, and while Hayley wavered, she tucked a stray strand
of hair behind her ear as she looked at me.
“How is our fake relationship going for you so far?” she
asked.
I swallowed and tried to think of how I was supposed to
respond. It would be weird if I told her it was the best thing
that had ever happened to me, right? “It’s good?” I said,
sounding completely uncertain. I couldn’t think of what else to
say.
She laughed. “No, I meant how is it going with the girl you
like?”
“Oh, her.” Crap. “I’m not certain.” I wanted to punch
myself in the throat for telling Hayley that I had agreed to the
fake relationship to catch the eye of another girl. I’d had no
idea what reason to give her at the time though, and this was
all I’d managed to come up with. I was really regretting it right
now.
“Really?” Hayley frowned a little. “If you told me who she
was, then perhaps, I could help you figure out if it’s working. I
could do a little recon or something. I’m very subtle.”
 “I’m sure you are,” I replied with a smile. “But I’m not
ready to say who she is.”
Hayley nodded with understanding. I had a bad feeling she
was going to keep asking me about the girl though, so I
quickly continued. “I mean, I definitely think she’s starting to
notice me. It will probably take more time before she realizes
what a catch I am though.”
Hayley grinned. “A catch, huh?”
“Yeah, a total catch.”
“Well, if you need me to do anything to help speed things
along for you, just let me know.”
“I will.” I gave her a quick smile before checking the time
on my watch. “Shoot, I’m due in P.E. in five minutes and still
have to get changed. Meet you at the car after school?”
“Yeah, I’ll see you there,” Hayley said.
I turned and rushed to class, an uneasy feeling swirling in
my gut. Hayley’s questions had taken me by surprise, and now,
I was practically running away from her. I didn’t like lying to
her about the girl I had a crush on, but I could hardly admit to
Hayley that she was the girl in question.
Hopefully, there would come a time when I could be
totally honest with her. For now though, I just had to stick with
my current plan and keep showing Hayley how great we were
together—starting with our first date tonight.
11
 ETHAN

I was a jumble of nerves by the time it got dark that night.

Hayley would be arriving at the house for our date any
minute now, and each second that ticked by had my pulse
racing faster. I really wanted to impress Hayley tonight, and I
hoped that what I had planned would work.
“Why are you so dressed up?” Owen grunted, as he
entered the kitchen. I’d been pacing around the room for the
last ten minutes as I waited for Hayley to show up, and I
started to wish I’d chosen somewhere else to do it. I didn’t
want to talk with Owen right now.
“I have a date.” My tone was sharp, and I hoped he
realized I didn’t want to talk about it any further. I wasn’t even
that dressed up. I’d just put on my good jeans and a nicer T-
shirt than one of the ratty band tops I always wore.
Owen was either too dense to notice I wanted him gone or
simply didn’t care because he leaned against the kitchen
counter and sneered at me. “With that Hayley chick?”
“Yes.” I practically growled.
“Well, good luck.” It might have sounded like a nice
sentiment, but I knew my brother wasn’t finished. “You’ll
probably need it,” he continued. “She’s far too hot for a dweeb
like you.”
My knuckles cracked as my hands clenched into fists.
Thankfully, the doorbell rang, and I had an excuse to escape
the kitchen and my brother. I hurried to go answer it, and as I
opened the door, the breath rushed from my lungs.
 Hayley looked gorgeous. She always did, but it was the
warm smile that lit up her eyes when she saw me that made
my heart soar. She looked genuinely happy to see me, and it
was an expression I’d never seen in her eyes before. Not
toward me, at least.
I coughed to clear my suddenly narrow throat. “Hey.”
“Hey, Ethan.” She sounded so relaxed compared to me,
and there was a hint of curiosity in her eyes. She obviously
wasn’t freaking out like I was. “So, do I get to find out what
our super-secret date is yet?”
I laughed and nodded. “Follow me.” I took her by the hand
and pulled her inside, praying I wasn’t somehow going to
mess this up. She happily let me guide her through the house,
but she stopped when we walked into the living room and
found Owen standing there.
“Hey, Hayley,” my brother said, giving her a genuine-
looking smile. He had his hands tucked into his jean pockets
like he was slightly nervous, and his face had completely
morphed. He looked nothing like the selfish jerk who’d been
grilling me in the kitchen only a minute ago. Somehow, he’d
managed to make himself appear like a nice, normal,
approachable guy. This wasn’t the first time I’d seen the act,
and I knew it probably wouldn’t be the last. He’d been fooling
girls for years with this show, and I couldn’t imagine him ever
abandoning it when it worked so well for him.
Hayley’s cheeks flushed bright pink as she smiled back at
him. “Hi, Owen. How was your first week back at Lincoln?”
“It was great. Everyone was so welcoming, but I was sad I
didn’t have any classes with you…”
Hayley’s eyes widened slightly. “You were?”
“Of course, I was. You were always one of my favorite
cheerleaders.”
Hayley’s mouth had opened slightly and I could see she
was at a loss for words. I didn’t miss the cunning glint in
Owen’s eye as he noticed her reaction too. It seemed Hayley’s
plan was already working better than expected. I needed to get
her away from him before she realized that and dumped me on
the spot. That would be exactly what Owen wanted, and I
couldn’t let it happen.
“Come on, Hayley,” I said, giving her hand a light
squeeze. “Let’s go.”
She turned toward me, and her eyes were a little dazed.
She gave me a slight nod though, and I quickly led her away. It
wasn’t until we were out of the room that she seemed to come
to her senses once more.
“What do you think that meant back there?” she whispered
to me. “Do you think Owen is starting to get jealous?”
“Potentially,” I said, giving her a tight smile. “It certainly
looks like we’re going in the right direction.”
Her face became bright with excitement. “You really think
so?”
“Yeah, I do.” It pained me to admit it out loud.
“Wow,” she continued. “I mean, I hoped that this might
work, but it was hard to know for sure. Do you think I should
go back to talk to him some more?” She was rambling, and it
was obvious how excited she was.
I quickly shook my head though. “It’s definitely not a good
idea for you to go back in there and talk to him. When it
comes to Owen, you can’t seem too eager or he’ll lose
interest.”
“Right,” she murmured. “Do you think…” Her voice
trailed off as I led her outside and she caught sight of the
garden. She let go of my hand as she stumbled forward.
“Ethan…” She exhaled audibly. “This is incredible.”
My heart had stilled with anticipation as I waited for her
reaction, and I began to smile as I watched her cast her eyes
over the date I had planned. I’d spent the afternoon covering
the garden in fairy lights, which were softly glowing from the
trees. There was a picnic blanket set up in the middle of the
grass, and beyond it was the projector screen that had taken
me over an hour to figure out how to set up. I’d been so
nervous Hayley would think it was stupid, but by the awed
look on her face, she felt the exact opposite.
“You really did all this?” she asked, finally turning to me.
I shrugged. “It’s nothing.”
“This is not nothing.” She grabbed my hand once more and
pulled me toward the picnic blanket. It was covered in
cushions and almost every movie snack I could think of. I’d
wanted the date to be perfect, after all.
As Hayley sat down on the blanket, she was still looking
around my backyard in shock. “It’s like something out of a
fairytale,” she said. “You really didn’t need to go to all this
effort.”
“Of course, I did,” I replied. “We’re trying to convince
Owen we’re in a real relationship, and if I were lucky enough
to date a girl like you, this is exactly the kind of date I’d
arrange for her.”
Hayley looked at me, and her cheeks seemed to warm.
“The girl you like is really lucky,” she said. “And I hope she
notices you after all of this, because if anyone deserves an
amazing girl, it’s you.”
“Thanks,” I murmured. My whole body seemed to drift
upward at the sound of her words, and I felt like I was floating.
The knowledge she didn’t realize she was the mystery girl was
the only thing that kept me firmly connected to Earth.
“So, what movie are we watching?” she asked, as she took
a piece of popcorn and popped it in her mouth.
“Mean Girls,” I replied.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes…”
“You know that’s my favorite movie of all time, right?”
I laughed and nodded. “That’s what I’ve heard.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she watched me like she was
trying to figure me out. “Madi totally told you, didn’t she?”
 “I can’t reveal my sources.”
“It was definitely her.” Hayley’s eyes flashed with
confidence, and a smile pulled at her lips. “I can’t believe you
did research on me before our date.”
I shrugged playfully though I didn’t admit or deny asking
Madi about the film. She’d probably think I was a stalker if I
told her the truth. I couldn’t help that I already knew what
Hayley’s favorite movie was though. She had done an English
assignment on Mean Girls last year and made it quite clear at
the time she thought it was the greatest masterpiece ever made.
“Should we start the movie?” I asked.
She nodded eagerly and settled into the cushions as I
switched on the projector screen. I felt a rush of nerves flood
through me as I went to sit down. I wanted to sit close to
Hayley more than anything, but I also didn’t want to make her
uncomfortable. I might have arranged the perfect date, but I
was hopeless when it came to being the perfect date. I had no
idea how to act cool in this kind of situation. Owen wouldn’t
be having any problems if he were in my position.
“Are you going to sit?” Hayley asked, as she watched me
hesitate.
“Yeah, of course,” I quickly replied. “I was just thinking
that we should probably sit quite close. Owen’s bedroom looks
onto the backyard, so we’ll want this to look intimate…”
Hayley glanced over her shoulder toward the house.
Owen’s room was on the first floor, and the light was on. He
couldn’t be seen through the window, but I wouldn’t be
surprised if he decided to check what we were doing out here
at some point during the night. The way he’d been eyeing
Hayley before had me worried, and despite all the effort I’d
gone to tonight, I kind of wished I’d organized a date with
Hayley away from the house.
Hayley looked back at me and smiled as she patted the
ground beside her. “You’re right. Good thinking, Ethan.”
I exhaled as I lowered myself onto the ground beside her.
It was dark and romantic with the fairy lights hovering above
us, but sitting so close to Hayley made me completely freeze
up. Even when the movie started, I couldn’t seem to relax.
“You could probably put your arm around my shoulders,”
Hayley murmured. She glanced up and into my eyes, and the
lights of the projector screen reflected off her skin. She looked
so beautiful tonight; it was easy to see why I was completely
under her spell.
I swallowed and nodded before lightly wrapping my arm
around her. Her head gently rested on my shoulder, and I could
smell the sweet fragrance of the perfume she wore. I kept my
eyes firmly on the screen, but I wasn’t truly watching the
movie because all my senses were focused on the girl sitting
next to me. It was a sweet kind of torture to have the love of
your life so incredibly close but know she could never be
yours.
It felt like the movie was over in the blink of an eye.
Hayley had laughed and spoken half the lines in the film but
had quieted toward the end, and as I looked down at her, I saw
she was asleep. Her face was so gentle as she rested. During
the day, it was filled with fire and passion, but when she slept,
she had the smallest smile on her lips and she seemed
completely at peace.
“Hayley,” I whispered, giving her shoulders the slightest
shake.
“Hmm?” She slowly stretched out her body and groggily
opened her eyes. She started to gently smile when she saw me,
but moments later, it seemed as though reality caught up with
her and she jerked upward.
“I did not just fall asleep during Mean Girls!”
I chuckled softly. “It looks like you did.”
“Nope. It did not happen.” She pointed a finger in my
direction. “And you will take this secret to the grave.”
I laughed and crossed a finger over my chest. “Cross my
heart.”
“Please tell me I didn’t snore.”
 “You didn’t.” I smiled and shook my head. “I had no idea
you were asleep until the movie ended. I probably should have
known something was up when you didn’t shout out, ‘She
doesn’t even go here!’”
Hayley laughed. “That is my favorite line.”
“I’d say we could watch the end of the movie again from
there, but it’s getting late, and it seems like you’re pretty
tired.”
She stifled a yawn as she nodded. “Yeah, I still can’t
believe I fell asleep on you. It’s been a really long week.”
I stood up and held my hands out to help Hayley to her
feet. “We’ll just have to watch the end together another time.”
“I’d like that,” she agreed.
I walked her from the garden and through the house to the
front door. It was quiet inside, and I assumed Owen had gone
out. Hayley didn’t ask for him though, and she didn’t seem to
look for him either. For once, it seemed, my brother wasn’t on
her mind.
When we reached the front door, she paused and turned to
me. “Tonight was amazing, Ethan. Thank you for organizing
such a perfect date.” Before I realized what she was doing,
she’d wrapped her arms around me in a hug, and I slowly
lowered my arms around her to return it.
I expected the hug to be over almost as quickly as it
started, but she held on for several seconds, and the longer she
held the hug, the more my heart raced. It was just a hug; but to
me, it was everything.
When Hayley slowly broke away, she almost seemed
reluctant. “I’ll see you tomorrow night for your gig,” she said.
“You still want to come to that?”
“Yeah, of course. I need to see what all the fuss is about.”
She shot me a grin before turning to leave. I watched her as
she walked across my front lawn and started down her own
driveway. She was almost out of sight when she looked my
way one last time. She smiled and gave me a small wave, and I
lifted my hand in response.
I’d been in love with Hayley Lawson for years, but my
feelings were only intensifying the more time we spent
together. As I watched her disappear from view, I realized
maybe Colin had been right: this plan was probably going to
break my heart.
12
 HAYLEY

“Y our hair looks incredible!” Isla squealed.

I swiveled around in my chair and gasped when I saw
myself in the mirror. Isla had spent the last twenty minutes
putting pink extensions through my hair, and I couldn’t have
been happier with the result. I looked badass.
I grinned as I turned to her. “I think you might be my new
fashion idol.”
Isla smiled. “Well, I’m glad I could help.”
I spun back to take another look in the mirror, lightly
touching the pink in my hair. It was such a contrast against my
brunette locks, but I loved it. If it weren’t for my parents, and
the fact Laurie would probably get me kicked off the
cheerleading team, I would have totally dyed it permanently. I
wondered what Owen would think of the change.
“So, what do people wear to a gig?” I asked.
“Nothing too over the top,” Isla said. “And something you
can dance in.”
“Are you wearing this tonight?” I indicated toward her
outfit. Isla was dressed in a short tartan skirt and a T-shirt that
was cut just above her belly button. She was wearing knee-
high boots I would have sold my soul for, and her hair was
pulled back in two buns.
She did a little spin. “Yup.”
I nodded and walked over to my wardrobe, and as I started
to search through it, Isla took a seat at my desk chair.
 “You know you can see directly into Ethan’s room from
here, right?” she said, as she peered out the window.
“Yeah, I know.” I turned to see Isla waving through the
open window. I walked up behind her and found Ethan looking
back at us. He grinned when he caught sight of me and started
to gesture toward my hair before he drew a heart in the air.
“Aw, he loves the pink,” Isla said.
“So he should.” I said. “It looks great.” I mouthed a “thank
you” at Ethan before I shooed him away with a flick of my
hands. He laughed before returning to his guitar, which was
resting on his desk.
“I guess I can see why you noticed him across the fence,”
Isla said. “You hold a front row ticket to the Ethan show. Did
you catch sight of what he’s hiding under those baggy T-
shirts? That would probably convince most girls to give him a
chance.” She giggled, but I shook my head.
“What’s he hiding?” I asked.
“Uh, his six-pack.”
I gave her a blank look. “Ethan has a six-pack?”
She laughed. “How could you not notice? His room is right
there!” She was looking at me like I was crazy. To her, I
probably was. What kind of girl wouldn’t check out her
boyfriend when she had this kind of opportunity?
“Oh, I guess I’m just unlucky,” I quickly responded. “I
barely ever see him in his room. Let alone without his shirt
on.”
“Well, maybe, you’ll get lucky now you’re dating…” She
wiggled her eyebrows at me, and I laughed uncomfortably. It
wasn’t getting any easier to have conversations with people
about our relationship when I knew it was all for show.
Isla’s mention of Ethan’s abs did have me curious though,
and a small part of me wondered what they looked like. I
glanced toward the window before quickly turning away
again. I wasn’t supposed to have any interest in Ethan’s abs. I
started to walk back to my wardrobe, hoping to put a little
distance between the window and myself.
“So, have you and Ethan ever dated?” I asked, as I
mindlessly pushed a few coat hangers around. After Isla’s
comment about his body, I was a little concerned she might
secretly like him, and my stomach was tied in knots as I
considered the possibility she might be the girl he truly liked.
Isla was amazing, and I could easily see Ethan falling for her.
“Ew, no,” Isla replied. “He’s like a brother to me.”
“So, you guys never got close to dating?”
“Like I said, ew. I’m not even close to being his type. Plus,
I have a thing for guys with tattoos.”
I lifted an eyebrow and glanced at her. “You do?”
“Oh, yeah,” she said. “My boyfriend, Dex, has a sleeve on
one of his arms, and it is the hottest thing ever. He’s also got
this one on his thigh…” She left the comment hanging, and
her eyes seemed to drift off as if she were picturing it.
“Anyway,” she continued, shaking her head as if to derail
the train of thought she’d been on. “You’ll see him tonight.
He’s the drummer for the band.”
“Cool.” I hesitated a few seconds before I continued.
“What is Ethan’s type?”
“You, obviously,” she said with a laugh.
I smiled and nodded even though I knew it wasn’t true. I
focused back on my wardrobe and starting pulling out
different options. It took a few attempts before Isla and I
finally agreed on an outfit.
“That’s the one,” Isla said, as I tried on a frayed denim
skirt and black top. The top was sheer, and I was planning to
layer some jewelry around my neck to finish the look.
“I’d ditch the heels and wear some sneakers though,” Isla
said. “Much better for dancing.”
I pouted as I looked down at the cute shoes I’d chosen to
wear. I pretty much always wore heels when I went out and
hated the thought of leaving them. “I can dance in these,” I
insisted.
But Isla shook her head. “Trust me, you’ll wish you had
worn the sneakers if you go for the heels.”
“Fine, fine.” I took the shoes off and switched them out for
a pair of simple white sneakers. They were definitely more
comfortable, but I really missed the extra height my heels gave
me.
“Perfect,” Isla said, as I stood tall. “Ethan is going to die
when he sees you in that.”
My cheeks flushed, and my stomach twisted at the remark.
It wasn’t Ethan my outfit was supposed to be impressing. I
also couldn’t really understand the strange way my heart
leaped at the idea of Ethan liking how I looked. It was
probably just a reaction to the compliment though.
Isla’s phone buzzed, and she jumped off the bed. “Dex is
out front to pick me up,” she said. “Is Ethan meeting you here
or are you heading over to his house?”
“I’m heading to his house.” Ethan had offered to come get
me, but I’d quickly scrapped that idea. The whole point of us
going out together was so that Owen would see us, which
wasn’t going to happen if Ethan came here to get me.
“And I should probably head there now, so I’ll walk you
out,” I added.
Isla followed me down the stairs and out into my front
yard. Her face lit up when she saw her boyfriend’s car idling in
the street, but her expression quickly changed. She scrunched
her forehead and narrowed her eyes when she saw Owen
leaning against the passenger door, talking to Dex through the
open window.
“Ugh,” she said, slowing her walk to a stop. Her whole
face had turned sour, like there was a bad smell wafting
toward us. Her focus was fixed on Owen, and I had a feeling
he was the reason behind her discomfort.
My brow creased as I looked at her. “You have a problem
with Owen?”
 “Yeah, I can’t stand the guy.”
My eyes widened at the vehemence in her voice. “Why
not?”
“Uh, have you met him? He’s a total tool.”
I shook my head, failing to see how she could think such a
thing. “He’s always seemed really nice to me.”
“Well, of course, you’d think that.” Isla replied. “You’re a
hot cheerleader, so he’s not exactly going to act like his usual
horrible self around you.”
I felt lost for words. Isla and I had been getting along so
well this afternoon, and I found it hard to believe we could
have such different opinions on Owen. I looked over at him,
searching for the tool Isla saw. I just couldn’t see that side to
him though. He was smiling brightly as he talked with Dex,
and there didn’t seem to be anything nasty or malicious about
him at all.
“Maybe, you just got him at a bad time?” I suggested,
hoping to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Isla laughed. “Well, if that’s the case, I guess every time is
a bad time with Owen.”
My frown grew more pronounced. She really seemed to
hate him, but that didn’t mean her feelings about him were
right.
“So, is he a friend of your boyfriend?” I asked, hoping to
move the topic away from how horrible Owen was.
“No, he’s probably just trying to get Dex to buy him
alcohol.” She spoke like it wasn’t the first time that had
happened and let out a sigh before she continued. “Anyway, I
should probably go. I’ll see you at the venue.” She gave me a
smile before slowly traipsing toward the car.
Owen looked over as she approached, and I was surprised
to find what looked like a sneer on his face as he greeted her.
Isla hadn’t been kidding when she said they didn’t get along.
I’d never seen him make such a hard expression before, and I
couldn’t for the life of me understand why they didn’t like
each other. They were both such great people. What was I
missing?
I tried to push the thought from my mind and hurried over
to Ethan’s house. I couldn’t seem to forget the interaction I’d
just seen though. It was like a mystery I had to unravel. I was
so caught up in my thoughts I didn’t realize my name was
being called until I stepped onto the Beck’s front lawn.
“Hayley? Hayley, wait up.” I slowly turned as Owen
jogged to catch up with me. He was wearing a blinding smile,
with none of the scorn I’d seen on his face only moments ago,
as he approached. It was almost like I’d imagined the
expression.
He let out a low whistle as he checked out my outfit.
“Looking good, Hayley.”
I would have expected a compliment from Owen to make
me giddy with happiness, but this one just seemed to bounce
off me without making a mark. I was still distracted by
everything Isla had said about him though, so I eventually
gathered myself and smiled back at him. “Thanks.”
An awkward silence stretched between us, and I quickly
went to fill it. “It’s nice out today.” I immediately wanted to
slap myself. It’s nice out today? Could I have said anything
more bland?
“Yeah, it is.” He chuckled. “Especially now that you’re
here.”
I let out an awkward laugh in response. Owen had always
seemed so smooth with girls, but that had sounded cheesy. Did
lines like that actually work on people? At least, he wasn’t
walking away after my stupid weather comment.
“You know, I missed seeing you in the cafeteria
yesterday,” he continued.
He noticed I wasn’t there? “You did?”
“Of course,” he replied. “To be honest, I was surprised you
haven’t sat at our table at lunch this week. You always used to
sit with us…”
 I gave a shrug. “Things change.”
“Yeah, I get it,” he agreed. He ran a hand through his hair
as he smiled down at me. He had the kind of smile that could
melt a girl’s heart, and when it was focused on me, I became
putty in his hands.
“Are you still cheering?”
I nodded. Apparently, I not only became putty but also
wasn’t capable of speech when Owen smiled at me like that.
“That’s good. I remember how amazing you were at it.”
I blushed at his compliment and wondered why Isla
couldn’t see how amazing Owen was. Perhaps, if she’d heard
his poem all those years ago and knew about the walls he kept
up, she’d be more willing to give him a chance. He was so
sweet beneath the surface; your eyes just had to be open to see
it.
The front door swung open, breaking me from Owen’s
spell, and I turned to see Ethan in the doorway. He was
wearing his normal baggy tee and jeans, and his hair was
gelled in a messy way, like he had just gotten out of bed. He
didn’t have his glasses on, and my gut seemed to clench at the
sight of him.
His eyes lit up when he saw me, and the way he stared at
my outfit made my pulse quiver. He didn’t whistle like his
brother did, and he certainly didn’t gawk at me. I could see the
appreciation in his eyes though as he walked toward me.
“Hey,” I said as he stopped only inches away. The word
squeaked out of me, and I felt my cheeks flush slightly red.
Ethan didn’t seem to notice though. He took my hand and
lightly pressed a kiss to the back of it, making my skin tingle.
“Hey,” he replied. His voice was deep, and I was shocked
by how that one word could send vibrations rumbling all the
way through me. He started to smile, like he knew he was
getting to me. “You look beautiful. The pink hair is killer.”
I grinned and touched one of the pink locks. “Thanks, Isla
is a miracle worker.”
 “She did a great job,” he agreed. “Are you ready for
tonight?”
I was interrupted before I could answer. “Of course, we
are.”
I turned, having completely forgotten Owen was standing
behind me. His expression was dark, and I could see he didn’t
enjoy being ignored.
“What do you mean, we?” Ethan growled.
“Oh, didn’t I tell you? A group of us are going to the bar
where your little band is playing tonight…”
The way he spoke about Ethan’s band made me frown. I
had no idea if Ethan was any good, but it felt like Owen was
being unnecessarily patronizing to his brother. It had to be a
sibling thing. I gave Kitty crap about pretty much everything.
“Why would you do that?” Ethan asked. He sounded so
cautious, like he didn’t trust his brother’s motives.
Owen shrugged in reply. “Can’t a twin come and support
his brother?”
“You haven’t come to one of my performances before.”
“And I plan to change that tonight.”
Ethan’s brow creased with uncertainty. “Well, I hope you
enjoy the show.” His voice was tight, and he seemed bothered
by the fact Owen was coming. His expression calmed as he
returned his attention to me. “You ready to go?”
I quickly nodded and smiled. “Yeah, I can’t wait.”
Ethan took me by the hand and led me toward his car. I
glanced over my shoulder as we walked and was surprised to
find Owen still standing there watching us. His gaze was
narrowed on our intertwined hands as though it troubled him.
When I’d walked onto their front lawn a week ago, Owen
had barely noticed me. Now, he couldn’t seem to look away. It
felt like the fake relationship with Ethan was working its
magic on Owen. I had no idea if we’d done enough to get him
to ask me to prom though.
 We got in the car, and Ethan started the engine without
comment. He still seemed out of sorts about Owen attending
his gig tonight, and I had no idea what to say.
“Is it bad that Owen’s coming tonight?” I asked.
Ethan relaxed a little and smiled at me. “Not bad. I just
think he’s only doing it to annoy me.”
“Does he do that a lot?”
“Try to annoy me?” Ethan laughed. “All the time.”
“I guess it’s the same with my sister.”
“I guess,” he agreed. From the look on his face though,
Ethan clearly felt our situations were totally different. Owen
and Ethan were twins, so I supposed it couldn’t be the same as
my little sister and me. I’d always thought twins would have
been best friends, but maybe, the Beck brothers were proof
that wasn’t true.
“It will certainly help with our plan if he’s there tonight,”
Ethan continued, seemingly trying to put a positive spin on
things.
“Do you think it’s going well so far? The plan, that is…”
“I’d say so.” Ethan didn’t look my way as he replied, and
his eyes remained focused on the road ahead.
“Well, that’s a good thing, right?”
“Yeah, of course, it is,” he quickly replied. His shoulders
were tense as he spoke, and I got the impression he wasn’t
being completely honest. He glanced at me and gave me a
tight smile. “You shouldn’t worry. If things keep going this
way, I feel certain Owen will be yours by prom.”
I nodded and returned his tight smile with one of my own.
His reassurance should have excited me, but for some reason,
my heart didn’t skip a beat like I’d have expected. It didn’t
even flutter. It kept on thumping with the same methodical
rhythm, and I had to wonder why.
13
 HAYLEY

E than’s gig was taking place at a bar in the next town over
from ours. I’d never seen the place before, but as we
walked up to the venue, the line outside the doors surprised
me. It was barely nightfall, and already, a large crowd was
waiting to get inside.
“This is the place you’re playing?” I asked Ethan, as I
gasped at the length of the line to get in.
“Don’t sound so surprised.” He smiled like he took it as a
compliment though. “Come on, we’ll head round back and go
in the staff entrance.”
I felt a bit like a lost puppy as I followed his lead. He
turned down an alley, and given how dark it was, I might
normally have refused to go any farther. But, strangely, I
trusted Ethan and happily followed him without question. It
wasn’t until we had reached the back of the building that I
finally saw some light. It was spilling out of an open doorway,
and I let out a relieved breath when I saw Isla and the rest of
the band waiting there.
She grinned brightly when she saw us and came straight
over to me. “Finally. I thought you guys would be right behind
us.”
“We got caught chatting to Owen,” I explained.
Isla scrunched her nose up at the sound of his name but
continued like I hadn’t mentioned him. “Well, you’re here
now.” She turned and waved a hand at the tall guy behind her.
“Dex, meet Hayley,” she said.
 He was backlit by the door, and it took a second before my
eyes adjusted and I realized it was her boyfriend. My eyes
naturally dipped to the sleeve of tattoos on his arm. Isla was
right; they really suited him.
“You’re the boyfriend-slash-drummer, right?” I said.
“That’s me.” Dex chuckled. “And you must be the
cheerleader Ethan’s always going on about.” His eyes darted
in Ethan’s direction, and he gave him a knowing smirk.
Ethan coughed as he looked at me. “Yeah, I might have
been talking about you at practice this week.”
“Have you just?”
Ethan nodded, though he looked distinctly uncomfortable,
which made me smile. “Nice things, I hope.”
“Always,” he said, making my smile grow. Even when we
weren’t together, it seemed Ethan was a great fake boyfriend.
I turned to Colin, who was also waiting silently by the staff
entrance. “Hey, Colin.”
“Hayley,” he squeaked in reply. He didn’t meet my eyes,
and his cheeks turned a shade similar to his red hair. I wasn’t
sure what it was about me, but Colin always acted so nervous
when I was near. We didn’t really know each other, but I
hoped he didn’t think I was like so many of the other
cheerleaders at our school. A few of them had cruel
reputations, and I really didn’t want to be painted with the
same brush.
I hadn’t missed the fact that Dex remembered me simply
because I cheered, and I hated to think that’s all Ethan’s
friends thought of me. Hopefully, as they got to know me,
they’d realize there was more to me than a set of pom-poms.
“So, are we doing this?” Isla asked. She had her game
voice on and sounded ready to launch into a pre-performance
pep talk. The boys chuckled, and I got the feeling she did this
frequently.
“Yeah, babe, we’re doing this,” Dex said, pulling her in so
she was caged in his arms. “Why don’t you take Hayley inside
and leave us to set up?”
Isla pouted. “But I can help.”
“We know you can,” Ethan said. “But it might be more fun
for the two of you in the bar. Plus, you’ll want to get a good
spot in the crowd to watch the show.”
Isla glanced at me and nodded. “Okay, if you guys insist,”
she replied, before returning her gaze to Dex. “You’re going to
kill it out there tonight,” she told him before lifting herself up
on her toes and giving him an intense kiss.
Colin and Ethan both visibly cringed.
“Seriously, guys, do we have to watch this?” Colin asked.
Dex laughed as he broke away from Isla. She gave him
one last peck on the cheek before she stepped back and
gestured for me to follow her toward the door. I glanced at
Ethan, who gave me an encouraging nod. After Isla and Dex’s
kiss though, I didn’t think I could just leave without saying
anything to him. A real girlfriend would at the very least wish
him good luck.
I turned to Ethan and smiled as I reached up to give him a
quick kiss on the cheek. As my lips brushed against him, my
stomach dropped. His skin was rough with stubble, and it
made my lips tingle. I was surrounded in the delicious scent of
his aftershave, which was mixed with the subtle laundry scent
of his room. The smell was both enticing and comforting all at
once, and I liked the combination a whole lot more than I
probably should have.
Realizing I’d lingered far too long, I quickly stepped back.
“Break a leg out there.”
“Thanks.” Ethan’s voice was slightly husky, and I
suddenly felt awkward as I stood there staring at him. I flashed
him another smile before I quickly turned and made my way
toward the staff entrance. Isla was grinning as I followed her
inside.
“That was a very PG-13 kiss back there,” she said.
 “Better than that R-rated stuff you guys put on.” I gave her
a nudge with my shoulder, making her laugh.
“What? I can’t help myself. Dex is hot.”
“You should have seen the look on Ethan’s and Colin’s
faces.”
“Well, they’re always welcome to leave if they don’t like
what they see.”
I shook my head but couldn’t stop myself from smiling. I
really liked how Isla didn’t care what anyone else thought. I
wished I were more like her. I thought I was a pretty strong-
minded person, but I didn’t have anywhere close to Isla’s level
of indifference when it came to people’s opinions.
We walked through the entrance, and I followed Isla down
a long corridor. She walked with purpose, as though she’d
been here many times. “Have the guys played here before?” I
asked.
“Yep. They’re here the first Saturday of every month,” she
replied. It sounded quite impressive to have a standing gig like
that, and given the line that was outside, it must have been a
very popular place.
“So, the band must do pretty well here to get invited back
all the time.”
“Oh, yeah,” she said, with a proud look in her eyes. “The
college Dex goes to is just down the road, and this place is
packed with students on the weekends. They all love the
band.”
“And the bar doesn’t care that none of you are twenty-
one?” I asked.
“This place doesn’t exactly card people,” she replied. “I’m
surprised more kids from school don’t know about it.”
Word would probably get out tonight though, seeing as
Owen was coming with his friends. I didn’t mention it to Isla.
I had a feeling she wouldn’t take the news well, and I didn’t
want to dampen her excitement.
 I followed her up a set of stairs, and my mouth dropped
when she opened the door that led to the bar area. It was
completely packed. I’d half-expected Ethan’s band to be
playing somewhere quiet with just a few regulars propping up
the bar, half-listening to what was happening on stage. This
legitimately looked like the place to be on a Saturday night
though.
“There are so many people here!” I exclaimed. I had to
raise my voice to be heard over the pumping music and people
talking in the bar.
“There sure are,” Isla replied with a delighted smile. “Like
I said, the band is really popular with college students, and
you’ll see why once they start playing. Come on, let’s go get a
spot close to the stage.”
Isla took my hand as she wove through the crowd. I was
glad she was leading the way, because I was still in shock over
how many people Ethan had to perform for. I couldn’t imagine
anything worse than singing for a crowd this size. I was scared
enough about singing in the shower in case I was overheard by
my family.
As we walked, I scanned the crowd for Owen and his
friends. I didn’t recognize anyone we passed though. Maybe
they weren’t here yet. Hopefully, they arrived before the gig
started. I knew Ethan wasn’t crazy about the thought of his
brother watching them play, but I hated to think of Owen
coming all this way to support him and missing some of the
performance.
We stopped when we found a spot that wasn’t too busy but
was still close to the stage. We weren’t right at the front, but
we’d get a pretty good view of the guys once they took the
stage.
“Do you think they’ll go on any time soon?” I asked.
“Man, I hope so.” It wasn’t Isla who had responded but a
blonde girl standing next to her. She was wearing an extremely
revealing dress and looked to be a few years older than us.
Given her heavy makeup, it was hard to tell her exact age
though.
 “Yeah, they’re taking forever to get started tonight,” her
brunette friend agreed. She was just as scantily clad as the first
girl, and the two of them looked like life-sized dolls. They had
friendly smiles though, so I decided not to hold their long legs
and stunning looks against them. It wasn’t their fault they
looked like Malibu and Disco Barbie.
Malibu pushed a strand of her white-blonde hair behind
her ear as she checked the time on her phone. She gave the
phone a disappointed pout before looking at us again. “Do you
guys come to the Velocity gigs often?”
“Every single one,” Isla replied.
“It’s my first time,” I admitted.
“Oh, you’re going to love the guys,” she said. “Their
music isn’t what I’m normally into, but it sure is fun to watch
them play.” I didn’t like how Malibu talked about the band
members like they were old friends. I also felt slightly
unnerved by how much her eyes lit up when she was speaking
about them. Isla didn’t seem bothered by their behavior
though, so I tried not to let it get to me. It’s not like I was
really Ethan’s girlfriend.
“Yeah, they’re all so hot,” her friend agreed.
I shifted uneasily. How did Isla not feel awkward listening
to this? She seemed more amused than anything.
“Which guy’s your favorite?” she asked the two girls.
“Definitely Ethan,” Malibu said, making my stomach
twist. “His voice is so sexy. I would do just about anything to
have him whisper things in my ear.”
Isla was smirking as she glanced at me out of the corner of
her eye. I swear, she was actually enjoying how uncomfortable
this was making me.
“Would you now?” she asked, directing the question to the
girl.
“Definitely.”
“I’m more into Colin,” her friend said. “The way he plays
the guitar makes me wonder what else he can do with his
hands.”
Isla’s lips twisted like she’d just tasted something sour.
“I’m just going to pretend she’s talking about his knitting
skills,” she whispered to me before raising her voice again.
“How could neither of you think Dex is the hottest?” She
actually sounded disappointed.
“I don’t really dig the tats,” Malibu said.
Isla’s eyes widened like she’d just heard the most
ridiculous thing in the world. “What? How can you not love
the tats?”
The girls had stopped listening though, as one of them
pointed at something behind us. “There’s Lana with our
drinks,” Malibu said, nudging her friend before she focused on
us again. “Enjoy the concert, girls. It’s going to be great.”
The two girls disappeared into the crowd, and Isla watched
them go with a look of disapproval in her eyes. “Those girls
clearly have no taste,” she muttered, shaking her head as she
stared after them. An amused look entered her eyes as she
turned back to me though. “You should have seen your face.”
“What was wrong with my face?”
“Only that you didn’t seem too thrilled by the way they
were talking about Ethan…”
“Well, it was pretty weird. They don’t even know him.”
“Oh, it’s totally weird, but you can’t let it get to you.
Ethan’s a good guy, so you don’t need to worry about his
fans.”
“I’m not worried about his fans,” I quickly replied. “I just
didn’t know he had fans.”
Isla lifted one of her brows, clearly unconvinced. “You’ll
get used to it. Besides, girls like those two have been throwing
themselves at Ethan for ages, and he hasn’t gone for any of
them.”
I went completely still. “They throw themselves at him?”
“Oh yeah.”
 It took me several long moments to try to process the
information. Ethan had been pretty up front about the fact he
hadn’t had a lot of experience with girls. I thought it was
because he hadn’t had the opportunity, but apparently, I was
wrong. Why would he reject the advances of girls like Malibu
Barbie? I couldn’t understand it.
“Why hasn’t he pursued any of these girls?” I asked.
Her lips curved in a sly smile. “I guess he’s only ever had
eyes for you.”
I gave an uneasy laugh. “Yeah, I guess.”
It appeared we’d done a really good job of convincing Isla
of our cover story. She’d fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.
There was no way she could know about Ethan’s mystery
dream girl if she believed he’d had a longtime crush on me.
He’d been pretty cagey about revealing the girl to me, so it
was hardly surprising if he hadn’t told his friends. I hadn’t
even admitted to Madi that I’d been crushing on Owen all
these years.
Thinking about Ethan’s crush, it suddenly made sense as to
why he wasn’t interested in anyone else. He liked her so much
these girls didn’t even register on his radar. It was actually
really sweet.
I wished that I could say the same about Owen and that he
only had eyes for me. Given how he acted around the girls at
school, it was still quite clear he was keeping his options open.
I was counting on this fake relationship with Ethan to change
that though. Hopefully, by the time we were done with it, I
would be the only girl Owen could see.
As I considered Ethan’s brother, my gaze started drifting
around the room in search of him. I would have expected he’d
be here by now. There still wasn’t any sign of him, but it
wasn’t all that surprising. We were completely surrounded by
people now, and it was almost impossible to see past them. I
could barely see the bar through the crowd, let alone pick out
one guy in the sea of fans.
“You looking for someone?” Isla asked.
 I quickly shook my head. “Just checking it all out. Do you
think it will be much longer till they go on?”
An excited glint entered Isla’s eyes as I turned to her.
“Nope, the guys are coming out now!’
Isla wasn’t the only one who had noticed, and cheers
started spreading through the crowd. I looked up just in time to
see Ethan, Colin, and Dex take their positions on stage. Ethan
and Colin were at the front with guitars strapped over their
shoulders while Dex took his place behind the drum kit at the
back.
The three of them were grinning as they took their places,
and it was easy to get caught up in the excitement of the crowd
as we waited for them to start. Ethan’s eyes scanned over all
the people gathered before him, and when he caught sight of
me, his smile grew even wider and he winked.
Something about his wink made my heart smile. He looked
so confident onstage, and I couldn’t seem to reconcile this
version of Ethan with the one I saw at school every day. This
wasn’t the Ethan who shied away from attention or who
avoided crowds at school. There was something so magnetic
about him, and I found it impossible to pull my gaze away.
As Ethan stepped up to the microphone, Colin started
playing his guitar. I recognized the opening beats of the song
“Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons almost immediately.
People cheered as Colin played, but when Dex joined in on the
drums and Ethan started singing the opening verse, a roar of
sound burst from the crowd.
I felt hot and cold all at once. Shivers covered my body,
and I was unable to look away. I felt Ethan’s voice pulsing
through my blood like it was a part of me, and the room full of
people surrounding us seemed to disappear. I could do nothing
but stand there and listen. The band wasn’t just good, they
were brilliant, and I could totally see why Malibu Barbie
thought Ethan’s voice was sexy. The way he seemed to caress
every word made me wish I were one of his lyrics. Listening
to him now, I had no idea how I hadn’t noticed it before.
 Just like the song they were singing, it felt like the air
around us had turned radioactive, and their music was the only
thing pumping breathable oxygen into the room. When the
song came to an end, I finally felt like I could exhale once
more, and reality seemed to hit me all at once.
The screams of the crowd around us pierced my ears, and
Isla was jumping up and down at my side, pumping a fist in
the air. She grinned when she noticed my shocked face.
“They’re good, huh?”
“Uh, yeah!” Good didn’t even begin to describe what I’d
just listened to.
The boys started their next song, launching into a rock
cover of “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran. I’d never even
considered the song could be played in such a way, but I swear
it was better than the original. They played song after song,
each one their own take on different popular music. They had
such a distinctive sound and they made every piece their own.
As I relaxed into the concert, I began to dance to the music
with Isla. I sang along to all the songs and laughed as Isla blew
kisses to Dex whenever he looked our way. I was having one
of the best nights I’d had in a long time, and I didn’t want it to
end.
Isla nudged me as we caught our breaths at the end of one
of their numbers. “It’s going to be the last song next,” she said,
making my face drop.
“Already?”
She nodded, her face almost as disappointed as mine. “I’m
sure Ethan will give you an encore in his room if you ask him
nicely though.”
I laughed and rolled my eyes at her. The scary thing was, I
didn’t totally hate the idea.
Isla got her phone out and started recording the boys.
She’d been filming on and off all night, so I figured it was
something she did at all their gigs. I wanted to ask her to send
copies of the footage through to me because I desperately
needed to hear the band’s versions of the songs they’d played
tonight all over again.
I fixed my attention back on the stage as Ethan finished
talking quietly with Colin and Dex. The two boys gave him a
nod before Ethan approached the microphone once more.
“Thank you, guys, for being such a great audience
tonight,” he said, causing the room to erupt in another round of
cheers. “I have a special song I’d like to finish with.” His eyes
darted in my direction, and for the first time that evening, he
looked slightly nervous.
“See, there’s this girl who I’m going to prom with.” The
crowd all awwed. “But I never got to ask her properly. So,
Hayley Lawson, here’s me asking…”
He started strumming his fingers across the strings of his
guitar and unbidden tears leapt to my eyes as I immediately
recognized “Love Story” by Taylor Swift.
“He’s playing Taylor Swift for me?” I wasn’t even sure
who I was asking, only that I couldn’t believe he was playing
one of my all-time favorite songs. When he started singing the
lyrics, I thought I might pass out. He’d changed them so the
song was from a guy’s perspective, and his deep voice made
the song completely different from the original.
The other guys in the band joined him after the first verse,
and the whole room started dancing. They’d turned the track
into a rock ballad, and I loved their version even more than I
thought was possible. I danced and sang along with everyone
else, and when the song ended, I felt like nothing could top
this moment.
Ethan jumped off the stage and came into the audience. He
pushed his way through the crowd and stopped in front me.
There was a slight sheen of sweat across his forehead, and it
glistened against his skin, giving him a disheveled but sexy
look. The confidence he had shown onstage seemed to waver
as he gave me an anxious smile.
“So, what do you say?” he asked. “Will you go to prom
with me?”
 I grinned and jumped toward him, wrapping my arms
around his neck. “Obviously, yes!”
The uncertainty in his smile disappeared as he stared into
my eyes. Ethan really had a great smile. It was the kind you
couldn’t help but return. Not that I needed any help now; I was
already beaming at him just fine on my own.
“Kiss her already!” someone shouted. I didn’t need to turn
around to know it was Isla, but as I looked her way, I could see
her phone was currently trained on us as she recorded, and she
gave me a cheeky shrug.
“We don’t have to,” Ethan murmured.
But I kind of felt like we should. The audience was
watching, and Isla would guess something was up with our
relationship if we didn’t kiss after all this. So, without another
moment of hesitation, I turned and stretched up on my toes so
I could brush my lips against his. I’d intended the kiss to be a
quick peck, just for Isla’s sake, but something stirred within
me as I felt Ethan’s lips against mine. His breath was warm,
and his lips were sweet. His homely scent wrapped itself
around me, and I found myself craving more than just a simple
kiss.
My lips seemed to take on a mind of their own as the kiss
deepened. His hard chest pressed against me as his arms
wrapped around my waist. I could taste a hint of salty sweat on
his lips, and it felt like the pulsing beat of his music was still
thrumming through my blood. Every fiber of my being was
under Ethan’s spell except for a small voice in my brain that
told me I shouldn’t want this. I couldn’t for the life of me
remember why though.
I drew back slightly to take a breath. I felt torn between
stepping away like I knew I should and closing the distance
between us again. My body was desperate for more, but my
brain was a complete mess. This wasn’t the Beck brother I was
supposed to want to kiss, and I couldn’t seem to make sense of
what I was feeling.
I was frozen just a breath away from Ethan, and I slowly
looked up into his eyes. He was staring back at me with the
same kind of intensity that I could feel deep in my gut. I
wasn’t sure why he was looking at me that way. Maybe he was
annoyed I’d kissed him, or perhaps, he was like me and felt
conflicted about whether he’d liked it.
I didn’t get a chance to figure him out, because several
girls interrupted our moment, begging Ethan for a picture with
them. I quickly stepped back and looked away. I was far too
confused by what had just happened and by all the things I
was feeling.
Isla came bounding over to my side. “Did you love it? Tell
me you loved it!”
It took me a moment to realize she wasn’t talking about the
earth-shattering kiss I’d just experienced with Ethan. “Oh, the
promposal?” I felt like slapping a hand across my head. Of
course, she was talking about the promposal. “I loved it. I
couldn’t have asked for a more perfect invitation to prom.”
“It was pretty incredible,” she gushed.
I smiled and nodded as she talked, but my mind was still a
million miles away and entirely focused on the kiss. Isla kept
the conversation going as we walked through the crowd
toward the exit though I couldn’t recall a single thing she said.
It was only as I distanced myself from Ethan that I
remembered Owen was supposed to be here tonight. Once the
music had started, I hadn’t thought of Ethan’s brother once. It
all came rushing back to me though, and I realized Ethan must
have only kissed me to make Owen jealous. It was definitely
something I should have been thinking about before we’d
kissed.
What was harder to stomach was the knowledge that while
Ethan’s promposal had been the most amazing thing anyone
had ever done for me he had only performed it to sell the lie
we had started.
I needed to remember everything that had just happened
was fake. Ethan was in love with some other girl, and tonight
was all just a part of the plan. The only problem was that
Ethan was so believable I was having a hard time convincing
my heart we were just pretending.
14
 ETHAN

T onight was turning out to be the best night of my life. Not

only had the band played better than ever before, but
Hayley loved the song I performed for her. She was still
beaming from ear to ear as I drove her home, and it made my
chest swell with happiness to know I’d put that smile on her
face.
“How on Earth did you know to play Taylor Swift?” she
gushed.
I smiled. “I can’t tell you all my secrets.” Not that it was a
huge mystery. Her room was just across the fence from mine,
and she didn’t exactly keep her the volume low when she was
playing music.
“And the way you gave it a rock feel was so cool. I don’t
know how you did that.”
“And I don’t know how you do backflips.”
She scoffed. “Backflips are easy. What you did out there
tonight was special. Not everyone can learn to do that. You
know that, right?”
There was so much sincerity in her voice that my cheeks
started to warm. I’d been given plenty of compliments about
my music before, but none of them meant more to me than
Hayley’s.
“It’s just strumming a few different chords together,” I
said.
 “Few chords, my ass,” she muttered under her breath.
“And how is it that no one at school knows how amazing you
guys are?”
I shrugged. “It’s not something I exactly advertise at
school.”
She frowned a little in response. “Don’t you want people
to know how amazing you are?”
I shook my head and smiled. “All I want is for the people I
care about to enjoy what I do.”
A gentle smile pulled at her lips. I wanted to tell Hayley
she was one of those people. I wanted to tell her how much
this night had meant, that the kiss we had shared was one of
the highlights of my life. But, I couldn’t say any of that. I
couldn’t tell her the truth when she still liked my brother.
We continued talking about the gig for the rest of the drive
home. From the way Hayley kept praising our performance, I
feared I was going to have a hard time getting out of the car
because my head was getting so big. When I finally pulled in
my driveway, she seemed hesitant to get out of the car.
She glanced at her house through the passenger window
and let out a sigh. “I should probably get inside.” She didn’t
move to leave though, and I hoped it was because she wanted
to stay with me a little longer. I wasn’t ready to say good night
to her because I never wanted this night to end.
Letting out another long breath, Hayley opened her door.
She moved slowly, like it pained her to leave. At least, that’s
what I hoped she was feeling. I got out of the car too and met
her on the sidewalk. She was twisting her hands together as
she looked up at me, and there was a hint of uncertainty in her
gaze.
“Thank you for my song tonight.”
“It was nothing,” I said.
“No, it was everything.” She stepped toward me and gently
wrapped her arms around my waist. I didn’t hesitate to pull her
closer and return the hug. We stood there for several long
seconds, and I found the embrace impossible to break. How
could such a simple gesture hold so much meaning? It felt
almost as intimate as the kiss we’d shared earlier tonight, and
from the way Hayley continued to hold me, I hoped she might
feel the same way.
Her cheeks looked slightly flushed when she stepped back
from the hug, but she turned away before I could tell for sure.
“I’ll see you on Monday, Ethan,” she called out as she
hurried toward her house.
She’d seemed so reluctant to leave me before, but now, it
felt like she couldn’t get away fast enough. I really didn’t
understand girls, and Hayley was more complicated than most.
Still, I felt like my feet barely touched the ground as I walked
into the house. Tonight had been a complete success.
“How was the concert, honey?” Mom called out, as I
entered.
I followed her voice to the living room and found her
watching TV. She smiled as I entered the room, and she muted
the show she was watching
“It went great,” I said, leaning against the doorway.
“Did Hayley like the song?”
“Yeah, she loved it.”
Mom clapped her hands together. “Oh, I knew she would.
When you told me what you were doing, I thought it was the
cutest thing I’d ever heard.”
“Mom,” I groaned. “It wasn’t cute.”
“It definitely was.”
I shook my head and walked over to give her a kiss on the
cheek. “I’m beat, so I’m going to head to bed.”
“Sweet dreams, honey,” she said.
“Yeah, you too.”
The adrenaline from the concert was starting to wear off as
I traipsed up the stairs. And my exhaustion truly hit me as I
reached the landing and found my brother standing in the
corridor.
“I saw your little performance tonight. Can’t say I’m
impressed.” His voice was condescending, and if his words
didn’t make it clear he thought my band was a joke, the sneer
on his face certainly did the job. “That promposal at the end
was just about the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen.”
Until now, I’d completely forgotten Owen had been
planning to come to the gig tonight. I hadn’t seen him or any
of his friends during my performance. Hayley hadn’t
mentioned him either, so I was guessing he hadn’t made his
presence known to her.
“Yeah, well, I’m not sure why you bothered to come.”
“Like I said, I was supporting my brother.”
“Yeah. Sure, you were.” I went to walk straight past Owen,
but he stopped me by pressing a hand firmly against my chest.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
“Actually, you can.” He lowered his hand from my chest
and dug his hands into his back pockets. “I figure since I was
there to support you tonight that perhaps it’s time you tried to
show a little support for me too…”
I frowned. “And what exactly does that mean?”
“Mom’s cut off my allowance as part of my punishment
for losing my scholarship,” he said. His voice was strained,
like it physically pained him to admit it. “Can you lend me
some money? I saw the crowd of people at your gig tonight.
You must have gotten a decent paycheck for that.”
“You want money from me?” I could barely hide my
surprise. Owen never asked me for anything.
“Yes,” he gritted out through clenched teeth. It was clear
he was embarrassed to be asking, and he couldn’t meet my
gaze. “So, can you do it?”
“What’s it for?”
 Owen simply crossed his arms over his chest. “A good
brother wouldn’t ask questions.”
“Yeah, well, considering you lost your scholarship for
selling drugs at school, I have to wonder if you’re just funding
your next investment.” It’s not like he was a drug lord or
anything, but Owen had been selling weed to all of his friends.
I hated the thought of him repeating that at Lincoln, which was
why I’d tried to keep the reason behind his expulsion quiet at
school. I didn’t want the other kids getting ideas about Owen
and convincing him to sell again.
Owen’s lips remained tight as he scowled at me. When he
didn’t answer, I assumed I’d hit the nail right on the head.
“You know you can’t do that shit anymore,” I said. “It’s
already messed up your life enough. Don’t repeat the same
mistake.”
“Like you care,” he grumbled.
My brother was a dick, but of course, I cared about him. I
didn’t want him getting into any more trouble. Expulsion
would be the least of his worries if the cops caught onto his
little operation. He was lucky his old school hadn’t reported
him.
“I do care,” I said. “Which is why I’m not giving you any
cash.”
His expression turned dark. “It’s not for drugs, Ethan. Just
lend me the money.”
I shook my head at him. “I can’t take that risk. I’m doing
you a favor,” I said before pushing past him to head to my
room.
“You’re going to regret this,” Owen threatened.
I closed my bedroom door, cutting him off. I felt bad
saying no to him, but I refused to help my brother mess up his
future.
I rested my head against the closed door as I drew in a
deep breath. Tonight had been amazing, but one run-in with
my brother and it had quickly turned to crap. Having him
home was far harder than I’d imagined.

H AYLEY WAS PRACTICALLY SKIPPING as she came to meet me at

my car on Monday morning. She was grinning from ear to ear
and looked like she was bursting with happiness. Something
pretty great must have happened to put her in such a good
mood.
“Guess what?” she asked.
“There’s a sale on at your favorite clothes store?”
“I wish. Guess again.”
“School’s canceled?”
“Nope.”
“You got a tattoo of my name across your arm?”
“You’re horrible at this game.” She laughed. “No, my car
is getting repaired today! It’ll be ready to pick up after
school.”
“Finally. I was worried I’d have to drive you around
forever.”
“Hey!” She thumped a fist into my arm, and I drew back in
mock hurt.
“Ouch…”
She laughed. “That can’t have hurt.”
“You have mean fists of fury. I’ll be lucky if I can ever
hold my guitar again.”
She rolled her eyes at me, but I grinned. “So, do you need
a ride to the shop to get your car? Provided I can still drive and
all…” I glanced meaningfully at the arm she’d just punched,
making her laugh again.
She shook her head at me. “Thanks, but Dad’s getting off
work early to take me. I think he wants to give me another
grilling about being a more responsible driver or something. I
don’t know how many times I need to tell him that sometimes
cars just break and it wasn’t my fault.”
“Perhaps, the mechanic will explain that to him?”
“I hope so,” she replied.
“So, no more lifts to school together…”
“I guess not.” Her expression dropped for a moment before
perking up again. “But, you’re still my boyfriend, so you’re
not getting rid of me that easily.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
She smiled as I opened the car door for her before closing
it gently once she was settled in the passenger seat. I was sad
this was our last drive to school together. Our journeys were
one of the best parts of my day, and I looked forward to them
far more than I could admit to her.
As I got in the car, Hayley started bouncing in her seat.
“Oh, I nearly forgot, I have another guess what.”
I laughed. “Another one. Was I even close to getting it
with my other guesses?”
“Not even a little bit.”
“I think you’re just going to have to tell me then.”
“I’d rather show you.” She pulled her phone out of her bag
and turned to me. “I need you to call me.”
“Okay…” I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and
realized there was one small problem with her request. “It
might be a little hard without your number…”
She blushed and quickly rattled off her number to me.
“You can save it under Fake Girlfriend-slash-Velocity’s
Number One Fan Girl.”
“Number one, huh? Isla might disagree.”
“Will you just call me?” she asked.
“Okay, okay.” I hit call, and her screen lit up as her phone
started to ring. As soon as I heard the ringtone, my chest
swelled with warmth. It was a voice recording of the Taylor
Swift song I’d sung for her on the weekend.
“How do you have that audio?”
“Isla took a video of the song, and I got her to send it to
me.”
“And you made it your ringtone?”
Hayley shrugged. “It’s not every day a guy sings you your
favorite song. I don’t think you know how much I loved it.”
She didn’t know how much I loved singing it for her.
“Well, I’m glad you liked it.”
“I did.”
I started the car as Hayley relaxed back into her seat. It felt
so easy being with her like this, and I wished once again that
our relationship were real. I hadn’t realized just how much I
was going to love spending time with Hayley. It was going to
be really hard to get over this when our time together came to
an end.
I had to keep reminding myself she didn’t see me that way
and Owen was the one she wanted. I had hoped I might be
able to change her mind, but I wasn’t sure if I was doing
enough. She might have loved my song so much that she set it
as her ringtone, but that didn’t mean she also loved me.
When we reached school, I stalled before getting out of the
car. “So, have you thought any more about your plans for
winning over Owen?”
She shifted in her seat but didn’t look me in the eye as she
responded. “Oh, ah, more of the same, I guess.”
“More of the same?”
“Yeah, more hand holding at school and dates and stuff,”
she said. She seemed vague and almost disinterested, like the
subject made her uncomfortable.
“You still want him to take you to prom, right?”
Her forehead creased at the question. “Yeah, I guess so.”
 “Okay…”
She glanced up at me, and I got the feeling she was
nervous. “I mean, of course, I want to go with him, but I’m
worried about you. Your promposal the other night…” Her
forehead creased like she was searching for the words, but
they all came out in a mad rush once she started speaking
again. “Well, I know you weren’t really asking me to prom
and that it was just to help convince your brother about our
fake relationship, but I keep thinking that it might have ruined
your chances with the girl you like.”
She took a deep breath in before you continued. “How can
you take her to prom when you asked me that way?” Her voice
had turned quiet, and her eyes were large with concern.
I had no idea how she wanted me to answer. I didn’t even
know the answer myself. I definitely hadn’t been thinking of
my brother when I’d sung to her, and she was the mystery girl,
so I was already going to prom with exactly the person I
wanted to. What was I going to say?
I gathered my thoughts for several seconds before I
replied. “Like I told you before, I’m not worried about taking
the girl I like to prom. She’s special enough that I’m happy to
wait. And I didn’t sing that song to you to make my brother
jealous. I sung it because you deserved to be asked to prom
properly. If things don’t work out with Owen, we’re still
going, right?”
“Right…”
“So, I wanted to ask you the way I thought you deserved.”
Hayley slowly started to smile, and I felt the pressure
around my heart ease at the sight. I wasn’t any clearer on
whether her feelings for Owen had changed at all, but I was
encouraged by the fact she didn’t seem quite so eager to go to
prom with him as she had been when we started this.
“Are you still worried?” I asked.
She slowly shook her head. “Not so much.”
“Okay, good.”
 She seemed much happier as we left the car and entered
school together hand in hand. I got the strange feeling
something was off though as we walked down the corridor.
People kept glancing in our direction, and several girls I’d
never spoken to before greeted me as we passed.
I gave them a brief nod but was too stunned to answer
back. Why were they suddenly talking to me? I’d been holding
Hayley’s hand for a week now, so perhaps, her popularity was
somehow rubbing off on me.
My confusion only grew as we proceeded to homeroom.
The curious looks had followed us the whole way there, and a
bunch of girls had giggled as we walked past. There was
nothing normal about this behavior, and as soon as Hayley and
I were seated in class, I asked her if she knew what was
happening. She’d started sitting next to me on Friday, and I
was happy to see it wasn’t a one-off.
“Oh,” she replied. “The extra attention might be my fault.”
“Because…” I prompted.
“Because Hayley shared your concert video all over social
media,” Isla said, as she sat on Hayley’s other side. “Half the
school follows her, so pretty much everyone has seen it.”
Hayley blushed, as she looked my way. “You’re not upset,
are you? Please tell me you’re not upset. I didn’t think it
would be a problem.”
I wasn’t upset exactly, but I wasn’t really sure how to feel.
I loved performing my music, but I didn’t want to draw
attention to myself at school because of it.
“Crap, you’re upset,” Hayley said, when I hadn’t replied.
“I can take it down.”
She took out her phone, but I quickly placed my hand over
hers to lower it. “You don’t have to take the post down.”
“Are you sure? Because I don’t mind.”
I quickly shook my head. “What did you say about the
song anyway?”
“Umm…”
 Her phone was open on her Instagram account, so I took it
from her and looked at the screen. I could see the video from
the concert was her most recent post, and below it, she’d
written a whole row of heart emojis.
I grinned as I looked at them. “Are the heart emojis for the
song, the guy, or the promposal?”
Hayley shrugged. “All of the above?”
My heart did a small flip as I passed her phone back to her.
I was probably reading far too much into her heart emojis.
There was still a concerned look on her face, and I hated that
I’d made her feel guilty for sharing the video. “I swear I don’t
mind that you put it up. I was just shocked, that’s all.”
“I should have asked first,” she replied. “Your performance
was just so amazing though. I feel like everyone in the world
needs to hear it.”
Her eyes were big and filled with sincerity. She honestly
loved my music, and I’d let her share it with anyone if it meant
I got to hear her talk about it this way.
“Thanks, Hayley.”
She gave me a warm smile before leaning in close. “Plus,
with all this attention, your mystery girl is definitely going to
notice you now?” Her voice was low so no one could
overhear.
“That’s true.” I smiled brightly as she pulled back from
me. She might not know she was the mystery girl, but given
the way Hayley was looking at me, I didn’t seem invisible to
her anymore. I was going to take that as a small win.
Hayley frowned slightly as she took in my happy
expression, but Isla tugged on her arm and pulled her attention
away before I could figure out why. The two of them were
growing far too close for my liking. I wanted them to be
friends, but I was also concerned about Isla accidentally
spilling the truth about my very real feelings for Hayley.
“Hey, Romeo,” Colin said, taking the seat next to me.
 I rolled my eyes. Hayley might have loved my Taylor
Swift song, but Colin was never going to let me hear the end
of it. He’d been calling me by that stupid name all weekend.
“I hear everyone at school’s got a new guy to obsess over,”
he continued. “And his name is Ethan Beck.”
“No one’s obsessing over me,” I grumbled. At least, no
one I cared about.
“Almost every girl I passed on the way to class was talking
about how incredible your promposal was,” he replied. “They
wouldn’t stop gushing over your voice, and I swear I heard
one of them use the term ‘sexy dork.’ I think that’s pretty
accurate. Minus the sexy part, of course.”
“Of course.”
He shuffled in closer to me before he continued. “It’s great
exposure for the band though,” he said. “I heard people talking
about coming to our next gig.”
That, at least, was something I could get behind. I might
not have wanted extra attention at school, but the more people
who came to watch us perform, the better.
“And this is all just from Hayley’s post?” I asked.
He shook his head. “She wasn’t the only one to post the
song. Some of her friends did too, and they’ve all got massive
followings after that bachelor contest they did. You should
read the comments on the videos. Everyone loved it.”
“And you said it was a stupid idea.”
“I’m pretty sure I said you’d be stupid not to do it,” he
replied.
I laughed. Yeah, that’s definitely not how our conversation
went down.
“So, what are you going to do with your newfound fame?”
Colin asked.
“What all good famous people do. I’m going to find a
cabin in the woods and hide until people have forgotten what I
look like.”
 The corner of Colin’s mouth lifted. “Well, I hope your
cabin has enough room for two. I’m not sure your girlfriend
will let you go there alone.”
“I wish.” I glanced in Hayley’s direction and smiled as I
watched her chatting animatedly with Isla. Hayley was so
incredibly beautiful, but what made her truly special was how
she cared about people. We were in a fake relationship, so she
didn’t really have to make an effort with my friends, but from
the first introduction, she’d adopted them as her own. I could
see how much Isla and Colin had grown to love her too, and I
knew I wasn’t the only one who would be heartbroken once
she moved on with my brother.
Thinking of Hayley and Owen together put a sour
expression on my face. My brother didn’t deserve her, and I
wished Hayley could see him for the guy he truly was. I
wanted her to realize how perfect we were together, but it
seemed like an impossible task when she was so blinded by
her feelings for Owen. Prom was less than two weeks away
now, and my time with her was running out.
15
 HAYLEY

I was feeling so confused. And, for once, it wasn’t because

I’d just left math class. It wasn’t a new feeling exactly, but
it had certainly been growing more noticeable over the last
few days, and it had everything to do with the guy beside me.
Ethan held my hand as he walked me to class. My skin
tingled where we touched, and he was lightly rubbing his
thumb across the back of my hand, which was making my
heart do little somersaults. I kept glancing at our hands, to try
to understand the reaction, but I couldn’t figure it out. It was
just Ethan I was holding hands with, and I shouldn’t have been
feeling anything, right?
Adding to my confusion was the feeling I’d had when he’d
asked me about going to prom with Owen this morning. I’d
honestly felt torn by the question. Until that moment, I’d still
believed a date with Owen was what I wanted and the answer
should have been easy. It felt far more complicated than a
simple yes though, and I was stunned to find I wasn’t sure
what I wanted anymore.
I’d been out of sorts ever since, and I’d spent the morning
trying to puzzle out my feelings. I kept trying to clear my mind
so I could think about it logically, but as we walked down the
corridor, I kept getting distracted. At first, it was my tingling
hand. Then, it seemed like every girl we passed was fluttering
her eyelashes at Ethan. He appeared completely oblivious to
the sudden attention, but I definitely hadn’t missed it.
I was guessing the girls at school were noticing him
because they’d seen the footage of his performance on
Saturday night. They were all looking at him with fresh eyes,
and my stomach twisted as I thought of the unknown girl he
had a crush on. Our plan was clearly working on a lot of the
girls at school, and I had to wonder if it was working on her
too. Ethan had certainly looked excited by the thought when I
mentioned the possibility to him in homeroom, and I really
wished he hadn’t looked quite so happy.
We stopped outside my English class, but he didn’t let go
of my hand right away. It made my stomach flutter, but I knew
I shouldn’t read into it too much. He was probably just trying
to look like a good boyfriend. He was doing a great job of it
too.
“So, I’ll see you at lunch?” I asked him.
He hesitated, and his expression dropped a little. “I was
thinking I might have lunch on the bleachers again today,” he
said. “All the attention I’ve been getting because of the
promposal is a little much for me. I’m not sure I could handle
the cafeteria.”
“Oh.” I guess he must have noticed all the girls checking
him out. I completely understood why he’d want to avoid their
leering eyes, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t disappointed. I
liked having lunch with Ethan. “I’d come out and eat with you
guys, but I didn’t see Madi all weekend, and I don’t want her
to think I’ve abandoned her. Plus, Teagan’s finally back at
school today, and she’ll want to tell us all about her
Hollywood experience.”
“So, rain check on lunch together?”
I gave him a smile though it didn’t reach my eyes. “Sure.”
“And your Dad is still picking you up after school?”
I nodded. The thought should have excited me because I
was getting my car back, but my earlier enthusiasm had
waned. Ethan and I didn’t have any classes together for the
rest of the day, and I hated that I wouldn’t see him until
tomorrow.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then,” I said.
 “Yep, see you then.” He didn’t leave straightaway though.
Instead, he slowly lowered his lips to my cheek and pressed
them gently against my skin. It tingled where he kissed me,
and I closed my eyes as I breathed in his scent. I had no idea
how he managed to make a simple kiss on the cheek so
intoxicating, but when he stepped back, I felt light-headed and
a little tipsy.
He gave me a warm smile before turning to walk away. I
watched him leave, my heart pumping quickly and my cheek
still warm from where he’d brushed his lips against it. I wasn’t
sure what was going on between us, but I knew I liked it.

T EAGAN WAS PRETTY MUCH FLOATING as she entered the

cafeteria at lunch. She was so happy that her feet barely
seemed to touch the ground as she walked, and her face was
glowing as she came to sit at our table. She’d just returned
from filming a role in a Hollywood movie, so it was hardly
surprising she was in a good mood.
“How was it?” Evan asked, as she sat down.
Teagan blushed. “You know how it was. We talked every
night.”
“But we don’t know,” Madi said.
“Yeah, spill everything,” I added. I’d had a few texts from
Teags over the last few weeks, but they’d been very light on
details.
She laughed. “Okay, okay. It was incredible.” She
struggled to keep the beaming smile from her lips. “I only had
a small role, and the days were long, but I loved every second
of it.”
“And how was it with Liam?” I asked. Liam was her
boyfriend and one of Hollywood’s hottest actors. It wasn’t all
that difficult to believe he was dating Teagan, as the two of
them had such great chemistry. Plus, it didn’t hurt that they
looked perfect together. They belonged in a fragrance ad or
something—and, knowing Teagan, they probably would be
one day.
“He was great. He’s still got another month of filming
though, so it will be a while before I see him again.”
Evan’s face fell. “Wait, so he’s not coming to prom?”
Teagan slowly shook her head, disappointment playing in
her eyes. “He can’t make it.”
“Well, you’ll have to go with me,” Evan said.
Teagan started to frown. “But I thought you were dating
someone…”
“Didn’t work out.” Evan shrugged before wrapping an arm
around Teagan’s shoulder and pulling her in close. “Plus, I’d
much rather go with my bestie.”
She laughed and tried to shake him off, but he held on
tight.
“Say you’ll come with me…” he said, looking down at her
with his best puppy-dog eyes.
“I’ll come if you let go of me.”
He grinned triumphantly and dropped his arm. “And that,
ladies, is how you get a prom date.”
“Well, it’s not quite serenading a girl during a concert,”
Teagan said, focusing her attention on me.
I started to smile. I couldn’t help it. Ethan singing my
favorite song was the best thing to ever happen to me, and it
filled me with happiness whenever I thought about it. The fact
that he hadn’t just been doing it as a part of our fake
relationship only made me love it more.
“So, you’re dating Ethan?” she continued.
I swallowed before responding. I didn’t want to lie to yet
another person, but it all was part of the deal, and the idea of
being with Ethan wasn’t feeling quite so far-fetched anymore.
“Yeah, we’re dating.”
“Since when?”
 “Just over a week.”
“Well, his promposal was really cute,” Teagan gushed. “He
certainly gets bonus points for that.”
“Cute?” Evan replied. “It was amazing. I had no idea
Ethan could sing like that. Please tell me you’ll take me to his
next concert.”
I smiled at Evan’s enthusiasm. I loved that I’d played a
small part in spreading the word about Ethan’s band. I knew
all the attention made him nervous, but the group’s talent was
undeniable, and the whole world needed to hear how good
they were. My stomach dropped as I realized I might not be at
his next concert though. It was after prom, so who knew if I’d
still be welcome.
“We’ll see,” I told Evan. It was probably best to be
cautious.
“We’ll see?” Evan shook his head at me. “We’ll see?
Hayley, I thought we were friends.”
“Of course, we’re friends! I just don’t have any details for
their next gig, but if I’m going, then you can come.”
“Good.” His usual playful smile returned, and he seemed
pleased by my response. I just hoped Ethan wouldn’t mind if
the two of us came along and I wouldn’t have to let Evan
down.
“I hear Ethan’s brother is back at school too?” Teagan
asked.
“Yeah, he’s back…” My voice trailed off as I glanced
across the room to where he usually sat. He wasn’t in his seat,
and instead, I found him walking toward us. It was like
Teagan’s words had magically summoned him.
“Speak of the devil,” Madi said. “Why’s he coming over
here?”
“I have no idea,” I murmured. I barely got the response out
before Owen joined us. He grabbed a chair as he approached
and sat it down right at my side.
“Hayley,” he said, giving me one of his killer smiles.
 I couldn’t help but notice how his expression lacked his
brother’s warmth. Instead, the smile was filled with
overconfidence, like he knew no one could help but feel totally
disarmed because he was flashing it their way. It seemed to
have the opposite effect on me, because instead of relaxing, I
felt my body stiffen, and a slight frown graced my brow. I
searched his eyes for the amazing guy I knew was behind all
the bravado, but I couldn’t seem to see him today.
“Hey, Owen.” I waited for him to acknowledge the others
at my table, but when it was clear he didn’t intend to talk with
them, I continued. “Can I help you with something?”
He shrugged. “Just came to say hello to my favorite girl.”
His favorite girl? I glanced at Madi, and she looked just as
confused. A week ago, he barely remembered my name, and
now, I was his favorite girl. Ethan had told me if I dated him
then his brother would start noticing me, but this seemed like a
drastic turn.
I slowly turned toward him again. “Well, hi…”
“Hi.” He chuckled like he found his response hilarious
before he leaned forward in his seat. “So, no Ethan with you
today?”
“Not today. He’s having lunch with his friends.”
“Cool, cool.” Owen was silent for several moments before
he continued. “Actually, I was wondering if I could steal you
away for a second?”
“Uh, sure.”
“Perfect.” He grabbed my hand and dragged me upward.
His grip was a little too tight, to the point where it almost hurt.
He probably just didn’t know his own strength though.
I glanced at my friends and gave them a shrug. “I’ll see
you guys later.”
I didn’t hear their response as Owen jerked me away. He
continued pulling me until we were out in the corridor,
stopping as soon as we were free of the cafeteria. Thankfully,
he let go of my hand, and the relief I felt was instant.
 “So, you’ve stolen me,” I said. “What’s up?”
“Nothing, really. I just thought it might be nice for us to
talk alone.”
“Okay…”
“How did you enjoy Ethan’s concert on Saturday night?”
“It was amazing,” I gushed, a natural smile forming on my
lips as I thought of the performance. “Did you end up going?
What did you think?”
“Yeah, I was there. It was pretty hard to watch that
promposal at the end though.”
“Oh, why?”
“I guess it was difficult to watch my brother get the most
beautiful girl in school…” Owen looked deeply into my eyes
as he spoke, and his gaze was practically smoldering. His
words didn’t bring a reaction out of me though. He’d just
called me the most beautiful girl at school, and I didn’t feel a
thing. I almost wanted to knock a fist against my chest to
check if my heart was still working.
When all the response he received was a slight frown,
Owen quickly continued. “Anyway,” he said. “I think it’s
really sweet how you support Ethan’s little band even if they
aren’t all that great.”
“But they are great.”
“Like I said, you’re sweet.”
I frowned again and glanced at the floor, a flurry of
questions rushing through me. What game was Owen playing?
What did he want, and why were we out here talking?
When I looked back up at him, Owen was focused intently
on my face. “Hey, you have an eyelash,” he said. Before I
could move to try to rub it away, he lifted his hand and gently
caressed my face, swiping his thumb across my cheek.
I stared into his eyes, waiting for my breath to hitch and
my skin to tingle, but neither of those sensations came. Even
looking into his eyes, I didn’t get the giddy feeling in my
stomach that I used to feel in his presence. It was like my body
had completely forgotten we had a crush on this guy.
A cough at the end of the corridor made my eyes break
away from Owen’s stare. Laurie stood in the entrance to the
cafeteria scowling at me. It was hardly something new, but the
fierceness of her glare was far more potent than usual. I’d seen
her throwing herself at Owen ever since he’d returned to
school, so that probably explained the reaction. She looked
like she wanted nothing more than to storm over to us and rip
Owen’s hands off me, but she turned and walked away as soon
as I caught her watching. It wasn’t exactly Laurie’s style to run
away from a confrontation, and I had to wonder why.
“There we go,” Owen said, pulling his hand away. “You
know, we should hang out some time.”
My eyes snapped back to him. “We should?”
“Yeah, I think it’s about time we got to know each other
better. I mean, you live right next door to me, and we’re both
pretty popular. It’s only natural that we should be friends.”
I should have been jumping at the opportunity. It was the
moment I’d been waiting for ever since Owen came back to
Lincoln. My heart wasn’t leaping with excitement though, and
instead, my body was urging me to put distance between us.
Why wasn’t I happy about Owen’s offer?
I gave him a tight smile. “Sure, we can hang out
sometime.” It wasn’t the response I wanted to give, but this
was something I’d pined after for as long as I could remember.
I couldn’t say no when it looked like my plan to win over
Owen was finally working.
He started to give me a genuine grin. “Great.”
“Great.” Why wasn’t I walking on a cloud right now? This
was exactly what I wanted. “Well, the bell’s about to ring. I
should probably get to class.”
“Yeah, of course.” He took several steps backward as he
went to return to the cafeteria. “We’ll talk soon, Hayley.”
“Can’t wait,” I replied. For some reason, the words felt
like a lie though. I watched Owen leave, feeling totally
deflated. The whole conversation had been so weird. My heart
and mind hadn’t reacted the way I expected, and I wasn’t
excited by the idea of spending time with Owen like I knew I
should be. Even when I looked into his eyes, I’d seen no
glimpse of the sensitive, vulnerable guy I thought was hiding
inside him. If anything, concealed beneath his charming smile,
there only seemed to be arrogance.
Thankfully, Madi came out of the cafeteria doors only
moments after Owen left me. I really needed my best friend
after that.
“What did Owen want?” she asked as she walked up to
me. Her face was reserved and I could see she was trying hard
to guard her expression from revealing what she was feeling.
“I don’t really know,” I replied. “The whole conversation
was strange, but I guess he’s finally noticing me.”
“Because you’ve been dating his brother…”
“Yeah.” I hadn’t quite understood how weird that concept
would be until I’d actually experienced it. I mean, making
Owen jealous had sounded good in theory. But what kind of
guy would go after their brother’s girlfriend? I wasn’t sure I
wanted to know the answer to that question.
“He said we should hang out,” I said.
“And what did you say?”
“That we could.”
A hint of Madi’s worry finally showed on her face, and I
quickly continued. “It was more like a ‘maybe.’ It’s not like
we set a date or anything.”
Silence stretched between us, and I could practically feel
Madi’s disapproval in the air around her. She was clearly
holding back her opinion from me. I let out a breath. “Just tell
me what you’re thinking…”
“Only that I don’t have a good feeling about this,” she
said. “I mean, how much do we really know about Owen these
days? He got kicked out of his last school, and that seems like
a red flag to me.”
 “We don’t know why he lost his scholarship,” I reasoned.
“And I doubt it was because he did something bad. He
probably just let his grades drop.”
Madi shook her head though. “I think there was more to it
than that. Cole’s heard things from some of the other football
guys.”
“What things?”
A group of students emerged from the cafeteria, and Madi
wrapped her arms around her waist as she waited for them to
pass. “All he heard was that Owen got into a lot of trouble and
he was lucky the police weren’t involved.”
I swallowed a heavy lump that had become lodged in my
throat. “I’m sure that’s just locker room talk.”
“Are you?”
The pit in my stomach told me I wasn’t, but she didn’t
need to know that. “Look, he deserves the benefit of the
doubt,” I replied.
“So, you’re going ahead with your plan?”
I was silent for several long seconds. Owen Beck had been
my dream guy for as long as I could remember, but I wasn’t so
sure that was the case anymore. Spending time with Ethan had
made me question everything, and my feelings were a jumbled
mess. My heart didn’t race when I talked with Owen before,
and my skin hadn’t tingled under his touch. If there was one
thing I’d learned today, it was that Owen brought out none of
the emotions I’d started to experience with Ethan.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t as simple as that. Ethan was only
with me to get the attention of another girl. He didn’t like me
as anything more than a friend, and whatever I felt was
completely one-sided. I could get hurt if I let these feelings
continue developing, and I needed to snuff them out as quickly
as possible.
It would probably be best if I ended the whole charade
with Ethan, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that. I wanted
Ethan to be happy, and he needed this fake relationship to get
the girl of his dreams. As I thought it over, I felt my whole
objective for the plan change. Our relationship was no longer
about me: it was about Ethan.
“Hayley?” Madi prompted.
I gave her a tight smile, knowing what I had to do. “I’ve
got this far with the plan. I owe it to myself to follow it
through,” I told her.
“And what about Ethan?”
I tried to keep my face passive at the mention of his name.
“What about him?”
“I saw the way your face lit up when you were talking
about the song he performed for you.”
“Yeah, because it was amazing,” I replied. “And he sung
Taylor for me; how could I not I like it?”
“Like it or like him?”
The bell rang suddenly, signaling the end of the lunch
break, and I felt like the interruption couldn’t have come at a
better time. The corridor had been relatively quiet until now,
but streams of people suddenly seemed to materialize from out
of nowhere.
I shook my head and started stepping away from Madi as I
moved to go to class. “I don’t like Ethan Beck.”
I was such a liar.
16
 ETHAN

I t felt like forever stretched between now and when I would

see Hayley again. The final bell had just chimed, and a
heavy weight had settled across my shoulders as I remembered
I wouldn’t be meeting her at the car after school. I wouldn’t be
driving her in the morning either, so I’d have to wait until
homeroom to see her beautiful smile once more.
People were still watching me as I walked down the
corridor, which I hated, and I couldn’t get out of school quick
enough. My mood only soured further when I saw Laurie
Wilson leaning against my locker door. Why had the ice queen
of Lincoln High decided that should be her resting place
today? She wasn’t with anyone, so I couldn’t for the life of me
understand why she was standing there.
Her eyes lit up when she saw me approaching. “Ethan, I’ve
been waiting for you.” The school’s head cheerleader had
never said two words to me before, and I found it really hard
to believe she wanted to talk to me now.
“You have?” I glanced around the emptying corridor to
check she wasn’t speaking to someone else. It was the end of
the day though, and everyone was hurrying to get home. She’d
somehow gotten my name correct, but I wasn’t the only Ethan
in this school, so perhaps she’d gotten me mixed up with
someone else. “Are you sure you’ve got the right guy?”
She let out a small laugh. “Of course, I do, silly. Everyone
knows you’re Owen’s twin.”
 “Right.” Because my popular brother was my one defining
attribute in life. Lucky me.
“Look, I wanted to talk to you as a friend,” she continued.
This conversation was getting stranger by the minute.
“And, I know this will be hard to hear, but you deserve to
know the truth.”
“Okay…”
She took a breath in before she spoke. “You know
Hayley’s only using you, right?”
I stared at her blankly in response.
“Hayley, your girlfriend,” Laurie clarified. “She’s using
you.”
I finally started to frown. I was well aware Hayley was
using me, but it was all part of our plan. I couldn’t figure out
why Laurie would think that though or why she cared enough
to tell me.
“I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said.
She rolled her eyes at me. “Are you really so naïve? She’s
totally after your brother.”
Another thing I was aware of. “Why do you think that?”
“Because it’s obvious. They were all over each other at
lunch.”
“They were?”
She nodded and lifted up her phone to show me the screen.
“See?”
I slowly lowered my gaze and saw she’d pulled up a
picture of the corridor just outside the school cafeteria. The
photo had been taken at a distance, but it clearly depicted
Owen with his hand caressing Hayley’s cheek. Given the angle
the photo was taken at, I couldn’t see her expression. I didn’t
need to see it to know how elated she would have been though.
My shoulders sunk as I failed to control the surge of
disappointment that rushed through me. I’d known Owen
would start paying attention to Hayley once he found out we
were dating, but I hadn’t realized it would happen so fast. I
wasn’t ready to let her go.
A smile pulled at Laurie’s lips, like she was thoroughly
enjoying my dejection. I somehow managed to gather myself
before I responded to her.
“That photo doesn’t prove anything,” I said.
“It proves that she’s the wrong girl for you.” Laurie’s voice
was so confident, and I hated how easily her words chipped
cracks into my heart.
She reached out a hand and lightly gripped my arm. “I saw
your promposal to her,” she said. “And you deserve so much
better.”
My eyes widened to the point where it felt like they might
burst out of my head. The world must have completely twisted
itself upside down and inside out for Laurie to be speaking to
me like this. She wasn’t my friend. She wasn’t even an
acquaintance. It made no sense for her to be talking with me,
let alone trying to soothe me.
“Why are you telling me all of this?”
“Because you deserve to know,” she said. “And perhaps,
I’m secretly hoping that you’ll notice there are other girls
around here who would appreciate you more.”
There was a flirtatious look in her eyes, and it was quite
apparent she was talking about herself. “Aren’t you and
Hayley friends?” I cautiously asked.
“Please, don’t make me laugh,” she replied. “Just because
we’re on the same cheerleading squad doesn’t mean we have
to be friends.”
I guessed that explained why Laurie was so willing to
throw Hayley under the bus. It didn’t explain why she was
suddenly interested in me though. Laurie had never given a
crap about me before. What did she have to gain from it now?
I doubted she was doing this because she’d simply seen the
video of my gig and liked the sound of my singing voice.
 “So, do you think maybe you might be open to noticing
someone else?” She blinked her long eyelashes up at me, and I
moved to extricate my arm from her grip.
“Look, thanks for sharing that picture with me, but it
doesn’t change anything. Hayley is still the girl for me.”
Laurie sighed and took a step back from me. “Well, don’t
say I didn’t warn you.”
She ran a finger down my arm before she spun on her
heels and walked away, leaving me even more confused than
when she’d first started talking to me. Why did Laurie
suddenly care about me? But more importantly, was my time
with Hayley finally over?

I DIDN ’ T BRING up Hayley’s meeting with Owen when I saw

her next. It was only a few hours after my run-in with Laurie,
but the picture swept from my mind the moment I opened my
front door and found Hayley standing there. She was smiling
at me so brightly it was easy to forget she had feelings for my
brother.
It took me a moment to remember myself before I could
speak. “Hayley, what are you doing here?”
Her expression dimmed a little, and she tilted her head.
“What? Can’t a girl come visit her boyfriend?” she asked.
“Of course, she can. I was just wondering if there was a
particular reason…”
“There might be,” she said. “But you’ll have to invite me
in to find out.”
There was a playful look in her eyes, and I very much
wanted to know why. I let out a chuckle and shook my head at
her. “Do you want to come in?”
She grinned and nodded as I stepped back to welcome her
inside. My parents weren’t home and, thankfully, neither was
my brother. We had the whole place to ourselves, but it
wouldn’t be for long. Mom would probably be back with the
grocery shopping soon.
I led Hayley into the living room and gestured for her to
take a seat on the couch. I sat down next to her, unable to resist
the opportunity to be close to her. She glanced around, and I
assumed she was looking for Owen.
“We’re alone,” I told her.
I noticed her visibly swallow as she turned to face me.
“Your parents aren’t home?”
“No, and neither is Owen.”
She nodded though I had to wonder what she was thinking
because her gaze whipped away from me all too quickly.
“How’s your car?” I asked.
Her body relaxed at the question. “All fixed,” she replied.
“But my dad has been lecturing me ever since I got home. It’s
part of the reason I came here. I needed to escape. I swear, he’s
been repeating the same driver safety monologue for the past
hour.”
I tried to stifle a smile. Hayley had started using hand
gestures to emphasize her point. She was cute when she got
worked up. “So, the mechanic didn’t have any luck convincing
him it wasn’t your fault?”
She shook her head. “He tried his best and told him it was
because some computer in the car was broken, but my dad
didn’t seem to want to listen. He can be kind of stubborn
sometimes.”
“Huh, that must be where you get it from.”
“Hey!” She slapped a hand against my arm, making me
laugh. “I’m not stubborn.”
“Would you prefer if I called you determined?”
She thought about it for a moment before she smiled.
“Yeah, that’s probably a more accurate word. And, speaking of
determined, I’ve been thinking about our plan…”
“Okay?”
 “And I feel like we should be doing more to get Owen and
your mystery girl to notice us both. Prom is next week, and
we’re running out of time.”
I wished our conversation hadn’t turned to my brother, and
I felt like Hayley was mistaken in her assessment of the
situation. Owen was noticing her far too quickly for my liking,
and I wanted nothing more than to hide her away.
“What are you suggesting?” I asked, reluctantly.
She took in a deep breath before she continued. “Well, for
starters, I think it would help if I knew more about the girl you
like…”
I shook my head. “No deal.”
“Come on, Ethan. I want this plan to work for you, so
you’ve got to give me something to go on here!”
Panic rushed through me, and I was at a loss for how to
reply. It would look suspicious if I continued to keep this girl
secret from Hayley. After spending so much time together,
we’d become friends, and what kind of friend would go to
such lengths to keep their crush a secret? She was only going
to keep asking me about the girl, and I was terrible at lying.
But, maybe, if I gave her a hint about my crush, perhaps that
would be enough to placate her.
“Please, Ethan. I’m trying to help.”
I swallowed though the movement did nothing to ease the
tension gripping me. It was time to give her a small thread of
truth. “All I’m willing to tell you is that she’s a cheerleader.”
Hayley’s eyes widened. “She is?”
“Yep, but that’s all you’re getting, I’m not telling you who
she is.”
Hayley’s brows pulled together and she glanced away from
me. She went completely silent, and I had no idea what she
was thinking.
“Hayley?” I asked, after a minute had passed without a
word from her.
 Her eyes concentrated on me again and she gave me a
smile. “Sorry, I was just thinking.”
“And…”
“Knowing she’s a cheerleader is really helpful. I can talk
you up at practice, and all the girls on the squad saw your
promposal, which was obviously amazing. Without knowing
the exact person though, I can’t be sure if it’s working…”
“I’m not saying who it is,” I replied.
“Yeah, I get it.” She let out a sigh before seeming to
refocus. Her eyes took on a determined look, and her lips tilted
upward as if she’d just had an idea. “We can still do more to
get Owen and your cheerleader to notice us.”
I was quiet as I considered her. I wasn’t sure what had
brought all of this on or why Hayley suddenly felt like we
weren’t doing enough. I’d seen the picture on Laurie’s phone
of her with Owen at lunch, and it seemed the plan was
working just fine. She should be celebrating the win, not
feeling like our plan was inadequate.
She seemed quite fixated on the girl I liked though. So,
perhaps, that explained why she was suggesting we do more to
get our relationship noticed. Maybe, she was worried the plan
wasn’t working for me when it was clearly working so well for
her?
I doubted I’d ever understand the inner workings of
Hayley’s mind, but it didn’t hurt to hear her out. “When you
say we should do more, what exactly are you thinking?” I
asked.
“That we need to level up our relationship.”
“And, how do we level up?”
“Well, the hand holding at school has been great, and your
two dates were amazing. But, I think that we really need to
throw our relationship in their faces. Like, we should be
posting cute pictures together on Instagram every day.”
“Okay…”
 “And, like, take this, for example.” She waved at the space
between us. “We’re meant to be in a relationship. We should
be sitting closer.”
I shuffled toward her until our legs were touching and
placed my arm across the back of the couch. “How’s this?” I
asked.
Her breath hitched as she nodded. “Better.”
My heart was pounding quickly now, and being so close to
Hayley made it far too easy to smell the sweet scent of her
perfume. I couldn’t be sure why Hayley wanted to level up our
relationship, but I was definitely not against the idea. If
anything, I liked her suggestions far too much.
“Was there anything else?” My voice came out
surprisingly rough, and I found it hard to look anywhere but
directly into her hazel eyes. They were framed by her long
lashes, and there were lighter flecks of green through them that
I’d never noticed before.
“It would probably be good if we were seen being more
intimate,” she said, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
“Intimate?” I practically choked on the word. My
heartbeat went into overdrive, and I was surprised Hayley
couldn’t hear its loud pounding from where she sat.
“Like kissing,” she clarified, as a hint of nervousness
flashed across her eyes. She looked embarrassed by the
suggestion, but she really shouldn’t have been. It was
something we’d already agreed on doing as a part of our plan,
and we’d even already shared a kiss. A small part of me hoped
that perhaps she was nervous because this next kiss might
mean something more to her.
“I mean, I’m willing to suffer through more kisses if you
are,” I said, trying to sound far cooler than I felt.
“Yes, I think I can endure it too.” Her voice was breathy,
and it sounded like she actually wanted this. But, surely, that
was just my love-addled heart hearing what it wanted to hear.
Hayley Lawson couldn’t actually want to kiss me. Could she?
 Her eyes were on my lips though, and she was now only a
breath away. My hands itched to cup her face in my palms,
and my stomach was taut as I resisted the temptation to close
the small gap between us. Would it really be so bad if I kissed
her now?
“Ethan, you didn’t tell me you were having Hayley over!”
The sound of my mom’s voice felt like a splash of icy-cold
water to the face. I jerked back from Hayley and looked to the
living room door, where Mom was standing with grocery bags
in her hands. I’d been so caught up with Hayley I hadn’t even
heard her opening the front door of the house.
It was difficult to miss how Mom’s eyes were zoned in on
the now nonexistent gap between Hayley and me on the couch.
There was a knowing look in her eyes, and I knew I was in
trouble. Mom had never had to tell me off for having girls over
when I was home alone before, but I’d heard her have those
conversations with Owen. I was pretty certain I’d be getting a
similar lecture later.
“Hello, Hayley,” Mom continued, giving Hayley a genuine
smile. Mom might have been annoyed, but it seemed Hayley
wouldn’t be getting in trouble for being here.
“Hi, Mrs. Beck.” Hayley grinned up at her. “Do you need
any help bringing your groceries in?”
Mom shook her head. “No, it’s just these few tonight.” She
continued on into the kitchen, leaving the two of us alone once
more.
Hayley shared a conspiratorial grin with me once Mom
was out of sight. “Oh, you’re so in trouble for having me
over.”
“Well, it’s not like I had it planned. You kind of showed up
on my doorstep unannounced.”
“I didn’t hear you complaining.”
“That’s because I wasn’t.”
Hayley laughed, but when she looked toward the door my
mom had just disappeared through, she let out a sigh. “I guess
I should probably head home.”
“You don’t have to leave…”
She shook her head though. “I have a ton of homework
tonight, and I think your mom wants to talk with you.”
To me, that sounded like a good reason for Hayley to stay.
I would much rather hang out with her than get a lecture from
my mom. I had homework of my own to start though, so I
didn’t object again.
She stood up, and I followed her to the front door. It felt
like she’d only just arrived, and I wasn’t ready for her to leave.
She paused once she was standing on the porch and looked up
at me. I forgot how tiny she was when she wasn’t wearing
heels, and it felt like I towered over her as I leaned against the
doorway.
“Thanks for hanging out with me,” she said.
“Anytime.” I would drop just about anything to spend time
with her, and I couldn’t imagine my brother doing the same. I
really wished she could see that, and I still couldn’t understand
why she liked Owen rather than me.
“So, I’ll see you tomorrow?” she asked.
I nodded though my thoughts were still fixated on my
brother. Hayley turned to leave, but I reached out a hand to
stop her. “Can I ask you something?”
“Yes,” she replied.
I took a deep breath in before I spoke. “Why Owen? What
is it about him that you like so much?”
Her eyes lit with surprise, and I knew this was the last
question she expected to be asked. When she didn’t answer
after several long seconds, I quickly backtracked. “You don’t
have to answer if you don’t want. I’m just curious.”
“No, it’s fine,” she said, though her eyes were troubled.
“I’m just trying to figure out how to answer.”
Her forehead creased in a cute frown, and I got the feeling
her answer wasn’t simple. If she just liked him because he was
popular or hot, she probably would have blurted that out by
now.
“I guess the reason I liked him for such a long time was
because I always thought there was more to him than what
everyone else saw.”
More too him? Were we talking about the same Owen?
“Okay…”
“He seemed to have this deep soul, and his cocky attitude
was just a wall he’d put up to hide it, like he was too scared to
show the world who he really was.”
I barely had words to respond her. She was not describing
my brother. There was simply no way. I’d barely spent any
time with him over the last few years though. Could I
somehow have missed the part where my brother got a soul?
“What makes you think that?”
Her cheeks warmed a little at the question. “You’ll
probably think it’s stupid, but it was back in middle school.
We had to write a poem for English and read it out to the class.
Owen’s poem wasn’t what I expected. His words were
beautiful and moving. They struck a chord in me, and I knew
then that he wasn’t the guy everyone thought he was.”
“A poem?” I murmured. “What poem?”
“We were supposed to write a personal reflection poem. I
can’t remember exactly what he wrote. Only what I felt when I
heard it. He talked about how he was nothing more than a
shadow cast by a flame that burnt so bright. How his soul felt
caged and blocked from sight.”
A cold wave of shock crashed over me. They were my
words. She hadn’t gotten them exactly right, but that was the
poem I’d written in seventh grade. And it seemed as though
my brother, who had been in a different class than me, had
stolen the poem and passed it off as his own. I’d always
thought I’d simply lost the piece of paper I’d written it on. I
guess I was wrong.
The fact he’d taken something so personal from me made
me feel sick to my stomach. The poem hadn’t been about
hiding a true personality behind a confident smile, like Hayley
thought. It was about how all anyone could see was my
brother and that I was nothing more than a shadow in his
wake. It was the first time I’d ever expressed that in any way,
and I couldn’t believe he’d stolen it.
“Anyway,” she continued. “I guess after he read it out, I
started to see how much more there was to him and I liked
what I saw.”
Hayley liked my brother because of words that I had
written. The realization hit me like a runaway truck. If Hayley
had heard me read the poem aloud in seventh grade, would she
have liked me instead? I couldn’t even begin to wrap my head
around how messed up this situation was.
“You think it’s stupid,” she said.
I blinked several times, realizing I’d been staring at her
silently for far too long, and quickly went to answer. “No, not
stupid.”
“Then why are you looking at me so weirdly?”
“No reason.” I couldn’t tell her the truth. I couldn’t let her
know that she’d been in love with a lie for years.
“There’s totally a reason. Spill.”
“No. It’s nothing,” I said. “I’m just amazed that you can
remember a poem from so long ago.”
She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Like I said, it struck a
chord with me. Do you think I’m an idiot for liking a guy
because of a poem?”
“I could never think you’re an idiot.”
A small smile curved the corner of her lips. “Well, anyway,
now you know why I started to like him.”
“Now, I know,” I agreed.
“And I should get going. Unless you have any other
burning questions you want to ask…”
“Not that I can think of.”
 “Okay, well, I’ll see you in the morning.” She jumped up
and gave me a brief peck on the cheek before she turned and
walked away.
As I watched her leave, I started to wish I’d never asked
her why she liked Owen. There was nothing I could do to
change the past, and I was torn about how much I should tell
her now. It would devastate Hayley to learn the feelings she’d
developed for my brother were based on a poem he didn’t
write, but could I really let her continue to believe she liked a
guy who didn’t exist? My brother wasn’t the guy she thought
he was.
I stood on my doorstep long after Hayley was gone. A lot
had changed since Owen read that poem in class. Years had
passed, and if Hayley still had feelings for him, I had to
believe they were based on the guy he’d become. The poem
was merely a catalyst, and if she saw more to Owen than
everyone else did, then who was I to doubt her feelings?
Still, as I thought back over our conversation, one small
thing kept hope alive within me: if she’d liked Owen because
of my poem, then perhaps I had a real chance with her.
17
 HAYLEY

I went to Ethan’s place each night after school that week

under the pretense of making Owen jealous and taking cute
pictures of us for my Instagram feed. The truth behind my
motives was far more sneaky though. I wasn’t there for the
fake relationship at all; I simply liked hanging out with Ethan
and wanted to do it as much as possible before we had to part
ways.
Spending time with him really wasn’t helping put a halt to
my growing feelings for him though. If anything, it was
making them worse. They felt like some kind of leaky faucet,
and the more you tried to turn it off, the more water came
rushing out of it.
How was I supposed to stop liking the guy though? He had
the cutest smile, and I was becoming slightly obsessed with
those rare occasions when that smile turned into a laugh. He
was also incredibly thoughtful. He always insisted on
watching whatever I wanted on TV when we hung out. And he
even spent one afternoon helping me learn the three chords
you needed to play “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift on the
guitar.
I somehow managed to stumble my way through the song.
It was meant to be an easy guitar song to learn, but I was
pretty hopeless. I might have learned more with a different
teacher. It was far too distracting when Ethan moved to correct
my fingers, and I often forgot to play if he sang along to the
song. I had to keep reminding myself he was in love with
someone else—and I was supposed to be too.
 “How are things going with Owen?” Madi asked, as we
walked into the cafeteria together on Friday.
“Owen?” Right, Owen, the guy I was supposed to be in
love with. I’d spent a surprisingly small amount of time
thinking about him this week. “We haven’t spoken since
Monday.”
I hazarded a glance in the direction of the table he always
ate lunch at. He was sitting next to Laurie and had his arm
casually slung over her shoulder. They looked like the perfect
couple as they laughed at a joke together. I waited for a twinge
of jealousy to hit me, but instead, I felt nothing.
“But surely, you’ve seen him at Ethan’s house when
you’ve been hanging out there after school?”
I focused on Madi once more. “I mean, I’ve seen him
there, but he’s usually in his room. And when he’s around,
Ethan and I are busy trying to make him jealous so he tends to
storm off pretty quickly.”
Madi tilted her head as she looked at me. “So, you’re still
going ahead with the plan?”
“Obviously,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “Why else
would I be spending so much time with Ethan?”
“Because he’s a sweet guy?”
“Well, that doesn’t hurt,” I muttered.
“What doesn’t hurt?” I turned to find Ethan standing
behind me, and I smiled. His hair was scruffy today, and he
pushed his glasses up his nose as he focused on me. I loved it
when he wasn’t wearing the glasses because I could see his
eyes so much clearer, but I was really starting to like them
when they were on too. They gave off a cute nerd vibe that
was hard to resist.
“I’ll see you guys over at the table,” Madi said, leaving us
alone.
“So, what doesn’t hurt?” Ethan prompted, as he took hold
of my hand and gave it a squeeze. I hoped the tingles I felt
whenever he took my hand in his would stop over time, but
they refused to go away.
“Nothing,” I quickly replied. The last thing I needed was
for Ethan to hear I thought he was sweet. Things were going
so well between us, and I really didn’t want him to find out
how much I was beginning to like him. If he thought real
feelings were developing on my side, he might put a stop to
the plan. He wasn’t the kind of guy who would ever lead a girl
on, and I knew he didn’t feel the same way about me. No, he
liked a different cheerleader.
I couldn’t stop myself from glancing toward the popular
table where most of the cheerleaders sat. It was something I’d
been doing more frequently this week as I tried to figure out
who Ethan liked. All the girls on the squad were beautiful, but
for many of them, that beauty was only skin-deep. They could
be nice enough when they wanted something, but for the most
part, their smiles hid how unpleasant they truly were. I liked a
couple of the girls well enough, but even the ones I liked
didn’t seem worthy of Ethan. No one did.
“Checking out my brother again?” Ethan asked, having
caught the direction I was looking in.
I blushed and shook my head. “Actually, I was thinking
about our next move for the plan.”
A flicker of doubt crossed Ethan’s eyes, but it cleared
pretty quickly. He probably thought I was too embarrassed to
admit I was watching Owen. His brother was smack bang in
the middle of all the cheerleaders, so it I could see why Ethan
thought I was focused on his twin.
He moved slightly closer as he went to respond. “Okay…
So, what’s the next move?”
“Something I’m not sure you’re going to like.”
“Why do you sound so nervous? Should I be afraid?”
“Very.”
For some reason, my warning didn’t seem to affect him
and he grinned. “Okay, I’m terrified. What are you thinking?”
 “Well, there’s a party this weekend at Tanner’s house.
Owen will be there, and most of the cheerleaders are going, so
I was thinking we should make an appearance.” I injected far
too much false enthusiasm into my voice, but it was better
than saying it in a tone that reflected how I truly felt. I was
hardly excited by the idea of going to the party and trying to
get Ethan’s mystery cheerleader to notice him. I wanted him to
be with the girl he dreamed of, but I couldn’t imagine any of
those girls making him happy.
Ethan’s mouth crinkled downward at my suggestion. “A
party?”
“Yeah. It could be fun.”
Ethan looked far from convinced though. “I don’t really do
parties, and I doubt Tanner wants me to crash.”
“I know you don’t really go to parties, but I think you
should make an exception for this one. And Tanner’s parties
aren’t exactly exclusive. Anyone can go.”
“And you want us to go together.”
“Yeah.”
Still Ethan paused. I should have jumped on his hesitation
and told him we didn’t have to go, but I was trying to help
him. Ethan deserved everything he wanted in life, and this
party might be my last opportunity to help him make his
dream girl see what an amazing guy he was. It would be so
much easier if he just told me who she was. Although, a large
part of me didn’t really want to know.
“Look, I know you’re not crazy about the idea,” I said.
“But prom is next weekend, and we’re running out of time to
make Owen jealous.” His brother barely made the list of
reasons I wanted to go to the party, but it was probably the
only argument I could make that would get Ethan to go. Ethan
definitely wasn’t a party guy.
“This might be our last chance,” I continued. “We can
really ramp up our fake relationship at the party, and if he
doesn’t want to take me to prom after that, then I think it’s safe
to say we’ve done all we can. We can invite Isla and Colin
too.”
Ethan’s eyes were troubled as he looked at me. He was
silent for several long moments before he finally exhaled and
nodded. “I guess we can go if that’s what you want.”
“Thanks, Ethan.”
We started walking toward our table, but I suddenly felt
queasy. I normally loved going to parties, but the thought of
Ethan ending the night in the arms of another girl made my
stomach twist. I was trying to do the right thing by him, but
sometimes, being selfless really sucked.

I DIDN ’ T GO to Ethan’s house after school that day. He had

practice with his band, and I was almost tempted to ask if I
could come watch. I loved hearing them play, and I knew Isla
went to their rehearsals. It felt too forward to ask though. It
was something a real girlfriend would want, not a fake one.
Instead, I lazed on the couch in the living room and flicked
on Netflix. I couldn’t be bothered searching through the crazy
amount of shows looking for something to watch, so I put on
an old favorite: The Vampire Diaries. I somehow managed to
get through several episodes before I was disturbed.
“Ugh, please don’t tell me you’re watching this crap
again,” Kitty said, as she entered the room.
I ignored her comment and kept my eyes on the screen.
There was clearly something wrong with my sister if she
couldn’t appreciate the amazingness that was Damon and
Stefan Salvatore. Who cared if the final seasons fell a bit flat
when you had those guys to drool over?
I’d always thought it was crazy Elena was torn between
the two siblings. Could it really be that hard to figure it out?
But, as I watched it, I was struck by the fact I had my own set
of problems with two brothers. There was Owen, the one I’d
wanted for as long as I could remember but wasn’t as excited
about as I had been. Then there was Ethan, who I wasn’t
supposed to want but I was developing feelings for. Feelings I
really needed to try to get rid of seeing as he liked someone
else.
“This show is stupid,” Kitty grumbled.
I lifted an eyebrow and glanced over at where she was
sitting on the couch. “And yet, you’re still watching it.”
She glared at me before looking back at the screen. My
sister was nothing if not consistent in her loathing of me.
Knowing her, she was probably intent on hating the show just
because I liked it.
“I saw Ethan’s promposal,” she said.
I was more surprised she was actually striking up a
conversation with me than I was about the fact she’d seen his
performance.
“It was pretty great,” I replied.
“Pretty great? It was amazing. You don’t deserve to be
with him.”
I knew Kitty was only saying that because she was being
Kitty, but for once, I felt like she might be right. I didn’t
deserve a guy as sweet as Ethan, and the more I got to know
him, the more I realized he was totally out of my league.
The girl he liked was really lucky to have his affections. I
almost felt angry with her for not noticing him. I mean, he
ignored hot fan girls and agreed to fake date me because he
liked her so much, and that was just the icing on a large cake
of reasons why he was such a great guy.
The episode I was watching came to an end, and I held out
the remote to Kitty. “You can watch something else if you
want.”
She didn’t hesitate to snatch the remote. “You’re done?”
“Yeah, I’m done. I’ve got a busy weekend and I’m tired, so
I might head to bed early tonight.”
 “Whatever,” Kitty replied, already searching for a new
show to put on.
I went up to my room and changed into my pajamas. As I
readied myself for bed, I found myself glancing out the
window and into Ethan’s room, yet again. It was something
I’d realized I was doing a lot this week, and it had come to feel
like a natural part of my day to check if he was there.
I smiled when I caught sight of him. He was sitting at his
desk in shorts and a baggy T-shirt, strumming on his guitar
with his eyes closed. From the way his lips were moving, I
could tell he was singing, and a tendril of disappointment
wrapped around me because I couldn’t hear his voice.
As I watched him, I noticed his window was open, so I
leaned forward to open mine a crack. It slowly creaked upward
until there was a small opening at the base of it, and the sound
of Ethan’s guitar began drifting into my room. My whole body
warmed as his dreamy voice joined the soft melody. His tone
was so expressive, and I could feel the emotions of the song in
every word.
I lay down on my bed and listened as he sang
“Wonderwall” by Oasis. He hadn’t performed this song at their
gig last weekend, but it was definitely worthy of being heard. I
closed my eyes as I allowed the sound of his voice to sweep
over me, lulling me toward sleep.
As I drifted off, one thought kept swirling around in my
head. I wasn’t sure if you could be in love with a voice, but if
you could, I had fallen for Ethan’s.
18
 HAYLEY

T anner really knew how to throw a party, and they’d

become quite legendary over the last few years. His
family had a large property on the outskirts of town. With no
neighbors nearby and his parents usually away on business, it
meant the music was always turned up to the max and people
got far too drunk.
Ethan’s eyes widened as we pulled up in his car and saw
Tanner’s house. There were plenty of people who were well-
off in our town, but Tanner’s family put them all to shame. He
lived in a sprawling mansion that was at least five times the
size of my house. It was constantly being renovated and had
all the latest gadgets. It never looked quite so pristine once
Tanner’s party guests were through with it though.
“It’s something else, isn’t it?” I said.
Ethan nodded. “I didn’t know places like this even existed
in Lincoln.”
“Yeah, Tanner’s grandpa was some media mogul, and I
think he had this place built just because he could.”
Ethan had pulled the car to a stop, but neither of us moved
to get out. There was something so calming about just sitting
here with him, and it was completely at odds with the heavy
bass I could hear thumping from inside the house.
“You look gorgeous tonight,” Ethan said.
My cheeks warmed, and I fought back a smile. “You’re my
fake boyfriend. You have to say that.”
 He looked me deep in the eyes and gave a slight shake of
his head. “I really don’t have to,” he replied. “I want to.”
My mouth felt suddenly dry. Ethan might have thought I
looked gorgeous tonight, but he was the one who was
beautiful. His glasses were slightly askew, and his hair was all
rumpled, but I couldn’t imagine him being any more perfect
than he was right now. I had to capture the moment in my
mind because I knew that tonight would be our last time
pretending we were more than friends.
As I stared into his eyes, I felt like I was falling. Like I was
tumbling out of control and being pulled downward by the
inescapable force of gravity. It wasn’t the ground I felt I was
hurtling toward though. It was Ethan.
I sucked in a deep breath and quickly looked away. The
feelings for Ethan I’d been trying to snuff out had roared
toward the surface and were refusing to be ignored. They
didn’t want tonight to be our last tonight together, and there
was one thing they were making abundantly clear: I wasn’t
just starting to like Ethan; I already did.
“Hayley?” Ethan’s voice was soft, and he sounded a little
nervous, like perhaps he could see all of the emotions he’d
awakened inside of me.
I cleared my throat. “We should probably get inside.” I
jumped out of the car before he could object and breathed in
the cool night air, hoping the chilly breeze would help displace
the heady fog clouding my mind. I wasn’t supposed to like
Ethan. But not even the fresh air did anything to change the
way my heart only wanted to beat for him.
Ethan gave me a smile as he took my hand. From the way
he was looking at me, he was completely clueless about how
much I liked him. It was at times like these I was relieved
mind reading wasn’t a thing because I wasn’t sure what to do
with these feelings. I couldn’t act on them, not when Ethan
was in love with another girl. My stupid heart was being quite
forgetful though, and it began to race as his thumb lightly
drew circles across the back of my hand.
 We entered the party, and Ethan hesitated just inside the
door. The place was packed, and a few girls were already
stumbling unsteadily in their heels. The music was so much
louder inside, and I could understand why Ethan might be
overwhelmed by it all.
“Should we go get a drink?” he asked.
I glanced in the direction of the kitchen and immediately
shook my head. A bunch of cheerleaders were hanging by the
doorway, and I didn’t want him anywhere near them. The sight
of them had awoken an envious green-eyed monster in my
belly, and I was no longer sure if I could handle helping Ethan
get together with one of those girls. I really needed to get
myself together.
“So, drink?” he prompted.
“No.” And not just because of the cheerleaders. Drinking
would be a terrible idea right now because I tended to be a
one-drink wonder. I didn’t want to risk getting drunk and
pouring my feelings out to him.
“Want to dance instead?” I blurted out the first alternative
that came to mind.
Ethan’s eyes flicked nervously toward the teeming group
of kids dancing in Tanner’s living room. “Uh…”
He clearly wasn’t a fan of the idea, but I didn’t give him a
chance to object. “Come on, it’ll be fun.” I gave him a
reassuring smile and led him by the hand into the crowd. He
cautiously followed after me. The dance floor was chaotic, but
I managed to locate a gap in the corner of the room that wasn’t
too crammed.
The song that was playing had a slow, easy melody, and
Ethan wrapped his arms around my waist as he started to
move. I lightly placed my hands on his chest and almost
immediately regretted the decision to dance. Being this close
to Ethan was not helping my confused heart at all. It especially
didn’t help when he kept smiling down at me.
Ethan had one of those smiles that made you feel like you
were the only person in the room. They didn’t come out often,
but when they did, it was a little like watching the sun peek
out from behind a cloud and having it bathe you in its warm
glow.
He leaned down so his lips came close to my ear, the scruff
of his stubble brushing against my cheek as he leaned in. “I’m
not much of a dancer,” he admitted.
“You seem to be doing just fine.” According to the tingling
sensation running across my skin, he was doing more than
fine. He was wrecking every ounce of resistance I had. I tried
to look anywhere but at his face as we danced. Knowing I
liked Ethan as more than a friend was like discovering I had an
itch I couldn’t scratch. The more I tried to ignore it, the more it
seemed to make its presence known until I was painfully and
constantly aware of the feelings inside me.
We danced together for the duration of the song. Being so
close to Ethan but knowing we could never be together for real
was the cruelest torment. He seemed blissfully unaware of the
turmoil I was experiencing, and I wished I could go back to
being unaware too.
When the next song came on, I spotted Isla and Colin
across the room and practically jumped out of Ethan’s
embrace. He looked a little shocked and confused by my
reaction until I pointed them out to him.
“Let’s go say hi.” I didn’t wait for his response as I raced
across the dance floor. I couldn’t seem to get away from Ethan
quickly enough. His presence had been intoxicating as we
danced, and I needed to sober up before I did something stupid
—like admit I wanted the fake part of fake boyfriend to
disappear.
Isla grinned when she caught sight of me. She was wearing
a sheer sequin dress that was far racier than her usual style. I
was beginning to realize you needed to expect the unexpected
when it came to Isla’s dress sense. She seemed to love pushing
boundaries with her clothes, and nothing appeared to be off-
limits.
I gave both Isla and Colin a hug in greeting. “Hey, guys,
I’m glad you could make it.” Isla returned my embrace firmly,
but Colin seemed to seize up under my touch. He gave me a
smile when we stepped apart though, so it seemed his robotic
hug was just down to his general awkwardness.
Ethan greeted his friends too, but I was quick to grab Isla
by the hand and drag her away. “You guys have fun. We need
to go do girl things,” I called over my shoulder to the boys.
They looked at each other and shrugged but were happy
enough to let us leave.
“Girl things?” Isla asked, once we were out of earshot of
the guys.
“Yeah, I’m having a crisis, and you’re my friend now, so
you need to come hold my hand while I take a few deep
breaths.”
Worry clouded Isla’s eyes, but she nodded and proceeded
to follow me outside. The party had spilled into Tanner’s
backyard, and it was just as busy out here as it was inside. Isla
and I wandered through the yard until we reached a set of
swings. They were hung off the limb of an old tree that looked
one storm away from keeling over. They were probably an
accident waiting to happen, but the swings were exactly the
kind of escape I needed right now. I sat and slowly started to
move back and forth as I caught my breath. Ever since I’d
arrived at the party with Ethan, I’d been struggling to get
oxygen into my lungs.
“So, what’s the crisis?” Isla asked when we’d been silently
swinging for several minutes.
I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. “I’m not sure I
can tell you.” I knew Ethan wouldn’t be happy with me if I
spilled the beans about our fake relationship to his friend, and
I didn’t want to betray him that way.
“Is there someone here you want me to find who you can
talk with?” she asked, concern touching her gaze.
I shook my head. Madi had a family dinner and wouldn’t
be at the party until later, while Evan and Teagan had gone to
see a movie. They were the only three people who I would
have dared tell the truth about Ethan to. I almost felt relieved
they weren’t here though. I wasn’t sure I was ready to voice
my confusion.
“Well, we can just swing until you’re feeling better,” Isla
said. She didn’t push me for an answer, and I only liked her
more for respecting that I couldn’t talk about my situation. I
found myself wanting her opinion more than anything though.
Isla was one of Ethan’s best friends, and she’d know if my
feelings for him were as hopeless as they felt.
A part of me simply wished my feelings weren’t real. That
perhaps they’d just appeared because Ethan was a nice guy
pretending to be my boyfriend. Maybe, they’d disappear as
soon as our relationship was over. It would certainly make my
life a whole lot simpler if this pesky, one-sided crush went
away. How did you even begin to figure out how real your
feelings were though?
I looked to Isla, wondering if she might have the answer I
was looking for. “Have you had many boyfriends?” I asked
her.
“A few.” She shrugged.
“But they didn’t work out?”
“Nah, those guys were total dweebs.”
“So, how did you know Dex was the guy for you?”
A soft smile lit her lips at the mention of her boyfriend.
“Everything just feels better when he’s around,” she said.
“There are so many things I love about him, of course, but you
know it’s right when it’s not just personality traits that matter.
It’s that feeling that being together is as easy as breathing.”
I frowned as I considered my time with Ethan. That was
exactly the thing that had surprised me: just how easy it was to
be with him. How everything felt better when he was around
and how I seemed to notice his absence like there was a small
shadow covering my heart when he wasn’t near.
Isla tilted her head as she looked at me. “Are you
reconsidering being with Ethan?”
 I quickly shook my head. “If anything, it’s the opposite,” I
muttered, making Isla grin.
“So, you really like him, huh?”
I exhaled a long breath as I nodded. “I think I do.”
Isla started clapping her hands together and bouncing on
her swing. “I knew it. You guys are perfect together. You know
that, right?”
“I’m just worried he doesn’t feel the same way. I mean,
you say we’re perfect, but we’re both so different.”
Isla snorted. “Don’t be silly. Of course, he feels the same
way. And sometimes, being different is exactly why the
relationship is perfect.”
I felt like she was just being kind though. If Ethan had told
her he had strong feelings for me, it would only have been
because he was playing his part well.
“If this is why you’re out here fretting, then you’re just
getting in your own head,” Isla continued. “Ethan’s crazy
about you. You don’t need to worry.”
“Thanks, Isla.” I gave her a tight smile before looking back
toward the house. I wished her words were true, but she didn’t
know about the other girl he liked.
“Should we go find the guys again? I think I’m feeling a
little better,” I said.
“Sounds good.” She jumped from the swing, and I
followed her back toward the house. I was still confused about
my feelings toward Ethan, but I felt a little more in control of
them after getting some fresh air.
When we returned to the house, I was surprised to find
Colin was waiting in the kitchen for us alone.
“Where’s Ethan?” Isla asked.
“He went to find the bathroom,” Colin replied. “He’s been
gone for ages though, so he’s probably lost.”
“Maybe, I’ll see if I can find him,” I said. The whole point
of tonight was for us to be seen together after all.
 I wandered in the direction of the bathrooms. There were
several in the house, but most people used the one near the
living room. I turned down the corridor that led to it but came
to a sudden halt. Ethan was standing at the far end of the
hallway, and he wasn’t alone.
He was talking to Laurie, and seeing the two of them
together threw me off guard. Laurie would never normally
notice that Ethan even existed, and she didn’t seem like the
kind of girl he’d strike up a conversation with either. But they
were standing so close to each other as they talked, and from
the way she was leaning toward him, their conversation looked
intimate
My stomach dropped as she placed a hand against his chest
and trailed her fingers across his torso. She was smiling up at
him seductively, and he wasn’t pushing her away. Why wasn’t
he pushing her away? Slowly, she moved even closer to him,
her lips nearing his as she wrapped an arm around his neck. A
wave of nausea hit me. I couldn’t watch what happened next.
I turned to rush away, but as I went to flee to the living
room, I found Owen standing in the doorway smiling at me.
“Hey, Hayley. I was hoping I’d run into you tonight.”
I nodded, barely able to look him in the eye. I was
struggling to stop myself from crying right now, and Owen
Beck was absolutely the last person I wanted to talk to.
“Can we talk?” he continued.
“Actually, I can’t.” I pushed past him and hurried back into
the crowded living room, but I didn’t stop there. Instead, I
pressed my way through the crowd and rushed out the front
door. I couldn’t escape this stupid party quickly enough, and
all I wanted to do was go home.
It was only once I was standing out on Tanner’s front
porch that I realized my ride home was currently entwined
with the most loathsome cheerleader at Lincoln High. My
stomach twisted as I realized the bitter truth: Laurie was the
girl he’d wanted all along.
“Hayley?” A tentative voice called my name.
 I turned to see Owen standing on the porch behind me. He
looked surprisingly nervous, and while I hadn’t wanted to talk
to him inside, I wasn’t annoyed he’d come after me. If
anything, it was nice not to be alone.
“I saw what made you run out here,” he said. “My
brother’s an ass for doing that to you.”
I shook my head. Ethan wasn’t an ass. He’d never been
anything but honest with me, and I was the stupid one for
developing feelings for the guy.
“Kissing another girl when you’ve got a girlfriend just
isn’t cool,” he added.
My stomach sunk to the floor. “So, they really kissed?”
Owen winced. “Shit, you didn’t see that? I assumed you
had.”
I shook my head. “No, I didn’t see that.” It had looked like
it was going to happen, but I hadn’t been able to watch. I
swallowed and glanced into the front yard. There were so
many cars parked outside the house, and I wished desperately
one of them was mine. Was it bad I was tempted to try to steal
one? I mean, I had no idea how to hotwire a car, so calling an
Uber was probably the more logical and legal option.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Owen asked.
“No. I just want to go home, but my ride is currently
preoccupied.”
Owen stepped toward me. “I drove tonight. I can take you
home if you like?”
I slowly looked up and into his eyes. The shade of blue
was so close to Ethan’s, and they were wide and filled with
concern. He looked so much like his brother at the moment,
and it felt like I was finally seeing the guy who had written
that poem all those years ago. This was the version of Owen
I’d started this whole plan for, but my stomach wasn’t filling
with butterflies as I looked at him. It was still clenching with
pain over losing the boy I never had.
“Hayley?” he prompted
 I gave him a grateful smile. “That would be nice.” I slowly
followed him over to his Mom’s car. Each step I took was
hard, but it came with a little relief because I knew I was going
home.
Owen didn’t talk much as he drove us, and I was grateful
for his silence. I didn’t want to discuss what I’d seen or the
disappointment I was feeling. Why did Ethan have to like
Laurie? She wasn’t a good person, and he deserved so much
better than her. I didn’t think he was the kind of guy who’d go
for a girl just because she was hot, but perhaps, I was wrong.
When Owen parked in his driveway, I gave him a tight
smile. “Thanks for driving me.”
“No need to thank me,” he said. “I wanted to do it.”
I nodded and went to open the door to leave, but Owen
placed a hand on my arm. “This is probably really bad timing,
but I’ve wanted to ask you out for the longest time.”
I turned to him. “What?”
He gave me a small, timid smile. “I always had the biggest
crush on you, but then, I came back to Lincoln and you were
already dating my brother.”
“You did?” His words left me speechless, and I almost
wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. I’d finally gotten Owen’s
attention, but it was now his brother who I wished was saying
those things to me.
“I did,” he replied. “I never wanted you to get hurt, but I
was secretly hoping Ethan would mess things up so I could
have a chance with you.”
I could do nothing but stare at him. None of this seemed
right.
“And now I guess he has…” His words hung in the air
between us, and he stared deeply into my eyes. We were
sitting so close to each other in his car, but his proximity did
nothing to excite me. No sparks were flying, and my heart was
hardly at risk of beating out of control. But from the way he
was looking at me, he felt completely different. There was a
hunger in his gaze, and I felt a little like a piece of meat he
wanted to sink his teeth into.
He leaned closer to me and took my hand in his. “I would
have liked to wait to ask you this,” he said, moving closer still.
“But we don’t have much time left…”
Given the direction of our conversation, I wasn’t sure I
wanted Owen to finish his sentence. I was stuck in the car with
him though, and my hand was firmly in his grasp. I could
hardly open the door and do a barrel roll out onto the
pavement to escape.
“Hayley,” he continued. “Would you go to prom with me?”
I slowly pulled my hand free of his grasp and frowned at
him. “I’m going to prom with your brother.”
“Still? After what he did tonight?”
Owen’s words made me feel sick to my stomach. Was that
what tonight was? Had Ethan finally put an end to our fake
relationship? Kissing Laurie made it seem pretty final.
“I don’t know,” I murmured.
“Hayley, you deserve so much better than someone who
would cheat on you. Please, let me take you to prom.”
This was the moment I’d been waiting for. It was the
whole reason why I’d started the plan with Ethan to begin
with. It didn’t make me the least bit happy though.
“So…” he prompted.
“I need to think about it.”
A hint of disappointment flickered across his eyes. “Of
course, you do. Why don’t you sleep on it tonight and let me
know tomorrow?”
I nodded and finally moved to get out of the car. He wound
down the passenger window once the door was closed behind
me. “I really hope you’ll go with me,” he said before he
backed the car out the driveway and tore off down the street.
He didn’t even wait to see if I got to my front door before
returning to the party.
19
 ETHAN

L aurie’s fingernails had been digging into my T-shirt, but

the moment she lifted them to caress my neck, I quickly
pushed her away. “What are you doing?” I growled.
A sly smile lit her lips as she gazed up at me through her
long lashes. “Well, I told you I wanted to tell you a secret, and
I was just going to whisper it in your ear…”
“You don’t need to put yours arms around me to do that,” I
replied. She’d cornered me just outside the bathroom about ten
minutes ago, and I’d been struggling to get free of her ever
since. She was what Hayley would like to term “handsy,” and
she kept on touching me, which was making me really
uncomfortable.
I wasn’t nervous around girls like Colin was, but I wasn’t
particularly confident either. I had no idea how to politely ask
Laurie to remove her claws from my clothing without being
rude, but the moment she’d started wrapping her hands around
my neck I’d snapped.
“Look, I don’t understand why you’re even talking to me,”
I said. “You never once noticed me before I started dating
Hayley, and I’d love to know what’s changed to have you
talking to me now…”
“Well, Hayley’s been saying such amazing things about
you to all the girls on the squad,” she replied. “How could I
not want to talk to you?”
I had the sudden urge to slap myself across the face. I
never should have told Hayley the girl I liked was a
cheerleader. She’d taken that side of the plan far too seriously
this week, and I suspected she’d been working hard to make
certain every cheerleader at Lincoln High knew how great I
was. Apparently, she’d done too good of a job.
“And I haven’t even told you my secret yet…” She started
to move in close to me once more, but I caught her by the
wrists before she managed to wrap her arms around my neck
again.
“I don’t think I need to hear your secret,” I replied, gently
releasing her hands. “And I should really get going. My
girlfriend will want to know where I am…”
Laurie shrugged and gave me a knowing smile. “Well,
don’t let little old me stop you…”
She stepped back, and my eyes narrowed as I watched her.
She’d seemed extremely intent on keeping me here, and her
sudden change in mind felt suspicious. I decided not to
question her though. I wanted to take the chance to escape her
clutches while it was still there.
“Have a good night, Laurie,” I said before turning to leave.
“You too, Ethan,” she called after me.
I glanced over my shoulder at her, and she waved her
fingers in my direction. I did not trust that girl one bit.
I hurried back to the kitchen, relieved to find Colin was
still hiding out in there. Isla was standing at his side too, but
Hayley was nowhere to be seen.
“Hey, have you guys seen Hayley anywhere?” I asked
them.
“She didn’t find you?” Colin asked. “I told her you’d gone
to the bathroom, and she went looking for you.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t see her. This place probably has
a million bathrooms though, so maybe she went to the wrong
one.”
“Maybe,” Colin agreed. “What took you so long anyway?”
 “Laurie cornered me by the bathroom and wouldn’t stop
talking.”
Isla’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “What did she want?”
“Beats me, but it felt like she was coming on to me.” As I
said the words out loud, I knew that couldn’t be right. I wasn’t
even close to Laurie’s type.
“I thought she was dating Jake,” Colin said.
“No, that relationship lasted like three seconds. They were
fighting all the time,” Isla said, earning surprised looks from
both Colin and me. “What? It’s not a crime to keep up with the
gossip in our school.”
“No, but it’s weird. You don’t even like half the kids at
school,” Colin replied.
“Which only makes the gossip more exciting. Some of the
things I hear are so juicy it’s better than watching an episode
of Days of Our Lives.”
“I didn’t know you liked soap operas,” I said.
“Love them,” she replied before giving me a smug smile.
“Speaking of juicy gossip, Hayley really seems to like you.”
I couldn’t stop the frown from forming on my face. I
quickly smothered it when I remembered that Isla believed
Hayley was my girlfriend. “That’s hardly gossip, and I should
hope so,” I said. “I am her boyfriend after all.”
Colin rolled his eyes, but thankfully, Isla didn’t catch his
expression.
“Does she know how much you like her too?” Isla
continued. “Because you should tell her.”
I couldn’t control my frown this time. “What exactly have
the two of you been talking about?”
“Oh, this and that. But you should make sure she knows
how much you like her. Girls deserve to be told things like that
all the time.”
“They do, do they?”
 “Yup. You should hit us over the head with a
sledgehammer of your love at least once a day, and even then,
it still might not be clear how much you like us.”
I chuckled. “Thanks for the visual. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Any time,” Isla replied.
I glanced around the kitchen once more, hoping to catch
sight of Hayley. We were supposed to spend tonight making
Owen jealous, but I’d barely seen her since we arrived.
“I should probably try to find Hayley,” I said.
Isla’s eyes flashed with a satisfied look. “You do that, lover
boy. I think Colin and I will go spike the punch.”
“I have a feeling it’s already spiked.” I laughed.
“I guess I’ll probably have a drink of it then. Come on,
Colin.” Isla grabbed his hand and dragged him to the other
side of the kitchen where a group of kids from school
surrounded a large bowl of red punch. Colin looked
immensely uncomfortable as he joined the group, but Isla
made herself quite at home as she struck up a conversation
with the people there. My two friends couldn’t have been more
different, but that didn’t make them any less awesome.
Drawing in a long breath, I returned to the living room. I’d
thought it was hectic earlier, but now, it was heaving with
people dancing, and it was almost impossible to move through.
I had to push and shove at my classmates to make any
headway, and the lights were turned down so low that spotting
Hayley was like searching for a needle in a haystack with a
blindfold on.
Still, I searched the crowded dance floor from one side to
the other with no luck. I’d sent her a text but still hadn’t gotten
a response. Maybe it was too loud for her to hear her phone.
“Ethan.” I glanced up from my phone to find Madi smiling
at me. She was dressed in a simple top and jeans, but Madi
was the kind of girl who didn’t need to dress up to look
stunning. She was a lot like Hayley in that way. Hayley could
have rocked up tonight in a pajama onesie with a facemask on,
and I would have thought she was the most beautiful girl in the
room.
“Hey, Madi,” I replied with a warm smile. Madi and I
weren’t friends exactly, but we’d been bio partners last year,
and I felt like I was getting to know her a little better since I’d
started eating my lunch with Hayley. She was standing near
the front door, so I assumed she hadn’t been here long. “Did
you just arrive?”
“Yeah, I got stuck at a family dinner. I thought my dad was
never going to let me leave,” she said. “How’s the party been?
Is Hayley with you?”
I shook my head. “I’ve been searching but can’t find her
anywhere.”
Madi frowned before speaking in a low whisper. “I thought
you guys were all about operation fake relationship tonight?”
“We were supposed to be, but we were dancing earlier, and
then, she said she needed girl time, and I haven’t seen her
since.”
Madi looked surprised. “That’s not like Hayley to just
ditch you all night.”
“It’s not. But if things started looking up with my brother,
then who knows.” The sound of disappointment was clear in
my voice, but I couldn’t seem to avoid it.
Madi tilted her head as she stared at me, and her eyes
narrowed like she was attempting to read my mind. “Would it
bother you if things did look up with Owen?” she slowly
asked.
“No, of course not!”
“Because, I’ve been watching you both pretty closely the
last couple of weeks, and I’ve never seen you even look in
another girl’s direction.”
“I’m just playing my part,” I quickly replied.
She shook her head though, her eyes filled with doubt.
“No, it’s more than that. If I were a betting woman, I’d say
there’s no mystery crush.”
 Panic made my eyes widen, and Madi gasped as she saw
my reaction. She’d hit the nail on the head with her guess and
now she totally knew it.
“I’m right, aren’t I? There is no mystery crush.”
“Of course, there is!”
Madi didn’t seem to hear my reply though, and she kept
talking like I hadn’t said a word. “You like Hayley, don’t
you?”
Adrenaline raced through my body, and I wanted nothing
more than to escape Madi’s penetrating gaze. I wasn’t ready to
admit my feelings to anyone, let alone Hayley’s best friend.
“You’ve got it all wrong,” I said. “I like Hayley but not
like that. I mean, she’s amazing, and any guy would be lucky
to have her, but we’re just friends.” I was completely
rambling, and Madi didn’t look like she believed me for one
second.
“It’s okay to like her, you know…” Her voice was gentle,
and there was a knowing look in her eyes, like she could easily
see through my lies.
“Is it?” I asked. “Maybe you haven’t noticed, but she’s
kind of into my brother.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Well, she’s only pretending to date me to get him to
notice her, so I think her feelings are quite clear.”
Madi gave me a small smile. “I don’t think they’re as clear
as you think they are.”
My heart leaped though I knew it was hopeless. I wanted
Madi to be right more than anything.
“Look, you don’t have to tell me you like her,” Madi said.
From the way she was looking at me though, she was already
convinced. “But, I know my best friend,” she continued. “And
I don’t believe Owen is the right guy for her. I think that you
could be though.”
 Her words felt like something out of a dream. Could Madi
really believe that I was the guy for Hayley?
“Tell her how you feel,” she continued. “What’s the worst
that could happen?”
I could imagine many bad things that might happen if I
opened my heart to Hayley, but I was going to lose her
anyway, so what was stopping me?
“I’ll think about it,” I said, making Madi smile. “But, right
now, I should probably just keep looking for her.”
She couldn’t keep the grin from her lips as she looked at
me. “I’ll leave you to it, but if I see her, I’ll tell her you’re
searching for her.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem,” Madi said before moving past me and into
the house. I considered following her, to search the living
room again, but figured it was time to try giving Hayley a call
instead. It was far too noisy in the house though, so I opened
the front door and walked out onto the porch where it was
quieter.
I regretted leaving the house the moment I closed the door
behind me. My brother was right outside.
“Owen.” I gritted out his name.
He turned and rubbed his eyes dramatically when he
caught sight of me like he couldn’t believe I was here. “Wow, I
didn’t realize Tanner let losers like you into his parties,” he
laughed. “I guess he’s more charitable than I gave him credit
for.”
I huffed out a breath and went to walk around him, but
Owen moved to block my way and I took a quick step back
from him. “Do you need something?”
“Well, I did,” he snarled. “It was just a little bit of money.
But you wouldn’t give that to me, would you?”
I couldn’t stop a groan erupting from my mouth.
“Seriously? You want to talk about that now?”
 Owen shrugged. “Not really. But, I figured I should
probably let you know that when I said you’d regret that, I
wasn’t joking around.”
“Yeah, okay, great.” I wasn’t in the mood for my brother’s
games, so I pushed past him with more force this time.
Owen grabbed my arm though, stopping me in my tracks.
“I decided your little girlfriend seemed like appropriate
payment.”
My stomach pulled tight and anger radiated across my skin
at his threat. “Leave Hayley out of this,” I growled, making
Owen’s eyes dance with delight.
“Oh, you really do care about her,” he said. “It’s a shame
she’s going to be breaking up with you after tonight.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Just that she was simply devastated when she saw how
close you and Laurie were getting at the party, and her little
heart seemed to break when I told her what happened with you
two…”
“Nothing happened with Laurie.”
“Well, I know that, and you know that, but Hayley was
quite easily persuaded.”
“I’ll tell her the truth.”
“And who’s she going to believe? The boyfriend who
cheated on her or the guy who consoled her? Laurie’s a very
good-looking girl, it wasn’t a hard thing to convince Hayley
that she’s the cheerleader you’d rather be with.”
Fear gripped hold of me as I realized he had a point. Of
course, Hayley would believe him. I’d stupidly told her I was
crushing on a cheerleader. There had to be something I could
do though.
“I’ll get Laurie to tell her the truth…”
Owen burst out laughing. “Laurie’s the one who helped me
come up with the idea. She’d do just about anything to date me
and was only too happy to bring Hayley Lawson down a peg
or two. I think we certainly succeeded with that tonight. All I
need to do now is take Hayley to prom and enjoy watching
your little heart break.”
“I won’t let you do this.”
Owen’s lips curved in an unpleasant smile. “Then, give me
the money I asked for.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Then, you can only blame yourself for whatever happens
next.”
I had never wanted to punch my brother so much in my
life. I had no idea why he was so cruel to me or how he could
justify going out of his way to hurt Hayley and me simply
because I’d refused to lend him money. I was done with him.
I wrenched my arm free of his tight grasp and shoved him
away before I started toward my car.
“She’s finished with you!” Owen called after me. “You’ve
already lost her!”
I refused to acknowledge him though. I couldn’t lose
something I never had, but I wasn’t about to let Hayley believe
Owen’s lies. My own feelings aside, I couldn’t let him use her
just to hurt me. I only hoped it wasn’t already too late.
20
 HAYLEY

“M om, why do boys suck so much?” I moaned, as I

sat at the kitchen counter and ate my body weight
in ice cream.
She didn’t answer my question directly. “Are you going to
tell me what happened tonight?” she asked instead.
“Probably not.” My answer was muffled by a mouthful of
ice cream, and Mom shook her head at me. She was probably
wondering whether or not I was truly her daughter right now.
She had all the poise and refinement of the beauty queen she
was. I, on the other hand, was a total mess.
I couldn’t stop thinking about how Ethan had kissed
Laurie, and my mind kept trying to add visuals I didn’t want to
see. After witnessing them in the corridor, it was far too easy
to conjure a picture of them kissing. And that was definitely
something I didn’t want to think about.
The whole thing just felt wrong though, and despite what
I’d seen, it was hard to believe it was true. It was like my eyes
were playing tricks on me, because I knew Ethan wasn’t the
kind of guy who would cheat on a girl—fake relationship or
not. We’d become friends over the past few weeks, and I
didn’t think he’d end our arrangement without speaking to me
first. I was probably totally wrong though, especially if Laurie
was his dream girl. It seemed she’d finally noticed him, and he
would have been stupid not to kiss her.
All this thinking was giving me a headache, and I felt
justified in at least blaming my pulsing brain on Ethan.
Between him and his brother, I was completely done with boys
for the night.
My dad entered the kitchen, and I turned to him. “Dad?
Why do boys suck so much?” Hopefully, he had the answer I
was looking for. Mom was being useless.
His forehead creased. “Did some boy hurt you?”
“No, of course not.”
“Because if they did, I’ll kill them.”
“I’m fine. A boy didn’t hurt me, Dad.”
“And I’ve spent years watching true crime shows in
preparation for this moment. I know how to hide a body.”
I had to smother a smile. My Dad might have been strict
on me, but he turned into an overprotective mountain lion if I
was ever at risk of being hurt.
“I swear I’m fine,” I repeated. “It was more a
philosophical question.”
“Then, why the gallon of ice cream? And why aren’t you
home from your party ten minutes after curfew and pleading
for forgiveness like normal?”
I shrugged. “The party wasn’t fun, and I didn’t feel like
staying.”
He continued to stare at me, and I could practically see the
cogs turning in his brain. Yeah, he was far from convinced by
my lies.
The doorbell rang, thankfully interrupting Dad’s stare
down. Mom went to get it, but when she came back, I kind of
wished she’d ignored the bell entirely.
“Ethan Beck’s at the door,” she said. There was a knowing
tone in her voice, like she knew perfectly well he was the one
behind my current ice cream binge. “He wants to speak to
you.”
“Is this the boy?” Dad puffed his chest out like he was
preparing to do battle.
 I jumped from my seat and quickly headed him off before
he could storm to the front porch and make a scene. “It’s not
the boy.”
Dad’s eyes narrowed.
“I swear.”
He stared at me a moment longer before he slowly started
to relax. “Fine, but if I see one tear on your face, he’s a goner.
Plus, it’s nearly your curfew, so you have ten minutes before I
come outside and drag you back in.”
“Okay, okay.” I raced out of the room before he could
change his mind and create that scene he so clearly wanted to
make. Ethan was the last person I felt like seeing after tonight,
but I knew this talk was going to have to happen at some
point. It might as well be now.
I pushed my shoulders back as I opened the front door.
Ethan sat on the porch swing waiting for me, and he jumped
up as I walked toward him.
“It’s not true,” he said as he rushed toward me. “What
Owen told you, it’s not true.”
I bit my lower lip as I looked into his eyes. I hadn’t
thought Ethan capable of cheating, and he looked truly
distraught. His skin had paled drastically since I last saw him,
and his soulful eyes were filled with sadness.
“So, you didn’t kiss Laurie?”
“No. Everyone thinks I’m in a relationship with you, and
even though you’re only my fake girlfriend, I would never do
that to you.”
I took a deep breath in as I considered him. “I saw you two
at the party. She was all over you.”
“And I pushed her away. Trust me when I say that I could
never like a girl like Laurie.” My cold heart seemed to warm,
and as I stared into his eyes, I believed him. Ethan was a good
guy and wouldn’t do that to me. We weren’t even in a
relationship, so what reason would he have to lie?
 “I thought she might be your dream girl,” I murmured.
“The one you’re doing all of this for.”
“She’s not the girl I like.” He glanced down at his feet,
struggling to meet my gaze. He clearly wanted to avoid the
subject. But then, he started speaking again. “The girl I like is
smart and beautiful,” he said. “She’s funny and kind and full
of life. Laurie is none of those things.”
He slowly peered up at me. His eyes were slightly nervous,
like he was unsure how I’d react to his words. I was finding
them hard to process, and it was suddenly hard to breathe.
Hearing Ethan confess his feelings for someone else was like
having my head pushed under water without warning. I
desperately wanted to fight my way to the surface, but I had no
idea which way was up.
He was still looking at me like he was waiting for a
response, but all I wanted to do was go back inside and finish
that tub of ice cream. Was it possible that ten minutes had
already passed and my curfew was up? I’d give just about
anything for my dad to come out here and drag me away.
I gave him a tight smile. “Well, she sounds awesome.”
“She is.” I wished he wasn’t looking at me with such a soft
expression on his face. It was hard enough to hear he liked
someone else, let alone while he was looking at me like that.
“Hayley, this girl—”
“So, Owen asked me to prom,” I said, cutting him off
before he could utter another word about his perfect girl and
finally break my heart.
Ethan froze. He seemed to hold his breath for several long
seconds, and his shoulders grew tense, like he was preparing
to take a punch. Slowly, the expression on his face changed.
The softness that had been there moments ago disappeared,
and he almost looked disappointed. “He did?”
“He did.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“That I needed to think about it.”
 He slowly pushed a hand through his hair. “That’s good.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.” He drew in a long breath before he continued. “I
don’t think you should go to the prom with my brother.”
My heart seemed to stall, and I floundered as I tried to
kick-start it again. I had no idea what had changed Ethan’s
mind about the plan, but every part of me was hoping that,
despite everything, I still had a chance with him.
I took a deep breath before I responded. “Why not?”
“Because he doesn’t want to go to prom with you for the
right reasons. You’re such a special girl, Hayley, and you
deserve to go to prom with a guy who cares about you.”
It wasn’t the answer I was hoping for, and I frowned. “So,
you don’t think Owen cares about me?”
“I know he doesn’t.” There was genuine concern in
Ethan’s eyes, and I could tell he was finding it difficult to
admit this to me. “He only wants to go with you because he
thinks it will hurt me. You’re my friend, and I can’t let him do
that to you.”
My frown only intensified, and it was impossible to deny
the pain that lanced through me as he spoke. It wasn’t
particularly nice to hear that Owen didn’t like me or that he
only wanted to use me to upset Ethan. But what truly hurt was
that Ethan only viewed me as a friend. A friend he was trying
to look out for.
Ethan was still completely infatuated with someone else,
and as I watched him, I realized my part in this was over. I’d
done my best to help him gain the affections of his mystery
crush, but now, it was up to him. We couldn’t keep up this
relationship façade forever. At some point, I had to step back
and give Ethan a chance to be with the girl he liked.
I sighed. I knew what I had to do. “I appreciate your
concern,” I said. “But, I’ve wanted to go to prom with Owen
for as long as I can remember. I know you’re worried about his
intentions, but I’m a big girl, and I don’t need you to look out
for me.”
 “Hayley…”
“I can work out for myself whether Owen cares about me
or not. Unless there’s another reason you don’t think I should
go with him…” My words hung in the air, and I desperately
hoped Ethan had a different reason. That he was so against me
going to prom with Owen because he wanted to take me
himself. I knew it was wishful thinking, especially after
everything he’d said tonight, but a part of me held out hope
that maybe I’d missed something.
Ethan stared into my eyes, and I held my breath as I waited
for him to respond. I had no idea what was going on in his
mind, but the longer he took to speak, the more nervous I
became.
“I can’t think of one,” he finally murmured. I glanced
away so he couldn’t see the disappointment in my eyes. I’d
known this response was coming, but it was painful
nonetheless. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
I looked back at him and lifted one shoulder in a shrug.
“It’s what I wanted, right?”
This time, when his shoulders slumped, I knew I wasn’t
imagining it. “Then, you should go with Owen. Just be
careful.”
My mouth felt suddenly dry as I nodded. “I will.”
Ethan gave a decisive nod, and I felt like my heart
fractured for a second time that night as he slowly turned and
made his way off my porch. I wrapped my arms around my
body as I watched him go, desperately wishing he’d said the
words I’d wanted to hear. Ethan had a dream girl of his own
though who clearly wasn’t me, and if there was one thing I
was certain of, it was that Ethan deserved to be happy.

“W HAT ON E ARTH happened on the weekend?” Madi hissed at

me on Monday morning.
 “Well, hello to you too,” I said, as I glanced at her from my
locker.
“I’m serious, Hayley. I’ve only been at school for five
minutes, but already, I’ve heard people saying that Ethan
cheated on you at Tanner’s party and then you dumped him for
his brother?”
I lifted an eyebrow at her. “I haven’t spoken to Owen since
the party, so I have no idea where that rumor started.”
“And the part where Ethan cheated?”
“Another rumor. At least, he told me it wasn’t true, and I
believed him.” I lowered my voice before I continued.
“Anyway, you can’t really cheat if you’re not actually in a
relationship.”
Madi let out a relieved breath. “So, you’re still together.”
“Nope.” I closed my locker door and then leaned against it
as I watched the confusion on my friend’s face grow.
“I really can’t keep up,” Madi admitted. “I saw you guys
together all last week and was really starting to believe you
actually liked him.”
“Maybe, I’m just really good at acting.”
“Well, we both know that’s not true. You’re terrible at
acting.”
I huffed out a breath. “Then, maybe, I liked him, but he
didn’t like me back.”
Madi’s face fell. “So, you did like him.”
It was hard to admit out loud, but I couldn’t lie to my best
friend, especially not about this. “Yeah. I did.”
“But, I thought he liked you too.”
“I’m not the girl he wants.” I tried to play it cool, like the
horrific truth didn’t ruffle me one bit, but my voice came out
sad and pathetic.
“Are you sure?” she asked. “I was so certain he liked you.”
“I’m sure. He only likes me as a friend.”
 Madi wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me
close. “Well, then, he’s an idiot.”
I couldn’t agree with her though. After spending the last
couple of weeks with Ethan, I’d gotten to know him pretty
well, and he was far from an idiot. He was just already in love
with someone else, and I came along too late to ever have a
chance.
Madi dropped her arm from around me. “So, are you going
to go to the prom with Owen? He’s telling anyone who will
listen that you are.”
“Ugh, no.” I scrunched up my nose with disgust. It was
crazy how I could go from loving to loathing someone so
quickly. And, after Saturday night, I really did loathe him. It
hadn’t taken me long to piece together the fact Owen must
have lied about Ethan and Laurie kissing. Ethan had said his
brother wanted to hurt him, and I was guessing the lie he told
me was his way of doing it. Unfortunately, the lie had worked
but not in the way Owen might have intended.
“And have you told him you’re not going to prom
together? Apparently, he thinks you are…”
“I told Owen I’d think about it and haven’t spoken to him
since. I think that makes my answer pretty clear.”
“So, who will you go with then?”
“Myself.” I shrugged. “I think I’m done with boys right
now, and any guy I went with wouldn’t be the one I wanted, so
I don’t see the point.”
Madi’s eyes became sad as I spoke. “You could come with
Cole and me?” she suggested.
“Yeah, that’s definitely not going to happen,” I replied.
“I’m not afraid to go solo, but you had better save me a few
dances.”
Madi looked like she wanted to argue over it some more
but was interrupted as Isla came flying toward us. “It’s not
true! I swear. Ethan would never, in a million gazillion years,
cheat on you.”
 What was it with people this morning and not saying
hello? “Hey, Isla, I know it’s not true.”
She looked prepared to launch into an all-out defensive
assault, but she blinked and drew back. “You do?”
“Yeah, I do. Ethan’s a good guy. I might have believed it
for half a second, but when I saw him later that night, I didn’t
have a doubt in my mind.”
Isla’s shoulders relaxed as she let out a breath. “Oh, man,
I’m so glad to hear that. Everyone was talking about it when I
got to school, and I was worried you guys might break up.”
“They did,” Madi replied.
Isla’s eyes sparked as she gave me an accusatory look.
“But, you just said you believed him.”
“I do, but the two of us just aren’t right together.”
“You guys are perfect together.”
I shook my head though. “He likes someone else.”
Isla was silent for several long moments. “That’s not
possible,” she finally said. The bell for first period chimed,
and I pulled my books in close to my chest.
“I wish things were different,” I replied, as I started to
move to class. “But, the sad truth is I like Ethan, but he
doesn’t like me back.”
21
 ETHAN

I sla had been giving me dirty looks all day. I wasn’t exactly
sure what I’d done to annoy her, but I was too miserable
about things with Hayley to care. The whole plan had come
crashing down around me on the weekend, and it felt like I’d
lost my chance with her forever.
I’d been on the verge of revealing my feelings to Hayley
when she’d dropped the Owen-prom bombshell on me. The
moment seemed right, and I finally felt like I’d worked up the
courage. But as soon as she told me my brother had asked her
to prom, I knew I couldn’t express how I really felt.
I’d desperately tried to warn her it was a bad idea, but
Hayley wouldn’t listen to me. Despite everything I told her
about Owen, she still wanted to go to prom with him. Was she
really so blind to the fact he wasn’t right for her? Did she
really not care he was only using her?
I avoided my friends at lunch, instead choosing to use one
of the music rooms to practice my guitar. I’d told Colin what
happened on Saturday night, but I hadn’t had the guts to own
up to Isla yet. She deserved to know the truth about Hayley
and our fake relationship and how it had blown apart. I
couldn’t face her disapproval though, so I embraced the
pathetic wreck that I was and went into hiding.
“Where were you at lunch?” Colin asked, as he caught me
before my next class.
“I haven’t had much time to play this week, so I went to
one of the practice rooms.”
 Colin looked me in the eyes for half a second before he
shook his head. “You’re a terrible liar. You know that, right?”
I dug my hands into my pockets and scuffed a shoe against
the floor. “Yeah, I know.”
“Still too scared to tell Isla the truth?”
“Wouldn’t you be?”
Colin chuckled. “Yeah, probably. She seems to think you
and Hayley broke up because you like someone else.”
“What?” My eyes lit with genuine surprise. “But, she
knows I’ve liked Hayley for years. How could she honestly
think that?”
“Well, Isla talked to Hayley, and that’s what she said
happened…”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” I muttered. “We broke up
because Hayley wanted to go to prom with Owen.”
“Or maybe, Hayley thinks you ended the fake relationship
because of Owen and because of your mystery girl,” Colin
replied. “Hayley is still completely oblivious to the fact she’s
the one you like after all.”
He had a point, but unfortunately, it didn’t change
anything. Hayley still wanted to go to the prom with my
brother, and as much as I wished things were different, she’d
made it clear she wanted to be with Owen.
I was distracted from Colin as a group of girls walked past
me and gave me a series of scowls. I blew out a breath and
tried to ignore them. They weren’t the first glares I’d received
today, and they probably wouldn’t be the last. People in this
school tended to believe any and all gossip they heard, and
thanks to my brother, everyone in school seemed to think I’d
cheated on my girlfriend.
“I’m really ready for school to be over with today,” I
grumbled.
Colin gave me a sympathetic smile. “Don’t stress. Give it a
couple of days, and they’ll all be either loving or hating on
someone else.”
 I hoped that were true. Unfortunately, the scowls were only
one part of my current depressing existence. The other part
was walking down the corridor toward me. Owen gave me a
sneer that was filled with pure hatred as he approached, and I
knew he wouldn’t be letting things go between us so easily.
“The girls don’t seem to be such big fans of you anymore,”
Owen said as he approached. “I guess your fifteen minutes of
fame is over.”
They were the first words he’d shared with me since
Saturday night. He hadn’t sought me out at home, and he’d
been making a point of avoiding family dinners, given that our
parents were both still furious with him.
“Just leave him alone,” Colin growled. I placed a hand
against his chest, trying to calm my friend. The last thing
Colin needed was to get on Owen’s bad side too.
Owen laughed and shook his head. “You’re both pathetic. I
almost feel bad for stealing your little girlfriend.” He paused
as if he were thinking about it. “Actually, maybe, I don’t.”
My chest tightened, as the remaining fragments of my
heart seemed to shatter. So, it was true. Hayley and he were
dating. I’d heard the rumors floating around the school, but it
hadn’t felt real until I’d heard it confirmed by Owen.
He smirked as he caught the expression on my face and
leaned in so his mouth was close to my ear. “I hope you
remember this feeling and think twice before messing with me
again. And believe me when I say it’s only going to get worse
when you see your precious Hayley in my arms this weekend.”
He gave me a pat on the shoulder before continuing on his
way. I stared after him, at a total loss for words. I normally had
no problem standing up to my brother, but right now, I wished
I’d just given him the stupid money he’d asked for. I felt
completely powerless and had no idea how to protect Hayley
from him. He couldn’t be stopped, and she wouldn’t listen to
my warnings. What was I going to do?
“Are you sure your parents weren’t given the wrong baby
at the hospital?” Colin asked. “I find it really hard to believe
you two are related.”
“If only,” I muttered.
“And are you really just going to let him walk all over you
like this?”
I blew out a breath and shrugged. “He’s already taken the
one thing I care about. What’s the point in fighting back?”
“Ah, because you deserve to be happy?”
I slowly turned away from my brother’s retreating figure to
look at Colin. “Even if I fight, I won’t be happy,” I replied.
“I’ve already told Hayley the truth about Owen, but she either
didn’t care or didn’t believe me. There’s nothing more I can
do.”

I T TOOK Isla three days to finally corner me. I’d done my best
to avoid her at school, but it was a little harder to do when she
turned up at our band practice in Colin’s garage.
“Why have you been avoiding me!” Isla exclaimed, as she
stormed through the garage door. It was the first time I’d seen
her enter the room without immediately running and throwing
herself into Dex’s arms, so I knew I was in trouble.
Colin and Dex both shared a smirk. Did they have to enjoy
my pain quite so much?
“Ethan Immanuel Beck. I asked you a question!”
My gaze jolted back toward Isla, who now had both hands
on her hips and a stern look on her face. She’d used my middle
name, so I knew she was really unimpressed with me.
“I wasn’t avoiding you, Isla.”
“Yes, you were. You’ve been coming in late to homeroom
all week and hiding away in the practice rooms at lunch. And,
as if that’s not bad enough, you didn’t even tell me that you
and Hayley broke up! I had to hear the news from some stoner
kid.”
 A small laugh escaped Dex, and Isla turned her hard eyes
on him. “Dexter. Colin. Will the two of you please give us a
moment?”
The amused expressions on their faces dropped, and they
quickly nodded before disappearing from the room. This was
exactly the reason why I tended to avoid giving Isla bad news.
She could be really scary when she wanted to be, and right
now, I was terrified.
Her hard expression softened once we were alone though.
“Why haven’t you talked to me? With all the rumors swirling
around, I’ve been really worried about you.”
Her words were like a stake pushed right into my chest. I
hated upsetting Isla more than anything. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell
you what happened on the weekend. I just didn’t know how to
explain it all to you.”
“You explained it fine to Colin.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s just that there were some things I
hadn’t told you about, and I wasn’t sure you’d understand.”
Confusion clouded Isla’s eyes. “What things?”
I took in a deep breath and finally told Isla the truth. The
whole truth, including every detail of the arrangement I had
with Hayley. She stayed silent through the whole story, her
expression never changing from the confused look she’d given
me before I started to explain.
When I finally finished, she was shaking her head. “None
of this makes any sense.” At least, she didn’t sound angry.
“Well, I’ve told you everything now.”
“Which you should have done from the very start,” she
snapped back before her expression softened again. “But,
seriously, I don’t think Hayley would break up with you to go
to prom with Owen. I think she really likes you.”
I shook my head though. “She said going to prom with
Owen was what she wanted.”
“I don’t believe that,” Isla immediately replied. “Seriously,
you should have seen her when she told me about you guys.
She was really upset that you were over, and her voice
practically broke when she talked about you liking someone
else.”
“It was all just pretend, Isla.”
She didn’t seem convinced. “There are some things you
can’t fake. And though your relationship might not have been
real at the beginning, I’ve seen the way she looks at you, and I
definitely think it was by the end.”
Her words made me pause, and for a brief hopeful second I
wondered if she were right. “Why would she go to prom with
Owen if she really liked me?”
“Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it? If you told her you liked
someone else, of course, she was going to step aside and let
you go with that girl.”
“But, the girl I like is Hayley.”
“And have you told her that?”
“Well, no…”
“Then, she has absolutely no idea that you’re not in love
with someone else.” Isla shook her head. “You boys are
useless. You know that, right?”
My eyes widened as I realized she was right. Hayley
would never keep me in a fake relationship any longer than
she had to. Now that Owen had asked her to prom, there was
no reason for her to continue with the plan, especially if she
thought I loved someone else. She thought she was giving me
my chance with my dream girl, but in reality, she was the one I
wanted to be with.
“What am I going to do?”
Isla started to grin. “You’re going to tell her how you
really feel.”
“And what if she doesn’t like me back? What if she still
likes Owen?”
“Then, you can keep sulking, just like you are now, but if
you don’t take a chance and tell her the truth, then, you’ll lose
her forever.”
I slowly nodded, knowing Isla was right. “So, how do I do
this?”
Isla smiled. “We’ll come up with a brilliant plan with my
help this time, of course.”
“Thank you, Isla.”
She rolled her eyes at me. “And this is why you should
always include me in any covert ops. Remember that for next
time, okay.”
She turned and walked from the garage, waving a hand at
both Dex and Colin, who had apparently been listening from
the door the whole time.
“So, you’re going to try and win Hayley back?” Colin
asked with a grin, as he stepped back into the garage.
I couldn’t stop a smile from stretching across my lips in
response. “It looks like it. I just hope it works.”
22
 HAYLEY

P rom was one of those things you spent a whole year

getting excited for, and when it came to school dances, I
usually went overboard in my enthusiasm. Tonight, my usual
happy feelings were nowhere to be found, and my stomach
pooled with dread as I considered the night ahead.
I usually got ready for all the dances with Madi, but I’d
made some lame excuse to avoid going to her house. I was
glad she’d so easily bought my lie because I wasn’t sure I
could fake any enthusiasm tonight. I couldn’t even bring
myself to start getting ready. Instead, I sat on my bed simply
staring at the beautiful blue prom dress hanging over the back
of my door.
My bedroom window was shut, and my blinds had been
firmly closed for the past week. Tonight was the first time I
was tempted to peek out of it and take a look into Ethan’s
bedroom. I wanted to see him dressed up in a tux even though
I knew he wouldn’t be dressed up for me. My heart still
flinched every time I thought about the amazing girl he liked,
and my stomach clenched with longing as I wished that girl
was me.
A gentle knock sounded at my door, and I looked up as
Mom entered the room. Her face held a look of expectation,
which quickly dropped when she caught sight of me. “You’re
not dressed,” she said. “Why aren’t you dressed? Prom starts
in twenty minutes.”
“I’m not sure if I want to go anymore,” I replied.
 “Why not?” She walked over and sat on my bed, glancing
around the room with a look of concern on her face. There
wasn’t a single piece of clothing on the floor, and I’d spent the
entire day cleaning to distract my mind. She must have
thought there was something severely wrong with me. She
wouldn’t be wrong.
I let out a long sigh. “The boy I wanted to go with likes
someone else.”
“I thought you were going with Ethan. That you two were
dating.” I hadn’t told her as much, so I was guessing Kitty had
opened her big mouth and blabbed.
“We broke up,” I said.
“Oh, I’m sorry, honey.”
I gave her a sad smile. “It’s no big deal. We only dated for
a couple of weeks.”
“Still, breakups are never easy.”
“It’s not so bad.” I was such a little liar. Breaking up with
Ethan had been the worst experience, and even though our
relationship hadn’t been real, I’d spent every minute of the
past week missing him. I don’t know why I decided to act the
saint and let him be free so he could go after his mystery girl. I
should have just left things as they were. Perhaps, he would
have grown to like me in the way I liked him?
“So, is that why you’re not going to prom?” Mom asked.
“Because you don’t have a date?”
“I guess,” I replied.
She slowly started to smile. “Well, what if I told you there
was a very handsome young man waiting on our front porch
for you?”
I jerked upright on the bed. “What?”
Her smile broadened into an all-out grin as she nodded. I
jumped from the bed and sprinted from the room. My heart
was beating at a million miles per second, and I wondered if I
had been wrong about Ethan. Did he really like me after all? I
didn’t hesitate as I grabbed the front door and yanked it open
before I stumbled out onto the front porch.
My racing heart jerked to a screeching halt as I saw who
was waiting for me. “Owen?”
He was looking out over my front yard and slowly turned
to face me. He was dressed in an expensive suit that fit him
perfectly, and he held a beautiful red rose corsage in his hands.
His hair was slicked back with gel, and he looked incredibly
handsome. It wasn’t the handsome face I was hoping to see at
my front door though.
The corners of his eyes crinkled with distaste as he took
me in. “Are you really wearing that to prom?”
I glanced down and realized I was still wearing my sweats,
my hair was in a messy bun, and I didn’t have any makeup on.
I wasn’t even wearing shoes.
I blushed as I looked up at him. Yes, I looked like I’d
dressed myself in the dark, but did he have to look at me like I
was a piece of trash that had gotten stuck to his shoe? He was
staring at me like he wanted nothing more than to brush me
off.
I folded my arms over my chest. “What are you doing
here, Owen?”
“Taking you to prom, of course.” He didn’t look so sure
that was a good idea though, and his eyes flicked toward my
sweatpants again.
“I never agreed to go with you.”
He responded with a scoff. “You broke up with my brother.
I figured that meant you’d thought about it and had come to
your senses.”
“You figured wrong,” I growled.
His lips slowly lifted in an ugly sneer. “So what? You’re
just going to slum it at home tonight?”
“Better than going to prom with you.”
 He shook his head at me. “Don’t be stupid. Go upstairs,
put some makeup and a dress on. I can wait out here for five
minutes.”
“You’ll be waiting a lot longer than five minutes. I’m not
going anywhere with you.”
He glanced down at his watch, and his eyes narrowed as he
looked back up at me. “You know, I don’t have all night to be
waiting on some brat. You’re either coming with me or you’re
not. I’m giving you one final chance.”
“Wow, you really are a piece of work.” I turned to walk
back inside.
“So, you’re not coming with me?”
I didn’t spare him a glance as I opened the front door and
slammed it behind me. That was all the answer he needed.
Mom was standing on the stairs with a worried look on her
face. “I take it that didn’t go well.”
“Oh, no, it went perfectly,” I replied. “I made it quite clear
I wasn’t going to prom.”
“But, I thought you weren’t going because you didn’t have
a date.”
“No, I’m not going because I don’t have a date with the
right guy.”
Another knock sounded on the door behind me, and I
started to growl. “I swear to all of the cheerleading gods,
Owen. I’m going to smack you over the back of the head with
that corsage if you don’t…” My voice dropped away as I
opened the door and found Isla and Madi standing there.
The two of them burst into giggles.
“The cheerleading gods, really?” Isla asked.
“Yes, really.” I shook my head at the two of them, but I
stopped when I realized they were both all glammed up and
dressed for prom. Madi was wearing the beautiful sequined
dress I’d helped her pick out, while Isla was wearing a long
deep-purple skirt that had a matching cropped bodice. There
was a split in the skirt that revealed a set of army boots, and I
immediately felt jealous of how easily she pulled off the look.
“Wow, you guys both look amazing.”
“And you’re not even slightly ready.” Madi tutted.
I glanced down at my sweats and grimaced when I caught
sight of an ice cream stain across one of the legs. I was a mess.
The outfit was perfect for the night I had planned though—not
that I wanted to tell either of my friends that I’d decided to bail
on prom. I couldn’t imagine it would go down well, and it
seemed far safer to avoid the subject altogether.
“What was Owen doing here?” Madi continued. “I thought
you weren’t going to prom with him.”
“I’m not!” My face scrunched up with disgust. I couldn’t
believe I ever had a crush on the guy. I was beginning to
wonder if he’d stolen that poem from seventh grade off the
internet because I was pretty sure he wasn’t hiding any
beautiful soul beneath his confident façade; he was just a dick.
“He apparently didn’t get the memo though.”
“Looks like he has now,” Isla replied. “We passed him in
your driveway, and he looked furious.”
“Well, he has no right to be. I never agreed to go to prom
with him,” I replied. “What are you guys doing here anyway?”
“You never showed up at my house to get ready,” Madi
said. “So, I called Isla to see if she knew what was going on.
She had no idea either, so here we are.” She glanced at Isla,
and she gave a little shrug, but when she looked back at me,
she folded her arms across her chest. “I hate to break it to you,
Hayley, but I was never going to believe you couldn’t make it
because your Mom had an interior design emergency that you
just had to help with.”
“It wasn’t that unbelievable…” I grumbled.
Madi shook her head. “It was a terrible excuse, and you
know it.”
“Yeah, I guess it was pretty lame.”
 “It was totally lame,” Isla agreed. “But, lameness aside,
why aren’t you dressed for prom yet?”
I let out a long sigh. It seemed there was no avoiding this
question. “Because I’m not going to prom.”
“Don’t be stupid. Of course, you are,” Isla scoffed.
“She’s right,” Madi added. “You love school dances, and
this is prom. You can’t miss it.”
“I don’t know, you guys. I’m just not feeling it.”
“Well, that’s too bad.” Madi moved past me and stepped
into the house. She grabbed me by the elbow and started
guiding me up the stairs.
“What are you doing?” I protested.
“Following the best friend rules,” she replied. “And rule
number three is to always ignore your best friend when she’s
being stubborn and do what’s in her best interest even if she
hates you for it.”
“I’m pretty sure rule number three is to always tell each
other if you have food in your teeth…”
Madi rolled her eyes at me and smiled. “Come on, we’ll
help you get ready. Tonight is going to be amazing. Don’t you
trust me?”
I blew out a breath, knowing I couldn’t refuse Madi when
she brought out the trust card. “Yeah, I trust you,” I murmured.
“Good,” she replied with a grin. “Because if you don’t go,
then I’m not going, and I’d feel really bad about standing up
Cole.”
“Yeah, I don’t think Dex would understand either,” Isla
added, following us into my room. “He’s not even in high
school anymore.”
I stared at the two of them in shock. “You guys would
ditch the prom for me?”
“Well, we’re not leaving you here to mope alone,” Isla
said. “So, are you coming?”
 It took me a moment to respond. I wasn’t so surprised that
Madi would miss the prom for me, because I’d do the same for
her in a heartbeat. But Isla and I had only just become friends,
and I couldn’t believe she’d give up going to prom too.
“Hayley?” Madi prompted.
“Okay, okay, you guys win. I’m going.”
The two of them jumped on me and pulled me into a group
hug.
“You’re not going to regret this!”
“Tonight is going to be so great!” They were both
squealing with excitement, and it was contagious. I was
completely squished between my two friends, but I was
grinning so much you’d have no idea my ribs were one
squeeze away from being crushed. Boys were thoroughly
overrated when you had friends like these two.
Isla and Madi didn’t waste any time getting started on my
hair and makeup. Madi wasn’t big on makeup, so she left my
face in Isla’s hands. We’d done each other’s hair countless
times at sleepovers though, so she decided to style it for me.
They worked quickly and efficiently, and I was surprised
when they both announced they had finished within only
twenty minutes. It normally took me at least double that length
of time to get ready to go out, but they seemed to make the
most of every second we had. We were running late, after all.
“Okay, now, put your dress on,” Madi said, hurrying me
with her hands. I laughed and quickly moved to do as she said.
It felt strange to have our roles reversed. Normally, Madi was
the one desperate to stay home while I had to heavily
encourage her to get dressed up and go out.
Once I was dressed, Isla whistled. “Damn, girl, you look
amazing.”
I turned to the mirror to take a look. I’d forgotten how
perfectly my prom dress fit, and I’d matched it with a pair of
clear heels my mom had found for me. My feet almost looked
like they were encased in glass, and combined with the blue
dress, I felt a little like Cinderella on her way to the ball. My
makeup was much more subtle than I normally wore it, but I
was surprised to find I preferred the more natural look. Madi
had done an amazing job styling my hair too, and now that I
was ready, I couldn’t believe I had ever considered not going
to prom. This outfit deserved to be seen.
“It’s perfect. Thank you guys so much for helping.”
“It was nothing,” Isla replied with a warm smile.
“You always work your makeover magic on me,” Madi
added. “It only seemed fair that I finally returned the favor.”
There was a knock on the door, and Mom popped her head
in. “Are you girls…” Her voice drifted off when she caught
sight of me, and her eyes turned glassy as she looked me over.
“Oh, Hayley, you look so beautiful.”
My cheeks warmed. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Now, I hope you girls are ready because there’s a car out
front waiting to take you to prom.”
“There is?” I asked.
Isla and Madi shared a smile but didn’t try to explain.
Madi simply linked her arm with mine. “Come on, let’s not
keep the driver waiting.”
We walked outside, and my jaw dropped when I saw a
limo parked on the street. “Madi, we never talked about taking
a limo to prom,” I murmured.
“I know,” she said with a coy smile in Isla’s direction.
“Was this your doing?” I turned to Isla.
She grinned and shrugged her shoulders. “I may know
something about it,” she said. “But stop worrying about why
it’s here, and let’s get in already.” She grabbed my hand and
dragged me toward the limo. I laughed and happily followed
her.
As I stepped into the waiting vehicle, I spared one last
glance toward Ethan’s house, and a little of my excitement
dimmed. I felt his absence keenly as we prepared to make our
way to the prom. He wasn’t the guy I’d initially dreamed of
going with, but he’d crept into my heart, and there was no
denying he was the one I wished were at my side.
I might not have been able to be with Ethan tonight, but as
I looked at Madi and Isla, I knew I was still incredibly lucky.
Ethan might have my heart, but these two nourished my soul,
and I knew we were going to have an amazing night together.
“You ready for this?” Madi asked.
I smiled. “Yeah, I really am.”
23
 HAYLEY

P rom was being held in a hotel ballroom in the town next

to ours, and it was a twenty-minute drive to reach it. The
girls turned the music up in the car, and the three of us sang at
the top of our lungs the whole way there. The time seemed to
fly, and when the driver pulled to a stop, it felt like the journey
was over far too quickly. He opened the door for us, but it
wasn’t until I stepped from the limo that I realized we weren’t
at the hotel.
“Why are we at school?” I turned to my friends and caught
them sharing an uncomfortable look. “Madi. Isla. What’s
going on?”
Madi’s expression quickly sobered. “This is just a pit
stop,” she said. “Angus is on the prom committee, and he
forgot to bring the crowns for the prom king and queen.” She
sighed and rolled her eyes as she spoke. “Cole told him we
were running late, so he messaged me to ask if we could pick
them up.”
“Are you serious?” I couldn’t believe Angus expected us
to do this.
Madi shrugged. “I know it’s annoying, but I told him we’d
get them. And, we better hurry, or we’ll miss even more of
prom.”
I let out a sigh, knowing she was right. “Okay. Where are
they?”
“In the school gym,” she quickly replied. Thankfully, the
driver had pulled up right by the entrance to the gym.
 “Do you want us to wait in the car while you grab them?” I
asked.
“Actually,” Madi said. “I was hoping you’d go for me. I’m
already finding it hard to walk in my heels.”
I glanced down at the stilettos she was wearing. Madi
struggled wearing shoes with any height, and the six-inch
heels were practically death traps on her feet. It was a miracle
she’d made it this far in them tonight.
“Okay, fine, I’ll go.” It was the least I could do considering
how much she’d helped me tonight. “But you better hope the
doors aren’t locked, or we’ll have to deal with a very angry
Laurie when she doesn’t get her crown.”
Madi laughed. “Angus said they should be open.”
“And where exactly are the crowns?”
“The office behind the basketball court,” she replied.
I nodded and turned for the gym, moving toward the door
as quickly as my heels would let me. Now that I’d accepted I
was going to prom, I didn’t want to miss any more of it.
Surprisingly, the gym door was open, just as Madi had said
it would be. The corridor beyond it was dark, but I didn’t
bother searching for the light switch because there was a
slither of light coming from under the doorway that led to the
basketball court.
I hurried toward the door and pulled it open, but I came to
a jarring stop when I saw the hall beyond. Hundreds of candles
covered the ground, lighting the court in a romantic, soft glow.
The sight of them was overwhelmingly beautiful, but it wasn’t
the candles that stole my breath away. It was the fact that
standing in the center of them all was Ethan.
He looked so incredibly handsome. He was dressed in a
maroon suit that seemed to highlight his broad shoulders, and
he was wearing a quirky bow tie that was all too perfect for
him. His hair was a mess, like always, but it was the kind of
mess I wanted to run my fingers through. He wasn’t wearing
his glasses, and I could see his amazing blue eyes so clearly.
 I swallowed but the movement was difficult because my
mouth had turned so dry it felt like sandpaper. What was Ethan
doing here? Why did he have all these candles out? The room
looked like a scene from a romantic movie, and as I stared at
it, I realized Ethan must have set this up for the girl he liked so
much. I had completely interrupted their special moment.
I quickly turned and reached for the door I’d just walked
through. I needed to get the hell out of there fast. Laurie could
make herself a paper crown for all I cared. There was no way I
was going to stick around and ruin Ethan’s gesture or, worse—
come face- to face with his dream girl. I stopped when Ethan
called out my name.
“Hayley?”
I slowly turned to face him and gave him a tight smile. He
was walking toward me, a concerned look on his face. Yep, I’d
officially crashed his romantic moment. “Hey, Ethan. Sorry for
intruding, I just came to get something from the office.”
“Intruding?” He seemed confused as he came to stand
before me, but I wasn’t sure why.
“Ah, yeah. I won’t be long. Any chance you’ve seen a
couple of gaudy looking plastic crowns?”
He slowly started to smile. “Can’t say I have.”
“Well, I’m sure they’re here somewhere. Can’t exactly
crown our prom king and queen without them.” I was
rambling and started to walk off in the direction of the office
to search for the crowns before I made myself look even more
foolish. I didn’t make it more than a step away before Ethan
grabbed my hand to stop me.
My heart twisted as he touched me. I really loved the way
my hand fit within his. It was like they were made for each
other.
“Hayley, wait,” he murmured. “Haven’t you wondered
what I’m doing here?”
I looked up into his eyes and found their blue depths were
swirling with emotion. There was so much affection in them,
but I knew it could only be because he was excited about his
crush. I tugged my gaze away from his eyes as I went to
answer. “Well, given all the candles, I assume you’re trying to
contact the dead?” I didn’t want to speak the truth out loud.
“You think I’d contact the dead in our school gym?”
“Well, I’d hope not. There are enough forces of evil at our
school without adding ghosts into the mix too.”
He struggled to contain a smile. “I’m not trying to contact
the dead.”
“So, what are you doing?”
His expression softened as he looked at me. “I wanted to
find a way to tell the girl I like the truth about my feelings.”
I let out a sigh as I looked across the candlelit gym. The
way he had turned such a bland space into a place that felt so
magical was amazing. The small flames twinkled, and the
candlelight gave the room a soft glow. It was incredibly
romantic and I wished it were me he was talking about. “Well,
she’s very lucky. It’s beautiful.”
“Just like she is,” he replied. He was looking at me with
such warmth that I struggled to keep tears from gathering in
my eyes. Why couldn’t I be the one he wanted to be with?
“I should really leave you to it,” I said, but Ethan didn’t let
go of my hand.
“Don’t you want to hear about the moment I realized she
was the one for me?”
No. “Ah, sure.”
His eyes sparkled in the firelight as he smiled at the
memory. “It was actually right here on these basketball courts,
which is why I chose it as the place to tell her how I feel,” he
said. “We were thirteen years old, and it was the first gym
class for the year.”
My heart dropped as he told his story. He didn’t just like
another girl; he’d liked her for years. I had no way of
competing with that.
 “Let me guess, she walked into class in her gym shorts,
and you realized she was a total babe?” I was being way too
snarky, but I couldn’t seem to control it. Apparently, when I
was sad, I also turned into a bit of a bitch.
Ethan actually laughed though. “Not exactly. More like,
another boy noticed how good her gym uniform looked, and
when he made a comment about it, she punched him in the
nose.”
My whole body froze. “What?”
He was grinning as he looked at me now. “The boy’s nose
started bleeding, and he began to cry. He went running to the
nurse’s office, and I thought it was the most awesome thing I’d
ever seen in my life.”
“But… but, that was me.”
His smile dropped a little as he nodded. “Yeah, it was.”
I quickly shook my head. “But you don’t like me. No, you
like some other amazing girl.”
“Hayley, I like you. I’ve always liked you. I think you are
strong and fierce but full of light and laughter. I couldn’t like
another girl even if I tried, because they wouldn’t be you.”
It wasn’t often I was at a loss for words, but now was one
of those moments. I stared into Ethan’s eyes in total disbelief. I
was the girl he liked? I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
“Please say something…” he murmured.
I suddenly realized how nervous he looked. He’d just
opened his heart to me, and I was standing there staring at him
like a fool.
“I like you too.” I blurted out the words in a rush but then
took a deep breath to try to compose myself before I
continued. “But I thought you liked someone else!”
He quickly shook his head. “No, it was always you. I was
just too chicken to tell you the truth.” Ethan slowly started to
smile in response. “You really like me back?”
“Yes, I really like you back.”
 His smile widened until his whole face practically glowed
with happiness. He was gorgeous when he smiled so brightly,
and I couldn’t believe he truly wanted to be with me. This
didn’t feel real, and just in case it did turn out to be a dream, I
decided I needed to make the most of it.
I stepped in close to him and wrapped my arms around his
neck. “And just so you know, I’m a total idiot because I didn’t
notice the amazing guy silently cheering me on when I
punched Bobby Newman in the face. I wish I’d seen him
sooner, because he’s the best guy I’ve ever met.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I lifted up on to my toes and kissed him. His lips
were soft, and the butterflies in my stomach took flight as he
wrapped his arms around my body and pulled me in close. I’d
thought our previous kisses were amazing, but none of them
compared to this one. His kiss made me hot and cold all at
once. It sent tingles from my lips all the way down to my toes.
I could have kissed Ethan forever, and now that I knew he
liked me too, that was sounding like an all too tempting
possibility. We didn’t have forever though. At least, not right
now. There was still a prom we needed to get to after all.
As we broke apart from our kiss, Ethan was smiling. “You
had me worried there for a second.”
I laughed and pulled out of his hug. “You had me worried
for several minutes. I thought I’d walked in on a romantic
gesture for someone else.”
He shook his head at me. “I thought you’d see all of this
and realize right away it was meant for you.”
“I can be a little dense sometimes.”
“No, you’re perfect,” he replied. It was the kind of
response that melted my heart. I could really get used to this.
“So, what do you say we go to prom together?”
“I’d love that.” I took hold of his hand but paused as I
turned for the door. We couldn’t race off to the limo just yet.
“But perhaps you should blow all these candles out first while
I hunt down those crowns for Angus.”
 “That sounds like a plan, but you know there are no
crowns here, right?”
Suddenly, Madi’s little ploy to get me into the gym made
sense. “Oh, yeah, obviously.” I felt silly for not working that
out sooner, but I was impressed with Madi’s sneakiness. How
could I be annoyed when everything had turned out so
perfectly?
We blew out all the candles and shared a few sneaky kisses
as we went before we finally left the gym to return to the limo.
The moment we opened the door to leave the building, a cheer
greeted us. I looked up and found Dex, Colin, and Cole had
joined the girls, and they were all hooting and whistling as we
walked into the parking lot hand in hand. My cheeks flamed in
embarrassment, but I couldn’t stop smiling either.
“You guys knew!” I called out as we approached.
“Well, there was no way Ethan could have pulled this off
on his own,” Isla said.
“And I’ve watched enough rom-coms with you to know
you’re all about the BRG,” Madi added.
Cole looked at Madi like she was speaking Latin. “BRG?”
he asked.
“Big romantic gesture,” Madi and I both responded at the
same time, making everyone laugh. Madi was totally right
though. I loved a good BRG, and Ethan’s had been amazing.
I glanced at him, unable to keep the smile from my face as
I looked into his eyes. I didn’t think he could top his Taylor
Swift promposal, but apparently, I’d been wrong. I couldn’t
believe he’d gone to so much effort to tell me I was the girl
he’d liked all along.
“You guys are so cute I think I’m going to throw up,” Isla
said. I blushed and glanced away from Ethan. I hadn’t realized
I’d been all dopey-eyed and was staring at him, but it was
really hard not to get caught up in his eyes.
“Please don’t chuck,” Dex said. “And now that these guys
are all loved up, shouldn’t we be getting to prom?”
 “Ah, yes!” Isla squealed before ushering everyone toward
the waiting car.
The others all started piling in the limo, but Ethan pulled
me into his arms once again. I felt completely at home in his
embrace, and it was far too easy to block out our friends and
pretend we were in our own little world. I already knew I was
going to spend the whole night in this exact position with him,
swaying to each and every song.
“You know, you might regret deciding to be with me,” I
said.
“And why’s that?”
“Because I’m going to expect you to sing me more Taylor
Swift songs.”
Ethan smiled and shook his head. “I think I can handle
that.”
“Really?”
“Hayley, I’ll sing you all the songs.”
“You sure?”
He grinned and placed a light kiss against my forehead,
sending flutters to my stomach. “Yeah, I’m sure. All you have
to do is ask.”
I was silent for a moment as I tried to remember to breathe.
I was going to be in trouble if Ethan kept this up because he
continued to steal my breath away. “What if I asked you to
sing one for me now?”
He chuckled. “Maybe, we should wait until later. I have
the perfect prom date in my arms, and I’d quite like to take her
to the dance.”
“I guess that’s a pretty good reason.”
“Are you guys coming or what?” Isla called from the car.
We glanced in her direction and laughed when we saw the
disgruntled look on her face. It appeared we’d kept her from
the dance far too long for her liking.
“Yes, we’re coming,” I called back to her.
 I stepped out of Ethan’s arms, and he took my hand as we
walked toward the waiting car. Holding his hand still made my
pulse race and my heart soar. I didn’t think I’d ever get sick of
the feeling.
As we reached the open door of the car, I paused and faced
Ethan once more. “You really think I’m the perfect prom
date?”
He smiled. “Hayley, you’re the perfect everything.”
EPILOGUE
 ETHAN

N ot even in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d be

walking into prom with Hayley holding my hand. If
someone had told me a month ago she’d be here with me as
my real girlfriend, I never would have believed it. But, here
we both were, entering the grand ballroom of the Excelsior
Hotel together.
Angus and the prom committee had really embraced the
winter wonderland theme. It looked like the room had been
blasted by a snowstorm, and everything in the vast hall was
covered in white. The floor was coated in a layer of white
confetti, long white streamers fluttered from the ceiling, and
huge clear balloons floated overhead with glittering flecks of
silver and white dancing inside them. There was even an ice
sculpture by one of the tables that was shaped like a large
snowflake.
Hayley’s eyes were wide as she took it all in and she let
out a light laugh when she caught sight of a photo booth with a
snowy backdrop that stood near the entrance. Isla was already
in there with Dex, and the two of them were making the most
ridiculous poses for the camera.
“Angus really went all out,” Hayley murmured as she
faced me.
“I was thinking the same thing.” I chuckled. “I’m almost
surprised there isn’t a snow machine in here.”
“Does a fog machine count?” Hayley pointed to the other
side of the room as smoke billowed across the dance floor.
 “Yep, I guess it does.”
Hayley laughed, and the sound was so joyous my heart
warmed in response. She hadn’t stopped smiling since we’d
left the school gym, and I’d do just about anything to keep that
smile on her face.
“Do you think we should dance?” I asked.
“Is that even a question?” She didn’t hesitate to take hold
of my hand and pull me toward the dance floor. It was already
crammed with people jumping around like they were the next
stars of TikTok, but Hayley led us between the bodies with
practiced ease. We’d arrived late, so the party had already well
and truly begun.
When we reached a small gap in the crowd, she stopped
and turned to me. My heart started racing, and I took a deep
breath in before I pulled her into my arms. Hayley and I were
finally together for real, but I knew I’d always get a flurry of
nerves whenever she was near.
The song that was playing thankfully had a steady beat,
and the two of us slowly moved together. I really wasn’t a
great dancer, but Hayley didn’t seem to mind. She leaned her
head against my chest, and the cluttered room seemed to
disappear into the background as we danced. She was the only
person in the world to me, and though people surrounded us, it
felt like we were in our own perfect little bubble. I never
wanted to leave.
Unfortunately, our bubble wasn’t completely impenetrable,
and Hayley stopped swaying in my arms as we noticed the
volume of the music beginning to lower. The two of us turned
as Angus got up on stage and marched over to the microphone
that stood tall in the center. I laughed when I caught sight of
his outfit. It was bright blue with pictures of snowflakes all
over it.
“He’s not actually wearing that, is he?” Hayley asked.
“My eyes say he is, but my brain refuses to believe it’s
true,” I replied. The suit seemed hideous at first glance, but the
more I looked at it, the more it grew on me. “Call me crazy,
but I think it actually looks good on him.”
Hayley glanced at Angus again, her gaze more discerning
this time as if she was checking whether she’d missed
something. After several seconds, she let out a breathy laugh.
“You know, I think you might be right.”
“Ugh, I can’t believe they’ve stopped the music to
announce the prom king and queen,” Isla said, coming to stand
at my side. “Nobody cares!” she shouted across the room,
drawing several laughs from the people closest to us. She
frowned as she caught sight of Angus. “Did he come dressed
as one of the decorations?”
“Apparently,” I replied.
Isla shook her head, but I suspected she was actually
impressed. If there was one thing Isla appreciated, it was bold
fashion choices. She let out a sigh before she turned back to
us. “So, who do think is going to be crowned tonight?”
“I just hope it’s not Laurie or Owen,” Hayley said,
scrunching up her nose at the thought. “I don’t want to spend
the rest of the year hearing Laurie brag about it at cheer
practice. And, no offence to your brother, Ethan, but his ego
really doesn’t require a crown.”
I probably should have felt bad that Hayley’s opinion of
Owen had fallen so far, but I couldn’t help but be happy that
she finally saw the two of us for who we really were. It didn’t
hurt that I was the one she wanted to be with either.
“He’d probably wear it to breakfast every morning,” I
replied, making Isla laugh.
“He’s got such a big head, I doubt it would fit,” she said.
I searched for my brother among the crowd and found him
standing near the stage next to Laurie. She was wearing the
red corsage I’d seen on our kitchen bench earlier in the day, so
I assumed they’d come to prom together. Neither of them
looked very happy about it though. Their heads were leaning
in close together as they spoke, and, from the look of Laurie’s
angry expression, it was clear they were fighting. Given how
Laurie’s hands were sitting on her hips, and the way my
brother’s eyes kept darting away as if he was looking for an
escape route, I was guessing he’d messed up in some way.
Angus cleared his throat into the microphone. “Good
evening, Lincoln High!” His voice was pumped full of
enthusiasm, and his singsong tone made him sound like a
cheesy game show host. “I hope you’ve all been enjoying the
night so far. I’ve certainly seen you turning it up on the dance
floor.” He emphasized the point by spinning around on his
heel. He received a few chuckles and Angus beamed in
response, pleased his little dance move had gotten a reaction.
“So, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for,” he
continued, pulling an envelope out from the inside pocket of
his jacket. He held it carefully in his hands like he was
cradling something special. “It’s time to announce the names
of this year’s prom king and queen.”
He looked down at the envelope and gently pried it open.
The whole room was watching him, and all murmurs of
conversation completely died down as we waited for the big
announcement. Angus’s eyes lit up as he theatrically pulled a
thick piece of card out of the envelope.
“Your votes have been counted, and I’m pleased to
announce your prom king and queen are…”
He looked around the room with a knowing smile as he let
the pause linger. He was really milking the moment for all it
was worth.
“Owen Beck and Laurie Wilson!” Angus finally shouted
into the microphone.
My shoulders slumped, Isla groaned, and Hayley let out a
sigh of disappointment. A round of polite claps followed as
my brother and Laurie paraded toward the stage. Any evidence
of their argument from moments ago had disappeared from
their faces as the two of them beamed at their audience.
My brother’s chest puffed out as he listened to the
applause and his stride seemed to widen as he walked across
the stage. He gave Angus a firm handshake when he greeted
him by the microphone, and his eyes flashed with arrogance as
the student body president placed a sash over his shoulders
and passed him his crown. I could see the title of “prom king”
was already going to go straight to his head.
Laurie wasn’t acting much better. Her hands reached
greedily toward the crown as Angus offered it to her. She
wrenched it from his grasp and had positioned it perfectly on
her head before he was even able to congratulate her. Her eyes
were feverish as she turned toward the crowd, and her smile
was so intense she looked like a kid who’d overdosed on too
many sweets. She waved at everyone, mimicking the subtle
motion you’d expect to see from a queen addressing her
adoring public—not that our peers really seemed to adore her.
No one was showing much excitement about the result of the
vote.
“I don’t think I can watch this,” Isla muttered. “Who the
heck voted for jerk and jerkette?”
“I’ve got no idea,” I replied.
“Why couldn’t someone nice have won?” she continued.
“Probably because Laurie’s been campaigning for weeks,”
Hayley said with a shake of her head. “Plus, the nice people
weren’t threatening students for votes. I heard Laurie telling
girls on the squad she would destroy them if they didn’t vote
for her and Owen. I bet she wasn’t only threating the
cheerleaders.”
“Are you serious?” Isla asked.
“Yep.” She nodded. “I guess fear trumps being nice when
it comes to getting votes.”
I glanced back at Laurie and my brother. A photographer
was taking a picture of the two of them on stage. They looked
like a perfect couple as they posed together, but the image they
portrayed was clearly just an act. They’d been arguing only
moments before, and Owen looked uncomfortable as Laurie
draped herself all over him, testing different stances for the
camera. The smiles they wore seemed just as fake as the gaudy
golden crowns their heads were swelling under. Despite their
win, I wasn’t sure that either of them was genuinely happy.
“And now our king and queen will have their first dance,”
Angus announced.
Owen linked his arm through Laurie’s and started to guide
her off the stage. He stepped on the edge of her dress as they
walked, making her stumble, and her eyes flared with
annoyance as she elbowed him. He didn’t seem to notice
though. He was too busy winking at a girl he was passing.
Laurie and Owen really deserved one another, and I’d seen
more than enough of their little performance for one night.
“Maybe we should go get a drink so we don’t have to
stand around and watch them dance?” I suggested.
“Yes!” Isla exclaimed.
“That’s a really good idea,” Hayley added.
I took her by the hand, and we made our way over to the
drinks table, which was at the back of the room. The music
started playing as we walked away from the dance floor. I
didn’t need to turn around to know how much my brother
would be enjoying all the attention he was getting as everyone
watched him and Laurie dance together.
Colin and Dex were already standing by the drinks table
when we got there, chatting excitedly about our next gig.
“You guys missed the crowning,” Isla said, as she wiggled
her way under Dex’s arm so it rested across her shoulders.
“You say that like it was an accident,” Colin replied. “And
we could see more than enough of the stage from back here. I
didn’t need a close up of Laurie and Owen being crowned.”
“Yeah, it was the worst,” Isla agreed with a shudder, before
she glanced over her shoulder in their direction. Everyone
around the dance floor was standing motionless as they
watched Owen spinning Laurie around the room. The music
was dull and the whole spectacle was unbelievably
cringeworthy. I couldn’t believe the school made us put up
with this crap.
 “So, you guys have a gig coming up?” Hayley asked.
“Yeah, next weekend. We’re playing at a college party,”
Dex replied. “You coming?”
Hayley glanced in my direction and tilted her head as she
looked at me.
“I’m not sure. Am I coming?”
“Do you want to?”
She slowly started to smile. “Well, I’m pretty sure there’s a
rule that says girlfriends must come to all the gigs.”
I laughed and pulled her in close, wrapping my arms
around her. “I didn’t know that real relationships required a set
of rules…”
“Oh, yeah,” she replied. “There are lots of rules, and that’s
the most important one.”
“Well, I guess you’re coming to the gig then.”
“I guess I am.” Her eyes sparkled with anticipation, and
she looked so happy at the thought. I loved how enthusiastic
she was about our band, which made me even more excited
about the surprise I had planned for her tonight.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Angus waving
frantically at our group. He was standing to the side of the
stage, and his motions grew more frenzied as I slowly started
to turn to him. Was he trying to get our attention? I frowned
and pointed at my chest, a questioning look in my eyes.
“Yes, you,” he mouthed when he saw I’d finally noticed
him. He then gestured at Dex and Colin and started directing
us all to come toward him.
I had been expecting Angus to signal us over at some point
tonight, but I didn’t think he’d want us so soon. I gave him a
brief nod before turning to Hayley. “Can you excuse us a
minute?”
“Oh, sure.” She gave me a puzzled look, but I quickly
kissed her on the cheek and turned to the boys before she
could ask why.
 “Colin, Dex, can you guys come with me?”
The two of them didn’t question the request and happily
followed me toward the stage. Isla and Hayley both seemed
confused by our sudden departure, but I had no intention of
explaining it to them. They didn’t know that Angus had
insisted the band play tonight, and I wanted to keep it that way
to surprise the girls.
I still found it hard to believe that our band was playing at
prom. A few weeks ago, no one at school had any idea we
were even in a band. Now, after Hayley posted that video of
our performance and it went viral throughout the school, it felt
like everyone knew about Velocity. Angus never would have
asked us to play if she hadn’t shared the clip.
Initially, I’d been reluctant to accept the offer. It was a big
deal to play at prom, and I didn’t feel like drawing more
attention to myself at school. But, while I was planning the
surprise at the gym, I realized a show at prom would be the
perfect way to cap off the night. I couldn’t wait to see
Hayley’s face once she realized what was happening.
“Are you guys ready?” Angus asked, as we approached the
steps that led to the stage. His snowflake suit was even more
flamboyant up close, and he’d gone a little overboard on the
cologne. I could smell the spicy fragrance from some distance.
“I thought you didn’t want us on until ten,” I replied.
“Yeah, well, Laurie and Owen’s first dance is really killing
the mood. No one has joined them and the dance floor is
dead.”
I glanced in their direction. A large circle had formed
around the dancing couple, but everyone seemed to have lost
interest as they watched on. It was painful to witness two
people who were so self-absorbed trying to dance together.
Laurie kept stopping to readjust her crown and was looking
down her nose at everyone surrounding her. Meanwhile,
Owen’s chest had blown out so far he looked close to throwing
out his back.
Dex snorted. “I wonder why.”
 Angus shot him a hard look. “So, I need you guys on stage
now. You ready?”
I glanced at Colin and Dex, and they both nodded. “Yeah,
we’re ready,” I replied.
“Good. I just hope you are as good as you were in that
video.” With that, Angus turned and darted back up the steps
to the stage. As he took hold of the microphone once again,
the music suddenly paused midway through the song. Owen
and Laurie stopped dancing and shared a confused look as
they stepped back from each other.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Angus called. “A round of
applause for our prom king and queen.”
The sound of a few half-hearted claps came in response.
Those who were applauding seemed to be doing so simply
because they were pleased the first dance was over. Laurie
looked furious as she scowled up at Angus, and she stormed
toward the stage, dragging Owen with her. She was not at all
happy her special moment had been cut short, and she looked
ready to rip the microphone right out of Angus’s hands.
Angus must have noticed because he quickly continued
before she got a chance to interrupt him. “Now, we have one
more treat for you this evening,” he said. “I was inundated
with requests, so I worked some magic for you all to make this
happen…” He looked in our direction and reached out an arm
toward us. “Led by our very own Ethan Beck, give it up for…
Velocity!”
The students on the dance floor started cheering and a few
began moving toward the stage. It wasn’t exactly the most
raucous welcome we’d ever received, but I didn’t let that
throw me off. I was sure we’d win them over once we started
playing. Plus, everyone was still on a major low from Owen
and Laurie’s dance. As far as warm up acts went, they were
terrible.
I picked up my guitar and started up the steps to the stage.
My heart was racing, and I could hear its pounding beat in my
ears far more clearly than the applause from the audience. I
took a deep, calming breath as I approached the microphone,
and as I blew it out, the nerves pulsing through my blood
seemed to leave with it.
My gaze drifted across the room until I found Hayley
standing by the drinks table. Her eyes were wide, and a
surprised smile graced her features. She grabbed Isla by the
hand and dragged her through the crowd toward me. It wasn’t
until she was standing right in front of the stage that I felt like
I could begin.
“Hello, Lincoln High!” I called into the microphone. “Now
that we’ve got the formalities out of the way, we can really
start this party!”
Everyone cheered, and as Colin started strumming the
chords to our opening song, the sound of the crowd grew even
louder. People immediately started dancing, but there were
two figures in the crowd who were unusually still. Laurie and
Owen were both frozen in place, glaring up at me. They
looked surprised by the reaction the band was getting, and
though Laurie’s annoyance quickly turned to focus on the
other students, my brother’s scowl was fixed solely on me.
Laurie suddenly grabbed Owen by the arm and tugged on
it to get his attention. He barely moved, so she clicked her
fingers in front of his face.
“What?” he snapped.
“Do something,” she demanded.
All Owen could do was shrug, and Laurie’s eyes narrowed
with anger in response. She stomped one of her high heels
hard onto the wooden floor before shoving past Owen and
marching out of the room. That seemed to get his attention and
he watched her leave, hesitating for several long moments. He
finally turned and gave me one last filthy look before trudging
after her.
My brother and Laurie clearly weren’t happy I’d stolen
their spotlight, and it had never been my intention to do so. I
really hoped this helped them realize there were more
important things than plastic crowns and popularity.
 My eyes sought out Hayley and my heart lifted as she
smiled up at me. She was worth a million crowns. I was glad
my brother never truly realized that or I might have never had
a chance with her.
I moved my lips closer to the microphone as I started to
sing, earning another round of cheers from the crowd. Their
voices joined with mine as they sang along and their dancing
became more energetic as they threw themselves into the
music. But, it wasn’t the crowd I was interested in. I couldn’t
seem to drag my gaze away from Hayley. She looked so cute
as she and Isla danced together. Their arms were wrapped
around each other’s shoulders, and they kept jumping up and
down as they sang.
When the song came to an end, everyone erupted in
applause and shouts for more. I didn’t need their
encouragement to keep playing though. I was having the time
of my life and felt on top of the world as we played. I didn’t
think my night could get any better, but I knew I still had one
more surprise in store for Hayley.
When it came to our final song, I lowered my guitar and
walked to the side of the stage where she was standing. I
crouched down and offered her my hand. “I think I’m going to
need you up here for this one.”
“Really?” I could barely hear her soft voice over the noise
in the room.
“Really,” I replied.
She was grinning widely and didn’t hesitate to take my
hand as I helped her up on stage. I kept hold of her hand as I
walked back to the microphone and smiled out at the crowd.
“Thank you guys for being so awesome tonight. It’s time for
our final song of the night, and I think you guys might know
this one…”
A flurry of excited gasps echoed around the room as I
gently let go of Hayley’s hand and began strumming the
chords to “Love Story” by Taylor Swift; the song from my
promposal. I didn’t once look down from the stage as I started
singing directly to Hayley. I felt the meaning of the lyrics so
much stronger now that she was really my girlfriend. I think
she felt the same, because she raised her hands to her cheeks
and her eyes glazed with tears.
She started jumping with excitement and dancing to the
music when the guys joined me on the guitar and drums. This
wasn’t the rendition of the song I’d played for her before
though. We’d prepared a Taylor Swift medley, and as we
changed key and started to sing the lyrics to “You Belong With
Me” the crowd went wild. Hayley stilled on stage and her
hands went to her lips as she gasped. Her eyes were big and
her shocked expression was just about the cutest thing I’d ever
seen, but she quickly recovered from her surprise and started
to dance again.
Her excitement only grew as we moved through song after
song, and she let out an excited squeal each time she heard the
music shifting. She sang every word to every song, and I could
hear the crowd singing along with her. We played five
different Taylor tracks in total, returning to “Love Story” for
the grand finale. When our medley came to an end, a cheer
erupted from the room unlike any we’d ever heard before.
Colin and Dex ran forward and the three of us bowed
together. It was a performance I wouldn’t quickly forget, and
there was one main reason why: Hayley. I took her by the
hand, and the cheers followed after us as we made our way off
the stage.
I pulled her into my arms the first chance I got, and her
eyes sparkled with happiness as she clasped her hands around
my neck. “That was quite a show,” she said. “I can’t believe
you didn’t tell me you guys were playing tonight.”
“I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“Well, it totally was. And you sang all of those Taylor
songs for me. I think this might be the best prom ever.”
“You think tonight is good, you should see what I have
planned for tomorrow…”
“You’re planning to top this tomorrow?”
 Her voice was so incredulous I laughed and shook my
head. “No, but I am pretty excited for tomorrow. Do you want
to know why?”
“Why?”
“Because tomorrow’s the first day I get to really be with
you.”
She slowly started to smile as she closed the distance
between us to capture my lips with hers. “Maybe that will top
tonight, after all.”

The End

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ALSO BY ALEXANDRA MOODY
Stand-alone
I Hate You More
The Wrong Match Series
The Wrong Bachelor
The Wrong Costar
Christmas Magic Series
Christmas Magic
Christmas Chaos
Christmas Curse
The Liftsal Guardians Series
The Liftsal Guardians
The Brakys’ Lair
The Oblivion Stone
The Rift War
The ARC series
Tainted
Talented
Fractured
Destined
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ALEXANDRA MOODY is an Australian author. She studied Law and Commerce

in her hometown, Adelaide, before going on to spend several years living abroad in
Canada and the UK. She is obsessed with dogs, loves to snowboard and has a
love/hate relationship with the gym.
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For more information:
www.alexandramoody.com
info@alexandramoody.com