THE WRONG PROM DATE

ALEXANDRA MOODY
 Copyright © 2020 by Alexandra Moody
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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 an’t you give me some sort of clue about where you’re taking me
on our faux date tonight?” Hayley asked.
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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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