“What time does it start?”
“Eight.”
He was silent for a sec, and I felt tension sliding through me. He was going to bail on me, wasn’t he? “How about I meet you there?” he said. “We’ve got band practice until eight. I’ll bring my stuff and jet over and meet you.”
I noticed that he didn’t ask if I was going to practice. Guess I’d been fired.
Dumped by two fake boyfriends and fired from the band.
My lucky week. But at least I had a date for the semi. Things were looking up. Rah, rah. “Yeah, that’s fine to meet me there.”
“Lily? What’s wrong?”
I twirled my hair around my finger. “Nothing.” I wouldn’t allow anything to be wrong. The Rafe thing had to be history, and I wasn’t going to let it wreck my first semi-formal. Chris was nice and cute, and he was psyched to go, and that was all I was going to let myself think about.
“We’ll have fun, I promise.”
He sounded so sincere, I actually smiled. “Okay.” For the first time since Saturday night’s disaster, I felt a little bit of hope that maybe I wasn’t going to have the social life of cow dung for my entire high school career. “Thanks.”
“Good. Be prepared to dance. I’m a great dancer.”
“I’m sure I’m better,” I shot back.
He laughed. “You’ll just have to prove it on Friday then, okay?”
“Deal.”
We hung up after that, and my elation faded almost right away. I didn’t want to go with Chris. I wanted to go with Rafe.
Too bad for me, right?
I tossed the phone aside and stared at my JamieX poster for a while, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Rafe.
So, finally, I got up and went downstairs to the piano.
I tried Mozart for about one minute, then switched over to the music they’d played at the piano bar.
I played for an hour, until I was sweating and singing and even feeling a little better. Weird. Piano had never made me feel better about anything before. Only worse.
It was Rafe’s fault.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
On Friday night at eight fifteen, I was standing by the door of the Red Pines Country Club ballroom. I was wearing a new black dress with spaghetti straps and a silk sheath that glided over my skin. My rhinestone-decorated high heels gave me at least four inches, and my hair was glistening with blond highlights that made my dirty-blond hair look outrageously gorgeous.
It was my dream dress, but my heart felt like someone had wrapped spiked chains around it and was slowly crushing it the longer I stood there waiting. Chris wasn’t coming, was he? I watched each kid walk in and look at me. Their thoughts were obvious: look at the poor loser standing by herself.
The silk dress could do only so much for me, apparently.
Why had I agreed to meet Chris here? How idiotic was that? It would have been much better to meet him at my house, no matter how late we were getting here. I mean, seriously, everyone was here with a date. It wasn’t like I had anyone to hang out with.
Erin walked up behind me and rested her chin on my shoulder. “You said Chris was coming from practice, right?”
Relief rushed through me to have her there, and I nodded, staring at the door, grateful that she’d ditched Keith for a few minutes to hang with me. Les had quadruple dated with them, with some ugly chick from St. Mary’s. A junior, Erin had told me.
Like that made me feel better.
Les had snagged a junior at the last minute.
I’d gotten stood up.
“So, I have a theory,” Erin continued.
I frowned and turned toward her. She was wearing a blue strapless dress that barely reached the top of her thigh, and wrapped around her like it was a second skin. She looked so hot, and I was happy that she and Keith were getting along so well, though it did sort of accentuate how bad my night was turning out to be. “You think Rafe told Chris not to come, don’t you?” I stomped my foot. “I knew it! I was thinking that, but then I thought Rafe wouldn’t care enough, or that Chris was too nice to leave me hanging. But that’s what happened, isn’t it? That’s why Chris is late? Stupid Rafe!”
She grinned. “Actually, I think Chris told Rafe he was taking you, and Rafe talked him into letting him come in Chris’s place.”
My heart stuttered. “Really?”
Her smile widened. “I think the reason your date is late is because Rafe is taking you and he had to rush home to get a suit.”
I clutched at her arms, excitement leaping through me. “Really? You swear? Because I’ll kill you if you’re wrong!”
She giggled, her eyes gleaming. “Rafe totally loves you! Anyone watching that performance would have seen that. Now that he knows you’re single, he’s going to make his move.”
I frowned. “Les stopped liking me once he knew I was single.”
“That’s because Les is a dork.” She reached up and tucked a stray hair back into my updo. “You look awesome. Rafe will die when he sees you.”
Suddenly, a hand fell on my shoulder, and I saw Erin’s eyes widen at whoever was behind me.
I immediately spun around.
It was Chris.
Disappointment surged through me as he smiled. “Hey, Lily. You look awesome.” He leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek, his fingers loose around my wrist.
I managed a smile. “You look pretty decent in a suit, too.” He did. His hair was all slicked back and he smelled nice. Unfortunately, he wasn’t Rafe.
He held out a corsage. “For you.”
I stared at the beautiful arrangement of pink roses and baby’s breath. “You got me flowers?”
“Of course. It’s a semi-formal, isn’t it?” He tugged an elastic band free. “It’s a wrist corsage. Hold out your hand.”
I sighed as he set the flowers around my wrist. They were so pretty. I held them to my face and inhaled. They smelled great too. And Chris looked hot. So why did I feel like I was going to cry?
He threw his arm around my shoulder and started walking toward the dance floor. “I think you need a dance.”
“I don’t really feel like dancing.”
“Tough.” He released me and started dancing. “Come on, piano girl. Shake that booty like you do when you’re playing the keyboard.”
I felt my cheeks heat up even as I grinned. “Shut up.”
“Never.” He grabbed my hand and yanked me toward him. “Dance with me, Lily.” He wrapped his arm around my waist and put his mouth close to my ear so I could hear him over the music. “I know I’m not Rafe, but we can still have fun tonight, can’t we?”
I jerked my head back to look at him. He knew I liked Rafe?
He grinned, apparently reading my expression. “Everyone knows,” he yelled over the music. “That was a great scene last weekend after our gig. Totally threw him for a loop. Good one!”
I felt some of my tension ease away. “Really?”
“Heck yeah!” He spun me around. “It’s good for Rafe to get knocked around a little. It was hilarious to watch his face,” he said. “He’s been moping around at school all week, which he deserves for choosing Paige over you.”
Well, that made me feel much better to know that Rafe had been miserable all week! I grinned and started dancing when Chris let go of me. “Thanks for going with me.”
“Are you kidding? It was awesome to watch Rafe’s face when I told him tonight that you’d asked me.”
I felt my heart stutter. “What did he say?”
Chris threw his arms over his head and started doing this really funky hip-shaking move. “Nothing! He just looked shocked. It was great! He was so jealous I thought he was going to punch me.”
“Really?” That was the best news ever!
Chris leaned forward and yelled in my ear. “Lily, he’s still going out with Paige. Give up on him.”
I grimaced. He was right. “I know,” I shouted back. “I’m over him.”
“Good. Maybe then you’l
l notice me.”
I gaped as Chris winked at me and then spun around to the music.
Chris and me? Hmm…
I grinned and started dancing for real.
* * *
Chris and I stopped to grab a drink after about an hour of hard-core dancing. He headed off to grab a couple waters, and I snagged a seat at one of the tables, still breathing heavily from working it on the dance floor. Chris could really shake it up, and he made me laugh. The night was going way better than I’d expected.
I’d barely thought about Rafe at all.
Feeling surprisingly happy, I leaned back in my seat and scanned the room. I wrinkled my nose when I noticed Les just off to the right, standing by himself and watching everyone else dance.
His face darkened when he noticed a gorgeous girl slow dancing with another guy. As they swirled past him, he reached out and grabbed her arm, tugging her free.
I leaned forward to listen as the girl glared at Les. “Leave me alone, Les.”
“You’re my date,” he yelled over the music. “Not his!”
Oh, no way! This was too awesome! I grinned as she rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m ditching you. Be a man and get over it.”
“But—”
She held up her hand to silence him, then she spun off with her new guy.
Les whirled around and saw me. I immediately wiped my smile off my face. He scowled, then appeared to notice I was alone and slouched over to me. He shoved his hands in his pockets. “So, you want to dance or what?”
Wow, and to think I could have been stuck with that attitude all night? No thanks. Feeling just a little bit smug, I nodded at Chris, who was walking up behind him. “I have a date.” I couldn’t help but snicker at the sour look on Les’s face as he sized up Chris, who looked decidedly hot in his suit and was slightly taller than Les.
I saw the moment Chris recognized him. His eyes narrowed a fraction, then he broke into a broad grin and slapped Les on the shoulder. “Man, am I glad you were too stupid to hang onto her. Your loss, buddy.” He set my drink in front of me and rested his hand on my shoulder, making it clear that he was with me and happy about it.
I grinned at the deepening scowl on Les’s face. “You’re really with her?” he asked.
“You better believe it. I wouldn’t have missed the chance.” Chris nodded and sat down next to me, draping his arm over the back of my chair. “See ya,” he said purposefully.
Les glared at us both and then stalked off. I burst into laughter as soon as he was out of hearing. “That was too funny!”
Chris grinned and held out my drink for me. “That guy’s an idiot. I can’t believe you were going to go with him. Let me guess, football player?”
I nodded as I took the water. “He knows nothing about music.”
“As I said, idiot.” He slanted a look at me. “Is that what you’re into? Football players?”
“Why? Are you one?” I realized I knew very little about Chris, other than that he was nice to me.
He shook his head and shoved the sleeves of his blazer up his forearms, putting a little edge in his suited appearance. “Singer all the way. That bug you?”
“No way. It’s great.” I took a sip of my water and enjoyed the sight of Les lurking by the punch bowl, looking annoyed. “Just don’t ever ask me to sing with you.”
He raised his brows. “You think you can’t sing?”
Like there was any doubt about that! “Oh, I know I can’t sing.”
“Everyone can sing. You just gotta practice.”
I frowned. “No, really, I can’t.”
He snorted in disbelief. “Sure you can. You just have to try.”
I sighed as I thought of Rafe and how he’d accepted my lack of singing ability. How he suffered from the same thing. He got me and didn’t want me to change. Oh, crud, I was thinking about Rafe again. Yeah, okay, so this was not the right train of thought. I needed to stop! I held up my hand as Chris continued to push on the singing thing. “Let it go, okay?”
He fell silent for a moment, and then I felt bad. I mean, he’d been super nice and all. It wasn’t his fault he wasn’t Rafe. “You want to dance?”
He grinned, and his shoulders relaxed. “Definitely.”
I let him grab my hand and tug me to my feet. I loved to dance, and I was going to get over Rafe and have fun with Chris, end of story.
* * *
We were standing on my front steps after the dance.
Me.
Chris.
In the dark.
He shoved his hands in his pockets, his face sort of shadowed by the porch light. “So, I had a ton of fun tonight. Thanks for inviting me.”
I grinned. “Thanks for coming. You’re an awesome dancer.”
“So are you.” He slipped his hand out of his pocket and brushed his fingers over the skirt of my dress. “This looks great on you.”
My pulse started to thrum with nerves at the look on his face. “Um, thanks.”
He set his other hand on my waist and sort of leaned in. “Lily...”
Uh, oh. He was going to kiss me. I bent backwards as he leaned closer, my heart racing. He was cute. He was nice. He liked me. I should kiss him...shouldn’t I?
I should. Rafe was out of my life. He wasn’t going to be my first kiss and that was the way it was.
I lifted my face and waited as Chris leaned in... closer... almost there... then I turned my head and let his lips hit my cheek. He made a noise of surprise and snapped his eyes open.
“I gotta go!” I spun around and raced inside and slammed the door shut before he could speak.
I ran all the way up to my room and dove onto my bed, as the reality of what had just happened hit me. I sat up in horror. What had I just done? I’d run away and slammed the door in my date’s face! The one guy who was interested in me and I’d just made it impossible to ever speak to him again.
I grabbed my pillow, smashed it over my face and screamed.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The next morning, I woke up to a light knock on my door. “Lily? Are you up?” my mom called out.
I groaned and looked at my clock. “Mom! It’s only eight thirty. On Saturday.” I pulled my pillow over my head. “Let me sleep!”
“There’s a car out front,” she said, sounding suspiciously pleased. “I think it’s for you.”
“What?” I scrambled to my feet as my mom opened my door and walked in. I yanked my curtain aside and lifted the shade.
There was a black Jeep sitting in front of the house.
Rafe was in it, wearing sunglasses and his leather jacket. He was playing the drums on his steering wheel, and glancing at the house every few seconds.
I jumped back, my heart thudding wildly. “It’s Rafe!”
“I know.” My mom raised the shade properly, a small smile playing at her lips. “Band practice today? Or something...else?”
“No, I...” Oh! He was here to take me to the audition! But why? He’d mentioned it only that one time, and we hadn’t talked about it since. I hadn’t even decided I wanted to go... in fact I didn’t, did I? I didn’t. “Tell him to go away.”
She shook her head, still looking amused. “A deal’s a deal, Lily. You have to play in the band. Go.”
“But—”
She gave me her mom look and walked out.
How long would he wait?
I ran to the window again and looked out. He’d tipped back his seat and looked like he was taking a nap.
Crud! He wasn’t going to leave no matter how long he had to wait.
I stepped back, my hands shaking. What should I do?
Go out there. I had to. So I could tell him to go away.
Right.
I reached for my sweatpants, and then paused. What if…? I ran to my closet and grabbed my outfit from the middle school performance. Slashed white pants, lace gloves…the whole Lily-kicks-butt package. Not that I was going to the audition or anything. Just to keep my options open. But if I went, I
wanted to remember exactly whose terms I was going in on. My terms. Lily Gardner, girl with the navel ring, not Lily Gardner of the velvet bow and corduroy dress.
Then I ran into the bathroom and jammed my tooth brush into my mouth while I quickly put on makeup. I took a couple extra minutes to get a little bit of attitude into my hair just to make sure no one would confuse me with a no-passion, boring classical pianist.
I took a deep breath and stared at myself in the mirror. My cheeks were flushed, my eyes were glowing and I looked…wow…I looked like I would own any piano that tried to come between me and my passion. Damn, I liked that look. I liked who was staring back at me. A lot. “Okay, Lily,” I whispered. “Let’s do this!”
I ran down the stairs, out the door and down the front walk.
Rafe was still there, just as I knew he would be. He sat up as I slowed to a stop next to the Jeep. I couldn’t see his eyes because of his sunglasses. What was he thinking? I really wished I knew.
Neither of us said anything for a minute.
Then he cleared his throat. “So, audition?”
My heart was pounding, and I fisted my hands in my lace gloves. “Why would I want to go to the audition?”
“Because piano’s fun.”
“So?” I was tempted, so tempted, but I was afraid, too. Afraid that the outfit and the hair wouldn’t be enough to keep me from falling into the hell that had tried to consume me before.
“So you can go and play something you like,” Rafe said. “Not something classical. Make it fun.”
I pressed my lips together, knowing a part of me agreed with him. Piano had been different for me since I’d met Rafe. Fun.
“You’re brilliant on the piano. You deserve this break.”
I felt a bubble of warmth in my chest. “Brilliant, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh.” I dragged my toe through the dirt. I really did want to go. On my terms. With Rafe, but without my parents, Crusty or anyone else knowing. Just us. Having fun.
“Lily?”
The Fake Boyfriend Experiment Page 14