April Fools' Joke (Holiday High Series Book 3)

by Kellie McAllen

  “Do you think you could ever forgive me, KC? I’d like to be friends again, if nothing else. Do you think we could try again?”

  I suck in a shaky breath and stare at him, seeing only regret and sincerity in his hazel eyes, and the last bit of armor around my heart falls off. Who am I to hold a grudge forever? I’ve done my share of stupid, thoughtless things, too. My catfishing stunt, for one.

  On impulse, I nod my head. His eyes get wide, and he jumps out of the chair and grabs me in an awkward hug, yanking me out of the desk.

  He smells a little bit like the guys’ locker room, but it only brings out his own masculine scent, and I take a deep breath. He groans and pulls away from me.

  “You look amazing, by the way.” His eyes roam hungrily up and down my body, and I grin. I knew he’d like this look.

  “Thanks. I don’t think the goth look is really me.”

  He shakes his head, his eyes still glued to my body. “I think this look matches your personality, but you’d look good in anything, KC. In fact… Kerri tells me you have a gorgeous prom dress and no date to appreciate it…”

  He pauses and bites his lip; his nervousness is kind of adorable. “Would you like to go with me?”

  I don’t know what I’m thinking. I’m not, I guess. All my plans for revenge go out the window, and the next thing I know I’m saying yes.

  “You will?” Jake beams, his white teeth flashing, and I smile back, a ridiculous, goofy grin that probably makes me look like an idiot. But he doesn’t seem to mind at all because he reaches for me again, engulfing me with his strong arms, his firm chest, and his musky scent.

  “Can I give you a ride home, KC?” he asks, loosening his grip, but not pulling away.

  “I have my car today.” I shake my head, for once wishing I didn’t.

  He hems and haws for a minute like he’s trying to decide whether to push his luck by asking me to go do something. “Okay, well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

  “Yeah, sure. Tomorrow.” I’d like to spend the rest of the day with him, and I have a feeling he would, too, but he’s afraid to push me.

  He walks backwards out of the room, waving, like he’s afraid to let me out of his sight.

  I stand there for a minute, letting the full weight of what just happened sink in. I can’t believe I agreed to go to prom with Jake Matthews. I’m happy, but boggled at the same time. What are all the girls going to think when they find out I’ve forgiven him?

  I’ve been feeling guilty about the prom prank I instigated and looking for a way to convince them not to go through with it. Maybe this will inspire them to have the same change of heart. I head home, wondering how I should broach the subject.

  Jake doesn’t text Kaitlyn tonight, and I wonder if he’ll end the relationship soon now that he’s going out with me. Well, going to prom, anyway. We didn’t really talk about anything besides that. Does he assume that means we’re together now? I’m not even sure if that’s what I want. I’m still blown away that I said yes to him. But I can’t resist pulling out the prom dress and holding it up to me again, humming the theme song from Beauty and the Beast and twirling around like I’m dancing.

  The next day, Jake is all smiles in 1st period when I walk in, and his grin gets even bigger when I sit down next to him. I’m wearing another skirt, a denim mini with frayed edges. I’ve got a black shirt on and the same black ankle boots as yesterday, but my makeup is basically normal-looking — smoky eye shadow, a thin swoop of eye liner, and bright red lipstick instead of the black cherry color I’ve been wearing. Jake’s eyes can’t decide whether to stare at my face or my legs, and I’m afraid he’s going to get whiplash.

  It’s a little awkward when a guy named Caden asks me if I’d like to go with him to prom right in front of Jake, but I let him down gently, trying not to hurt his feelings or tick off Jake. Another guy approaches me in 2nd period with the same offer. Geez, how many people did Kerri talk to?

  I smile politely at him. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m actually going with Jake.”

  “Oh, okay. I heard he was going to ask you, I just didn’t think you’d say yes.” He quirks his lip at me.

  I’m kind of surprised by this since I don’t think I’ve ever seen Jake talking to this guy before. But why would Jake bother telling a stranger? “Are you friends with him?”

  He shakes his head, his long, wavy hair flopping in his eyes. “Nah, I just heard him talking about it in the locker room.”

  The guys’ locker room is a sweaty, stinky, foreign world filled with half-naked guys parading around like body builders and whacking each other with towels, where guys are free to say all the things they don’t dare say in mixed company. At least that’s how I imagine it based on movies and TV shows. I don’t even want to think about the conversations that happen there, especially ones about me. Still, it seems weird that Jake would tell the whole room full of guys he was going to ask me. Wasn’t he afraid I’d turn him down? Obviously, this guy thought so.

  A girl named Clarissa comes into 3rd period, her pimply face beaming, and sits down a few rows away from me. She’s loud enough that practically the whole room can hear her, though, and obviously excited enough that she doesn’t care. She leans over to her friend, her wide thighs spilling out the side of the desk.

  “You’re never gonna believe what just happened. Lance apologized to me for what happened at that party and offered to be my prom date! Lance Padgett! He was really sincere, too.”

  Her friend gawks at her, and the two start talking about finding a dress. Her story sounds almost identical to mine. I glance over at Jake to see him smiling and nodding. What does that mean?

  In the locker room before gym class, a girl named Kirsten is holding her hair up and examining her wolfish profile in the mirror, tilting her chin left and right.

  “If you’re trying to decide if you need to wax, the answer is yes,” another girl says.

  Kirsten scowls at her, but then her face splits open in a wide smile. “I’m trying to decide if I should wear my hair up or down… to prom.”

  “You’re going to prom? With who?”

  Kirsten drops her hair and spins around. “James Somers. He came up to me at my locker this morning and apologized for the dogfight thing. Said he wanted to make it up to me by taking me to prom.”

  Several of the girls gasp at that.

  A skin-and-bones girl with frazzled hair and dark circles under her eyes says, “The same thing happened to me, only it was Brian Bevins.”

  That gets an even bigger response.

  “Maybe our boycott is working! Maybe the guys have finally realized what jerks they were,” Brittany says, and the girls start murmuring excitedly, but an uneasy feeling curls in my stomach.

  “Well, I got an invitation to prom from Aiden Hunt last night. Or should I say Desiree, the Seventeen magazine covergirl, did.” Erica winks and tosses her hair. “As if a guy like Aiden could ever snag a girl that hot.”

  At lunchtime, Kerri finds me in the hallway. “Hey KC! Wanna sit with me at lunch today?”

  I’ve been avoiding their table ever since Jake’s party, but I guess since I’ve made up with Jake I might as well. “Sure, why not?”

  “Yay!” Kerri grabs my arm and walks with me to the cafeteria, chattering a mile a minute.

  But I hear another dogfight victim talking in the lunch line about how she got asked to prom, and warning bells start going off in my head.

  Jake smiles when he sees me walking towards his table with Kerri, and he scoots over so there’s a spot for me to sit near him. He’s sweet and considerate, asking me how my day is going and even offering me his jacket when I shiver. But why can’t I shake the feeling that something fishy is going on?

  It’s probably all in my head. Maybe Brittany is right and the guys have finally come to their senses and decided to be decent human beings, for once. The girls who got invited to prom are obviously thrilled.

  I try to ignore my suspicions and enjo
y hanging out with the group again. Kerri and Mia are the best; they’re nothing like the two-faced, backstabbing bitches I used to call my friends. And their boyfriends are cool, too. They’ve known Jake a lot longer than I have, and they seem to trust him. I’m probably just being paranoid because of my past.

  “So KC, What’d you think about those guys I sent your way? Anybody interesting?” Kerri’s eyes twinkle at me above her sandwich.

  “I’ll tell you what I think of them,” Jake blurts out before I’ve even opened my mouth. “I think they need to stay away from my prom date.”

  That gets everyone riled up, and I duck my head and smack Jake’s leg under the table.

  Kerri smiles at me. “That’s awesome, KC. You guys really are great together. And what’s better than my single friend pairing up with my new one?”

  She says it like it’s the perfect match, but so far it’s been a recipe for disaster. Hopefully this time we can work things out so our friends aren’t forced to choose between us. I’d really hate to lose them.

  “So, KC, when am I gonna get to see this gorgeous prom dress you picked out? Kerri tells me it’s uh-maz-ing.” Jake says it just like Kerri does, garnering a laugh from everyone, including Kerri who just shrugs her shoulders and smirks but then jabs a finger at me.

  “Don’t you dare show him that dress yet, KC. It’s bad luck. You’re gonna have to wait till prom, mister.” She turns her finger towards Jake.

  “Bad luck? I thought that was wedding dresses.” Jake snorts.

  Kerri makes a stubborn face and props her hands on her hips. “No. It’s for prom dresses, too. Trust me on this.”

  Jake rolls his eyes and shakes his head, smirking. “Fine. But can you at least tell me what color it is so I can match my tie?”

  I glance at Kerri for permission and she gives a reluctant nod.

  “Get a yellow tie,” I say.

  “Yellow, okay.” Jake nods. “Wait, what shade? Canary, lemon, school bus? You gotta be specific, or I’ll probably get the wrong thing. I’m a guy, you know.”

  I chuckle and look around the room for something the right color. “Um, like this.” I eventually point to my plate.

  “Gotcha. The color of mac and cheese. I can remember that.” Jake bobs his head, and everyone laughs at him.

  The silliness soothes my nerves, and by the end of lunch I’ve forgotten all about my concerns. That is, until Connor and Kerri get involved in a conversation, and Jake takes the opportunity to dump a bunch of salt on her cupcake.

  When Kerri reaches for the cupcake, I stick out a hand to stop her, but Jake kicks me under the table, distracting me just long enough for Kerri to take a giant bite.

  “Blech! Nasty!” Kerri scrunches her face and opens her mouth, letting the tainted treat fall out and spitting the remaining crumbs into her napkin.

  Jake and Austin bust out laughing, and even Mia gives a little giggle, but Connor, Kerri, and I are less amused.

  Connor scowls at Jake. “Come on, dude. Don’t mess with my girlfriend.”

  “I was looking forward to that.” Kerri pouts. Connor puts his arm around her and promises to get her another one later.

  “Jake, I thought you were done with the pranks.” I frown at him.

  “Aww, come on, KC. It was harmless. And hilarious! Did you see her face?” He laughs and tries to imitate Kerri’s expression, twisting his face up in exaggerated disgust.

  Kerri laughs at his impression, so I guess she’s not mad, but still, it makes me worry. Can I really trust Jake?

  It’s a good thing nothing important is going on in my afternoon classes, because as the day goes on I get more and more suspicious. I hear two more stories about heartfelt apologies and prom invitations from girls who were pranked at the dogfight party, and I’m trying to convince myself the guys have just had a collective change of heart. But all of that changes when I overhear Leanne talking to Christine.

  “Aiden Hunt just asked me to prom in 5th period! He said he really likes me and he never intended to prank me at that party. He didn’t know anything about the dogfight.”

  She’s sweaty with excitement, her body odor blooming out in a cloud around her, but that’s not what’s making me feel sick. It’s the fact that Aiden asked Erika (aka Desiree, the magazine covergirl) to go to prom with him yesterday, and I really doubt he changed his mind and decided to take stinky Leanne instead.

  My stomach rolls as the truth punches me in the gut, and I clutch my belly in response.

  The guys haven’t had a sudden change of heart. They’re planning another prank, and once again, I’m Jake Matthews’ intended victim. In fact, I’m almost positive he’s behind it all.

  I slump to the ground, trying to breathe through the heartache wracking my body. I can’t believe I trusted him; I can’t believe I thought he had changed! I can’t believe I fell for his lies again!

  I’m curled up in a ball in the hallway, holding myself, tears dripping down my cheeks, when the enemy finds me.

  “KC, what’s the matter?” Jake rushes up to me and drops to his knees, his eyes pinched like he’s worried, but I know it’s all an act, and I won’t let him fool me ever again.

  “Get away from me, you bastard! I know what you did!” I holler, drawing stares from everyone around.

  Jake pulls back, stunned. “KC, what are you talking about?”

  “You’re doing it again, pranking the girls who are too desperate and naive to realize it.”

  I pull myself to my feet and brush the hair off my wet cheeks, taking a deep breath.

  “But not me, Jake. You’ve tricked me too many times. What were you going to do, leave me standing by my front door all night waiting for you to show up? Is that your idea of a funny joke — humiliating people and ruining what’s supposed to be the best night of their lives?”

  “Are you talking about prom? KC, I would never do that.” He winces and shakes his head.

  I poke a finger into his chest. “You’ll never have the chance to, Jake, because I’m never going to trust you again.”

  With that, I whirl around and stomp off, trying to pretend all I feel is anger and not a broken heart.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jake

  So much for good karma — a hell of a lot of good it did me. Or maybe it’s leftover bad karma that’s been biding its time, waiting for the perfect moment to bite me in the ass. Whatever it is, I think I’ve lost KC for good this time, and I didn’t even do anything wrong! I was trying to make things right.

  I chase after KC, making a fool of myself yelling her name as I run through the hallway, and it reminds me way too much of that night at the party. I wasn’t trying to hurt her then, either, but I was in the wrong. I should never have agreed to Dylan’s bet in the first place, and I should’ve done everything I could to get out of it. Trying to hide it, hoping she’d never find out, was a stupid idea. I should’ve known it would backfire.

  But this — I don’t know what I could’ve done differently. I thought I was doing a good thing, encouraging the guys to apologize for what they did and offer to take the girls to prom. And a lot of them agreed. But I guess not all of them.

  KC told Kerri that she overhead Aiden inviting Leanne to prom after he already invited another girl. Aiden is a prick, for sure, but KC thinks I put him and all the other guys up to it, which means she thinks I’m some villainous mastermind.

  “Kerri, you have to talk to KC for me, tell her it’s not what she thinks.” I beg when I get nothing but scowls and silence from KC for days.

  “So, what is it, Jake? Because according to KC, all the guys are playing another trick, inviting girls to prom with no intention of taking them, and they got that idea from you.” She crosses her arms and purses her lips, giving me a stare down. It’s amazing how fierce she can look for someone so cute and freckly.

  “No, that’s not what happened at all! I took your advice and tried to do something good, for once. I told the guys they should apologize to the girls and o
ffer to take them to prom because I felt bad that none of the girls had dates. And I asked KC to go with me because I’m in love with her!” My voice echoes down the hallway, generating stares, and I hope it’s loud enough for KC to hear me, wherever she is.

  “But KC said…”. Kerri stops herself, snapping her mouth shut and shaking her head. “Nevermind. Let’s just say that KC had evidence that at least one of the guys was playing a trick.”

  I throw my hands up in the air. “I don’t know, Kerri. Maybe one of them is. All I know is I did not encourage anybody to play a prank, and I certainly wasn’t trying to prank KC.”

  Kerri’s frown softens, and she lays a hand on my arm. “Jake, you’re my friend, so I believe you, and I can tell you really care about KC, so I promise I’ll talk to her.”

  I breathe out a sigh. “Thanks, Kerri. Hopefully she’ll listen to you. She trusts you a lot more than me.”

  I don’t know if Kerri talks to KC right away or not, but KC doesn’t make any effort to talk to me that day. I head home and throw myself on the bed, feeling sorry for myself. The house feels cold and empty; the high end furniture, modern art, and thousands of square feet of living space do nothing to comfort me. Of course, nobody’s home to ask me how my day went. I guess my parents assume that everything is fine as long as I’m not doing drugs or getting arrested.

  I don’t know why I care so much about a girl who obviously doesn’t care about me. KC is not the only girl in the world. She’s not the prettiest, probably not the smartest, not the sweetest, and definitely not the easiest to get along with. So why am I so obsessed with her?

  My phone chirps, and I pick it up, surprised to see a notification from Tinder. Speaking of girls that are easier to get along with.

  I haven’t texted much with Kaitlyn lately, mainly because I’ve been too focused on KC. Plus, every time I suggested we get together, she had some excuse. I do enjoy talking to her, though. Maybe I should give up on KC and focus on Kaitlyn instead.