I hold my breath, waiting for his response.
Toby: None. Give me a second to move my car down the road so no one sees it.
I unlock my window and open it all the way. Toby comes walking up the driveway, barely visible in the dark. He climbs the tree in front of the house and slips in the window.
“You made that look easy.”
“I was determined.” And most likely fueled by rage after talking to Meredith.
“What did Meredith say?”
“She gave me an option.”
I perk up for a second. “What was it?” I’ll take just about anything over what she has planned.
“She wants me to publicly dump you and promise to stay away from you for good.”
With all the secrets and all the lies, I should’ve expected this, but it doesn’t hurt any less because I know what Toby needs to do. I won’t let Meredith ruin him because of me. My heart clenches as I look into his eyes and say, “Then do it.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“No way. I’m not humiliating you in front of everyone, and I’m not going back to sneaking around. I don’t want her to have this kind of control over me for the rest of my life. She’ll back off for now if I go through with this, but the next time I piss her off, she’ll threaten me with it again. I’m not going to be her bitch.”
“Then tell her you’re going to do it. Friday. At the pep rally. Only we’ll out her instead. We’ll tell everyone how she threatened us. How she made you pretend to date her. We’ll expose her for a liar before she can say anything.”
“What if she tells everyone anyway? Some people may still believe her. I don’t exactly have a big following anymore.”
Once again, I know Tori could fix this. People would believe her over Meredith. But she won’t help us. She probably wants to see us suffer as much as Meredith does. “This is our only option, unless you do what Meredith asked.”
“No.” He reaches for me and pulls me to him. “I’m not breaking up with you.”
I lean my head back and find his lips. His kiss is hungry. His hands are in my hair and then running up and down my back. He pulls me closer, but I back us up to the bed.
“What are you doing?” he asks when we’re lying on the mattress. “I’m not asking for this. I’m sorry if I got a little carried away just now, but this isn’t what I was trying to—”
I press my finger to his lips. “I know. I just thought we’d be more comfortable here.”
He smiles, and I lower my finger to kiss him again. We’re a tangle of limbs as he kisses my mouth, my jaw, and my neck. I have to stifle a few moans. The last thing I need is Dad breaking down the door. Finally at about midnight, Toby lies flat on his back, and I put my head on his chest. We fall asleep in each other’s arms.
He’s gone when I wake up in the morning, but he left me a text.
Toby: Telling Meredith before school. Hope this works. I love you.
Becca: Good luck. I love you too.
It’s Thursday. Our last day together if our plan doesn’t work. While Toby is talking to Meredith, I make one last attempt to talk to Tori. She’s at her locker with Ryder. Ryder nods to me when I come up behind Tori.
“Can I have a minute alone with Tori, please?”
She turns to look at me and slams her locker shut. “No.” She loops her arm through Ryder’s, but he doesn’t move.
“This is ridiculous. Toby is my best friend, and I haven’t even talked to him since your party. Becca’s your friend, and you haven’t talked to her either. Personally, I think it would be great to all hang out together, like we did at your house that night. So can’t you two just suck it up, do whatever girl-bonding thing you need to, and get over this?” He kisses the top of Tori’s head and walks away.
“Bastard,” she says, looking after him.
“Actually, he’s a pretty great boyfriend. He wants you to be happy. So do I.”
“Is that why you snuck around with my brother? Because you thought it would make me happy?” She starts toward class, but I grab her arm and pull her into the girls’ bathroom. “Let go of me, Becca. I’m not in the mood to listen to you.”
“Yeah, well, after tomorrow’s pep rally, you may never have to listen to me or Toby again.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “What are you talking about?” She obviously deleted my text without even reading it, because this is news to her.
“That’s when Meredith is going to make her announcement. That is unless Toby publicly dumps me instead.”
A smile creeps across her lips.
“Yeah, I know you’d love that, but what’s going to stop Meredith from making her announcement some other time when Toby gets on her bad side again? You can’t possibly want that for him, Tori.”
“Look, I’m sorry if things didn’t work out the way you and my brother planned, but it’s not my problem. You chose this. If you’re smart, you’ll tell Toby to dump you. Save you both some pain and suffering. Cut your losses and find some new friends.” She walks out, taking all my hope with her.
Toby’s leaning against my locker when I get there. “Any luck?” I ask.
“I told her I’d do it. She seemed happy about it.”
“I talked to Tori again.”
He stands up straight. “I can imagine how well that went.”
We don’t say another word about it for the rest of the day. We have to stick to our plan and hope for the best. Toby comes over again at night after my parents are asleep, and we make out like there’s no tomorrow because I don’t want there to be one. But before I know it, the sun is up. Only this morning, I’m still in Toby’s arms.
“You stayed.”
“I couldn’t make myself leave.” He must be just as worried as I am that our plan isn’t going to work.
“So, are you ready to dump me?”
“Not even close.”
I roll over onto my stomach so I can look him in the eyes. “Listen to me. If our plan doesn’t work, I want you to break up with me. Give Meredith what she wants. I won’t let you move away. I’d rather give you up than see your life ruined.”
“I never bought into that ‘if you love someone, let them go’ crap.”
“Well, I’m asking you to. For me.” He shakes his head, but I cup his face in my hands. “Promise me, Toby.”
“I hate this.”
“Believe me, so do I.”
I kiss him softly on the lips before I get ready for school and our possible breakup. The day flies by. It’s like time doesn’t exist anymore because all the seconds run into each other. And before I know it, they’re making the announcement to call everyone down to the gymnasium for the pep rally. Toby finds me in the hall and pulls me into the girls’ bathroom.
“You’re making a habit of this,” I say with a nervous laugh.
He smothers my lips with his. I can feel all his tension, and I want to cry because my insides are aching for him. “I love you,” he says, pulling away.
“I love you too.”
“We’re going to walk in there together. Hopefully this will go in our favor, and we’ll walk out of there the same way.”
I shake as I place my hand in his and nod. We follow the crowd into the gymnasium. Toby and I huddle together on the bleachers. I look for Tori, and find her sitting with Ryder, Jeff, and a bunch of girls, Meredith included.
“I can’t believe she’s hanging out with Meredith.” I motion to the group.
“My guess is they’re not really friends. They’re just coexisting since they both want to hang out in that crowd.”
I can’t imagine Tori putting up with Meredith, but maybe hating Toby and me is enough to bring them together.
“When do you think—?”
“Meredith will come out with the cheerleaders,” he says, answering the question so I don’t have to say the words out loud. “She said she’ll call me up to the microphone then.”
“And you’ll…”
“Tell everyone the truth.”
“And if Meredith tries to interrupt with her story?”
He sighs.
“Toby, you have to do it. Please, promise me you will.”
He doesn’t say a word, but I can see his answer in his eyes. And that means I’m going to have to intervene and make up a story of my own. One that makes me look like the pathetic loser instead of Meredith.
The pep rally begins, and I see Meredith leave her spot on the bleachers and head to the locker room with the other cheerleaders. My breath catches in my throat with the announcement of every team. After about four other teams, the cheerleaders are announced. I clutch Toby’s hand, and he gives me a weak smile.
Meredith is announced as captain, and she walks over to the microphone. “Good afternoon, Lansfield. I have a very special announcement to share with you today, but I’m going to need some help. So if Toby Michaels could please come down here, we can get started.”
The crowd mumbles and heads turn toward Toby. He squeezes my hand before getting up and walking down the bleachers. My heart is pounding so hard I’m afraid I’m going to need medical attention.
“Toby has something he needs to tell everyone,” Meredith says, stepping aside and smiling at Toby.
Vice Principal Davidson tenses at the unplanned change of speakers, but he doesn’t try to intervene.
Toby steps forward and faces the crowd. “I know a lot of you aren’t exactly on my side anymore after my breakup with Meredith, so I felt I should clear some things up.” Meredith’s eyes narrow, but Toby continues. “That breakup you all witnessed in the hallway was staged.”
Meredith shoves him in the shoulder, but he doesn’t budge. He grabs the microphone and keeps going. “Meredith was mad that I broke up with her, and then she caught me kissing Becca Daniels, which pissed her off even more. So she made me pretend to date her.”
“Don’t listen to him! It’s lies!” Meredith screams and tries to rip the microphone from Toby’s hands.
I stand up and make my way down the stands. I can’t let her do this. I can’t let her ruin him because of me.
“All Meredith cared about was her reputation. She blackmailed Becca and me. None of it was real. She lied to all of you, just so you’d like her again. You can’t believe a word she says.”
Meredith lunges at Toby, clawing at his chest and face. Vice Principal Davidson and Mr. Rollar pull her off him and separate them both. Then Davidson returns the microphone to the podium, probably thinking that will end the outburst.
“You can’t listen to him!” Meredith screams. “You don’t know what he’s really like. He’s a monster. I can prove it. Just let me speak!” She’s flailing in Mr. Rollar’s arms.
Davidson’s watching Toby, making sure he doesn’t try to retaliate, not that Toby ever would, physically at least.
“She’s lying. That’s what this is all about. Meredith and her lies.” Toby’s face is bright red with rage. I rush over to him.
Meredith doubles over, her body heaving with sobs. The second Mr. Rollar releases his grip on her, she rushes for the microphone. She tricked him.
“Toby Michaels”—she jabs her finger in Toby’s direction—“is more than just a liar. He’s…he’s…”
Maybe even she can’t do something this horrible. I silently pray she’ll come to her senses. That she’ll realize this goes beyond anything she’s ever done, into unforgivable territory.
Mr. Rollar pulls her away from the microphone, but she continues to yell. “He got me to sleep with him, and then he dumped me. He used me. For sex. That’s the kind of person Toby Michaels really is.”
Oh my God. My stomach drops as she says the words to seal Toby’s fate. It could’ve been worse. She could’ve accused him of rape, but she didn’t. She just made him out to be an asshole instead. The gymnasium is dead silent. Toby shakes his head, but he doesn’t say a word. I look at him and move toward the microphone.
“My turn,” I tell Meredith.
“No. She’s just as bad as he is. They’re both trying to ruin me. Becca assaulted me at Tori’s party, and she tried to punch me at school the other day too.”
I want to do more than just punch her right now, but if I attack her, everyone will think she’s the one who’s telling the truth. I ignore her and grab the microphone instead, ripping it off its stand on the podium before one of the teachers can stop me.
“Do you want to know the truth?”
“Miss Daniels, give me that microphone and take a seat,” Davidson says.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not giving up this microphone until everyone hears what I have to say. Meredith is lying.”
“No, I’m not!” she shrieks.
Mr. Rollar still has a good grip on her, and this time he doesn’t look like he’s going to let her go. He nods for me to continue. That’s interesting, but then again, he’s always liked Toby and it’s clear I’m about to defend him.
“I did something really stupid. I went behind my best friend’s back and dated her brother. I broke her trust, and I lost her because of it. I don’t blame her for hating me. I hate myself for hurting her. But I’m in love with Toby Michaels. I know the kind of person he is.”
“A liar!” Meredith screams.
“How dare you?” I whip around and stare at Meredith, microphone still in my hand. “You couldn’t handle Toby breaking up with you so you forced him to pretend to date you just so you could be the one to end it. You blackmailed both of us, and then when people started making comments about him and me dating, you couldn’t take it so you made up this story about him forcing you to sleep with him. You’re pathetic. You’re the lowest form of life there is to make up something so destructive.” I turn back to the crowd. “She’s lying about all of it because she’s worried about her reputation. Toby would never pressure any girl into sex. He’s not like that.”
“That’s enough, Miss Daniels,” Davidson says, finally yanking the microphone from my hands.
“Hold on,” Tori says, stepping down from the bleachers and walking toward Davidson. “I have something to say.” By the look on her face, I think this is going to be even worse than what Meredith has done.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“This isn’t open mic night, Ms. Michaels,” Vice Principal Davidson says.
Tori holds her phone up to him so he can read the screen. “I know the truth, and seeing as I hate Meredith and Toby, I think I’m a pretty objective bystander.”
Davidson nods and hands her the microphone, surprising everyone.
“What?” Meredith cries. “We were hanging out. What do you mean you hate me?”
“What can I say? I learned how to sneak around and lie by watching my brother and my best friend.” She glares at Toby and me. “Apparently, I’m very convincing. Anyway, I’ll read you all a text message Meredith sent me this morning. It should clear up a few things.” She holds up her phone, reading from the screen. “‘Can’t wait to see the look on Toby’s face if he doesn’t go through with it and dump Becca. I’ll make everyone think he uses girls for sex and dumps them like yesterday’s trash.’”
Those are pretty much exactly the words Meredith used when she told us what she was going to do.
“How could you?” Meredith asks Tori. “You hate him. After what he did to you, you should want to bury him too.”
“One thing I’ve learned from all this is lies always catch up to you in the end.” Tori hands the microphone back to Davidson. “Don’t they, Becca?”
“Tori, I’m sorry,” I say loud enough for everyone to hear. “I can’t make up for what I’ve done, but I’m so sorry.”
She turns and looks at me. “So am I.” She walks out of the gym, and as much as I want to follow her, I know I have to stay to make sure Toby’s okay.
Davidson holds the microphone in front of Meredith. “Would you like to retract anything you said, Ms. Ackles? I think it might be in your best interest to set the record straight. Wrongfully accusing someone of something this severe will result in s
uspension at the very least.”
She glares at me. “Fine. Here’s the truth. Toby was too much of an idiot to realize I was his best option.”
I rush to Toby’s side and wrap my arms around him. He pulls me close and kisses the side of my head. “I can’t believe Tori saved us like that,” I say.
“I can,” he says, and I realize he’s right. She’s never once let me down. Even now, after I hurt her, she still had my back, and Toby’s.
Davidson brings the microphone to his mouth. “All right. I think that’s enough pep for one rally. Everyone is dismissed.”
After detention, we head to Toby’s house to find Tori. This has to end now. She’s in the kitchen when we walk inside. She eyes us for a moment and goes back to pouring popcorn into a bowl.
“Why did you do it?” I ask.
“You think I want people to think my brother is a complete ass when it comes to girls?”
“You can say that, but I know it’s not the reason.”
Toby sits down at the center island. “Whatever your reason, thanks. I owe you big time.”
“Yeah, you do.”
“Tori—”
“We’re not okay, Becca. What I said doesn’t change anything.”
“I know.”
“But you were right about one thing. I wouldn’t have allowed you two to date.” She shrugs. “You chose him. I have to deal with that, and you have to deal with the consequences.”
“So, you’re saying you can’t ever forgive me?”
She shrugs again. “Maybe. I don’t really know.”
“You’re dating my best friend, you know,” Toby says.
“What’s your point?”
“Why the double standard? You can date Ryder, but I can’t date Becca? Not exactly fair.”
“Had you said that before you two started secretly dating, I might have seen your point.”
“She’s right. We messed up.” I look at Tori. “I can keep apologizing, but it’s not going to make things right. Just know I’m here if you ever want to try giving me another chance, but I’ll be with Toby. I can’t give him up. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
Our Little Secret Page 20