Competing With the Star (Star #2)

by Krysten Lindsay Hager

  Nick: I swear to you I did not kiss her. I love you.

  Simone called me back and I took her call without thinking. She was sobbing when I answered.

  “Oh my gosh, Hadley, I am so sorry. You told me he was super into me and I should have kept my distance,” she said. “I guess I didn’t realize how much he liked me that this could happen.”

  I felt like throwing up.

  “I can’t talk about this right now.”

  “Please don’t be mad at me,” she said. “At least tell me you don’t hate me. I am so sorry.”

  She was crying so hard and it hit me that Nick hadn’t even seemed apologetic. He was exasperated and mad, but there were no tears. Meanwhile she was sobbing the way I had been when I heard about it.

  “I don’t hate you,” I said, even though I sort of did. “I have to go. My dad’s here.”

  I hung up the phone and called Charlotte, but her phone was off. I remembered she was at the science fair tonight. I tried Pilar’s phone next and told her everything.

  “What the crap? Well, one of them is lying,” she said.

  “What do you think happened?”

  “Well…first tell me what you think happened.”

  I took a deep breath. “I think she was all sad and vulnerable over her breakup and maybe she made the first move—I don’t know—but I think he saw his dream girl and kissed her back. I mean, everyone said he was so in love with her…how can I believe what he’s saying—that he just sat there and then said, ‘We have to leave’?”

  “He might have kissed back. I don’t know. I wouldn’t put it past her that she made the first move though. She went after Connor when he and I were talking. Basically how it went down was that I came to school and Morgan told me Connor liked Simone now and I was just supposed to be okay with it. I don’t know if it’s because she was on TV that she thinks she can get away with whatever—or maybe Hollywood people do things differently—maybe she thinks that’s all okay.”

  “She acted like it was no big deal and said you guys have all done stuff like that and it was like I was such a baby to think there was anything wrong with it.”

  “That is exactly what she did to me,” Pilar said. “She made me feel like I was this immature hick and she was some sophisticated TV star. Reagan is the same way. I am so over being treated like crap by people and I feel bad for you. Nick was the first guy you said I love you to—that’s a big deal. And she knew it was to you and to him. I don’t know what his problem is. Nick told my brother how he just doesn’t just say those words and how he was a little worried how you’d react, but that he felt comfortable enough with you saying them and that you’d say it back.”

  “Maybe that was the problem—he was too comfortable with me. I was boring and she’s exciting. I mean, how can I compete with a TV star who looks like she’s twenty-one?” I asked. “And she even told me how Nick and my relationship was like some safe, boring old couple’s.”

  “Which is apparently what she wanted after Chase dumped her butt.”

  “Yeah, suddenly boring ol’ Nick was good enough for her. Oh my gosh—I am so stupid!”

  “What?”

  I groaned. “She even told me how Nick was never even on her radar until she saw how sweet he was with me and she admitted to me a while ago that she started to like him after seeing him with me. She said she never even thought of him that way until we started going out. I am so dumb. She tells me that and I was still so in awe that a TV star was my friend that I let it go. Like that’s an okay thing to say to someone.”

  “Well, this is starting to make sense. Chase rejects her, so she goes for the one guy who put her on a freakin’ pedestal,” Pilar said. “Of all the guys here, Nick was the only one who got all dopey around her and he’s the safe one who won’t break your heart.”

  “Well, he sure broke mine,” I said, sniffing.

  “I just wish there were some way we could find out if Nick actually kissed her back. There is a chance it happened exactly like he said. I’ll see if my brother knows anything. I’ll text you if I hear anything.”

  We got off the phone and my heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest. I needed to talk to someone, but Asia was Simone’s best friend. She would take her side. I couldn’t talk to my mom about this, but maybe Aunt Faith would listen.

  I looked outside and the rain had stopped, so I told Mom I was going over to Grandma and Grandpa’s. I ran down the street to their house and hoped Aunt Faith would be home. Lucky for me, she was sitting in the living room reading.

  “Hey,” she said. “I haven’t seen you much.”

  “Can we talk somewhere private?”

  “Sure, let’s go to my room.”

  We went upstairs and I told her the whole story. I felt angry now more than sad as I repeated what both Simone and Nick had said.

  “I don’t know either of them that well,” she said. “All I can say is that girls do flirt and act stupid when it comes to guys, but she sounds very sorry for what she did and she obviously cares about you as a friend.”

  “Then how could she do this to me?”

  “I had something similar happen when I was in high school. It was my senior year and my friend, Tara, kissed my boyfriend. I don’t know if he liked her or what, but it was at a party. I was devastated. But you know what Grandma told me? Boys will come and go and by next year he wouldn’t even be in my life. But she said a friend is forever and that people make mistakes.”

  “But if she was my friend then how could she do that to me?”

  “Well, girls do dumb stuff.”

  “Did you stay friends with either one of them?” I asked.

  “Tara and I still are friends online. We don’t hang out anymore, but we kept in touch. I know right now this seems like the end of the world, but you need to ask yourself which one of them is worth saving the relationship with.”

  “I don’t know. She’s my friend, but even he said we were best friends.”

  “Do you think he’s telling the truth about her coming onto him?”

  I shrugged. “I want to believe him.”

  “What does your gut say?”

  I stopped for a minute and thought about it. “I guess I wonder why he didn’t seem more emotional like she did—she was crying her head off. He was more like…well, expecting me to say, ‘Okay, that’s what happened. I believe you.’”

  “So what does that mean to you?”

  I shrugged. “My gut kind of feels like maybe he’s telling the truth. Pilar said Simone has done this before and she did admit to me how she was starting to like him. Plus, she was upset over being dumped.”

  “I could see how that would make her vulnerable enough to do something like that.”

  “Yeah, so do you think he’s telling the truth?”

  Aunt Faith looked away for a moment. “Hadley, I’m afraid I can’t tell you to rely one hundred percent on your instincts because there is a chance you want him to be telling the truth so badly that it’s clouding your judgement. I wish I could tell you to go with your feelings on this, but you are so young and this is your first real love. Honey, you’re going to have to weigh the consequences on this one. I’m afraid you’ll end up losing one of them no matter what.”

  “Why did this have to happen?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. But if your friendship with Simone is important to you then you might have to forgive her and try to move on from it.”

  “But what about my friendship with him? He and I were a lot closer than I was with her. I could tell him anything. He didn’t judge me or ever make me feel awkward. Like he said, we were best friends.”

  She shrugged. “Young love is hard to keep going sometimes. That’s how it was for me. Boys are fleeting, girls stick around.”

  I went home feeling more confused than ever. I realized I had left my phone on my bed and went upstairs to check my messages. Simone and Nick had both called. Nick had also left a message and a text asking me to call hi
m back and telling me he loved me. She sent a text saying she didn’t know why he was trying to blame everything on her. What was I supposed to do now?

  Chapter Eighteen

  My alarm went off and I pulled the covers over my head. Maybe I could pretend to be sick to buy myself a day off from school. I hadn’t missed any school at all this semester and just one day would give me time to collect my thoughts…or at the very least keep me from having to face people at school.

  I checked my phone and Pilar had texted asking if I was okay.

  Me: I think I’m going to tell my parents I’m sick today.

  Pilar: No, it’ll all be there for you to face tomorrow and it won’t be any easier. Plus, that gives Simone an extra day to get everyone on her side. Trust me. Come to school. I’ll have your back. Promise.

  That surprised me, but I wrote back that I’d come to school.

  Pilar: Good. Now put on something cute and show that idiot what he’s missing.

  I put on a black, pink, and white short dress over jeans and spent time on my hair. I did loose curls with a big barreled curling iron and took extra time with my makeup. Sure I wasn’t a big TV star, but at least I showed I wasn’t sitting in my room crying. Although I didn’t use any eye makeup in case I did, in fact, cry.

  I came downstairs and Dad looked up, surprised. “You have a presentation at school?” he asked.

  “No. Why?”

  “Well, you look all dressed up.”

  “Too dressed up?”

  He laughed. “No, I guess it’s just a dress over jeans—I’m used to you girls running around in sweatshirts and ponytails. You look nice, kiddo. Have a good day.”

  I put on my coat and went to meet Charlotte at the corner and Asia was there waiting.

  “Hey, you okay?” she asked.

  “Not even close.”

  “Listen, I don’t know what to tell you, but even if he did kiss her back, she never should have kissed him,” Asia said.

  “So she did kiss him first?” I asked.

  Asia shifted from side to side. “She’s my best friend, but…yeah, it sounds like it. She keeps saying she doesn’t remember who kissed who first, but then she says, ‘He kissed me back.’ I mean, that makes it sound like she initiated it, you know?”

  Charlotte came up then. “Asia, what would you do if you were me?” I asked.

  “Boys come and go, but friends are forever, right?” she said.

  Charlotte looked over at me. The smile on Asia’s face seemed weak and I wondered if she believed that or not. But that was what Aunt Faith had said as well.

  I avoided Simone all morning but at lunch, she and Asia came to sit at my table with me and Charlotte.

  “Honey, you look so pretty today,” Simone said.

  I didn’t respond and Pilar walked over and sat down. I was surprised since she rarely sat at my table, but she put her tray down and asked me where I got my dress.

  “I got it in Saugatuck over the summer,” I said.

  “Oh, was that the day we went?” Asia asked.

  “No, another time.”

  “’Cause that day was super fun. We should do that again sometime. Like, all of us go. Wouldn’t that be fun, you guys?” Asia asked.

  Pilar stared at her and Charlotte looked uncomfortable.

  “That would be super fun,” Simone said. “I’ll ask my mom if she can drive. What do you say? You guys want to go Saturday?”

  “I have to go to the nursing home tomorrow,” Pilar said.

  “Okay, well, what about the rest of you guys? Up for a trip to Saugatuck?” Simone asked.

  How could she sit there and act like everything was fine between us?

  “Actually, I’m going with Pilar tomorrow,” I said.

  Pilar smiled. “Yeah, we have plans.”

  Simone looked between the two of us. “Seriously? So you’re going to an old folks’ home…together?”

  “Yeah, why?” Pilar asked.

  “No reason. So, um, did you guys pick out your MantraBands yet? I’m getting the ‘Live in the Moment’ one.”

  “Maybe you should get the ‘Forever Friends’ one,” Pilar said with a smile. “After all, friendship is so important.”

  I realized Pilar did have my back on this.

  “Yeah, that one is nice—in the rose gold,” I said to Pilar.

  “Oh, do you mean we should all get that one?” Simone asked, confused.

  “I dunno. We’ll see,” Pilar said.

  “So what time will you guys be through at the nursing home?” Simone asked. “Let’s go hang out afterward.”

  “Well, who knows how long we’ll be,” Pilar said.

  “You’ve said before that visiting hours are over at seven,” Simone said. “And you never spend the whole day because it tires your grandma out.”

  “Oh, you remembered I have a grandma. That’s so sweet,” Pilar said.

  Asia and Charlotte looked shocked and Simone gave a nervous laugh.

  “Of course, silly. So what time should we pick you guys up?” Simone said.

  “Why don’t we call you when we’re done. We’ll probably be finished by five,” Pilar said.

  The bell rang and we got up. Simone walked me to class and never stopped talking the entire time. After school, Pilar was at my locker with Charlotte.

  “We could always say we’ll call her tomorrow and then completely blow her off Saturday as she sits waiting for a call that comes too late. What’s she going to say? Anyway, the ball’s in your court now,” Pilar said.

  I nodded. “I wish I knew how to handle this. This stupid school is too small to ignore her.”

  “Is that what you want to do?” Char asked.

  “Yeah, I don’t want to talk to someone who would disregard my feelings like that.”

  Asia came over to us. “Pilar, you were a little harsh at lunch,” she said. “Hadley, I feel like Simone just got caught up in the moment—that she wasn’t thinking. She’s my best friend, but she’s pretty self-absorbed so you were probably the last thing on her mind when she was with Nick that day. Honestly, it most likely wasn’t intentional or against you. She just reacts in the moment sometimes. But that doesn’t excuse her selfish butt for acting that way.”

  Pilar shrugged. “Yeah, I could see that being how it went down.”

  “It makes me feel a tiny bit better to think she wasn’t trying to hurt me intentionally, but I still can’t get over it,” I said.

  “And Nick?” Asia asked. “Have you talked to him at all?”

  “No, I hate him.”

  The girls exchanged a look. “You hate him, but not Simone?” Char asked. “She was your friend and knew how much you liked him.”

  “Yeah, but he knew how I felt about him and we…we were…I just can’t forgive him for betraying me like that.”

  “So you’re forgiving her because she’s a flighty, selfish brat, but you think he knew what he was doing?” Pilar asked.

  “No, I’m saying he should have known how much that would hurt me.”

  Asia nodded. “Well, girls are always more dependable then guys. I gotta go. Hope you guys can come tomorrow.”

  Asia walked away and Charlotte stared at me. “You like him more than Simone,” she said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re not just chalking it up to her being a self-absorbed jerk, you’re madder at him because you care about him a lot more than her. It hurts more coming from him than her,” she said.

  I felt my eyes well up. “No, it’s like Asia said—that’s how she is. She doesn’t think, but he’s not like that.”

  “So it’s not because you have a closer bond with him than you ever did with her?”

  I looked away. “I don’t know.”

  Pilar sighed. “I wish my stupid brother was some help in this. He’s got girl problems of his own though.”

  “Do you actually want me to come with you tomorrow to see your grandma?” I asked.

  She looked surprised. �
�Nah, I just said that to get you out of being stuck in a car with Simone. No one would want to go to a place like that if they didn’t have to.”

  “I don’t mind,” I said. “I know it sucks for you and it’s just a movie afternoon. And then we can mess with Simone by calling her late and saying we’re finally ready.”

  She laughed. “Okay, we’ll pick you up at noon. Oh, but you know Nick might be there.”

  “Whatever. Then he can watch me from across the room and see how I am just fine without him,” I said.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The next day, Pilar, her mother, and I went to the nursing home. Pilar and Mrs. Ito went to get her grandma settled in the media room before the movie started. Mrs. Ito asked me if I’d go and get her cardigan from her room.

  I was coming back with the sweater when I saw Nick’s grandfather looking around, confused. He was lifting his arm and trying to get the attention of the people walking by, but they were all visitors and not taking notice. My heart broke looking at his confused expression. I felt bad for him so I went over there to help.

  “Hi, Mr. Jenkins. Do you remember me? I’m Hadley, Nick’s friend.”

  “Oh.”

  “Do you remember when I came here to see you with Nick—your grandson?”

  “Nick? Is Nick here?” he asked.

  “No, but do you need anything? Would you like to go in and watch the movie?”

  “Movie? Oh sure. Yes.”

  I pushed his wheelchair into the room where the screen was set up. Pilar and her mom had her grandmother over to the side, so I moved Mr. Jenkins over there. One of the nurses brought over a tray of snacks for us. I realized there wasn’t a cup of water for Mr. Jenkins, so I got up to get one. When I came back to the table, Mr. Jenkins was eating some popcorn.

  “Here, would you like some water?” I asked, and held the cup out to him. “I can hold it if it’s easier.”

  He nodded and leaned forward to take a sip.