Although, to be fair, she had reason to avoid me setting her up with someone, after last year’s incident…
I had a feeling she already had her heart set on someone else, anyway.
But it was okay because we were all going together as a group. Rey and I could definitely hang out. Technically, if things kept going the way they were, I’d be there as Ian’s date, but at the end of the day, I knew we were just friends. So I didn’t want to spend all night attached to him at the hip.
I wanted to catch my breath a little after everything that had happened the past few weeks.
I never expected for things to turn out this way, and I wanted to make sure that I didn’t make the mistake of believing any of it was real.
Bethany would be there too, and I wondered if that’s when Ian would really try to get her back. In fact, my money was on him getting her back in time to take her to Homecoming.
Not me.
We hadn’t really talked about Homecoming yet so I knew I couldn’t assume we were going together.
Which meant there was a good chance he’d break up with me this week. Our fake relationship had everyone convinced it was real, but I knew the goal of this thing was to get her back.
If he broke up with me within the next few days, then I knew that he still loved her. Or that he was finally ready to move on.
As crazy as this ride had been, it’d be weird to have it come to an end, but I knew it had to.
But that was okay because we’d still be friends.
We wouldn’t be napping on each other’s shoulders on the bus or feeding each other gummy worms or sharing a blanket, but I’d still have Ian.
And that’s what mattered.
At least that’s what I told myself.
Lunch time came, but Ian wasn’t in our usual meeting spot at my locker.
He usually met me here, but today he was nowhere to be found. Not in the halls and not in the lunch line when I got there.
I could have texted him, but I reminded myself it was no big deal.
My phone buzzed, and I saw it was a text.
But it was just Harper.
Harper: Coming? :)
I texted her back, letting her know I was on my way.
My thoughts went back to Ian.
Maybe he was already patching things up with Bethany. Word was that things with her new boyfriend weren’t going as well as she had hoped.
I scanned the cafeteria one more time. No Ian. And no Bethany. She was usually already in the cafeteria, although she always pretended we didn’t exist.
I sighed and grabbed my lunch. Found my seat at the #BFFs table.
“Where’s Ian?” Tori asked. She seemed a little odd, but I couldn’t read why.
I shrugged. “Not sure.”
Harper and Ella exchanged glances, and I blurted out, “What?”
“Uh, nothing,” Ella said. “How’s your day going so far?”
But her question made it seem like they knew something I didn’t.
I exhaled and looked at every one of them in turn. “If you guys know something, you can just spit it out. I can handle—”
Just as I wondered inside if I could handle Ian somehow letting me down, I heard a loud commotion behind me.
I turned to find Ian practically leading a parade of guys toward me.
He had a large poster in hand, but all I could see was the back. It had to be the back because there wasn’t anything on it.
What was going on? Whatever it was, it had Chris all riled up, jumping up and down and whooping. Several of the guys pushed Ian toward our table.
He grinned sheepishly but would hardly look my way.
I glanced back at the girls, and they all had knowing expressions on their faces.
Harper looked like she couldn’t smile big enough.
I turned back to Ian, who now stood just a few feet away.
Chris produced a microphone from out of nowhere and switched it on before holding it in front of Ian.
Several people already had their phones out, and I shook my head. This could not be happening.
But I bit my lip to keep my smile from spreading wide.
Ian turned his poster over and spoke, his voice trembling just a bit before gaining confidence with each word. I glanced at the poster, hearing the same words he had obviously carefully drawn out and colored in.
A soccer ball took the place of every single O in his question.
My eyes went back to him.
He hardly contained his smile. “Lena, I hope I’m not being too forward, but can I score a date to Homecoming with you?”
Eleven
Was this happening?
Was this real, or was I dreaming?
The entire cafeteria waited with bated breath for me to give an answer, but I only had the eyes for Ian.
My brain tried to figure out what all of this meant, but I realized I couldn’t think about that now. Ian needed an answer.
I stood up and nodded. “Yes, I’ll go to Homecoming with you.”
The cafeteria exploded in cheers and claps.
Chris jumped about three feet into the air, and I wondered for a second why he had never tried out for basketball.
Ian handed his poster off to one of the guys and then came in for a hug.
I wrapped my arms around him too. I swore it felt like winning a championship. The adrenaline, the cheers and screams.
Except this felt even better.
I laughed as we pulled away. Ian stayed close, though. I took him in. “I can’t believe you did this. You are the cheesiest…sweetest boyfriend ever.”
Ian glanced down and then back at me. “I hoped you would like it. And I’m kind of relieved you said yes. Otherwise, that would have been pretty embarrassing.”
I smiled. “How could I not say yes?” Especially when it came to Ian. “I told you before I’d go with you.”
But for some reason, this—what had happened today—felt different.
Then, without thinking too much about it, I kissed him.
In front of everyone.
I couldn’t hold it in any longer.
My lips brushed his, and it felt like breathing in rich oxygen after a long sprint. It brought me back to life.
I pulled away, only to hear even more whoops and cheers.
Searching Ian’s face for a reaction, I ignored all of it and just focused on him. But he wasn’t looking at me anymore.
“Okay, okay, back to your seats,” Mr. Nguyen said. He broke up the circle of guys, and everyone finally walked back to their tables, still excited. “I should have been a physician,” he muttered on his way back to the teacher’s table.
Ian said, “See you at practice?”
I nodded and waited for that forehead kiss which had become our norm. But it didn’t come. Instead, he followed Chris and the rest of the guys back to their usual table without a second look back.
I took a seat, suddenly second-guessing everything that had just happened.
Ella, Harper, Rey, and Tori congratulated me and immediately started talking about how that was the cutest thing they’d ever seen, but all I could do was nod and give them the best smile I could muster.
I had kissed Ian for real.
But had it been the right thing to do?
* * *
Ian’s hand gently touched my elbow just before I entered the girls’ locker room.
“Hey,” he said quietly.
Practice had been intense, and everyone was eager to leave, including me.
Especially since Ian had hardly looked at me the entire time.
Now he stood in front of me, his jaw set and his hands clasping his goalie gloves as he glanced anywhere but at me.
“What is it?” I asked, realizing I actually felt nervous.
It only made sense. I had kissed him, maybe for real, in front of everyone earlier.
Instead of kicking a soccer ball, I just wanted to kick myself.
Ian exhaled slowly, like he was wonder
ing just how to word what he was about to say. “Lena, I, uh—what happened earlier,” he tried, still mostly staring down at his cleats.
I wanted to say so many things, ask him if it had been the wrong thing to do. Say sorry. Say I wasn’t sorry. But I bit my lip and let him finish.
I had to know what Ian thought first.
He looked at me for half a second. “I don’t think we should kiss on the mouth,” he finally said.
Oh.
My stomach fell, and suddenly, I felt so stupid, like the world’s biggest idiot.
I opened my mouth to find something to say, some combination of words that would make this go away, make the feeling of wanting to throw up disappear, but Ian beat me to it.
He swept his hand through his hair. “It’s not you. It’s just…We both know this…isn’t real.”
Just like that, something inside me cracked, but somehow I kept my focus on Ian. “Right,” I uttered.
“I don’t want to take advantage of you, Lena. You’re special. Whoever you decide to kiss, it should mean something. You agreed to do this for me, to make everyone think you’re my girlfriend, but I can’t ask you to do that too. I’m already asking too much. Those kisses, Lena? Save them for someone special, okay? Not me.”
He closed his mouth then, like he had already said too much.
I stared at him, studied him, the way his mouth turned slightly downward and the way his thick brows hooded his cool blue eyes. I swallowed and said, “I think you’re right. I guess I just wanted to play along. I guess I got carried away.” I hated the way my voice sounded. Tiny and unsure.
I hated it because it reflected just how I felt inside.
I regretted kissing Ian the second time. Letting an impulse get the best of me, but it wouldn’t happen again.
Maybe for a moment, I’d forgotten that this whole thing was fake. A show put on by us for Bethany. But that’s all it was.
A couple of the guys walked out of the locker room, froze when they saw us, and pretended not to see us. They kept walking.
Ian gave them a small wave and turned to me. “So, uh, I’ll see you at tomorrow’s game?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yeah. See you there.”
Then I shoved my hands into the pocket of my hoodie and headed toward the locker room, wishing for the first time ever I could take a kiss back.
* * *
The next day, Coach came up to me after our game. A game I had not done my best in.
Katie and Samantha looked my way, and I quickly pretended I hadn’t seen them, that I was looking somewhere else.
“Lena? Did you hear me?” Coach asked.
I nodded, but then I realized he was waiting for an answer. What had he said?
“I said, are you okay?” he tried again. He was older like my dad. Except, unlike my dad, he didn’t have a problem with yelling during an entire game.
There had been lots of yelling tonight, especially when I’d missed an incredibly easy goal.
Just thinking about it made me want to kick something. “I’m fine,” I said. “I’m just not feeling a hundred percent.” I coughed, then, hoping he’d let it go.
He sighed, patted me on the shoulder, and said, “Okay, then. Get some rest. I hope you’re not coming down with the flu.”
I shook my head. “It’s just a headache.”
Maybe I had finally convinced him because Coach finally left, his clipboard in hand.
How had I missed that goal?
The opposing team had lost half their games this season, and we’d just barely beat them. No thanks to me.
I was just glad my dad hadn’t been able to make it. Seeing the disappointment on his face would have just made it worse.
When I got to the locker room, the rest of the team’s chatter about some party obviously quieted down. I didn’t say a word, just changed so I could get out of there.
They knew something was off with me, but I did not want to stick around and talk about it.
When I got to my car, my phone buzzed with a text. It was from Ian. This was the first time we had talked since yesterday’s mortifying conversation outside the locker room.
Ian: Hey
Gotta love the one-word text.
Lena: Hey
Those three little dots popped up for what seemed like forever.
Was he writing his life story or something? Typing out two words?
I drummed my fingers on the console beside me, ready to go home. But I had to see Ian’s message first.
Finally, it came in.
Ian: Want to go to Chris’s party?
I stared out the windshield, wondering just how I felt about that.
Not sure I wanted to be around Ian right now.
I began typing out a text, letting him know I was tired and just wanted to go to bed.
But before I could finish, another text from him came in.
Ian: Listen, sorry about yesterday. It wasn’t your fault. This was all my idea. I just don’t want to lose you. You know you’re like my best friend. And I thought it would be fun if we went to Homecoming together, but it doesn’t have to be a big deal if that’s not what you want.
I read his message over and over again. Each time it softened the exterior of my heart until it crumbled, leaving only the huge soft spot I had for Ian. Even if reading that I was his best friend made me feel both awesome and a little…something.
Lena: Fine… You’re my best friend too. You know, that isn’t a girl. Pick me up in an hour?
I turned on my car, shivering from the cold air but warm inside from Ian’s message.
My phone buzzed again, and I picked it up right away.
Ian: You got it ;)
Twelve
Chris’s party wasn’t like his last party, mostly the soccer teams and a few other people.
Apparently, Chris had gone all out and invited just about everybody in our school.
As soon as Ian and I walked in, I wondered if we should even stay. I was all for having a good time, usually, but not if that meant doing something stupid like drinking.
No, thanks.
A couple guys passed us, each carrying a red solo cup. “Maybe we should do something else. Bowling or something,” I tried. I faced Ian.
He gave me an easy smile. “Let’s just hang out for a few minutes. If it’s bad news, we’ll go. I promise. Besides, after the beating I took tonight, I’d rather lounge around on a couch listening to music than lunging a ten-pound ball at a bunch of pins,” he said. “I’m worn out.”
I observed the dark circles under his eyes. He did look pretty tired. And the guys had had a pretty tough game. Lost by two, even after Ian had stopped several shots at his goal. “Okay,” I replied.
I was starting to regret not hanging out with just the #BFFs instead. Tori and Harper were driving over from Ella’s house to join me at this party, although now I was craving some girl time with them. It definitely beat the weird tension between Ian and me.
And being around dumb guys doing dumb things. Chris and the other guys were usually fine, but I recognized some of the guys in our grade. Guys who tended to get into fights or go too far with their pranks.
Bring things they weren’t supposed to.
Ian brought me out of my thoughts and back to the party. “Want a drink?”
“Sure,” I said and watched him saunter off.
I headed somewhere not filled with people. Tonight I was not in the mood to goof around and laugh. Not after the crummy game I’d played and the state of me and Ian.
I found a sliding back door leading to a back deck. It was quiet out there, and for once, I relished in the silence. Only a slight thud of music reached my ears, ever so faint.
Leaning against the deck, I exhaled and closed my eyes. It was cold, but I just pulled my jean jacket around me tighter.
I heard the door slide open behind me, and I turned, expecting to find Ian.
But it wasn’t Ian.
It was Bethany.
I turn
ed back around for a second, rolling my eyes. This could not be happening.
If I’d known Bethany would be at this party, no way would I have agreed to come with Ian.
Wait, had he known?
I tried to make sense of my jumbled thoughts, but Bethany came up to me.
She curled her lips into a close-lipped smile. “Lena, I didn’t think I’d be seeing you here tonight.”
Bethany’s blonde hair reached past her shoulders. Her face was caked in make-up.
“Hey, Bethany,” was all I managed through gritted teeth. I met her gaze head on.
It was like she sensed how tense I already was because she seemed to relax.
Wanting to get that smug look off her face, I made my voice light and loud and said, “How are things with the new boyfriend?”
Her smile faltered then, if just for a second. “Better, I’m sure, than you and Ian. At least that’s what he tells me.”
What?
But before I could ask her what she meant, she went on, taking a step closer. I held my ground as she talked. “I always knew there was something going on between you two. I’ll be glad when this is over.” She rotated her finger at me in a little circle, her other hand on her waist. “No way will Ian want anything to do with you when he’s gotten you out of his system.”
Blood rushed to my ears. My chest rose up and down. “Like he would go back to you. I’m sure you’d love that, but it’s not happening.”
Bethany laughed. “I guess we’ll see, won’t we?” she said.
I felt like throwing up. Part of me said Bethany was all talk, just trying to make me upset. But another part of me wondered if she was right, especially after her comment about what Ian had supposedly told her.
The door slid open again, and I wasn’t sure who to expect anymore.
But it was Tori, followed by Harper.
They came right over to me. Tori eyed Bethany, her face serious. “Everything okay?”
Bethany laughed again. “I was just leaving. Lena and I had some catching up to do.”
Harper put her hand in mine.
Tori took a big step toward Bethany, who took a step back. “Yeah, I think you’re right. You are leaving.”
#TheBoyfriendDare Page 6