“I’m pretty sure I said you’d be stupid not to do it,” he replied.
I laughed. Yeah, that’s definitely not how our conversation went down.
“So, what are you going to do with your newfound fame?” Colin asked.
“What all good famous people do. I’m going to find a cabin in the woods and hide until people have forgotten what I look like.”
The corner of Colin’s mouth lifted. “Well, I hope your cabin has enough room for two. I’m not sure your girlfriend will let you go there alone.”
“I wish.” I glanced in Hayley’s direction and smiled as I watched her chatting animatedly with Isla. Hayley was so incredibly beautiful, but what made her truly special was how she cared about people. We were in a fake relationship, so she didn’t really have to make an effort with my friends, but from the first introduction, she’d adopted them as her own. I could see how much Isla and Colin had grown to love her too, and I knew I wasn’t the only one who would be heartbroken once she moved on with my brother.
Thinking of Hayley and Owen together put a sour expression on my face. My brother didn’t deserve her, and I wished Hayley could see him for the guy he truly was. I wanted her to realize how perfect we were together, but it seemed like an impossible task when she was so blinded by her feelings for Owen. Prom was less than two weeks away now, and my time with her was running out.
15
Hayley
I was feeling so confused. And, for once, it wasn’t because I’d just left math class. It wasn’t a new feeling exactly, but it had certainly been growing more noticeable over the last few days, and it had everything to do with the guy beside me.
Ethan held my hand as he walked me to class. My skin tingled where we touched, and he was lightly rubbing his thumb across the back of my hand, which was making my heart do little somersaults. I kept glancing at our hands, to try to understand the reaction, but I couldn’t figure it out. It was just Ethan I was holding hands with, and I shouldn’t have been feeling anything, right?
Adding to my confusion was the feeling I’d had when he’d asked me about going to prom with Owen this morning. I’d honestly felt torn by the question. Until that moment, I’d still believed a date with Owen was what I wanted and the answer should have been easy. It felt far more complicated than a simple yes though, and I was stunned to find I wasn’t sure what I wanted anymore.
I’d been out of sorts ever since, and I’d spent the morning trying to puzzle out my feelings. I kept trying to clear my mind so I could think about it logically, but as we walked down the corridor, I kept getting distracted. At first, it was my tingling hand. Then, it seemed like every girl we passed was fluttering her eyelashes at Ethan. He appeared completely oblivious to the sudden attention, but I definitely hadn’t missed it.
I was guessing the girls at school were noticing him because they’d seen the footage of his performance on Saturday night. They were all looking at him with fresh eyes, and my stomach twisted as I thought of the unknown girl he had a crush on. Our plan was clearly working on a lot of the girls at school, and I had to wonder if it was working on her too. Ethan had certainly looked excited by the thought when I mentioned the possibility to him in homeroom, and I really wished he hadn’t looked quite so happy.
We stopped outside my English class, but he didn’t let go of my hand right away. It made my stomach flutter, but I knew I shouldn’t read into it too much. He was probably just trying to look like a good boyfriend. He was doing a great job of it too.
“So, I’ll see you at lunch?” I asked him.
He hesitated, and his expression dropped a little. “I was thinking I might have lunch on the bleachers again today,” he said. “All the attention I’ve been getting because of the promposal is a little much for me. I’m not sure I could handle the cafeteria.”
“Oh.” I guess he must have noticed all the girls checking him out. I completely understood why he’d want to avoid their leering eyes, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t disappointed. I liked having lunch with Ethan. “I’d come out and eat with you guys, but I didn’t see Madi all weekend, and I don’t want her to think I’ve abandoned her. Plus, Teagan’s finally back at school today, and she’ll want to tell us all about her Hollywood experience.”
“So, rain check on lunch together?”
I gave him a smile though it didn’t reach my eyes. “Sure.”
“And your Dad is still picking you up after school?”
I nodded. The thought should have excited me because I was getting my car back, but my earlier enthusiasm had waned. Ethan and I didn’t have any classes together for the rest of the day, and I hated that I wouldn’t see him until tomorrow.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then,” I said.
“Yep, see you then.” He didn’t leave straightaway though. Instead, he slowly lowered his lips to my cheek and pressed them gently against my skin. It tingled where he kissed me, and I closed my eyes as I breathed in his scent. I had no idea how he managed to make a simple kiss on the cheek so intoxicating, but when he stepped back, I felt light-headed and a little tipsy.
He gave me a warm smile before turning to walk away. I watched him leave, my heart pumping quickly and my cheek still warm from where he’d brushed his lips against it. I wasn’t sure what was going on between us, but I knew I liked it.
* * *
Teagan was pretty much floating as she entered the cafeteria at lunch. She was so happy that her feet barely seemed to touch the ground as she walked, and her face was glowing as she came to sit at our table. She’d just returned from filming a role in a Hollywood movie, so it was hardly surprising she was in a good mood.
“How was it?” Evan asked, as she sat down.
Teagan blushed. “You know how it was. We talked every night.”
“But we don’t know,” Madi said.
“Yeah, spill everything,” I added. I’d had a few texts from Teags over the last few weeks, but they’d been very light on details.
She laughed. “Okay, okay. It was incredible.” She struggled to keep the beaming smile from her lips. “I only had a small role, and the days were long, but I loved every second of it.”
“And how was it with Liam?” I asked. Liam was her boyfriend and one of Hollywood’s hottest actors. It wasn’t all that difficult to believe he was dating Teagan, as the two of them had such great chemistry. Plus, it didn’t hurt that they looked perfect together. They belonged in a fragrance ad or something—and, knowing Teagan, they probably would be one day.
“He was great. He’s still got another month of filming though, so it will be a while before I see him again.”
Evan’s face fell. “Wait, so he’s not coming to prom?”
Teagan slowly shook her head, disappointment playing in her eyes. “He can’t make it.”
“Well, you’ll have to go with me,” Evan said.
Teagan started to frown. “But I thought you were dating someone…”
“Didn’t work out.” Evan shrugged before wrapping an arm around Teagan’s shoulder and pulling her in close. “Plus, I’d much rather go with my bestie.”
She laughed and tried to shake him off, but he held on tight.
“Say you’ll come with me…” he said, looking down at her with his best puppy-dog eyes.
“I’ll come if you let go of me.”
He grinned triumphantly and dropped his arm. “And that, ladies, is how you get a prom date.”
“Well, it’s not quite serenading a girl during a concert,” Teagan said, focusing her attention on me.
I started to smile. I couldn’t help it. Ethan singing my favorite song was the best thing to ever happen to me, and it filled me with happiness whenever I thought about it. The fact that he hadn’t just been doing it as a part of our fake relationship only made me love it more.
“So, you’re dating Ethan?” she continued.
I swallowed before responding. I didn’t want to lie to yet another person, but it all was part of the deal,
and the idea of being with Ethan wasn’t feeling quite so far-fetched anymore. “Yeah, we’re dating.”
“Since when?”
“Just over a week.”
“Well, his promposal was really cute,” Teagan gushed. “He certainly gets bonus points for that.”
“Cute?” Evan replied. “It was amazing. I had no idea Ethan could sing like that. Please tell me you’ll take me to his next concert.”
I smiled at Evan’s enthusiasm. I loved that I’d played a small part in spreading the word about Ethan’s band. I knew all the attention made him nervous, but the group’s talent was undeniable, and the whole world needed to hear how good they were. My stomach dropped as I realized I might not be at his next concert though. It was after prom, so who knew if I’d still be welcome.
“We’ll see,” I told Evan. It was probably best to be cautious.
“We’ll see?” Evan shook his head at me. “We’ll see? Hayley, I thought we were friends.”
“Of course, we’re friends! I just don’t have any details for their next gig, but if I’m going, then you can come.”
“Good.” His usual playful smile returned, and he seemed pleased by my response. I just hoped Ethan wouldn’t mind if the two of us came along and I wouldn’t have to let Evan down.
“I hear Ethan’s brother is back at school too?” Teagan asked.
“Yeah, he’s back…” My voice trailed off as I glanced across the room to where he usually sat. He wasn’t in his seat, and instead, I found him walking toward us. It was like Teagan’s words had magically summoned him.
“Speak of the devil,” Madi said. “Why’s he coming over here?”
“I have no idea,” I murmured. I barely got the response out before Owen joined us. He grabbed a chair as he approached and sat it down right at my side.
“Hayley,” he said, giving me one of his killer smiles.
I couldn’t help but notice how his expression lacked his brother’s warmth. Instead, the smile was filled with overconfidence, like he knew no one could help but feel totally disarmed because he was flashing it their way. It seemed to have the opposite effect on me, because instead of relaxing, I felt my body stiffen, and a slight frown graced my brow. I searched his eyes for the amazing guy I knew was behind all the bravado, but I couldn’t seem to see him today.
“Hey, Owen.” I waited for him to acknowledge the others at my table, but when it was clear he didn’t intend to talk with them, I continued. “Can I help you with something?”
He shrugged. “Just came to say hello to my favorite girl.”
His favorite girl? I glanced at Madi, and she looked just as confused. A week ago, he barely remembered my name, and now, I was his favorite girl. Ethan had told me if I dated him then his brother would start noticing me, but this seemed like a drastic turn.
I slowly turned toward him again. “Well, hi…”
“Hi.” He chuckled like he found his response hilarious before he leaned forward in his seat. “So, no Ethan with you today?”
“Not today. He’s having lunch with his friends.”
“Cool, cool.” Owen was silent for several moments before he continued. “Actually, I was wondering if I could steal you away for a second?”
“Uh, sure.”
“Perfect.” He grabbed my hand and dragged me upward. His grip was a little too tight, to the point where it almost hurt. He probably just didn’t know his own strength though.
I glanced at my friends and gave them a shrug. “I’ll see you guys later.”
I didn’t hear their response as Owen jerked me away. He continued pulling me until we were out in the corridor, stopping as soon as we were free of the cafeteria. Thankfully, he let go of my hand, and the relief I felt was instant.
“So, you’ve stolen me,” I said. “What’s up?”
“Nothing, really. I just thought it might be nice for us to talk alone.”
“Okay…”
“How did you enjoy Ethan’s concert on Saturday night?”
“It was amazing,” I gushed, a natural smile forming on my lips as I thought of the performance. “Did you end up going? What did you think?”
“Yeah, I was there. It was pretty hard to watch that promposal at the end though.”
“Oh, why?”
“I guess it was difficult to watch my brother get the most beautiful girl in school…” Owen looked deeply into my eyes as he spoke, and his gaze was practically smoldering. His words didn’t bring a reaction out of me though. He’d just called me the most beautiful girl at school, and I didn’t feel a thing. I almost wanted to knock a fist against my chest to check if my heart was still working.
When all the response he received was a slight frown, Owen quickly continued. “Anyway,” he said. “I think it’s really sweet how you support Ethan’s little band even if they aren’t all that great.”
“But they are great.”
“Like I said, you’re sweet.”
I frowned again and glanced at the floor, a flurry of questions rushing through me. What game was Owen playing? What did he want, and why were we out here talking?
When I looked back up at him, Owen was focused intently on my face. “Hey, you have an eyelash,” he said. Before I could move to try to rub it away, he lifted his hand and gently caressed my face, swiping his thumb across my cheek.
I stared into his eyes, waiting for my breath to hitch and my skin to tingle, but neither of those sensations came. Even looking into his eyes, I didn’t get the giddy feeling in my stomach that I used to feel in his presence. It was like my body had completely forgotten we had a crush on this guy.
A cough at the end of the corridor made my eyes break away from Owen’s stare. Laurie stood in the entrance to the cafeteria scowling at me. It was hardly something new, but the fierceness of her glare was far more potent than usual. I’d seen her throwing herself at Owen ever since he’d returned to school, so that probably explained the reaction. She looked like she wanted nothing more than to storm over to us and rip Owen’s hands off me, but she turned and walked away as soon as I caught her watching. It wasn’t exactly Laurie’s style to run away from a confrontation, and I had to wonder why.
“There we go,” Owen said, pulling his hand away. “You know, we should hang out some time.”
My eyes snapped back to him. “We should?”
“Yeah, I think it’s about time we got to know each other better. I mean, you live right next door to me, and we’re both pretty popular. It’s only natural that we should be friends.”
I should have been jumping at the opportunity. It was the moment I’d been waiting for ever since Owen came back to Lincoln. My heart wasn’t leaping with excitement though, and instead, my body was urging me to put distance between us. Why wasn’t I happy about Owen’s offer?
I gave him a tight smile. “Sure, we can hang out sometime.” It wasn’t the response I wanted to give, but this was something I’d pined after for as long as I could remember. I couldn’t say no when it looked like my plan to win over Owen was finally working.
He started to give me a genuine grin. “Great.”
“Great.” Why wasn’t I walking on a cloud right now? This was exactly what I wanted. “Well, the bell’s about to ring. I should probably get to class.”
“Yeah, of course.” He took several steps backward as he went to return to the cafeteria. “We’ll talk soon, Hayley.”
“Can’t wait,” I replied. For some reason, the words felt like a lie though. I watched Owen leave, feeling totally deflated. The whole conversation had been so weird. My heart and mind hadn’t reacted the way I expected, and I wasn’t excited by the idea of spending time with Owen like I knew I should be. Even when I looked into his eyes, I’d seen no glimpse of the sensitive, vulnerable guy I thought was hiding inside him. If anything, concealed beneath his charming smile, there only seemed to be arrogance.
Thankfully, Madi came out of the cafeteria doors only moments after Owen left me. I really needed my best f
riend after that.
“What did Owen want?” she asked as she walked up to me. Her face was reserved and I could see she was trying hard to guard her expression from revealing what she was feeling.
“I don’t really know,” I replied. “The whole conversation was strange, but I guess he’s finally noticing me.”
“Because you’ve been dating his brother…”
“Yeah.” I hadn’t quite understood how weird that concept would be until I’d actually experienced it. I mean, making Owen jealous had sounded good in theory. But what kind of guy would go after their brother’s girlfriend? I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer to that question.
“He said we should hang out,” I said.
“And what did you say?”
“That we could.”
A hint of Madi’s worry finally showed on her face, and I quickly continued. “It was more like a ‘maybe.’ It’s not like we set a date or anything.”
Silence stretched between us, and I could practically feel Madi’s disapproval in the air around her. She was clearly holding back her opinion from me. I let out a breath. “Just tell me what you’re thinking…”
“Only that I don’t have a good feeling about this,” she said. “I mean, how much do we really know about Owen these days? He got kicked out of his last school, and that seems like a red flag to me.”
“We don’t know why he lost his scholarship,” I reasoned. “And I doubt it was because he did something bad. He probably just let his grades drop.”
Madi shook her head though. “I think there was more to it than that. Cole’s heard things from some of the other football guys.”
“What things?”
A group of students emerged from the cafeteria, and Madi wrapped her arms around her waist as she waited for them to pass. “All he heard was that Owen got into a lot of trouble and he was lucky the police weren’t involved.”
I swallowed a heavy lump that had become lodged in my throat. “I’m sure that’s just locker room talk.”
The Wrong Prom Date Page 15