Fake Boyfriend - Kate Brian (15 page)

We'll just see.

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* * * * fourteen * * * *

Vivi couldn't move. If she did, her shoulder would brush Jonathan's. Or their hands would touch. Or their thighs. What the heck was up with this tiny love seat thing? Jonathan's parents obviously had money. They couldn't afford bigger furniture?

"Can't we watch this in the living room? There's no air in here," Vivi said, looking around the actually quite airy family room.

"DVD player in there is broken," Jonathan said without tearing his eyes off the screen.

Perfect. Whoever had put together that faulty piece-of- crap technology was going to ruin her entire plan. Because if she moved just one inch, if she took an extra deep breath, some part of her body was going to touch some part of Jonathan's, and then it would all be over. She would attack him. She wouldn't be able to stop herself.

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"This is actually pretty good," Jonathan said.

Vivi turned her head to look at his profile. It was perfect. He was perfect. And they were sitting on this loveseat all alone while his brother was at a friend's. No parents, no nosy brothers...

Wait. Y do not like him. He's just a hot guy, Vivi told herself. There are hot guys everywhere. Y wouldn't even be thinking about kissing him if Lane

ou ou hadn't put the idea in your head.

Y This was Lane's fault. All Lane's fault. And she could prove the girl wrong. She would prove her wrong. All she had to do was keep her hands and

es. lips to herself.

"What?" he asked, turning to face her.

She ripped her eyes away, refocusing on the TV. Her heart pounded so hard, it was making her nauseated. "Nothing." He was still watching her. Staring at her cheek. Vivi rubbed her hands together and shoved them like a wedge between her tightly crossed thighs, trying to make herself as small as humanly possible.

Suddenly, Jonathan's thigh grazed hers. Her heart completely stopped. She looked at him, and he was somehow much closer than he'd been a moment before. His eyes were heavy as he took her in, the question in them perfectly clear. The plea for permission. Every inch of Vivi's body throbbed.

Y Do it. Just kiss me.

es.

Jonathan's lips swooped toward hers, and much to her own surprise, Vivi leaned away.

"Stop!"

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"What? What's the matter?" Jonathan sprang back as if burned. Vivi was already on her feet.

"Nothing. It's just ..." Behind her, Robin Williams was going on and on. "It's just this is Isabelle's favorite part of Dead Poet's Society. Y should watch

ou it. Y have to ... to know it if you're going to go out with her on Saturday."

ou

Jonathan glanced at the TV screen as if it were an alien ship that had just landed in his family room. He sat up straight on the velvety love seat and pressed his hands into the cushion.

"Right. I actually wanted to talk to you about that," he said.

"About what?" Vivi asked.

"About me dating your friend." Jonathan stood up, not taking his eyes off Vivi's face. He stood so close to her, she could feel his warm breath on her face. God, he was perfect. Why did he have to be so perfect? "Vivi, do y... really want me to date your friend?"

Vivi thought of Isabelle's tears when Shawn cheated on her. Her confidence after she met Brandon online. Her excitement after Brandon had asked her to the prom. The deal they had made that Isabelle would give Brandon a chance.

Vivi was standing in front of the only person who could prevent Isabelle from going back to Shawn. Izzy had been her friend since they were both in pigtails and pink overalls. Jonathan had been in her life for three days.

"Y I do," she said firmly. "Why wouldn't I?"

es.

"No reason," he said, his face turning to stone. "I guess we should go back a couple of scenes."

He grabbed the remote and sat down at the far end of

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the love seat, pressing his side against the arm, giving her as much room as possible. Vivi felt tears prickling behind her eyes.

"Actually, I have to go," she said loudly, grabbing her bag.

"What? We're not even done with the first movie yet," Jonathan said.

"I know. I just remembered I have to do something."

She was not going to cry in front of him. No way. No how.

"But, Vivi--was

"I'll see you later!" Vivi was already halfway through the kitchen. "Just watch as many of those as you can!" she shouted back.

She slammed the front door behind her and sprinted for her car. It was for her own good, for Isabelle's. For everyone's sake.

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* * * * fifteen * * * *

Friday was gorgeous and sunny, and the courtyard in front of the school was jam-packed with students chatting and popping their skateboards, soaking up every last minute until they had to go inside for homeroom. Lane leaned back against the outer wall of the gym, waiting for Vivi to arrive so they could update one another on their progress. She kept one eye on the parking lot and one on Curtis and his skater friends, who were among the boarders, trying to impress a group of freshmen girls with their skills. Curtis hadn't spoken to her all morning, which meant her stomach was already clenched beyond repair, but it got worse every time one of the girls laughed or giggled. Was one of them Curtis's date? When Vivi's convertible finally pulled in, Lane jogged over to meet her friend at her designated parking space, happy for the reprieve from the low-rent X Games.

"Okay. What happened between you and Jonathan last

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night?" Lane demanded before Vivi even had a chance to get out of her car.

"God! Give a girl a heart attack, why don't you?" Vivi demanded.

Vivi was wearing low-slung sweats and her track T-shirt, her hair in a ponytail with no makeup. Standard Vivi don't-mess-with-me gear. Lane knew it. She knew something had gone wrong with Jonathan.

"Did you guys hook up? Is that why he was acting so freaky on the phone last night?" Lane stepped back so Vivi could open her car door.

"Y talked to him?" Vivi demanded. "What did he say?"

ou

"Oh my God, I'm right! Y kissed him, didn't you?" Lane demanded.

ou

"No, all right? We did not hook up!" Vivi slammed her car door. "Why were you guys talking on the phone?"

"He called me to go over the IM conversations between Marshall and Isabelle," Lane told her. She watched her friend closely, gauging her reaction to every word. "He wanted to make sure he was ready."

"Okay. So why the big panic?" Vivi asked.

"Because, he was acting weird. Very businesslike. No jokes, no nothing. And he asked me if I'd talked to you since you left there," Lane continued as they turned and headed back toward the school. "Why did he ask me that?"

"Lane, I have no idea. I'm not a mind-reader, all right?" Vivi said with a shrug. "All we did was watch a movie. No big deal."

"If you say so," Lane replied.

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"I say so. How did it go with the IM's?" Vivi asked, pulling her sunglasses out of her bag and sliding them on. "Are we all set?"

"Not exactly," Lane told her. "I mean, there were a lot. Have Marshall's grades been suffering lately? Because I honestly don't think he's been doing anything other than chatting with Izzy."

Vivi snorted. "Figures. It's the first time in his life a girl's spoken to him past the 'hey' stage," she joked.

"That's not true! I talk to him," Lane protested. They had arrived at the circle of benches in the courtyard and sat down on the only one that was still free.

"Y eah. Because you have to," Vivi replied.

"I don't understand what your problem is with your brother," Lane said, dropping her bag down at her feet.

Vivi rolled her eyes and tipped her head back with a yawn. "Whatever. Is Jonathan ready or not?"

"There's no way he's going to remember everything," Lane replied. "It's too much. I mean, he's a smart guy, but this is like cramming for finals in two days. Anyone would have a hard time. And if Izzy asks him one weird question on something he doesn't remember, we're dead. What're we gonna do?"

Vivi pulled her head up and stared out across the parking lot in a forlorn way that gave Lane an even deeper twist in her stomach. She looked almost resigned. And then Vivi's entire face lit up. "I've got it!"

"What?" Lane asked, both hopeful and nervous at the same time.

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"There you are! I've been looking all over for you guys!" Isabelle trilled suddenly, coming up behind them.

Vivi's face went ashen and Lane jumped in to distract Izzy before she could notice.

"Hey, Iz!" she said, grabbing her friend into a hug. "So! Tomorrow's the big date! Are you excited?"

"So excited," Isabelle said. "I can't wait to find out what he looks li--was

"Actually," Vivi interrupted suddenly, standing up. "Lane and I were just talking about tomorrow, and we think we should come with you."

"What?" Isabelle asked.

"Y eah, what?" Lane echoed.

"Y know, what we were just talking about?" Vivi said pointedly, knocking Lane with her arm. "It's just, you met this guy online and he doesn't even

ou have a picture up. He could be some, like, fifty-year-old perv or something. Or a kidnapper. He could be anyone."

Lane stared at Vivi. This was her solution to the problem? To go on a three-way date with Jonathan? What were they going to do, pass him notes under the table to tell him what to say?

"Well, we're meeting in a public place," Isabelle countered, shading her eyes from the morning sun.

"Y eah, but that's not enough." Vivi crossed her arms over her chest. "Y ou've seen Without a Trace. Trust me. Y want someone with you."

ou

Isabelle bit her lip and looked at her friends. "Y really think he's a fifty-year-old perv?"

ou

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"No! Of course not," Lane said, grasping Isabelle's hand quickly. "I'm sure he's a total gentleman. But Viv's right. It's better to be safe."

"Y ou're right," Isabelle said finally. "And you guys should meet him anyway. We're all going to be hanging out together at prom!"

"Y we are," Vivi said through a forced smile.

es,

Lane glanced at Vivi. Could it be any more obvious that she wanted to go to the prom with Jonathan?

"Y guys are the best, have I told you that?" Isabelle reached out to hug them both. "What would I do without you?

ou

Y ou'd be going to the prom with a jerk, Lane thought, her heart clenching painfully. Lane shielded her eyes and looked out over the school courtyard, bustling with kids reluctant to go inside on such a beautiful day. To her left, Curtis flew by on his board, jumping from an entire set of stairs on the pathway. But at least you'd be going with the person you wanted to go with in the first place. Unlike the rest of us.

***

There were couples everywhere. Lane wasn't sure if it was spring fever or the impending prom or just a random twist of evil fate, but everyone seemed to be holding hands, smooching in the halls, and flirting shamelessly everywhere she went. Standing in the cafeteria line behind Cara Johnson and Sanjay Medha was like watching a Skinamax production

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live and in full color. In front of the pair was a huge open space. Behind them was a long, long line. But all they could see was the extreme close-up of each other's noses as they nearly swallowed each other whole.

"Say something," the sophomore girl behind Lane urged under her breath.

Lane turned purple. She was no good at speaking up, but as the next person in line and the only senior in sight, she supposed it was her responsibility.

"Uh, excuse me?" she said meekly. "We kind of, um, need to get moving."

She was greeted with a loud, slobbery, sucking noise as they readjusted their faces. The kids behind Lane groaned. And then, like an angel descending from heaven, Curtis appeared, cutting the line to get in front of Lane. Her heart felt like it was going to explode at the very nearness of him.

"Y Gupta! If we wanted to see that, we'd rent the professional version!"

o!

Sanjay and Cara pulled apart and looked over the line in a bored way, but they did move. They slid their one tray along, each holding one end, their legs practically entwined as they tripped forward. The kids in line cheered.

"Thanks," Lane said tentatively.

Curtis grabbed a chocolate milk and an apple. "Y eah, well, it was the least I could do."

"What do you mean?" Lane asked. She slid her tray behind his, taking nothing. Somehow food was the last thing on her mind.

"Just that I owed you one," Curtis said, glancing at her

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from the corner of his eye. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I think I was a BFJ."

Lane laughed. She was so relieved, she could have kept on laughing for an hour. "Y weren't a big fat jerk."

ou

"Okay. Maybe a little fat jerk." Curtis joked. He took out his wallet and glanced at Lane's tray. She realized nothing was on it and quickly grabbed a bagel and juice. "I got both," he said to the lunch lady.

Lane was beaming as she emerged from the line. She and Curtis walked slowly side by side down the center aisle.

"I'm just irritated by this whole grounding thing. And you guys are so busy with Brandon. ... I just feel like I'm never gonna get to see you unless we're studying together." He stepped sideways so he could look at her.

Lane's heart went kinetic on her. He was worried about never seeing her. This was the best conversation she'd ever had.

"Want me to call your dad and tell him he's evil?" Lane asked, trying to stay calm.

"Like you'd ever really do that," Curtis joked back, pausing in the center of the aisle. "Besides, he's not totally evil. We made a deal that if I get a B-plus or higher on that history test, I can go to this one party this weekend. So I have to wait till we get it back in seventh to find out if I can actually go, but I was thinking ... if I can go ... maybe you'd want to go too," Curtis said. "I'll pick you up, I'll drive you home. Y don't have to do a thing."

ou

"Really?" Lane squeaked. Was this a date? Were she and Curtis going on a date? "I mean, yeah, sure. That sounds good."