Fake Boyfriend - Kate Brian (20 page)

"Will you calm down already?" Lane said through her teeth. "Y ou're making me tense."

"I'm just worried, all right?" Vivi said, looking out the window as a car rolled by. "What if she cracked? What if she decided she couldn't handle going without a date and she's curled up in a ball on her floor right now?"

"I'm sure she's not," Lane said, looking rather piqued anyway.

"Text her," Vivi said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why do I have to text her?" Lane asked.

"Because your bag and phone are right there and mine are upstairs," Vivi shot back. Why was Lane being so difficult lately?

Lane rolled her eyes and snatched her purse off the couch. "Fine."

Vivi stood there, tapping her foot as Lane texted Isabelle. While they waited for a reply, her mother came up behind her.

"Anyone else get here yet?" her mom asked.

"Not yet," Vivi trilled, sarcastically matching her mother's happy tone.

"Oh, honey. Y look so beautiful," Vivi's mother said, snatching her up into a tight hug. "Have I said how fabulous I think it is that you have the

ou confidence to go to your prom without a date?"

Vivi's heart panged. "Y ou've mentioned it."

"Well, I do. I think if there's no one in your life who you think is worthy of sharing such a night with, it's a wise decision to go on your own terms," her mother told her, touching her face. "I'm so proud of you."

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Vivi attempted a smile as her mother moved away. She wouldn't be so proud if she knew that she'd given up her chance at a dream date so that Isabelle could have one instead. Which wouldn't even be so bad if that whole thing hadn't backfired as well. What a waste.

Suddenly, Lane's phone beeped. Vivi stood next to her so they could both read it.

Isabelle: Sorry so late. Mom wanted 2 tk some pix in R yard. Just me and my date!!!

Vivi's heart hit the floor. "Her date?" "What date?" Lane blurted. "Ask her!" Vivi demanded. Lane texted back.

Lane: What date?

It took Isabelle about two seconds to reply. Isabelle: It's a surprise!!! On r way now!!!

"Omigod. She's going with Sluttig! I know it! This is a nightmare!" Vivi exclaimed, shoving her hands into her hair. She paced to the window and back, feeling like a caged dog.

"We don't know that," Lane said.

"Who else could it be? Why would she have kept it a secret from us unless it was Shawn?" Vivi demanded, crossing her arms over her stomach. "I can't believe this. I can't believe that after everything we've done she ended up with Sluttig anyway."

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How could this be happening? How had everything gotten so very far out of her control?

Just then, Vivi heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to find her brother descending in a full tuxedo. His blond hair was gelled, but casually--not into a helmet like he used to wear it--and he looked very handsome. There was just one problem.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Vivi demanded.

"Going to the prom," Marshall replied, adjusting his lapels with a smile.

"Uh, Marshall, I hate to break it to you, but you're not a senior," Vivi said.

"I told him he could be my plus-one," Lane said, stepping forward.

"What?" Vivi blurted.

"Wow, Marshall. Very James Bond," Lane said appreciatively, dusting some lint off his shoulder. "Thanks," Marshall said, turning around and striking a pose. "Swayne. Marshall Swayne."

"Dork. Major dork," Vivi amended.

"Vivi. What is your problem?" Lane asked.

"My problem?" Vivi said, pacing. "My problem is we're supposed to be going without dates, remember? We made a pact! We promised Isabelle."

"I'm not really her date," Marshall explained.

"Y eah, I just thought he should get to go. Y know, after all the work we forced him to do," Lane replied. "And besides, Isabelle has a date now, so--

ou was

"She does?" Marshall asked.

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"Y eah, which means I'm the only one without one!" Vivi blurted.

Out of the corner of her eye, Vivi saw the stretch Mercedes limo pull up in front of her house. This was it. Everything had officially spiraled out of her control.

"They're here!" she shouted to her mother, just because she felt an extreme need to shout.

She and Lane and Marshall all fell to their knees on the couch to see out. The parents, meanwhile, headed right for the front door to greet the newcomers.

"I cannot wait to see Isabelle's dress," Lane's mother said as she click-clacked by in her heels. "That girl has always had the most impeccable taste."

"Except when it comes to guys," Vivi said quietly, feeling nauseated. "I swear on my life, if Shawn Sluttig gets out of that car ..."

Isabelle's father's silver Infiniti pulled up behind the limo and her parents got out. Then, the back door of the limo opened and out stepped ...

Jonathan Hess.

"Jonathan?" Vivi gasped without even thinking. She couldn't have formed another coherent thought if she'd tried. Jonathan was here. And if a Hollywood scout had driven by at that moment, he would have been snatched up and dropped on a red carpet within twenty-four hours. He looked gorgeous. Sleek black tux. Long gray tie. Sexily tousled hair. Perfection. He walked around the back of the car and opened the door for Izzy. Vivi suddenly couldn't watch anymore. She turned around and flopped down on the couch. "But how... ?was

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"I guess something I said convinced him," Lane said giddily.

Vivi felt as if nothing would ever make sense again. "I guess it did," she said dubiously. "But why didn't she tell us he changed his mind? The girl was devastated all week. Y ou'd think she would have told us he was coming. Why didn't she--?was

"Who cares?" Lane trilled, her eyes bright. "He's here! Brandon came through! Oh my God, Vivi! It worked! Isabelle has her dream date!"

Just like that, it was like all the tension between Lane and Vivi faded away. It hadn't all been for nothing. All the debating, all the plotting, all the angst. It had actually worked.

Out in the foyer, Vivi's mother and Lane's parents greeted Isabelle and her family and Jonathan.

"Oh, Isabelle! How lovely you look!" Lane's mother gushed.

"Just like a princess right out of a Shakespeare play," Vivi's mother agreed.

"And who is this handsome young man?" Lane's mom asked.

"Brandon. Nice to meet you."

Vivi's brain went foggy at the sound of his voice. She felt weak. Jonathan was not supposed to be here. He was not supposed to be standing in her house looking runway-worthy with her best friend at his side.

"Wrap your brain around it, Vivi. Y should be psyched!" Lane said. "Y plan worked. She's not with Shawn. Y did it!"

ou our ou

"We did it," Marshall corrected.

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Vivi took a deep breath. Lane was right. This was a moment for celebration. They had actually pulled it off. Isabelle was happy. She was going to the prom with the guy of her dreams. Vivi just wished that the guy wasn't also the guy of her own dreams. But beggars could not be choosers.

"Y ou're right," she said finally, smoothing her dress down. She cleared her throat, shook her hair back, and resolved to put her feelings aside for the rest of the night. This was for Isabelle. It was all about Isabelle. And maybe, just maybe, everything would be all right. "Come on," she told her coconspirators. "Let's get this soap opera on the road."

***

How the heck did I end up here? Vivi thought as the unrelenting sun beat down on her face. She stood in the center of the yard, flanked on one side by Isabelle the Pink Princess and Jonathan the Movie God, and by Happy Little Lane and Always-in-Vivi's-Face Marshall on the other. If someone had told her three years ago that she'd be going to the prom dateless while one of her best friends went with her brother and the other went with the guy Vivi was seriously crushing on, she would have decked that person. But here she was. And the more Jonathan made Isabelle giggle and preen, the more Vivi seriously considered changing into a T-shirt and hitting the basement with a pint of ice cream and an X-Men movie marathon.

No. Even they were too romantic. Maybe zombie movies.

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"Hey, everyone! Happy prom!" Curtis announced, bursting through the back door and out onto the lawn.

"Woot! Woot!" Kim Wolfe cheered, pumping her palms in the air in her garish green dress.

Vivi's stomach turned and she looked at Lane, who had completely lost her smile. Okay. So maybe Happy Little Lane hadn't been the worst thing. Depressed Lane was going to suck. Curtis and Kim's parents appeared at the back door behind them, and Vivi's mom and the other parents rushed to greet them.

"How's it going, man?" Curtis asked, slapping hands with Marshall. Curtis was wearing a black tux and a red tie with colorful swirling designs all over it. It would have looked silly on anyone else, but on Curtis it was just cute. "Hey, Vivi," he said, putting his hands in his pockets. "Lane," he added somewhat awkwardly.

"Hi," Lane said. Just then Kim sidled up to him and slipped her arm around his.

"Hi, all!" she trilled.

Lane turned around and headed for the patio. "I need some lemonade."

Curtis looked at Vivi uncertainly, but before she could even think of something to say, Isabelle came over to introduce Jonathan.

"Curtis, Kim, this is Brandon," Izzy said.

"Nice to meet you," Jonathan said, shaking hands with them.

"Y too," Curtis said.

ou

And then, awkward silence ensued.

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"Well, I'm thirsty too!" Curtis said finally. "Who wants a drink?"

"I'm in!" Isabelle said. Then they turned and lead the group up to the patio, where Lane was sitting in a chair, sipping sweetened lemonade with a look on her face that was all sour. With Isabelle's back turned, Vivi saw her chance. She grabbed Jonathan's arm and pulled him behind the huge rhododendron by the back fence.

"Vivi! What are you doing? Isabelle's gonna be suspicious," Jonathan protested.

"I don't care. We have to talk," Vivi said.

Jonathan looked like a caged rabbit. All darting eyes and shifty feet. "About what?"

"Well, first of all, thanks for coming," Vivi said. "After the way we left things--was

"Y eah, well, Lane was very convincing," Jonathan said.

Vivi felt a pang. It wasn't like she expected him to say he needed to see her again, but it still, somehow, hurt.

"Okay. Well, good," Vivi said, her hands on her hips.

"Can I go now?" Jonathan looked extremely uncomfortable.

"No! Wait! We never had a chance to go over what happens next," Vivi said, her heart pounding in her ears.

Jonathan's brow creased. Even that was gorgeous. "What happens next?"

"Y eah. What you're going to say ... you know ... to let her down easy," Vivi said, feeling disgusted with herself. She knew he hated this stuff, the lying and scheming, but she had to do it.

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"No one expects you to play Brandon forever. The deal was you take her to the prom. So we had an idea of what you could say to let her know you won't be seeing her again after tonight."

Jonathan looked incredulous for a moment, but he stood up straight and focused on her. "I'm all ears."

"We were thinking you could tell her you're going away for the summer to a conservatory or something. To study music. Someplace far away," Vivi explained quickly. "Tell her it's a serious immersion program and you're not supposed to have any distractions like e-mail or anything."

"Seriously? That's your plan?" Jonathan's tone was mocking.

"What? She'll love that you're so dedicated to your music. Y can just tell her that you've loved knowing her, but you need to focus on your future. It's

ou just like every crappy romance novel she's ever read. She devours them at a rate of two a day down the shore every summer," Vivi told him. "They're her guilty pleasure."

"Okay. So I'm going to a conservatory in a foreign country where I can't have access to e-mail," Jonathan said. "Fine. But if she buys that, she's not as smart as you guys have always made her out to be."

Wow. He really wasn't giving her an inch here.

"It'll work," Vivi said defensively. "I know her a little bit better than you do."

"Fine," Jonathan said. "We should go before they realize we're both missing. When's your date getting here?"

Vivi's stomach hollowed out. "I don't have a date, remember?"

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She hated the almost hopeful tone of her voice, but it was too late to take it back now. And she was hopeful. Hopeful he'd do something. Take her in his arms. Kiss her. Tell her he wished he were here with her instead of Izzy. Anything.

But his beautiful face was blank. "Oh yeah. Right. Well." And that was it. He turned around and slipped back out into the yard, leaving Vivi there alone to hold back her tears.

***

Dancing in the center of the country club dance floor, surrounded by her classmates, Lane felt as if she had to be dreaming. It couldn't be her senior prom. How had it come so quickly? One second she was a freshman looking up at the tall, confident seniors in awe, and now she was a senior and she didn't feel confident or awe-inspiring, let alone tall. She had thought that by the time she was a senior things would be different. She'd be cool and secure, totally certain of who she was and where she was going--just like all those older girls had seemed to her when she first started high school. But now here she was, a month away from graduation, dancing at the prom with her friend's little brother because she couldn't get a date with the guy she wanted to go with. The guy who was currently grinding with Kim Wolfe on the other side of the dance floor.

Lane danced around Marshall until her back was facing

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Curtis. That was something she did not need to see. At least she was certain of that much.

"Having fun?" she asked Marshall.

He managed to nod as he continued to step back and forth to the music--one of those sucky dance versions of a formerly poignant love song that Lane just hated. Unfortunately, if the last two sets were any indication, the DJ seemed to love them. "Sorry. I'm not the greatest dancer," Marshall said.