Fake Boyfriend - Kate Brian (22 page)

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Instantly, Vivi's shoulders tensed. She knew from Isabelle's dreamy tone that she was thinking about Jonathan. The last thing Vivi wanted to be thinking about.

Isabelle looked up and her smile widened. "And it's only going to get better." Vivi's heart thumped. Jonathan had just walked into the room and was weaving his way toward them.

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Isabelle struggled to push herself up off the sunken couch as he approached and he rushed the last few steps to take her arms and help her. Izzy tripped into him and giggled and Jonathan hugged her tenderly. Vivi suddenly felt like taking her shoe off and throwing it at him. It would be the first useful thing the damn heels had done for her all night.

"Where have you been?" Isabelle asked, blinking up at Jonathan. "I missed you!" "I missed you, too," he said in a low, sexy voice, running his fingers across her cheek. "Can we ... maybe ... go outside?" he asked, glancing at Vivi and Lane like he wanted privacy.

"Absolutely," Isabelle said with a smile.

Jonathan started for the door, but Isabelle quickly turned around and grinned, giddy as could be.

Vivi's heart and stomach switched places in her body, which was not a pleasant feeling. "Do you think he's going to break up with her or tell her he loves her?"

"Vivi, there's no way he loves her. He hardly knows her," Lane said.

"Y eah, but I hardly know him and--was

Vivi stopped, a few words short of saying way too much. Lane, however, read her face like a book.

"Omigod. Vivi!" Lane moaned, realizing what Vivi had been about to confess. "This is like a Greek tragedy!"

Vivi's heart felt as if it might shrivel up and die. She couldn't just sit here and feel this.

"Come on." Vivi got up from the couch and grabbed Lane's hand.

"Come on where?" Lane asked in trepidation.

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"I have to see what's happening," Vivi said, feeling panicked. She squeezed Lane's hand so hard, it was like their skin fused.

"Okay. Okay. Let's go," Lane replied.

Holding hands, they rushed across the living room and out the front door. Dozens of kids were hanging out under the stars, sipping their drinks or making out under and up against the huge oak trees that lined the drive.

"Where are they?" Vivi said through her teeth.

"There," Lane whispered, pointing.

Isabelle and Jonathan were huddled close together near the bubbling fountain a few yards away. Vivi would have given anything to be able to hear what they were saying, but between the party noise and the running water, she never would have been able to eavesdrop without being right on top of them.

"Over here." Vivi pulled Lane toward one of the columns outside the front door. She positioned her friend across from her and tried to keep an eye on the proceedings. "Try to make it look like we're just chatting."

"Ooookay ... So, can you believe that awful mermaidfrom-hell dress Kim Wolfe is wearing?" Lane said, clearly trying to lighten the mood. She glanced over at Izzy and Jonathan.

"Omigod. I know. Y are about a hundred times hotter than her," Vivi said quickly. She had to keep reminding herself to breathe.

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"Really? Thanks," Lane said. "I wish Curtis would--was

"Hang on," Vivi said, touching Lane's arm to stop her.

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Across the way, Isabelle's eyes widened. Vivi wasn't a lip-reader, but she knew what the word what looked like, and that's what Isabelle kept saying. Jonathan reached out to touch her arm and Isabelle let him, but then she lifted her hands to her face. Vivi's heart turned to stone.

"Oh, God. Is she--,was Lane began.

"She's crying," Vivi said. "Oh my God! She's sobbing]"

Jonathan said a few pleading words and Isabelle nodded quickly, but the tears kept coming. And even as Vivi's heart went out to her friend, she couldn't help feeling just the slightest bit relieved. He wasn't telling Isabelle he loved her.

There was still a chance--

Oh my God. I am the devil, Vivi thought, sick to her stomach.

"This is awful," Lane said, turning away. "She thought he was going to tell her he loved her and instead he's breaking up with her."

Vivi attempted to swallow but couldn't. Her vision blurred with tears. This was wrong. It was all so, so wrong. Then, Jonathan and Isabelle hugged. They hugged for a long, long time, Izzy's face turned to the side, her eyes squeezed closed.

Finally Jonathan pulled back and wiped his thumb across Isabelle's cheek, drying her tears. Vivi felt like her own heart was tearing open. His touch was so tender. So reverent. She

could practically feel his fingertips on her own skin.

"I can't watch this," Vivi said, turning away.

"It's okay," Lane said. "They're hugging again."

"Again?" The pain was excruciating.

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"Y eah, and now he's going. They're saying good-bye. This is good, right? I mean, sort of," Lane said hopefully.

Vivi's breath caught and she looked up again. Sure enough, Jonathan was backing down the driveway toward a cab that was waiting at the far end, past all the haphazardly parked cars. He watched Isabelle the whole way as Izzy stood there, her shoulders shaking with her sobs.

He's going. This is it. Vivi felt as if her heart were being pulled right out of her chest. I'm never going to see him again. And I don't even get to say good- bye.

At the very last second, Jonathan looked up. Looked right at Vivi. Her heart stopped beating. She just needed him to nod at her. Or wave. Anything to show her that he still cared about her. But he just looked up at the house, and Vivi was suddenly uncertain whether he'd seen her there at all. Then he turned and was gone.

And just like that, tears were streaming down her face.

"She's alone. Come on," Lane said to Vivi, grabbing her wrist.

"I can't," Vivi cried.

Lane looked at her and her jaw dropped. "Y ou're crying!"

"No, I'm not!" Vivi said, using her palms to quickly dry her face. "I'm fine."

"Vivi--was

Vivi's heart cracked at Lane's sympathetic tone. And she just started to babble. "It's j... you guys were right. I do push guys I really like away. That's what I do! Because they're not good enough or I'm scared of ... of not having control or whatever. But this time, he was good enough. He so

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was, Lane. And what did I do? I not only pushed him away, I pushed him right at my best friend!"

"Oh, Vivi," Lane said. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to be right." She reached over and hugged Vivi, and Vivi clung to her, trying to get control of her breathing.

"He's gone," Vivi said. "And he hates me."

"Vivi, I'm really sorry. I know this sucks. But we have to talk to Isabelle," Lane said firmly, pulling away. "We did this to her. We need to be there for her right now." "I can't," Vivi repeated, shaking her head as the tears continued to come.

"Y have to!" Lane said. "Now come on."

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Vivi took a deep breath and nodded. Lane grabbed her hand and squeezed as they headed down the driveway.

"Isabelle!" Lane called out. "Isabelle. What happened?"

"Y guys!" Isabelle threw herself into Lane's arms. "He's gone! Brandon's gone!"

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Vivi turned away and dried her face again, sucking in a big gulp of air to steady herself. She had to be strong right now. For Isabelle.

"Gone?" Lane improvised. "Oh, you mean he went home?"

"No. I mean he's gone. He's leaving for a conservatory in Paris tomorrow morning. He's gonna be there all summer," Isabelle cried. "I can't believe this! I thought we were going to be together and he just ... he just . . . broke up with me!"

"Iz, I'm so sorry," Vivi said, feeling lower than she ever had in her life.

"But it's not like he didn't like you," Lane pointed out.

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"He probably just thinks long-distance relationships don't work."

Isabelle's eyes widened. "That's exactly what he said! And I believe him. I do," she said, pacing away and toying with her clutch purse. "It's just I wish it didn't hurt so much. I'm never going to see him again!" she wailed, fresh tears streaming down her face.

Tell me about it, Vivi thought.

"C'mere," Vivi said to Isabelle. She hugged her friend as she cried, her own tears hidden behind Isabelle's back. "It's okay, Iz. It's gonna be okay. Sooner or later, this whole thing is just going to be a distant memory."

Lane stepped over and made it a group hug, her head bent to Vivi's shoulder, like she was comforting Vivi as much as she was comforting Isabelle.

"I'm just gonna miss him," Isabelle sniffled, putting her chin on Vivi's shoulder. "I'm gonna miss him so much."

Join the club, Vivi thought, reaching up to wipe a tear from under her own eye. She knew exactly how Izzy felt.

-'

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* * * * twenty-one * * * *

"I still can't believe Curtis split his pants." Vivi doubled over laughing as she and Lane sat at a table in Lonnie's the following morning. All around them their classmates sipped their coffees, everyone in comfy sweats or jeans, chatting about the night before. "I wonder if the rental place will take them back."

Lane tried to laugh, but couldn't. Her heart was way too heavy. "Do you think they hooked up?" she asked.

Vivi raised her eyebrows. "Who?"

"Curtis and Kim? Do you think they, like, made out?" Lane asked, pushing her coffee back and forth between her hands.

"I thought we agreed not to talk about anything depressing." Vivi glowered.

"Oh my God! Y do think they hooked up!" Lane exclaimed.

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"Uh, no," Vivi said. "No way. Curtis has better taste than that."

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"He asked her to the prom, didn't he?" Lane pointed out.

"Only because you didn't ask him first," Vivi said. "I told you to--was

"Please do not go there right now," Lane interrupted, her shoulders tensing. She could not get into that particular conversation with Vivi. She wanted to try to keep today light.

"Fine," Vivi said, rolling her eyes. "Where is Isabelle?" she looked at the door. "That girl is never late."

"Y don't think she's sitting around in sweats with Pop- Tarts again, do you?" Lane asked warily.

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Vivi snorted. "Maybe she's with Shawn. Y know, rebounding."

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Lane laughed at the suggestion, but then her eyes locked with Vivi's and her stomach dropped. "She couldn't."

Vivi paled. "If all we did was drive her right back into Sluttig's arms ..."

"We never should have done this," Lane said, holding her head in her hands. "I mean, could it have backfired any worse?"

"Hey! It did not backfire," Vivi said under her breath, leaning across the table. "The whole point was to keep her from going to the prom with Shawn, and she did not go to the prom with Shawn."

"I thought the whole point was to keep her from getting her heart broken again," Lane countered. "And instead, we just broke it for her. And yours, by the way."

Vivi sat back. "My heart is not broken," she said evasively. She picked up her bagel and ripped off a huge chunk with

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her teeth. "This was never about me. It was about Isabelle," she said through a mouthful of food.

"That's it. I'm calling her," Lane said, diving into her phone for her bag.

Just then, Vivi's phone beeped. "That must be her," Vivi said, producing her own phone from the pocket on her zipped hoodie. She read the text aloud.

"She says, 'Y ou're never going to guess where I am1'" Vivi said, her brow wrinkling.

Lane got up and dropped down next to Vivi on the bench so she could see. Vivi typed back.

Vivi: U'r supposed 2 B at Lonnie's!!! Isabelle: cant make it. Im going to paris to surprise Brandon. Have noon flight. Am at Newark airport right now! Bought tix w/graduation $$!

"What?" Vivi shouted, silencing half of Lonnie's. Lane's vision clouded over and she gripped the sides of the table. "Text her back! Text her back!" Vivi typed furiously.

Vivi: NO! Y cant go to paris!

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Isabelle: Nvr felt this way Bbled! Have to go. Looked up his school on web and will be there 2tionite!

"Do something!" Lane squealed. "Do anything!" "I'm trying!" Vivi shouted.

Vivi: DO NOT GET ON THAT PLANE!!!

Isabelle: this is true love Viv. Crazy but true. Gotta go!

Vivi: NO! Stop! Need 2 talk first.

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Isabelle: guy at metal detector needs to search stuff. Turn phone off now. Will call u when I land. Bye!!!

"Vivi! What are we going to do?" Lane screeched. Her heart pounded so hard, it drowned out all the Lonnie's noise around her.

Vivi's eyes darted around without focusing. "I... I..."

"This is not happening. This is so not happening," Lane rambled. She got up and paced next to the table, ignoring the disturbed looks of her classmates. "Do you realize what we've just done? Our best friend is getting on a plane to chase after a guy that doesn't even exist! A guy that we made up! We have to do something!"

With quaking hands, Vivi started dialing on her phone. "I'm calling her."

"She said she was turning off her phone!" Lane said.

"I have to try!" Vivi's hand clung to her hair, holding it back from her face. "Pick up, dammit! Pick up!"

Vivi stared up at Lane. "Voice mail," she said.

"Say something!" Lane demanded.

"Uh... Isabelle. It's Vivi. We got your text. Y can't get on that plane. J... whatever you do, do not get on that plane. Trust me. I'll explain later. If you get

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She hung up.

"That's your big confession!?" Lane blurted. "That's not gonna stop her."

She started dialing on her own phone.

"What're you doing?" Vivi asked.

"I'm calling Izzy's parents," Lane said.

Vivi grabbed Lane's arm. "What? No! We can't tell them.

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They're going to freak when they find out Izzy spent all her graduation money on a trip for no reason!"

"Their daughter is about to get on a plane to a foreign country," Lane said, squirming away. "I think they'll care a little more about that."