Page 62 of The Cupcake Standard

With a yelp, I sat up, rubbing my scalp.

“You need to pull your head out of your ass and realize what I’ve been telling you this whole time. That boy is crazy for you. He’s trying to talk to you about this but obviously doesn’t know how. And you’re not helping. He found you a bouquet of flowers, fresh waffles, maple syrup, ice cream and crispy bacon in the time it took you to shower. Plus, he kicked Liam out of there. Look at the big picture, it’s so obvious.”

My forehead crinkled. I felt it. “What is?”

“You two are made for each other.” She frowned, reaching across the table to rest a hand on my arm. The harshness in her eyes eased as she stared at me, sincerity and concern taking a front seat. “I’m not sure what you’re waiting for, girl, but I’m afraid you’re going to wait too long. You can’t avoid him forever, and eventually this fake thing will be over. Derek will only play this game for so long. By then it might be too late for you. If it were me, I wouldn’t miss a chance to show him how I really felt.”

And risk him laughing in my face, telling me I’m nothing like his Princess? That I’m just a warm body, a placeholder until she’s back in his life again? Or give my heart to him, only to have him abandon me when I need him most? An image of my dad hovered in my mind.

But I looked at my friend’s earnest expression and I couldn’t tell her that. Not again, not with that hopeful look plastered all over her face. Instead, I moved my hand out from under hers to swipe a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “I’ll think about it.”

Then I changed the subject, asking how she and Josh were doing. Gina took the bait. They’d been having some problems of their own, mostly him complaining that she was too busy with working all the time and juggling a full class load.

I half-listened, my mind still mulling over things with Derek. When she finished venting, I kept her talking. I wasn’t ready to go home yet. We ended up staying for a couple more hours, covering all the subjects from school to work to more on boys. It was pretty late when she dropped me off, and the living room was empty when I came in. A weight lifted off my chest.

There was a sticky note on my door.

Double date with Liam on Friday, if that’s still okay?

I scribbled ‘Yep’ with a smiley face and stuck it on his partially open door before tiptoeing back to my room.

Tuesday was so busy I didn’t even try to avoid Derek. It just happened. I left while he was working out, went to all my classes, worked my shift at the coffee shop, then met with a study group in the library. I stayed there, working on a few other projects pretty late.

When I came home, he was already asleep, and there was another sticky note on my bedroom door.

Holding down the fort is lonely without you.

My throat was thick as I read it. I had to reply, scrambling for a sticky note.

Super busy couple days. Miss you, too.

I added the last part against my better judgment but couldn’t bring myself to redo it.

Wednesday morning was the same. Unfortunately, I forgot my textbook for my afternoon class. I ran home to get it before lunch with my dad so I could go from there straight back to campus. In a foul mood, I rushed in the door.

“Hey,” Derek said, as he shut his laptop and stood up from the couch. He flashed me that genuine megawatt smile which I did not have time to be blinded by. “What are you doing? Can we have lunch?”

“Sorry.” I shuffled past him, but he followed me to my room, watching me throw things around as I searched for my book. “I already have a date.”

“What are you looking for?”

Head half under my bed, ass in the air, I called, “My economics book. I can’t find it.” Not there either.

“It’s on the end table in the living room.”

I sat back on my heels, glancing at him as he smirked down at me. “You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”

“Immensely.” He followed me to the living room, pulling on his shoes and grabbing a jacket. A baseball cap pulled low on his head completed the outfit.

“Where are you going?”

“To lunch with you.”

The words caught me off guard. My heart thudding in my chest, I stopped with my hand on the doorknob. “I told you I already have a date.” He can’t do this to me. I wasn’t prepared for any close proximity to him. Not yet.

He arched an eyebrow at me. “Well, it can’t be with another guy since we’re fake dating. And if you’re a lesbian, then I doubt she’ll mind your roomie tagging along since it’s just lunch.” The corners of his mouth turned down as he cocked his head. “Maybe you’re bi?”

No way do I have time for this and I’m not in the mood for his teasing. I yanked open the door, narrowly avoiding hitting Derek in the face. He reared back at my forcefulness. A little niggle of guilt tugged at me as I opened my bag and stuffed in my book while hurrying to the elevator.

---