Page 4 of The Stand-In Boyfriend

“Both Liam and I are in English lit. You?”

“Trigonometry.” The two classrooms are in different wings altogether. “I gotta leave my books in my locker first though. I don’t want to carry the extra weight all day long. See you at lunch?”

Evie lets go of my arm, but I can see the reluctance in her gaze. “See you at lunch.”

Hoisting the strap of my bag higher on my shoulder, I turn around and walk toward my locker. My gaze is firmly fixed on the floor, hoping to avoid any possible eye contact with people still mingling in the hallways.

I’m not positive like Evie, and I don’t believe one bit that people have forgotten. Greyford is a relatively small town, and people here live for drama. What happened at the beginning of the summer is the most drama that’s happened since Brook Taylor went missing only to come back pregnant. And I was in the middle of this particular shitshow, which makes it all the worse.

Getting to my locker, I put in my combination and pull it open. The space is completely empty since we have to empty the lockers at the end of every year. My nose furrows at the stale smell that comes from inside.

Great, just what I needed, an ex-jock locker. Or maybe it’s just some guy who conveniently forgot a pair of dirty socks that got lost inside. I look into every corner of the little metal space, but come up empty.

If this is an indication of how this year is going to go then I’m screwed.

Pulling the backpack to my chest, I grab the books I won’t need until later and stack them inside the locker.

I’m so focused on my task and breathing through my mouth, so I don’t smell the stink, that I almost don’t hear it.

“Have you seen her?” The fine hairs at the nape of my neck rise at a not-so-quiet whisper. “Walking around acting like she’s better than the rest of us.”

“Oh please, she’s pathetic! We all knew it was just a matter of time before he dumped her.”

The voices are coming from behind the open door of the locker. And while the first girl is trying to keep it on the down low, the other one isn’t even pretending she isn’t gossiping.

My stomach rolls with unease, bile rising in my throat.

They’re not talking about you,I try to reason.They’re not…

“How lame do you have to be to still force yourself on your ex’s friends? For God’s sake, get a life!”

A pain shoots through my hand. I look down only to find my nails digging into my palm, knuckles white.

So much for it not being about me.

You knew it was going to happen.

I also hoped I was wrong. They say I don’t have a life, but what about them? And what’s with that high and mighty crap? I always try my best to be friendly and polite to everybody, even if I don’t like them very much.

Kill them with kindnesshas been my mom’s motto for as long as I can remember.

I debate if it’s worth it to close the locker and face the duo talking about me behind my back when they don’t know shit about me. It’s not like I can keep hiding behind the door much longer, since all the books are inside, and I have to get going if I don’t want to miss first period.

Whatever, I’m not hiding. I’m not the one in the wrong here.

Pulling the zipper closed so I don’t lose anything, I let the bag fall down my back and slam the locker with more force than necessary. I’m just about to face them when I see movement from the corner of my eye.

“Hey, babe.”

Frowning, I turn around only to come face to face with Noah Russell. And he’s coming right at me.

I narrow my eyes at him, suspicious. Did he just call me babe? It sure sounded like it, although it makes no sense whatsoever. I open my mouth to call him on it, but I don’t get a chance to react or say anything because the next thing I know, I’m pressed against the locker, and he’s kissing me.

Chapter Two

NOAH

“How lame do you have to be to still force yourself on your ex’s friends? For God’s sake, get a life!”

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