Page 46 of The Stand-In Boyfriend

“Of course not. But people like to meddle and give opinions nobody asked them to give. You can’t change that.”

“If people would concentrate more on their own lives instead of other people’s, this world would be a much better place,” I mutter, giving him a side glance. Noah’s also leaning against the bench, but instead of looking at the sky, he’s looking at me, those baby blues of his not wavering.

“It would,” he agrees quietly.

We sit in silence for a while after that. Not saying anything, just looking at each other.

“You shouldn’t let them get to you, Jessy. There will always be petty people ready to tear you apart. Don’t give them power. Don’t let them belittle you just because they’re jealous. They’re the issue here, not you.”

His words hit close to home. Too close. They warm my heart and make it ache all at the same time.

Another wave of tears gathers in my eyes, so I look away, not wanting Noah to see me as weak.

“You’re not such a bad guy, Noah.”

And that scares me more than I’d ever care to admit.

Chapter Seventeen

JESSICA

“Girls, get in your positions, and we’ll go through the whole routine one more time.” Miss Lopez claps her hands.

In silence we get back on the mat, each of us taking our position. Miss Lopez nods approvingly and claps her hands in the familiar count. “Five, six, seven, eight.”

One of the girls who’s off the mat turns on the music, and we begin moving to the familiar routine.

It’s the most complex thing we’ve ever done. Hell, that any Greyford High cheerleader ever tried, and although my muscles ache from all I’ve put them through these past few weeks I can’t help but smile as I move to the music.

Two backflips, and then my teammate’s hands are on my hips, lifting me into the air. Down, two claps, then I’m back in the air, this time using more leg power to lift myself upward. Front flip and I’m securely in the pocket, but only for a moment before I’m thrust back into the air.

My heart is pounding rapidly, and my breathing is ragged since this is at least the fifth time we’ve gone over it just this morning, and that’s not counting the warmup. Sweat is dripping off my forehead and I pray it doesn’t fall in my eyes.

Spin. Down. Up. I lift my leg to the side, pull it back and fall down. The sound of skin hitting against skin is in sync with the beat of the music.

I’m tossed back up, doing a backflip.

I feel it before it happens. It’s that uneasy feeling in my bones. It has been there, even before my body realized what will happen. One moment I’m in the air, and the next, the air is being kicked out of my lungs. I’m falling, and there is nobody to catch me. I brace myself as best as I can—which in reality isn’t much—before I fall on the floor, my whole body rattling from the impact.

Fuck that hurts.

Inhaling sharply, I bite my lower lip to prevent myself from groaning out loud. People start calling my name all around me as they dismount, the floor shaking when each person jumps down.

“Sunshine?”

My head snaps up almost instantly, a sharp stab of pain spreading down my neck from the sudden movement. A strand of hair that slipped out of my ponytail from all the tumbling and jumping falls in my face, so I puff it away.

“Noah?”

What is he doing here? And when did he get here?

“Are you okay?” he asks as he kneels next to me.

“Fine,” I groan, trying to turn on my back, but when I try to use my right foot a jolt of pain makes me wince.

Fuck, everything hurts. At this point I don’t even know what hurts the most. My head? My leg? My whole body?

“You’re not okay,” Noah protests, helping me turn on my back.

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