Page 229 of Shy Girls Can't Fake Date

My stomach ties another knot every time I catch Parker staring at my tent. At this point, I should just swap camp beds with him and he can share with whimpering Yvie. When his melancholy eyes land on me, I’m quick to look away.

Once I’m completely worn out, I go to bed. I creep inside the tent and Yvie doesn’t make a sound.

Thank goodness.

My heavy eyelids need no encouragement, and soon I drift to sleep. That is, until a car pulls up and honks at our campsite. I jolt awake and blink at Yvette, who’s struggling to get her bag out of our tent.

“What are you doing?” I croak.

“I texted my brother,” she whispers. “I’m going home.”

I blink at her, and she disappears out of the tent.

I scramble out of bed, and follow her to the black sedan. Everyone else is crawling out of their tents, awoken by this sudden arrival.

“Yvie?” Lewis calls out. “What are you doing?”

“Leaving,” she blurts.

The parents race out of their tents in major protective mode.

“What’s happening?” Kai’s dad asks.

Tabitha gestures at Yvette. “She’s leaving.”

“With who?” Tyler's mom asks in panic.

“My brother,” Yvie says, tossing her bag into the car.

“If you leave right now,” Lewis says in a warning tone, “we’re through.”

Yvette nods. “I’m well aware.”

Lewis lifts his hands and backs away. “Fine, Yvie. We’re done.”

Yvette seemingly ignores Lewis, instead turning toward Parker. She flings her arms forward and pops a heel behind her as she melts into him.

“I’ll miss you,” she says into the nape of his neck. “Call me when you get home.”

Jamie and Tabitha share shocked looks. I look away when they turn my way.

Yvette gets in the car and Lewis’s friends circle around him.

“Are you okay, man?” Tyler asks, slinging an arm around Lewis’s shoulders.

“That can’t have been easy,” Kai adds.

Tabitha edges closer to me with her eyes on Parker. “Why didn’t Yvie seem cut up about leaving?”

Jamie folds her arms. “Parker, why was she hugging you?”

He shrugs. “I dunno. I’m not in her head.”

“She wants you to call her,” Tabitha says.

“We’ve been hanging out a lot and become friends,” Parker says nonchalantly. “Anyway, she’s gone. Can we just focus on Lewis right now?”

Parker moves into the boys’ huddle, and I avoid the girls’ questioning glances. This situation leaves my head plagued with questions. I rub my temples and turn back to my tent.

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