Page 152 of Drama Queens Don't Fall For Charming Boys

I shrug. “I trust him. He’s pleasant with his female fans and takes selfies and gives them autographs. If any of them try to start something with him, he makes it very clear that he’s not interested. Besides, how can he even think about another girl when he has me?” I stand up and strike a pose.

Zoey and Rylee laugh.

“You’re totally right about that,” Zoey says. “How could anyone choose someone over you?”

“Or someone over you,” Rylee tells her.

“Or someone over you,” I say to Rylee.

We all laugh, and then Zoey’s phone rings with a video call. “It’s Brock.” She answers it and waves enthusiastically. “Hi, Brock!”

“Hey. Are you still at Lily and Xavier’s engagement party?”

Rylee and I squeeze into the frame. “Hi, Brock!”

His blue eyes brighten. “Hey, Rylee and Mia!”

“How’s life in Boston?” I ask.

“Great.” He pushes his dark hair out of his eyes. “What’s up with you guys?”

“Mia has a boyfriend,” Rylee gushes. “Declan Hart.”

“I know. Zoey told me. Congrats. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks. What about you, mister? Is there a girl you like?”

He rolls his eyes and groans. “You guys, too? You’re worse than Zoey.”

We spend a few minutes catching up, and then Brock asks Zoey to give her phone to Lily and Xavier so he can wish them congratulations. After she does that, she takes the phone back and says to Brock, “I know it’s still a few months away, but what are your plans for the summer? Are you going to visit us?”

He purses his lips, eyes filling with pain, though he quickly pushes it away. “Aren’t you and Mom and Dad going to visit us?”

Zoey sighs. “We visit you every summer. When are you going to visit Edenbury?”

“Zoey, you said you weren’t going to push.”

“I know. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to push. Just think about it, okay?”

He looks away. “I’d rather you guys visit here.”

It looks like Zoey wants to beg him to reconsider, but we all know he doesn’t want to come back to Edenbury. “Okay,” she resigns. “Mom, Dad, and I would love to visit you and Grandma and Grandpa over the summer.”

His face lights up. “Nice. I can’t wait—”

“Is that Brock?” a voice asks.

We raise our heads and find Lexi standing before us, eyes full of hope as she nods at the phone. “Is it Brock?”

Brock’s eyes widen in panic. He ends the call, his face disappearing from the screen.

Lexi steps forward. “He ended the call?” Tears prick her eyes, though she tries really hard to swallow them.

With a sigh, Zoey tucks her arm around Lexi. “I’m so sorry. I’m sure he didn’t mean to be rude.”

Lexi lowers her eyes to her shoes. “I hoped he would…” She shakes her head and sniffs.

“Don’t give up on him, okay? I know my brother. He’s not a jerk. He’s just in a lot of pain.”

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