Page 22 of Once Upon a Fake Date

I did the same, enjoying this place. It was my second semester here, and I’d quickly grown to love it. There was a charm to Castleton and the way everyone seemed to know everyone. We hadn’t had that at my old school. Plus, the campus wasn’t in the middle of a giant city, making it feel quaint. We were bordered on one side by a neighborhood that mainly featured students, faculty and staff, and a densely wooded area sat on another. Plus, not too far away was the ocean. It was like the best of all worlds.

“I’m happy to be back, too.”

She hummed but didn’t say anything for a few minutes as we walked. I enjoyed the silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable or strained. It was just… peaceful, like we could enjoy each other’s presence without needing anything else.

I shoved my hands in my pockets to keep myself from reaching out for her hand. Friends didn’t do that. Even though I desperately wanted to feel her palm against mine.

“How’s practice been?” Audrey finally asked, breaking the silence.

I nodded. “It’s good. You know, I was worried about fitting in with my new team, but they’ve all been great.”

Audrey’s face curved into a warm smile. “Of course they are. Because you’re great.”

Laughing, I shook my head. “You haven’t even seen me play yet.”

She shrugged as I pulled the door open to the dining hall. “Sometimes you don’t have to see something to believe it.”

Running my fingers through the hair as we headed to the counter to grab food, I contemplated that thought. If it was possible to know something was true without the prior evidence.

But even without having played a game yet, I knew the guys on my team were good. That it was more than just a sport for them. I could feel it in the air at practice, in the way my teammates treated each other.

There was a sense of camaraderie here that felt like belonging.

“Maybe you’re right.” I grabbed a plate with a pork chop, rice, and veggies and loaded it onto our tray as Audrey scooped up a bowl of chicken Alfredo.

“Always am,” she said with a beaming grin. It was like sunshine, bringing warmth and a glow to my face.

We settled into a table in the back corner, not saying much as we took our first few bites.

“You know, you never told me why you left your last school. How you ended up here.” Audrey twirled her pasta around her fork as she watched me, like she was studying my reaction.

I cleared my throat. “Just needed a fresh start.”

She frowned. “But… what happened?”

I wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. She’d probably look at me differently. With pity in her eyes. Or worse, and she’d blame me too. Just like my teammates had.

“It doesn’t matter.” I waved her off. “Tell me about your musical. You have rehearsals starting soon, right?”

Audrey blushed. “It’s notmymusical. I might have been cast in the lead role, but there’s so many other people who it couldn’t run without. The other cast members, the crew, the orchestra, the lighting and sound?—”

“Right. Of course.” I smoothed my hair with my hand, feeling like an idiot who’d just put his foot in his mouth. Of course, it wasn’t hers. Except it would be, wouldn’t it? I’d told her I’d go watch her perform, and I knew that there was no way I’d be able to tear my eyes away from her on the stage. Not when she shined so brilliantly. God, just hearing her sing was incredible. “Are you excited?” It was the only question I could think of asking.

Her violet-hued eyes lit up. They were such a beautiful color, that deep blue that read purple, that it was hard to look away from them. “So excited. Did I tell you Ella is designing all the costumes for the play? She’s shown me the sketches, and holy wow, they’re beautiful.” Audrey babbled on about the things she was excited about. The score. The sets. How magical the storyline was.

It was based on her favorite fairytale, and she’d told me that it felt like kismet when she was cast as the lead.

Long after we’d finished our food, I sat there, trying to remind myself that she was my best friend. That I had no business noticing how her laugh made my insides warm or her smile felt like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. But her happiness was contagious, and I was just grateful to be in her presence.

It was enough.

It had to be.

Because I couldn’t live in a world without Audrey Rose and her sunshine. Not ever again.

CHAPTER 7

Audrey

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