Page 24 of Once Upon a Fake Date

I nodded, watching as she walked away, staying in my seat in the silence of the classroom. There wasn’t another acting class after ours, which I was grateful for. It gave me the time to compose myself.

To figure out what I was going to do.

“What’s wrong?”Parker asked, looking up from his chicken, rice, and veggie bowl. He’d met me at the sorority house and we’d walked over to the dining hall together, like we were settling back into our routine from last semester. Even if it had only been for the last month and a half of the semester, I’d gotten used to eating dinner with him. It was nice not having to eat alone.

Especially when Ella had been busy with Cam and sorority responsibilities.

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve been quiet all night.” He raised an eyebrow. “And you’reneverquiet.”

“Oh.” I poked at my salad. He was right. Ella was the quiet, subdued twin. She was the one who preferred to be a wallflower. I was the opposite. I loved to stand out. To be the center of attention. I loved to talk. My mom always joked that I loved to hear myself speak.

Tonight, though, I couldn’t stop thinking about the spring musical. That I was most likely going to have to spend a lot of time in close quarters with my ex-boyfriend. One who couldn’t seem to get over me, even if he’d been the reason we’d broken up in the first place.

“I just got some bad news today,” I finally admitted. “The other lead for the musical this semester dropped. And if there’s no one who auditions, then the understudy steps into the role.”

“And?” He looked confused. “I don’t understand. What’s the problem?”

“The problem is the understudy is my ex, Duke.”

Parker furrowed his eyebrows. “Why? Is he even in the theater department?”

I laughed. “No. He’s a business student. You don’t have to be a theater student to audition. He doesn’t know the first thing about theater; he’s just determined to do whatever I do, I guess. Maybe he gets some sort of secret rush from stalking me.” If I didn’t laugh, I’d cry, so I just shook my head—like that would make the thoughts go away.

“That’s fucked up.” He grit his teeth. “He auditioned just to make you uncomfortable? Audrey, you need to get a restraining order.”

I sucked in a breath. “I can’t.” I’d tried last semester. After Halloween, when he’d grabbed me on the sidewalk, I’d gone to the campus safety building and asked for help. But it wasn’t enough. And all I felt was ashamed.

“What?” Parker’s expression was pure rage.For me. “What do you mean?”

I winced. “He hasn’t hurt me.” The admission was whispered. I looked away, not wanting to look at him as I said the words. “Campus safety won’t do anything unless there’s proof of physical violence.”

And besides him grabbing my wrist, he’d never hurt me. I’d never been beaten black and blue. I should be grateful for that, they’d said. He wasn’t violent.

No, he was just a chauvinistic pig. But that didn’t warrant a restraining order.

“Audrey…”

Shaking my head, I diverted all my energy into eating my salad. I tried to ignore the way his eyes were on me. How I could feel him staring at me—like he was trying to make sure I was okay. That I wouldn’t break.

I didn’t want to cry. Not in front of him. I couldn’t. Because the second I let go, I’d shatter. And I wasn’t sure I was ready to put all the pieces back together.

“What if I do it?”

My jaw dropped open, and I gaped at him. “What?”

“The musical. I’ll do it.”

“Parker. You can’t. You don’t even know the first thing about acting.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I can learn.”

I shot him a look. “What about lacrosse? You don’t exactly have time to be a part of a musical. What will you do about the season?”

He shrugged. “I’ll talk to coach. Make it work. Besides, don’t you think my best friend is more important?”

“Well…” I bit my lip. It was nice that someone else cared enough to put me first like this. Sure, Ella always had, and I knew she always would.

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