Page 55 of The Wrong Bachelor

“Go around!” Hayley yelled, waving a hand out the window before turning back to me. “I swear I’m not moving this car again until you tell me you watched the episode last night.”

“Well, I guess we’re not going to school today then.”

“Are you serious?” Her voice went up an octave.

“What? I don’t like watching myself on film. I hate hearing my own voice. It’s weird.”

Hayley shook her head at me. “Only you could think that.”

“Plus, I already experienced the whole ordeal. I really don’t want to have to go through the torture again.”

She snorted at me. “Yeah, it looked like you were having such a horrible time on Friday night.”

I felt a smile trying to creep onto my face as I thought back to the group date. I couldn’t argue with Hayley; Friday had been surprisingly fun, aside from the fact that Laurie had tried to take me out. I had the biggest bruises on my knees from the fall I took, and they still hurt like hell.

“Okay, it wasn’t all awful,” I admitted. “Can you keep driving now?”

A smug smile formed on Hayley’s lips. “I knew you liked him.”

I raised my hand and pointed a finger at her. “I never said I liked him.”

“You don’t have to, it’s written all over your love-struck face.”

“It is not!”

“Tell you what, admit you like Cole and I’ll keep driving to school,” she said.

I turned my darkest glare on her. “I’m not going to lie to you to get you to keep driving.”

Another horn blared from one of the cars trapped behind us, but Hayley was completely unbothered. “We’ve got Mr. Randall first period, and he loves me. I’m in no rush,” she said, sitting back in her seat as she made herself comfortable.

“Hayley, you know Cole and I hate each other. We have for years. He drives me crazy.”

She didn’t respond but simply smiled as if she was waiting for me to continue. It was clear she needed more convincing.

“He’s rude, and he always says inappropriate things. I swear his mind lives in the gutter,” I continued. “He goes out of his way to annoy me!’

I let out a breath when it was clear my words weren’t going to sway her. I wasn’t so sure they were convincing me either. Cole had been different these last few weeks, and he wasn’t nearly as rude or annoying. It was hard to argue that I hated him when it didn’t feel true anymore.

“Look,” I said. “Even if I did like Cole, it doesn’t mean he likes me back. He’s got a whole group of people throwing themselves at him right now. He’ll probably eliminate me tonight.”

“Yeah, right,” Hayley said with a shake of her head. She started the car and continued our journey to school.

“But I didn’t admit to liking him.”

“Maybe not out loud,” she said, turning and giving me a knowing smile.

Her words silenced me and I could feel myself frowning as I considered them. I didn’t say another word to her the rest of the drive to school. I did come to a conclusion though: Hayley had no idea what she was talking about.

It seemed like every eye in the school was focused on me as Hayley and I got out of the car. The stares continued to follow us as we made our way across the parking lot and up the steps to school. I strongly suspected people were only watching me because of the show, but it made me uncomfortable and I wished they would stop.

“Madi, great episode last night,” a girl said to me as we entered school.

“Oh, thanks,” I replied.

“Go Cadi!” one of the football guys hooted from her side.

Other students shouted similar messages of support and enthusiastic congratulations as I continued down the corridor. There were countless more “Cadi” posters dotting the walls today, and everyone I encountered was smiling as they passed me.

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