Page 41 of My Fake Date With My Childhood Friend
“Oh,” I said softly. So, I was right. Nikki really just said it to hurt me.
“When did you talk to her?” Alexander asked. “I mean, I know we ran into her and Joseph, but she didn’t say anything like that.”
“I think she’s following me or something. She keeps cornering me in the school bathroom.”
“Oh,” Alexander said. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. “I'm sorry if she's being so awful to you.”
I shrugged and looked at my hands.
“I think she's just projecting,” I said. “The novelty of her relationship with Joseph is wearing off, and she doesn't know how to deal with it, so she's taking it out on me, you know?”
“Do you think she'll break up with him?”
“I hope so,” I said. “I really hope she realizes how absurd all of this is and just leaves him.”
“Would you forgive her?” Alexander asked. “If she broke it off with him and apologized for everything, would you be friends with her again?”
“Well… yeah,” I whispered. “She’s my best friend.”
We pulled into the school parking lot and parked at the end.
“You can just leave your jacket in here,” Alexander said as I started to collect my stuff.
“Oh, are you sure?” I asked.
“Yeah, it's not like I'm going to be using it before I drive you home again,” he said. He reached between our seats to grab his bag from where he stored it in the back. “Don't forget your sweater.”
“Oh crap. Thanks.” Normally, I just wore my sweater under my jacket when I walked to school, but Alexander kept his car so hot that I felt like I would die under all those layers. I jumped out of the car and fixed up my clothes, then swung my backpack over my shoulder. “If I’m leaving my jacket here, then I don’t need to go to my locker. Do you?”
“Nope,” Alexander said. He walked around to my side of the car and grabbed my hand. “See, these are the benefits of having a boyfriend with a car.”
“What are you….” I started to ask why he was referring to himself as my boyfriend like that, but a quick look around told me we weren’t alone down here. Right. He was a lot more on top of this than I was, and more importantly, not bogged down by stupid newfound feelings.
“What about Joseph?” Alexander asked.
“Hm?”
“If Joseph realized the error of his ways and genuinely apologized, would you forgive him?” He asked. “Would you take him back?”
I hesitated. I genuinely didn't know the answer. Charlie's words had gotten into my brain, reminding me that I held onto the necklace Joseph had given me, even after all this time. As if I was expecting things to reignite between us and for me to need it again.
Alexander nodded slightly and cleared his throat.
“Well,” he said, “I guess the lack of a no is an answer in itself, isn't it?”
Was that true? If I told him about it, would Alexander agree with what Charlie had said to me? Maybe I was still in love with Joseph — and somehow, I was the only one who hadn’t seen it.
seventeen
The big dayof the formal had finally arrived. Three days flew by really fast. It seems like yesterday we were talking about it, and now it’s finally happening. I had knots in my stomach, but I wasn’t going to let a lot of anxiety get me down.
I stared intently into my small circular mirror as I put on my eyeliner. I hardly ever wore makeup, so I was no good at this.
“Are your hands shaking?” Liv asked. She and I were on FaceTime while we were getting ready. I had the phone propped up against the wall, so I could use both hands to do my makeup.
“Yes,” I groaned. I finished the second wing, barely making it straight, and dropped the eyeliner. I didn't care if the two sides weren't even. I wasn't about to try to fix it now. “There. Done.”
I'd left the eyeliner until last, so I was done with my makeup now. I used some setting spray on my face, then grabbed my dress from where it was hanging on my closet door.
