"Careful," I blurt, motioning for her to hand me the nail polish.
What can I say? I'm a neat freak.
Smirking, she hands it over to me then rests her chin over her knees. "Tell me more about Duane's crazy idea."
Pushing up from my bed, I walk over to my dresser to put the nail polish down. Then lift an eyebrow at her. "You mean the same idea that made you ask for my brother's help?"
"That was different."
"Different how?"
"I wasn't secretly in love with Gray when I asked him to be my fake boyfriend."
I blink. Then blink again. "I-I'm sorry, what?"
Surely, she can't mean what I think she means. Indie might be my best friend, but there are still some things that I keep a secret from her—my real feelings for Duane being on top of those things.
Dread curls in my stomach. Did she somehow find out?
“I know you like Duane, Allie.”
Oh my God, she did. Suddenly, my knees feel like jelly. I walk back to my bed and flop down. “How did you find out?”
She gets up from the carpet and sits next to me. “You’re my best friend and I have eyes. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because it’s embarrassing.” I groan and bury my face in my hands. “I did the most cliché thing. I fell for my brother’s best friend.”
Indie tucks a lock of hair behind my ear and tells me gently, “You can’t help who you fall for. You love who you love.”
I peek at her through my fingers. “Since when did you become philosophical?”
She just smiles, then turns serious a moment later. “So, what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to help him.”
I was already tempted to say yes when Duane asked the question. But I was still having second thoughts then. Now, I’m a hundred percent sure that it’s what I want to do.
He's not just my brother's best friend, he's my friend, too. Which is why I can't leave him hanging.
And maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but I’m hoping that helping him will make him fall for me, too.
You never know, right?
“That’s what I thought,” Indie sighs. “But you know Gray's gonna kill him, right? You'll basically sign his death sentence."
"Isn't that a little overdramatic? I didn't react violently when I learned about you and my brother."
"Brothers tend to be overprotective when it comes to boys, remember? Irrationally so, sometimes. I'm honestly thankful that Sammy is still a baby to act that way toward me. It would probably drive me nuts otherwise.” She winces. “Gray and Duane might be best friends. But it doesn’t mean that Gray wants Duane to involve you with his girl problems. Trust me, he’ll be against it.”
“I’ll just have to deal with it."
Honestly, I don’t know how. But I’d rather worry about it for another day.
"Okay. But what if you end up with a broken heart? I mean, think about it. Why did Duane ask you to be his fake girlfriend?"
"Um, I don't know."
I'd been too stunned to react when Duane asked the question. And before I could tell him to clarify, his phone rang and he had to leave. He said we'd just talk tomorrow.
Indie gapes at me. "Are you serious? You agreed to help him without knowing his reason behind it?"
My cheeks flame. "Technically, I haven't told him yet."
"But you already decided that you would." She shakes her head, disappointment flashing in her eyes, making me feel embarrassed even more. "What if he asked because he wanted your help to make Heather Nielsen jealous? Because he wanted to win her back? What are you going to do then?"
I swallow hard, a sick feeling creeping into my stomach.
Because why would Duane even ask me to be his fake girlfriend?
You thought he wanted to take revenge on Heather for breaking up with him just like Indie did with Brad.
"Oh, God. I'm so pathetic. I made the wrong assumption."
Am I really that desperate for Duane's attention?
Yes. Yes, you are.
"Shut up." Indie glares at me. "You're not pathetic." She takes my hand in hers. "Here's what you're going to do. You'll talk to Duane and you're going to tell him that you're not interested. Tell him it's not your problem and he can ask someone else to help him get his ex-girlfriend back. Okay?"
I give her a faint smile. "Okay."
CHAPTER 3
I should listen to Indie. She made a great point, anyway. Agreeing to be Duane's fake girlfriend for the sake of winning Heather back would be colossally stupid.
I'm not that desperate yet.
At least that's what I keep telling myself as I walk down the halls of Maple Grove High, ignoring the whispers around me about Duane and Heather's breakup. People are such gossip mongers. Why can't they leave the two alone? Especially Duane. He has to be hating all this attention.
I'm tempted to search for him and see how he's holding up, but I'm apprehensive that he'll be able to convince me to help him. I need to avoid him—at least until he realizes that making Heather jealous is a bad idea. Until he realizes that she's not worth it. That there are plenty of other girls at school. That he only has to look next door to find the right one for him.
I'm almost at my locker when someone suddenly grabs my arm and pulls me inside an empty classroom. Before I can protest, I find my back pressed against the wall, Duane's six-three frame towering over my fine-nine.
"Hey." He's sporting a wide grin on his annoyingly handsome face.
Ignoring the butterflies acting chaotically in my stomach, I scowl at him. "Did you really have to drag me in here?"
"Sorry," he says sheepishly. "When I saw you, I just couldn't wait."
If only it was because he couldn't wait to see me, but I know better than to make silly assumptions.
"Listen, Duane—"
"I really need your help, Beanie. You're my only hope of getting Heather back." His deep blue eyes are earnest and pleading as they focus on mine.
Oh, man. Why does he have to look at me that way? I'm always a goner when that happens.
Don't give in. Don't give in.
I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and glance away. "Why do you want her back? She dumped you. Why can't you just move on? There are so many girls who want to be with you, why can't you choose them instead?"
Why can't you choose me? Be with me.
"Because I don't want anyone else. She's the only one I want." His words are like knives plunging into my chest all at once.
I look away once again, not wanting him to see the pain in my eyes. God, why can't my heart take a hint?
"Why me?" I whisper.
"Because I think...Heather is jealous of you."
That has my eyes snapping back to his face and my lips squeaking out, "Excuse me?"
Heather Nielsen—one of the hottest girls in school—is jealous of me? He's got to be kidding me. Or he's just lying to convince me to agree to his plan. Well, that's just mean.
"You don't have to come up with silly stories just to convince me, Duane. So unnecessary," I glare, angrily pushing my glasses up my nose.