For the millionth time, I wished Wyatt were here. He deserved so much of the credit that I was getting. Yes, I’d always had the talent inside of me, but he’d brought it out. I guess sometimes, we just need that one person who gives us the strength to show ourselves to the world.
Wyatt had become that person for me.
That thought made me glow even more than the praise my music was getting.
I found myself wondering when it had happened—the shift between Wyatt and me. We’d gone from enemies, to partners, to friends to . . . what were we now?
My heart beat out an answer that my mind stubbornly refused.
Today had reinforced my decision to put my music first, but that still didn’t make it any easier to ignore my feelings for Wyatt.
One thing was certain, he wasn’t the boy I’d first thought he was. He was so much more. My heart warmed as I thought about all the amazing ways my life had changed in the short while I’d known him. It made me feel even worse about the way we’d left things yesterday.
I don’t know what had possessed me to tell him about the whole Lola prom debacle. It was last year, and Lola would kill me if she knew I’d told him about it. The girl had truckloads of ego, but it could be bruised easily.
I hadn’t meant to say anything, but it just slipped out when Wyatt started talking about prom. That was the problem with our relationship. I was getting too comfortable around him. Without my guard up, not only was it easier to fall for him, but it was also easier to let him in and apparently divulge sworn secrets.
I groaned, knowing I was going to have to tell Lola what I’d done.
Hopefully, she was really as over him as she’d said. I looked at my phone, wondering if I should just rip the Band-Aid off now so she had some time to get over her anger before she was mono-free and back at school. The last we’d spoken she said she’d be cleared to return in a few weeks.
But then I thought about Wyatt. If I told Lola I’d blurted out her secret, then he’d have to deal with her wrath, too. He didn’t deserve that. Despite what he wanted the world to believe, he was actually a really good guy. Which was half the problem. It was making it harder and harder for me to resist the sweet guy I saw behind his bad boy persona.
I found myself wondering why he felt the need to keep up his tough guy reputation. He’d let me see through it and there was nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it was the opposite. Maybe if I could convince him to show that side to Lola we could all move past this.
The idea of my best friend and the boy I liked not hating each other was appealing. It would certainly make it easier for me to explore my feelings for Wyatt without feeling so guilty. But who should I talk to first?
I scrolled to my favorites on my phone, my finger hovering between Lola and Wyatt. I decided I’d start with Wyatt first. After all, I had the most news for him.
A smile formed as I pictured his response to the news of my warm reception at school today. I could practically see the I-told-you-so smirk on his sinful lips.
Geez! Just thinking about his lips had me all flustered.
I decided to start simple, with a text.
Me: Hi. It’s me. Just wishing you luck today. Text me when you’re done and tell me how it went.
My phone rang a moment after I sent my text. I was already grinning as I pulled it to my ear. “Hey,” I said, a smile in my voice.
“OMG! Layne! What did you do?”
I pulled the phone away from my face quickly to protect my ear from the high-pitched squealing. I already knew it wasn’t Wyatt on the other end, but panic seized me when I saw Lola’s contact photo lighting up my phone.
Shoot! How did she find out I’d told Wyatt about prom already?
I swallowed my guilt and tentatively put the phone back to my ear.
“Layne? Layne? Are you still there?” Lola asked.
“I’m here. Your ears must be burning,” I said with a nervous laugh. “I was just thinking about you.”
“I should hope so! You have a lot of explaining to do.”
“Yeah, um, about that. I’m not really sure how it happened—”
“Who cares! I’m just glad whatever you’re doing is working.”
“Wait. What?”
“Layne, you did it! You’re number one on the voting site.”
“I am?”
“Yes! Now spill, girl! I want to hear everything.”
My guilty conscious took a minute to catch up. “You’re talking about my music, right?”
“Of course! I take back everything I said about Wyatt. Whatever you two are doing is working. I’ve never heard you sound so incredible. I seriously did a fist pump the first time I listened to that song. I’m so freaking proud of you, Layne! Ah! Eat your heart out, Jenna! Team Layne all the way!”
My eyes welled with tears. I had the best friend ever. I didn’t deserve her. I only hoped she was still willing to be Team Layne after I told her that I sort of spilled her embarrassing prom secret to Wyatt. It was time to rip off the Band-Aid.
“Lola,” I started, but as usual it wasn’t easy getting a word in edgewise when Lola was excited.
“I wish I could see the look on Jenna’s face when you beat her! Who’s the diva now?” Lola boasted. “My best friend, that’s right.”
“You know I’m not actually competing against Jenna, right? I’m going for the songwriter scholarship; she’s going for the singing one.”
“Details,” Lola replied. “But seriously, Layne, I always knew you had it in you, but dang, girl! I’m actually glad I’m not well enough to sing. I think you would blow me out of the water.”
“Not true.”
“I don’t know. We have different styles for sure, but still, those pipes! All that practice shouting at Wyatt’s stupid jerky face must be paying off.”
“Um, actually, Wyatt hasn’t really been a jerk at all.”
Lola laughed. “Yeah, okay. Have you been staring at the voting site all day? All that screen time might be warping your brain.”
“No, I haven’t even looked at it. I had no idea my song was winning until you called.”
“Seriously? What have you been doing all day?”
Figuring out how to tell you the truth. “I don’t know. I’m at school.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t know! I know you hate social media, but I figured Wyatt would’ve at least been checking the results.”
“He’s not at school today.”
“What? Why not?”
“He had a doctor appointment.”
“Ooo, for what? Something scandalous?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s just a follow up on his ankle.”
“Pretty sure? So, it could actually be that he’s a secret baby daddy or something?”
I laughed at her insane imagination. “I know you have every reason to think the worst when it comes to Wyatt, but he’s actually a pretty nice guy.”
“Okay, what gives?”
“What do you mean?”
“That’s the second time you’ve defended him. I realize he’s your partner for the next few days, but you’re my best friend.”
“I know.” I swallowed, realizing I was about to take the plunge and tell her what I’d done. Lola, I accidentally told Wyatt your secret, and oh yeah, I think I’m falling for him.