The Backup Girlfriend (Grove Valley High Book 2) Read online

  “I don’t.”

  “You have a problem with my sister not working?”

  “I don’t have a problem.”

  “You know what, Brett? You can be really judgmental.”

  “I can be judgmental?”

  “Yes! You.”

  “I’m not the one who just introduced myself to a guy who’s been in my homeroom for the last two years.”

  I freeze.

  Jason. Dammit!

  I know Jason, of course I do. He sits in the back of the class and is always finishing his homework last minute.

  “I’m just not used to seeing Jason outside of school,” I snap at Brett, mainly because I’m embarrassed that I’ve been called out like this.

  “We’re here at most parties,” he tells me. “Have been for years. You just think you’re too good to notice us.”

  My jaw drops. “I’m the judgmental one? You’re the one who has all these assumptions about me. You have no idea about me or my life.”

  He snorts. “Your perfect life with your perfect car and your perfect house and your perfect bank account that allows you to throw a party like this?”

  “You are such a dick, do you know that?” I hiss angrily, aware that our argument is garnering a bit of attention. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Your dad’s a successful lawyer and your sister is married to a future politician—I have a pretty good idea what I’m talking about when it comes to people like you.”

  “People like me?”

  “Is everything okay?” Dane has reappeared next to us, and I didn’t even notice I’m so busy being pissed at this idiot.

  “No, it is not okay. Your friend is a judgmental, arrogant dick.”

  Then I swivel on my heel and stalk back into the house, away from Brett and his judgmental attitude.

  And even though the night moves on and Chase tells me how much the bidding raised, even though everyone else seems to be having a great time and there’s no doubt at all that the party has been a big success and has raised a ton of money, I can’t get Brett’s words out of my head.

  Not for the rest of the night, or for the rest of the weekend, for that matter.

  17

  “I’m sorry.” Brett slides into the seat across from me in the library and pushes a coffee cup over to me. “It’s your favorite.”

  My eyes flit to the coffee, but I don’t make any move to go for it.

  “You were right—I was a dick the other night, and you didn’t deserve it.”

  I still don’t say anything.

  He sighs. “I didn’t even know if you’d be here today.”

  I very nearly didn’t show up, but I need to graduate, and Sasha talked me into coming despite how pissed I am at him.

  “I really am sorry.”

  “You were really out of line.”

  He nods. “I know.”

  I eye him for a second, trying to figure out if he’s genuine or not, and then eventually reach for the drink and take a sip.

  “Look, it is none of my business what your sister does.”

  “Correct.”

  “Or what you have in your bank account.”

  “Also correct.”

  “Or what car you drive.”

  “Again, correct.”

  He rolls his eyes. “I was just being a sensitive jerk and took it out on you.”

  A sensitive jerk?

  “Why were you being sensitive?”

  He lets out a long sigh and leans back in his seat.

  He’s quiet for the longest time, so long I don’t think he’s going to answer. Eventually… “I would have really liked Aaron’s prize with the car.”

  “Yeah, it was one of the most popular items of the night.”

  His mouth crooks slightly. “For good reason. Have you seen some of the cars in his dad’s showroom?”

  I have. They’re pretty awesome. My dad gets his cars from Aaron’s dad.

  But wait… “You didn’t even bid, though.”

  “I know.”

  “So you can’t be pissed about not winning if you didn’t even try.”

  He offers me a wry smile.

  “I was never going to bid.”

  Okay, I really don’t get this guy.

  He clears his throat. “I’m not like most of the students at this school.”

  I roll my eyes. “Okay, ego. I know you’re the smartest kid here.”

  He laughs softly. “That’s not what I meant.”

  It takes me a second to figure out what he’s hinting at. “Oh.”

  He shrugs self-consciously. “My mom cleans houses, and my dad’s in the military. They work really hard, but they don’t have any extra cash. That’s why I work so much after school and why I agreed to tutor you. I need every cent I can get to save for college.”

  I don’t know what to say to that. It’s not something I’ve had to think about before. “You have a scholarship to college, right?”

  He nods. “Full ride.” A hint of a smile crosses his face, and I know he’s proud of himself. “But I need to make sure I have as much money saved as possible so I can pay for my expenses.”

  “Your parents—”

  “Are awesome and will help me out as much as they can, but I don’t want my mom working longer hours or my dad taking extra deployments just to help me out.”

  “I didn’t know.”

  “Why would you? But that’s why I was a dick to you the other night. Sometimes it just feels pretty unfair that some people have so much money they can toss it away at an auction for charity.”

  I sit back in my own chair, processing everything he’s just said.

  “Brett—”

  “Hey, I’m one of the lucky ones. I decided when I was eight years old that I was gonna be the smartest kid in school, and I’ve used my brain to study my ass off so I finish at the top of our class. I’m gonna make sure I go to college and get a job that’s so well paid I can buy my parents a new house within my first year of working.”

  “Brett—”

  “Do not feel sorry for me, Abigail. I mean it.”

  I don’t feel sorry for him, not at all. If anything, I admire his work ethic and tenacity, his determination to reach his goal.

  “I was just going to say…” I clear my throat. “I think that’s pretty cool.”

  His eyes flash, and a small, reluctant smile crosses his face. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “So you accept my apology?”

  “Yes, I accept your apology for being an ignorant, pompous, idiotic dipshit the other night.”

  He snickers. “I don’t think you needed to include quite so many adjectives there.”

  I’m grinning back at him now, my smile wide. “I do.”

  He rolls his eyes, but his smile doesn’t budge. “Shut it, Baker.” He reaches out, pulls over my notebook, and turns my textbook to face him. “Let’s see how you did over the weekend, huh?”

  I watch him as he scans my work, making little notes as he goes, and I can’t help the smile on my face.

  No doubt about it, the relief I feel about us not being in a fight anymore is real.

  18

  Cheerleading practice is grueling, but in a good way. I work my ass off for two hours straight, stretch, and work my body in a way that I haven’t in weeks, and I feel happy that my muscles remember the moves required and I can actually do something I’m good at for the first time in months.

  Coach must have decided that as the seniors are about to leave, she’d give us one last good workout where we ran drills, did bodyweight exercises, and did more cardio than I remember doing in years before Sasha and I took over to teach the routines we’ll be doing at the pep rally.

  You’d think we were going to state (we only managed to make it there once, when I was a sophomore) with the way Sasha’s treating it. She’s going to make sure she continues cheering in college, she loves it that much. She’s always attended training camps, and I think sh
e has family in Georgia. Cheerleading is pretty huge there and has therefore rubbed off on her. I’ve got to say, it makes my life as captain so much easier. She spent twenty minutes telling me some of the routines she’d planned for us, what old favorites she thought we should repeat and what flips and jumps we should be doing, before telling me about a new routine she’s choregraphed that she’s really excited about. All I had to do was tell everyone what we were doing, run the practice of our old routines, and then let Sasha teach the new one.

  It was all pretty easy, to be honest, and now I’m collapsed on the floor, desperate for a shower but too tired to move as everyone grabs their stuff and starts heading out to the locker room.

  “I think that went okay.” Sasha flops down next to me.

  “Your routine is awesome.”

  “You don’t think the dance club will be pissed?”

  I snigger—they definitely will be. We’re using the current biggest hits in the country and dancing better than they can, plus adding flips and jumps and pyramids into it too. We’ll definitely show them up, but I couldn’t care less. “Who cares? Let them be pissed.”

  She grins back at me.

  “Besides, we’re all leaving, so they won’t be pissed for long.”

  She laughs at that. “Don’t you think that’s a thing? People not being pissed anymore. Like when we were younger, cliques and different groups seemed so important, but now everyone just seems to mix and get along with everyone? I think that’s pretty cool.”

  I’m not sure that’s true of everyone, probably not me, to be honest, but Sasha’s always been really nice, and I’m glad some people aren’t as weird as me about actually branching out and talking to new people. It’s definitely an issue I have to work on.

  A pair of tanned legs appear in front of us, and I look up to see Sophie standing there, Jennifer a couple of steps behind her. “Let’s go to Ferguson’s—I’m starving.”

  I raise an eyebrow. I’m pretty sure Sophie’s never requested to spend extra time with me before.

  “Yes! I’m starving,” Sasha agrees, standing up. She looks back at me. “You coming? I could eat four orders of chili fries right now.”

  I hesitate. I really shouldn’t be eating that food and I still need to study, at least for a little bit tonight. “I can’t. I’m still on my diet.”

  Sophie snorts. “You just burned about a million calories, so I’m pretty sure you’ve earned the right to eat anything you want. Besides, I’m offering to be seen with you in public—it might never happen again.”

  She jumps out of the way before I can push her over.

  The chili fries are the best thing I’ve eaten after months of depriving myself of them. I even treat myself to a regular soda (none of that sugar-free crap) because I definitely burned off enough calories in that practice to deserve this.

  I’m just contemplating ordering a slice of apple pie when my phone beeps.

  Dan: Hey, what you up to? My practice got canceled.

  Me: Just at Ferguson’s.

  Dan: How long will you be?

  I don’t bother to reply to that. I’m really not that bothered about hanging out with Dan anymore. We just don’t really have a lot to say to each other. He’s hot and all, but that’s all there is, and I must be growing up because I’ve realized that isn’t actually that important in the grand scheme of things.

  “Do you have your prom dress?” Jennifer asks Sophie across from me.

  “Yeah, I got it a couple of weeks ago.”

  I shift in my seat. I don’t want to be here if they’re talking about prom. There’s not a chance I’m going if I’m not going to graduate, and the date Ms. Sallinson has set for my tests is only a couple of days before. I’ll have to wait until then to know if I’m going to graduate or not.

  “I think we should go old school and get a limo,” Jennifer is saying. “I know a bunch of people get dropped off in luxury cars now, but I don’t care about that. I’d rather just be with everyone while we can.”

  “You sound like me.” Sophie laughs. “I’m getting all nostalgic too.” Jennifer and Sasha laugh before Sophie turns to me. “What do you think?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know yet.”

  She looks confused.

  “I’m not going unless I pass. I’m not gonna go to prom knowing you guys are going to go on to graduate without me.”

  “Pffft.” Sophie doesn’t even bat an eyelid at what I’m saying. “Of course you’re going to pass. You’re Abigail Baker—everything will work out fine.”

  I wish I could be as certain as Sophie.

  “Hey guys.” I look up as Jessie slides into the seat beside her. I didn’t even see him walk in.

  “Can we help you?” I ask him.

  His eyes widen at my tone as Sophie suppresses a grin.

  “Sophie texted me to say you were here. She knew I was coming down. I didn’t just show up—”

  I start to laugh at his fumbling just as Sophie joins in and throws her arm around him. “She’s messing with you, Jess.”

  “Oh.” He smiles, looking at me quizzically. It’s like he would never expect me to joke around with him. I guess that’s because I never have before. “Cool. Well, it’s great to see you guys.”

  I offer him my sweetest smile. “You can stay as long as you don’t try to hit on me again. We are not doing each other any favors, sexual or otherwise.”

  His jaw falls open and he turns to Sophie accusingly. “You told her?!”

  She rolls her eyes. “You’re about as subtle as a brick, Jess, and you drooling every time you see her kind of gives it away.” He’s gone bright red, and I can’t help chuckling along with the rest of the table as he jabs her in the ribs. “Ow!”

  “Oh hey!” Sasha’s looking at someone over my shoulder, and I turn in my seat to see Brett standing there with his two friends. “How are you guys?”

  “Good, good,” Brett replies, stepping closer. I watch him carefully, noticing how he looks completely casual to most people right now, but I can spot a certain tension in his shoulders as he looks at Sasha and the rest of the table. Wow, I guess I’ve gotten to know him better than I thought.

  I look at his two friends hovering in the background, and I turn to face my friends. “You guys know Dane and Jason, right?” I ask them.

  Everyone smiles and says their hellos, and it makes me realize they all know each other a little, at least in passing, which makes me feel even shittier about never really noticing or making an effort with anyone outside of my immediate group.

  “Do you guys want to sit with us?” I ask, shifting over closer to Jennifer on our side of the booth to make room for them. There’s a moment of total silence from everyone, as though my offer is so startling they all need to take a minute to process it.

  “Yeah, sit with us,” Sophie says, shifting over nearer to Sasha, and Jessie does the same to make space.

  Brett cocks an eyebrow at me. Obviously, he wasn’t expecting the invitation, but he slides in next to me nevertheless, having to sit close so Jason can get in on his other side, and Dane grabs a spare seat and sits at the end.

  We all kind of sit there for a moment, unsure what to do, since I’m pretty sure none of us have hung around socially with Brett’s friends. I’m just thinking maybe it wasn’t the best idea to have them join us when Sophie leans forward and looks at Brett seriously.

  “Tell me, Brett…is Abigail as much of a pain in the ass to tutor as she is to bake with? Because that girl will let me do all the work and take all the glory all day long.”

  I attempt to kick her under the table, but instead I get Jessie, and Brett starts to laugh. Just like that, the tensions ease and everyone seems to relax.

  “So what do you guys recommend?” Dane asks.

  “Recommend?” Jennifer asks, surprised. “Don’t you come here so much you have favorites?”

  Jason shakes his head. “No, we’re usually over at BD’s.”

  “BD’s?”

 
“Bernie’s Diner. Where Brett works.”

  “Oh, that’s where you work?” I ask. He’s never offered that information, and I didn’t think to ask. “Isn’t that kinda far?”

  “Nah.” Brett shakes his head. “It’s only twenty minutes away.”

  “The burgers aren’t as good as here,” Jason says.

  Brett rolls his eyes. “Quit bitching. The food is fine, I give you free stuff, you never tip, and you get to stare at Selena for as long as you want.”

  Who’s Selena?

  Jason laughs. “Yeah, that is pretty cool.”

  “The tips suck there?” Sasha asks.

  I don’t know if I’m imagining it, but it feels like Brett’s body stills slightly when Sasha speaks to him, and I would know since his whole right side is pressing against my left.

  “Just right after school, and especially on a Friday. I guess because everyone comes here.”

  The waitress appears and they place their orders, with Jessie ordering and both Sasha and Sophie getting extras, making me realize no one is in a rush to leave. Strangely enough, neither am I. this might be an unlikely group, but I’m definitely not in a rush to get away from them.

  My phone beeps.

  Dan: So I was right by Ferguson’s when you texted…

  I frown down at my phone, wondering what the hell he’s talking about.

  Dan: I’m outside. Should I come in, or do you want to get out of there?

  I can’t help the scowl that takes over my face. He just showed up here? What the hell?!

  A chuckle from Sophie makes me look up. “What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to bitch-slap someone.”

  I immediately rearrange my face so I’m no longer grimacing, no matter how much I want to. “Um, Dan’s outside.”

  Sophie raises an eyebrow in surprise. “Is he coming in?”

  I guess I could get him to come in, but if I think about it, I don’t actually want him to, not with all these people he doesn’t know. I don’t actually want to see him at all.

  My phone beeps again.

  Dan: Come on, I can see you. Let’s go have some fun this afternoon.

  I look out toward the parking lot and see him pulled up right outside the window in some fancy car. He waves when he sees he’s got my attention. Brett glances down at my phone, seeing the message, and then turns to see him parked outside, and for a split second, I’m embarrassed by Dan. I feel like in Brett’s two-second glance toward Dan, he’s probably judging him, there in his expensive car and his text, which is almost summoning me, and I don’t want him to think less of me because of it.