Chapter Ten
Miley
When I arrived at school on Wednesday morning, I didn’t know what to expect. Avery had seemed so torn over what happened in the library. Part of me knew I was supposed to feel ashamed of letting him touch me like that in a public place, my workplace no less, but I didn’t. Because the truth was, it had been one of the best few minutes of my life.
So when I saw him congregated in the quad with all his teammates and a few of the cheerleaders, my heart dropped. Because this is what he meant when he said it was complicated. Avery Chase was their captain, their leader. He wasn’t supposed to date the head editor of the school newspaper, and he definitely wasn’t supposed to date the girl who had betrayed the team.
Stuffing down my hurt, I made my way into school and headed straight for my locker. After retrieving the books I needed, I slammed it shut, almost jumping out of my skin when I realized Kendall Novak was standing beside it.
“I didn’t see you there,” I said.
“Too busy daydreaming?”
“Something like that,” I mumbled.
“Dreaming of anyone in particular?” She smirked.
“Nope, can’t say I was.”
“You know Homecoming is right around the corner. You should come.”
“It’s not really my thing.” My brows furrowed.
“But it could be. You could get a new dress, do your hair all pretty. Who knows, maybe someone might even ask you to go. On a… Real. Life. Date.”
“What do you really want, Kendall?” I sighed, growing tired of her bullshit.
“Me? Nothing.” She shrugged, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. “I’m just saying, you don’t have to be such a bore all the time. You were kind of fun last year.”
“Great, thanks. Now if you don’t mind, I have to get to class.” I went to move around her, but she blocked my path. “Think about it. We could double date… the four of us.”
I froze, my breath catching in my throat.
Surely she didn’t mean…?
“I thought that would get your attention.” A wicked glint flashed in her baby blues. “It’ll be fun. Me and Avery, and you and Micah. Or Ben. Or whoever. I’m sure Avery can get one of them to pity date you.”
My cheeks burned as I realized everyone had stopped to watch the show.
“You’re—you’re going to Homecoming with Avery?” The words barely got out over the lump in my throat.
“Of course. He just asked me.” She shrugged again. “Why? You didn’t actually think he’d want to go… with you?” Her expression lit up with victory. “Oh my God, you did, didn’t you? You actually thought that Avery would ask you.”
School dances weren’t my scene, but of course I’d thought about it. What sane girl wouldn’t?
“I didn’t…” I stuttered, trying to find the words. “Why would I think that?”
“Because, snitch, we’ve all noticed the way you watch him when you think nobody is watching. You want him, admit it.”
“I—”
“Hey, Miley.” Lily Ford appeared, breaking the tension swirling around me and Kendall.
“What, are you two like friends now?”
“So what if we are?” I said.
“But you’re a senior and she’s in ninth grade.”
“So?” Lily laced her arm through mine. It was a sweet gesture, one that made me feel all warm inside. But it was lost on Kendall. It was just more ammunition for her to hate me.
“You really are pathetic, you know that? You can’t have Avery, so you figured you’d try to insert yourself into his life. Let me guess, you’re friends with Ashleigh too?”
“So what if she is?” Ashleigh appeared, glowering at Kendall.
“I knew you were fucking weird, but this… this is something else. Does Avery know that you’re trying to—”
“You should go before I call my brother and see exactly what he thinks about this.” Ashleigh stared Kendall down despite being almost a head shorter than her.
“Ashleigh, it’s okay,” I said. “Kendall was just leaving, weren’t you?”
“Yeah, I’m going. But you should watch your back with this one,” she said, glancing at Lily and Ashleigh, “she’ll betray you as soon as you turn around.”
Kendall took off down the hall and everyone went back to what they were doing before she pulled the rug out from under my feet.
Avery had invited her to Homecoming.
How could he?
I guess it didn’t matter now. He was right, nothing about us was easy. It was never going to be easy. He needed to focus on the team, the biggest season of his life, and I needed to stay in my lane and focus on getting accepted into Northwestern.
Maybe in another life, without the school newspaper and football we would stand a chance, but there were too many odds stacked against us.
“Are you okay?” Ashleigh asked.
“I’ll be okay, thanks.”
“She is such a bitch,” Lily added. “What was she saying to you before we arrived?”
“It doesn’t matter.” I forced a smile. “I’m used to girls like Kendall.”
“Was it true? What she said about my brother?”
“I’m not using you. I would never—”
“Not that,” Ashleigh tsked, “I meant the other thing. That you want him.”
“It doesn’t matter.” My heart ached. Last night in the library, Avery had given me a sign of hope. But in the harsh light of day, I knew it was only a fantasy.
“Of course it does. You can’t give up just because of Kendall. She’s—”
“Look, I appreciate your support, I do. Honestly, I think you’re the first friends I’ve ever really had, and it has nothing to do with the fact you’re Avery’s family. But you need to let this go.”
“But—”
“Leigh,” Lily shook her head.
“Fine. But I still want you to come to Homecoming with us. My dad said we can go since we’ll be hanging out with a senior.” She grinned at me, and I felt myself soften.
“I’m still thinking about it.” The last thing I wanted was to go to Homecoming and see Avery with Kendall, but how was I supposed to tell Lily and Ashleigh no when they had been nothing but kind to me?
“Well, I already
