All Chapters of Filling in the Boyfriend spot: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

“He’d want you to meet him,” Eve said, giving me a little push.“Oh. Right.” I really didn’t want Hayden to have to extend this lie to people he actually cared about, but with Eve standing right there I felt like I had to. I walked forward until I stood next to Hayden. For the first time I had a clear view of Spencer’s face—dark eyes, almost black in this lighting—and I nearly took a step back. I knew him. Well, not really. He went on a date with Laney once two years ago and I had doubled. The only reason I remembered him was because he’d been a total jerk, mean to her the whole date then trying to make out with her when it was over.Hayden was in the middle of telling Spencer a story about some scene he had to do for drama. “. . . so I asked the teacher, ‘Can this be a monologue?’”Spencer laughed. “What did the girl say?”“She thought I was kidding.”“And let me guess

It’s all an act, you jerk, I wanted to say. You are the worst friend ever and don’t use his happiness to ease your guilt. Of course I didn’t.“Yeah, sure. See you around.”Hayden was up and heading my way when I emerged from the rocks. “Thanks,” he said, pointing to the shoes, when I met up with him. I was so glad I was the one who had found Eve and Ryan behind that rock just then and not him. He didn’t need to see it rubbed in his face any more than he already had tonight.He wrapped me up in a hug and buried his face into my hair. “Thanks for tonight.”I closed my eyes. “Of course. It was fun.” And I was surprised to realize that I really meant that. Hayden was easy to be around.He tightened one arm around my waist and his other hand moved up and down my back. Maybe he wanted to take advantage of the last few moments of physical contact we’d have, as well. “I had fun

 “Yeah, yeah.” Bec waved her hand at her mom then turned to me. “So anyway, tell us about the revenge.” I looked at her mom and wondered if she was upset that they were fighting. She didn’t seem bothered at all. “Okay, so Eve was there with Ryan.” “I knew it!” Bec yelled. “They’re still together, aren’t they?” I nodded. “But you were right, she wanted Hayden too.” “She did not,” Hayden said. “Then why did she hug you and sit so close and put her hand on your leg?” “She put her hand on your leg?” Bec’s expression went hard. “She did?” Hayden asked. “Oh, please,” Bec said. “You know she did. Don’t try to play all innocent, Hayden. And you pro

“I asked questions.”“Not ones that mattered.”“You were too pretty for those questions.”I smiled and tried not to be too flattered but a few butterflies took flight in my stomach. “Don’t you mean too lonely?”He gave me a smirk. “Well, that too.”We made it to the doorstep and I turned toward him. “So prom night makes me think you’re like your mom. But . . .”“But?”“But then you walk me up to my door out of the obligation instilled in you to be a gentleman and that makes me think you’re more like your dad.”“My mom might take offense to that.”“Why?”“Because had she taken you home, she would’ve probably walked you to your door too.”“So then I’d be standing on my front porch with your mom.”He chuckled. “Yeah, not a great image.”“So you’re saying you

 “Oh.” I looked at mea, wondering if that was part of the original plan or if she was hoping to leave me out and then casually mention at school on Monday that they had hung out together. Mea didn’t give away her hand. She just put on a pleasant smile. “I heard you went on a blind date last night? That’s crazy. I would never go on a blind date.” “Yeah. Remember, I told you I was going on one when I invited you to come over and help me get ready.” “You never called me. Maybe you thought you did because you called Claire and Laney. You probably just forgot.” She smiled sweetly. “It’s okay, it’s not a big deal.” “Mea. I called you.” Claire looked between the two of us. “Maybe you did forget, Tia.” “You think I’m lying?”

She nodded.“You did a good job. She’s good too.”She squeezed my hand. “Should we catch another?”Just as she asked, Mea? paddled up. “Did you see me ride that one? My longest yet.”I sat up on my board and Claire followed. “We missed it.” My gaze found Tyler, who was riding a wave now. “Did you see that trick he just did? Way to find a surfer boy, Claire.”“I didn’t even know he surfed until after prom.”“And he’s Claire’s date, Tia,” mea said.“Um . . . I know.”“It’s just you’ve been flirting with him all day. I thought I should remind you.”“What?”“Mea,” Claire said. “Stop. It’s nothing.”I turned my stare to her now because “it’s nothing” wasn’t even close to “she is not.” “I haven’t been trying to, Claire, I promise.”“I know, Tia. You’re just f

Mea.She’d been on my computer that morning. This is what she looked up. This is what she left up for me to see. But she hadn’t discovered anything yet. Was she just trying to let me know that she still suspected something? That she was digging? That she’d figured something out? Why did she care so much? I signed out of her account and into mine. I brought up the real Tom ’s page and like I had hoped, his profile was still a picture of a black weight lifter that he admired. Even if mea found this page, she wouldn’t think for a minute it was the right one. I closed out the page then checked my Twitter and email.The house phone rang and I waited for my parents to answer it before I remembered they were out for a date night. I stood and padded down the hall and into the kitchen just as the answering machine picked it up.A voice began talking on the machine, leaving a message. “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery, this is Professor

But when I got to my room, instead of cleaning it, I sank to the bed. My prom dress still hung over my desk chair, stirring up a longing I didn’t like to feel.On a whim I pulled out my cell phone and sent a text: I was trying to be a better person today but the world isn’t cooperating.Hayden texted back almost immediately: Uh-oh. What happened?I sighed. I wanted to support my brother, who won an award, but my parents don’t want to go. And he doesn’t want us to come anyway.Instead of the chime of a text I was expecting, my phone started ringing. I jumped then smiled when I saw Hayden’s number on the screen.“Hello.”“What kind of award?” he asked as if we had been talking all along.“I guess he did some sort of short film. He takes a couple of filmmaking classes.”“You should go anyway,” he said.“Th

“No, I don’t.” My backpack dug into my shoulder so I shifted it to the other one.“Is everything okay, Tia? You’ve seemed different lately. Distant.”I took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. “I guess I’m just feeling reflective. We’re about to graduate and I’m wondering what I’ve really accomplished.”“You are one of the most popular girls at school. When people look back ten years from now, they will remember your name. They’ll know who you were.”How would other people know who I was when I didn’t even know that?She nodded her head toward where Bec had been. “She won’t even enter their minds.”“So, being remembered? Is that what life is about?”“Better than being forgotten.”“I guess I’d rather be remembered for something, though.”“Like what?”“I have no idea.”

“Buying a house is a big deal,” my dad said. My mom leveled him with a look and he added, “But they probably should’ve researched more online first.”“Yes, they should’ve.”I waited for my dad to come back with another counterargument defending the couple but he didn’t. He kept the peace. Both of them always kept the peace. I opened my mouth and the words, But it’s your job to show people houses, almost came out. They were so close to coming out that I had to swallow. Now was not the time to say something stupid. I wanted to go somewhere this weekend. I needed their permission.“So . . . I was thinking and I know you two can’t go to Drew’s award ceremony but I was hoping I could go.”“By yourself?” my dad asked.“Remember my friends you met the other night? The girl that I studied with and her brother? They offered to come with me.”My parents looked at