Page 45 of Scarlett and the Fake Boyfriend (Scarlett #2)

I’d fallen for Jacob when we were supposed to only be fake dating. And I suddenly had this fear in my chest that Axel might fall for Sophie after being her date to homecoming. I bit the inside of my lip. If I was worried about that...wasn’t that my answer? That I still wanted to be with Axel?

My eyes gravitated back to Jacob. I was already picturing him pulling me into a searing kiss at the end of the game. What was wrong with me?

I bit the inside of my lip so hard that I tasted blood.

We were up 13 to 7 at the half. The game was closer than it should have been. Because Axel wasn’t handing off the ball as much as he should.

“Come on,” Sophie said and pulled me to my feet. “It’s show time.”

I’d been trying not to think of the whole homecoming court thing. But now that it was actually time to hear the results...I had this small tiny hope that it might be me. Maybe this would be fate. I’d be queen. And whoever was my king...that’s who I was meant to be with.

“Want to get something to eat while we wait?” she asked.

“Nah.” I didn’t want to listen to Sophie order a hot dog for ten minutes only to wind up just getting a plain wiener on a bun like always.

We hurried down the bleachers before we could get stuck in the crowd of people using the restroom and getting food from the concession stand.

We made our way over to where the convertibles were parked outside the stadium.

The homecoming court sat in pairs in the convertibles which led the way for the floats.

The Triple Gs walked over in their cheerleading uniforms.

“Sophie,” Gigi said. “Scarlett.” She gave me a sad smile. “Ready to see which one of your dates is going to be my king?”

Gemma and Georgia both laughed.

“I think being Axel and Jacob’s dates is a lot better than winning anyway,” Sophie said. “Right, Scarlett?”

Actually...yeah. No matter what, we were the ones winning here. I nodded.

Gigi made a weird noise with her throat. “But how embarrassing will it be when your boyfriend is my king,” she said to me.

“Either way, Jacob’s jacket is around her shoulders,” Soph said. “Not yours.”

“But I don’t see you wearing Axel’s jacket,” Gigi said.

Well that was because it was currently in my bedroom...

Sophie shrugged. “I have my own clothes. And none of you are dating players. Oh wait. George, you are, right?”

“Stop calling me that,” Georgia mumbled.

I held back a laugh.

“And I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she added.

“If you say so,” Sophie said .

Gigi glared at Georgia. “Seriously, what is going on with you?”

Georgia ignored her.

“Better take the convertibles in the back,” Sophie said. “Because there’s no way one of you is winning. And everyone wants to see the winners first.” Sophie looped her arm through mine and pulled me toward the first convertible.

I laughed. “I’m pretty sure you’re going to make George’s head explode.”

“I hope so. Luis’s girlfriend deserves so much better.”

Mr. Halifax walked over to us. He’d changed out of the mascot costume for halftime and was just in normal clothes. I wished this meant he wasn’t the mascot at all. But his hair was matted and his clothes were a little wrinkly. I knew the truth.

I tried to turn around in the opposite direction, but Sophie stopped me.

“He’s even gorgeous with matted hair,” Sophie said.

“Definitely not.”

Mr. Halifax stopped in front of us. “Okay, everyone. Let’s get in the convertibles.” He waved over the Triple Gs, even though we’d only just gotten rid of them. “One girl in each one. And as soon as the team comes out of the lockers one of the guys will sit next to one of you.”

“You could ride with me,” Sophie said to him. “I think we can squeeze in three.”

Mr. Halifax lowered his eyebrows.

“Everyone will get a hoot out of a teacher riding with us.”

“Get in the first convertible, Miss Hunter.”

She smiled. “As you wish.” She walked over to the first convertible. The driver helped her in so she could sit on top of the back seat.

“Miss Hunter,” Mr. Halifax said and turned to me. “Would you like to be in the second convertible?”

Why was he singling me out right now? “I’m fine with whatever. Maybe the last would be better.”

“No, no,” he said. “Go on ahead to...” His voice trailed off as Gigi ran over and hopped into it. “Oh. Well. How about the third then?” He smiled down at me.

Had he just emphasized the word third? Or was it in my head? I needed to stop thinking about third base. By the time I turned to head toward the third convertible, only the last car was open.

“Last but not least,” Mr. Halifax said with a kind smile.

Ah!

He put his hand on my shoulder. “I should have known that would be a disaster. I’ll make the nominees for king sit alphabetically. Go on ahead.” His hand slid down to my upper back as he lightly pushed me in the direction of the car.

I tried not to focus on how much he’d just touched me. And focused on his words instead. Alphabetically? I thought about everyone nominated as I made my way to the last convertible. Eli Jones. Jacob Miller. Billy O’Reilly. Luis Rodriguez. And...Axel Stevens. I smiled to myself.

That kind of felt like fate.

The guys started coming out of the gym. Luis the Cheater made a beeline toward the convertible Georgia was in. Such a cheater .

Mr. Halifax whistled and everyone froze. “Alphabetical order, guys.”

Eli the Halloween Henchman leapt into the seat next to Sophie.

Hopefully she’d make out with him and eliminate him from my list.

Jacob stopped by my convertible. “Enjoying the game?” he asked.

I leaned forward. “You made an amazing touchdown.”

“Don’t I get a reward for that?”

I stared at him. A reward. Just like the kiss thief had mentioned. Was it possible... No. But...was it?

Jacob closed the distance between us and kissed me.

Our kisses used to be awkward.

But they weren’t now. Not even close.

His hand slid to the back of my neck and I heard a few people whistle.

What if I’d had it all wrong? Was it actually still possible that he was my kiss thief?

It did make the most sense with the fact that Uncle Matt had done something similar with Aunt Brooklyn.

And Jacob was supposed to be blocking the exit at Odegaard during Operation Trap. He’d claimed to see nothing.

He’d also told me he wasn’t the kiss thief though. But I knew the kiss thief was a liar...

Jacob slowly pulled back. “You okay?” he asked.

I opened my mouth and closed it again.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “No matter what the results are, you’re my queen tonight.”

Axel cleared his throat. “Pretty sure you’re paired up with Gigi, man.” He slapped Jacob on the back.

Jacob looked down the row of convertibles and sighed. “Well that sucks. Take care of my girl,” he said. He winked at me and walked over toward Satan.

“I think I’ve been taking very good care of his girl every night,” Axel said as he sat down next to me.

“Why do you always make it sound so sexual?”

“Maybe you’re just hearing what you want to hear.”

The convertible started to move.

Axel grabbed my hand so I wouldn’t tumble off the back of the convertible.

My Dirty Little Secret by You’re An American Reject started playing as soon as the convertibles started driving into the stadium. Just like it always did. Apparently it had been a tradition for years.

Everyone on the convertibles started waving to the crowd.

Axel kept his fingers intertwined with mine and turned to me instead. “You and Sophie almost got Leo killed.”

“That was all Soph.”

Axel laughed and then he just stared at me.

“What are you looking at?” I wiped the side of my face even though I knew nothing was there. I hadn’t eaten anything.

“I was just thinking,” he said.

“About?”

“Time.” He sighed and turned to face the front of the convertible.

I squeezed his hand. “You mean not having enough of it?” Because I understood that. This was our senior year. And despite all our promises to remain friends forever, nothing would be the same come this time next year .

He turned back to me. “I’m more worried about wasting it.”

“Then let’s not waste it. Let’s have the best night ever.”

He nodded. “I really hope you win, Scarlett.”

I laughed. “I think it’s a long shot.” Liam had mentioned voting illegally. Maybe if he’d done that enough times I’d actually have a chance. Although my dad had told him not to vote for me...

The convertibles came to a stop. Axel dropped my hand and hopped out of the convertible. I stood up to follow him, but he grabbed my waist and slowly lowered me down in front of him.

The crowd seemed to hush around me as I stared up at him. I had this sudden urge to confess everything. About how I’d loved him since I was two. About how much it had killed me when he’d kissed someone else in spin the bottle. About how every homecoming I’d wished he’d asked me.

But Mr. Halifax ran up to us. “Head to the middle of the field, you two.”

Did he look upset that Axel was touching me? Or was that in my head too?

Axel smiled. “On it.”

I laughed as Axel lifted me up over his shoulder.

“Axel!” I slapped his butt. “Put me down.”

He ignored me as he carried me to the middle of the field.

“Axel!”

He kept walking until we reached the line of other nominees. He leaned over and deposited me on the turf. “Homecoming queens have to be appropriately escorted.”

I laughed. “You’re jumping the gun.” But I had this hopeful feeling in my chest. What if it really was him and me? King and queen? The two of us, just like it was always meant to be?

The principal tapped on the mic and it screeched.

Axel grabbed my hand again. And I was vaguely aware that no one else paired up was holding hands.

“Our nominees for homecoming this year are...” the principal started.

I tuned him out as I looked up at Axel again. I didn’t want to waste time either. And I was so tired of holding everything in. But I wasn’t even sure he’d hear my confessions over the noise of the crowd.

“And the winner of homecoming queen is...Sophie Hunter!” the principal yelled.