My Fake Boyfriend PREQUEL TO SUCK MY LOLLIPOP

Chapter 27

True to her word, Poppy broke up with Nate the next day and he was more or less devastated. He wouldn’t show it, but anyone who knew him could tell that he was hurt. Poppy, on the other hand, bounced back almost instantly. It seemed like every time I passed her in the hallway she was flirting with a new guy. Normally I would just roll my eyes and walk past, but afterschool a week or so after their break up, I stopped and watched the entire thing.

I had stayed after to make up a test, and just as I was about to leave the building, I saw Poppy and some guy outside of a classroom. “How about you take me on a proper date before we fuck?” I heard her ask, followed by a high-pitched giggle.

“Okay,” the guy chuckled.

“See, that’s how I know you aren’t serious,” Poppy determined. In my head I struggled to figure out her logic, but failed to see how ‘okay’ meant that he wasn’t serious.

“What? I said okay, I didn’t reject you,” the guy said, probably as confused as I was.

“Yeah, but if you were really serious you would have made plans,” Poppy reasoned. I nodded my head as I finally grasped her logic.

“Okay, well we could go to see The Hunger Games this Friday night,” the guy suggested. “I’ll pick you up at seven?”

“Really?” Poppy asked. I could tell her face had lit up in excitement by her sudden increase in volume.

“Yeah,” the guy said.

“Okay, see you Chase,” she said and scampered in the opposite direction. At that point, I could no longer think or move. Chase and Poppy were going on a date. They were going to see a movie. Everybody knows what happens when a boy and girl go on a date to the movies.

I didn’t know why I was freaking out so much; I didn’t like Chase. Sop freaking out Chas! I scolded myself. Chase is not your boyfriend; he can do whatever he wants. As much as I tried to tell myself I was overreacting, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

“You like him!” Kayla shouted when I told her about what I had been thinking. We were at the mall looking for clothes with Poppy who was currently in the dressing rooms.

“That’s insane Kayla, Chase is my best friend, I can’t like him,” I said in disbelief. “Besides, could you imagine all of the chemistry jokes?”

“That would be adorable!” she squealed. “You have to tell him!”

“What?” I asked in horror. “Kayla, he’s going on a date with Poppy this weekend, I’m not going to tell him anything! Besides, he doesn’t even like me.”

“You don’t know that! I mean he did agree to be your fake boyfriend, that has to mean something doesn’t it?”

I narrowed my eyes and said, “Kayla I swear to God, I do not like him.”

“Lie to yourself all you want, the feelings aren’t going to go away,” Kayla chimed. “Besides, you two made an adorable couple, it’d be even cuter if it were real.”

“Well too bad,” I said. “Chase obviously likes Poppy, end of story.” Kayla made a face that showed she was unsure of what I was saying. I didn’t push it because I wasn’t in the mood.

“You’ll see Chas,” Kayla said. “I can’t believe Chase would even date Poppy though, especially since she’s Nate’s ex now.”

“Yeah, I mean isn’t that in direct violation of the bro code?” I asked.

“I’m sure it is,” Kayla shrugged. “But since you won’t admit to your feelings, I think it’s about time I set you up.”

I widened my eyes in horror. “No Kayla, please don’t,” I begged her. Kayla always had a bad habit of matching people up. Most of the time it worked out okay, but when she tried to inflict her powers on Poppy and I, it always ended in disaster. After a really bad match with Poppy in the seventh grade, we put a life long matchmaking ban on her. “You’re banned, remember?”

“But it’s been years, I’ve gotten so much better,” Kayla pleaded. “I have the perfect guy for you, just give me another chance.” Of course, I knew better than to repeal the matchmaking ban.

“No,” I told her firmly.

“Fine,” she pouted. “But you’ll need my help eventually, and when you come crawling back to me, my matchmaking will no longer be in service.”

I chuckled and said, “I think I’ll do just fine on my own.”

“How does this look guys,” Poppy said, coming out of the dressing room and cutting our conversation off. Kayla and I shared a worried glance. Judging by Poppy’s face, she didn’t seem to have a clue about our conversation, and we telepathically agreed to keep it that way.

“Poppy, you look like a whore,” Kayla said. I chuckled at her rude comment, but things like that was what made her an excellent shopping partner. Kayla never lied about how a friend looked in what she was wearing, and what she had said about Poppy’s outfit was one hundred percent true. She had on a mini skirt that barely covered her ass and a tank top with far too many holes in it to be considered as anything more than a dishcloth.

“You bitch,” Poppy said jokingly. “Chas, do you think I look like a whore?” she asked me next.

I raised my eyebrows. “No, showing your ass in public is totally the new thing,” I said sarcastically.

“Fine, I’ll put it back,” Poppy sighed and went back into the dressing room to change. Kayla and I waited in silence until she returned, too afraid of saying anything Poppy would get pissed about.

“Where next?” I asked as we were leaving American Apparel.

“Well since you guys have vetoed everything I’ve tried on so far, why don’t you pick,” Poppy said.

“Why are we even trying so hard to find an outfit for you?” Kayla asked. “You have plenty of stuff at home.”

“I just need something that will look really good,” she said. Every time that we tried to figure out why we were shopping, Poppy had kept her answers vague. Obviously, Kayla and I knew it was for her date with Chase that night, but Poppy didn’t know that we knew and we thought it best to keep it that way.

“Whatever, I guess we could try Arden B, they might have something you’ll like,” Kayla shrugged. Five stores and eighty outfits later, Poppy finally found something she liked that Kayla and I approved of.

“Thanks so much for helping me out guys,” Poppy thanked us as she got out of Kayla’s car.

“Still not gonna tell us what you’re doing tonight that you needed an outfit for?” Kayla asked. I folded my arms across my chest and remained silent.

“I’ll let you know tomorrow if anything happens,” Poppy said. “Later chikas!” she called as she scampered off into her house. Kayla drove off and I remained silent as she drove to our neighborhood.

“Just admit that you’re jealous,” Kayla provoked me as we neared my house.

“I’m not jealous,” I snapped. I even surprised myself by my tone. I’m not jealous, I can’t be. I chided in my head.

“You’ll come to terms with it soon,” Kayla said. “And when you do, you better expect the I told you so dance.”

I got out of the car, and before I went towards my door I turned back and glared at her. “I hope you step on a Lego.” Kayla was unfazed by this and as I neared my door I shrugged it off.

I wasn’t jealous. Was I?