The Backup Girlfriend (Grove Valley High #2) - Emma Doherty Page 0,105

over at his words.

“I think about you all the time.”

I brush a couple of tears away as he smiles at me.

“Like constantly, all the time, and I’m so proud of you for pulling your shit together enough to graduate.”

That does make me smile.

“I told you to come to my house to study that time because my mom wanted to meet you. I kept talking about you, and she wanted to meet you for herself.”

“Wait…really?”

“Yeah. I’ve been crazy about you for what feels like a long time now.”

“Are you being serious?”

“Deadly serious. I think you’re a really special person who is going to be crazy successful at whatever you choose to do in life.”

That might mean the most to me, those words right there.

“And I’m pretty sure I’ve fallen in love with you.”

My whole entire body freezes at his words as he stares back at me.

I’m shaking my head before I know it, and his face contorts into a frown.

“Don’t,” I tell him. “Don’t say that unless you mean it.” I brush away an errant tear.

“I mean it.”

I’m still shaking my head. “But Sasha—”

“Is your good friend who told me if I didn’t come up here and hunt you down then I was an idiot.”

“But you have feelings for her.”

“I don’t. I have feelings for you.”

“I can’t do it again, Brett. I can’t be someone’s backup girlfriend until a better option comes along. I already did that.”

He reaches forward, leaning down to grab my hand then pulling me gently up into a kneeling position so we’re facing each other, our faces level.

He doesn’t let go of my hand, squeezing it gently before he takes my other hand in his and weaves our fingers together.

“You could never be my backup, Abigail.”

I’m searching his eyes, trying to see if he’s telling the truth, but all I see is him.

Brett.

The guy who hasn’t let me down since I met him. The one who’s pushed me and challenged me and made me better.

“How do you feel about me?” There’s the slightest of stammers in his voice, like he’s not quite as confident about the question as you’d think he’d be.

How do I feel about him?

Well, I think I might love him too, of course.

But in this moment when he’s standing there staring into my eyes, being everything I’ve ever wanted, I don’t think I have the words to tell him just how much he means to me, how much I think of him, how much I want him.

So instead I show him.

I lean forward without another thought and I kiss him.

And I kiss him and kiss him and kiss him.

I kiss him until I’m sure he knows just how much he means to me, until he knows I feel every single thing he does for me, right back at him.

And then I kiss him some more.

Epilogue

“I can’t believe how different you look,” Sasha tells me, taking me in.

I pat my hair self-consciously. “Good different?”

“Great different. You look amazing.”

I allow a small smile as I look back at my reflection in the window of the school building.

I dyed my hair yesterday, to a rich dark brown, about as far away from the blonde I’ve had for the last few years as could be. It was a shock initially, seeing the stark difference, and my mom flat-out hates it, but I don’t give a damn. I like it, and really that’s all that matters. It’s time I stopped pretending to be someone else and fully embraced being me. And for the first time in a really long time, it doesn’t seem so bad being me.

It’s time for a new start.

I look around at everyone milling around outside, the whole senior class of Grove Valley High School, while we wait to walk to the seats where graduation will take place out back on the football field. Everyone is standing around laughing and joking, taking pictures in their gowns and adjusting their caps. The excitement in the air is palpable, and I inhale a deep breath as I take it in, all of it, feeling so happy and proud and relieved.

I very nearly wasn’t here.

“Oh god, don’t tell me you’re getting emotional,” Sophie says from her spot across from me next to Livy and Jessie.

I’m about to tell her of course I’m not, but that would be a total lie.

I look at Chase, who has his arm wrapped around Livy’s shoulders, looking so handsome in his gown. I have nothing but platonic feelings for him anymore, and he winks