If so, come forward.”
I have this hugest urge to giggle, feeling suddenly like I’m on some evangelical TV program. Not sure I’ll be able to contain myself if someone does go up to ‘share’.
I look around me to see if anyone if going to take the plunge. It looks as if there aren’t any takers. Except.
Oh no.
Guy.
Chapter Five
“Don’t do it, Guy. Don’t.” I grab his arm and hold onto it. No way is he going up there to make a complete dick of himself. And me. Because we surely don’t know each other well enough for him to start confessing our feelings for one another on stage—however many hot glances have passed between us.
I stand my ground, refusing to release him even though he’s tugging with all his might. What I’m doing is for the best. We can talk this thing through together after the meeting, without opening it up for the whole world to listen.
“Suzy. Let go. Now.” His voice, though not raised is cold and actually quite scary. But I won’t back down.
“You’ll thank me for this later. Trust me. I know all about acting without thinking. I made it an art form.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Let go.” He yanks his arm with such force that he slides out of my grasp.
Oh no. Someone tell me this isn’t happening.
I stand open mouthed as he marches off.
“Suzy. You freak. Leave Guy alone,” Lori’s voice comes in loud and clear from my left-hand side. That’s all I need, an audience. “He’s not likely to ask you out if you start acting like that.”
“You don’t understand,” I say, while keeping an eye on Guy, as he strides toward the stage, stopping just where Jamie is standing. Except for some reason he then takes a sharp left and pushes open a door. My stomach shoots to the floor and back. “Oh no. He’s going to—to the bathroom.”
Crap. Crap and triple crap.
He had no intention of blurting out his feelings for me. I rest my head in my hand. I’ve totally ruined it now. Like Lori said, he’ll never ask me out now. Hey-
“What makes you say that about Guy asking me out? I don’t want to go out with him. He’s a friend, that’s all.”
“Really? I’ve seen the way you stare at him when you think no-one’s looking. And I’ll tell you now, there’s a line waiting for a chance with him.”
“So why isn’t he going with any of them?” Maybe there’s something about Guy that I need to know.
“Ever since Carla dumped him at the end of last year he hasn’t bothered. I don’t know what he saw in her. She was a bitch.”
“Carla? Have I met her?”
“No. She left school last year.”
“Well, I sure don’t have a chance now. Oh no. He’s coming back. What shall I say?”
“Try sorry, for doing what you did. For whatever your reasons were.” She frowns.
I’m not going to tell her the truth. No way. She’ll really think I’m up myself for believing he has feelings for me.
“Guy, I’m so sorry,” I blurt out when he gets within hearing range. “You must think I’m so stupid. I thought you were going up on stage and I didn’t want you to go—”
“What’s it to do with you?” he growls, not giving me chance to finish, his eyes flashing in temper.
“I mean, I didn’t want you to go without me.” I bite my bottom lip and put on my best sheepish expression. “I thought I might come on stage with you because I didn’t want to go on my own. I was too embarrassed.” Let’s hope he doesn’t remember all the garbage pouring out my mouth before—when I said I was doing it for his own good.
His face softens. It looks like he hasn’t. I inwardly let out the hugest sigh of relief imaginable.
“I don’t have anything to talk about, but if you like I’ll come up with you at the next meeting. If you need someone up there for support.”
“Thanks.”
Well, that’s me well and truly screwed. First of all he doesn’t have feelings for me that are remotely sexual. And second he thinks I have feelings for someone else that are tempting me down the wrong path.
“Okay, is everyone ready to go?” Lori says.
I glance across to the stage and see Jamie putting away the chairs. I didn’t hear him end the meeting. Mind you, that’s hardly surprising when I’ve just done something that qualifies as one of the top ten most embarrassing