“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 probably liked it.”

Hayden just met her stare with an even expression that I couldn’t read.

“So please tell me you got back at her,” Bec said, looking at me.

“There was hand-holding and hugging. We danced.”

“And Gia jumped on top of me,” Hayden said.

I gasped. His mom turned toward me.

“I did not . . . sort of. It was an accident. I didn’t mean to knock you down.”

“Tell me she saw,” Bec said, smiling.

“She did.”

Bec spun in a circle once, her arms outstretched, then she grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. “You are awesome. Revenge is awesome.”

Olivia cleared her throat.

“Because I have a very, very immature brain,” Bec added.

“Tomorrow we are all going to be better people,” Olivia said, which was almost the same thing Hayden had said earlier. I caught his eye and he nodded once.

Better people. The way they had both said it made me want to try.

CHAPTER 17

Hayden slid off the stool.

“Where are you going? I’m not finished being inspired,” Olivia said.

Hayden directed Bec onto the stool in his place. “I need to take Gia home. She’s had enough of our crazy family for one night, I am sure.”

“Bye, Gia,” Bec said. “Thanks for doing everything I asked you to.”

It’s like she said it to remind Hayden . . . or me . . . that tonight was an act, not real. Hayden didn’t need to be reminded. He had put on a perfect show.

Olivia gave me a hug without using her hands, which were dotted with paint, pressing her wrists to my shoulders. “Good to meet you. I was serious about that bone structure. Come back and see me.”

I smiled.

“Dinosaur bones,” Bec said as Hayden and I left.

Hayden glanced at me a few times as we walked down the hall. “My family is weird but I love them.”

“Your family is awesome. You’re mom isn’t . . .” I trailed off, not wanting to bring up a bad subject.

“Isn’t what? Normal? Sane?”

I shook my head. “No, of course not. It’s just she and Bec were kind of fighting. She’s not mad, is she?”

“Mad?”

“About the whole revenge thing.”

“No, she’s not mad.” He opened the front door for me and the cold air bit at my cheeks, making me realize they were hot. “And if you think that was fighting, then you haven’t seen Bec fight.”

“I just can’t believe you told your mom about your revenge plans.”

“It’s my sister. She’s the center of all our craziness.”

“I can see that.”

“I’m sure you can, considering what she forced you to do tonight.”

“She didn’t force me,” I said. I wouldn’t mind hanging out again, but I couldn’t admit that. It felt weird, like I wanted something more from him, and I didn’t. We were both putting on an act. It would be completely ridiculous to read into an act.

“Well, I know she asked you to, so thank you. You did really well. Have you ever thought about studying acting?”

I laughed as I climbed into his car. “No, I haven’t.”

“It’s fun, though, right? It’s like a natural high to perform a scene like we basically did tonight.” His eyes were shining and I could see that he’d enjoyed the night for a different reason than I did.

“It was fun.”

“My mom’s right, though,” he said. “It was super immature of me to want payback, but in a small way, I feel a little better now.”

“Do you at least have closure? I know that’s what you wanted.”

“Yes, I do. No looking back.”

“No looking back,” I repeated.

I directed him to my house and when he stopped at the curb I jumped out before he turned off the engine. I didn’t want to make him pretend to be my date anymore. So I was surprised when I was halfway up the sidewalk and he was suddenly beside me.

“You’re fast,” he said.

“Oh. You don’t have to walk me up.”

“I can’t help it. My dad raised me right.”

“Where was your dad tonight?”

“He goes to bed early and wakes up with the sun.”

“So your mom named you but are you more like your dad or your mom?”

“Do you mean am I a wild free spirit or a conservative early riser?”

“Yes.”

“What do you think?” he asked.

“I don’t know. You went to prom with me at the drop of a hat, no questions asked.”